A Mistress, a Scandal, a Ring by Angela Bissell

Author:Angela Bissell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Modern
Published: 2018-10-10T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

XAV DROPPED HIS phone onto the dresser in the master suite and went through to the bathroom. He leaned over the basin on the marble vanity and sluiced his face in cold water, then grabbed a towel and scrubbed his skin dry.

What he desperately needed to do was douse his entire body in ice-cold water, but he didn’t have time for a shower.

His brother was downstairs in his office. It had been Ramon on the phone.

Xav cursed. Ramon had told him days ago—and reminded him during their phone call yesterday—that he was bringing his wife, Emily, and their baby daughter, Katie, to Barcelona for a week. They’d agreed to have lunch today to discuss the Reynaud deal, among other things.

How the hell had he forgotten?

He braced his palms on the edge of the vanity unit and pulled in a shuddering breath.

His mind had been elsewhere—that was how he’d forgotten. Arriving at the office at seven a.m. after a restless night, he’d tried to focus on work and instead found his mind returning repeatedly to the events of yesterday. In particular his abrupt treatment of Jordan by the pool.

He’d seen the hurt in her eyes before he’d walked away. Hurt she hadn’t deserved. He’d rejected her for the right reasons, but the way he’d gone about it had been harsh. Wrong.

And walking away from her, shutting himself in his study for the rest of the evening, hadn’t stopped the incessant wanting.

He had only himself to blame. Yes, she had provoked him, flirting with that guy on the beach, shoving the brother thing in his face, knowing it would push his buttons, but he’d spent a lifetime training himself not to react impulsively to provocation.

But this time he had reacted.

He’d kissed her out of anger and an inability to subdue his desire. Then he’d punished her for it, shutting her out, speaking barely a word to her afterwards.

By mid-morning a tight knot of guilt had settled in his gut.

He prided himself on being a man of principle and strong moral character—better than those who would undermine him—and yet he couldn’t view his behaviour yesterday with any sense of pride.

As for his behaviour today...

He clenched his jaw and stared down at his white-knuckled hands, reluctant to look at his reflection in the mirror for fear he would see not himself but some half-crazed Neanderthal he hardly recognised.

How the hell had he ended up doing what he’d just done out there on the sofa?

It had been the furthest thing from his mind when he’d picked up the phone and called Rosa.

His plan had been simple. As simple as he and Jordan sharing a polite, civilised meal that would allow him to claw back some self-respect and prove he wasn’t the bastard she had every reason to believe him to be.

Above all he’d resolved to keep a lid on his lust and, if necessary, rebuff any of her advances.

Gently.

Except when he’d called his housekeeper to tell her he’d be home to dine with his guest this evening Rosa had promptly told him his guest was gone.

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