The Wedding Ultimatum by Helen Bianchin

Author:Helen Bianchin
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Romance, Classic Romance, Fiction
ISBN: 9781426886348
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2002-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Danielle couldn't help but wonder if Cristina had garnered an invitation to every function listed on the city's calendar for the social élite.

Coincidence or design? Given the glamorous blonde's intent to cause mayhem, it had to be the latter.

It was interesting to watch the society matrons work the gallery. A gracious word here, an overt hint there, and guests were rallied for the next event, be it social or a fund-raiser.

'Pensive thoughts?'

She turned towards Rafe and offered him a stunning smile. 'Observing.'

One eyebrow rose. 'Cristina?'

'However did you guess?'

'Any particular reason?'

She made a play at removing an imaginary speck from his immaculate jacket. 'She wants you. Can't you tell?'

'And that bothers you?'

'Why should it?'

Amusement lurked in that dark gaze, and a lazy smile curved the edges of his mouth. 'Let's examine the exhibits. The ones on the wall,' he added, placing a hand at her waist.

'You're killing me,' Danielle murmured. He had no pretensions to grandeur, and merely played the role society expected of him. Whereas she'd been born into a class structure that lauded its peers, only to discard them when the chips began to fall.

The exhibits were many and varied. Harsh black and white, subtle shades of grey. An abstract collage that caused interest due to its demand for individual interpretation.

Breathtaking beauty vied with stark reality, and Danielle stood transfixed by the print of a child with cherubic features and eyes so incredibly sad their expression tugged her heartstrings.

She moved close, read the descriptive explanation printed beneath, and wanted to weep. A Bosnian child captured in a war-torn land, and deprived of family. Such innocence, so much grief.

Danielle felt a pulse thud at the edge of her throat. The thought of a child of her own suffering in any way almost killed her.

The fierce maternal instinct caught her unawares. It also endorsed the real reason for her marriage to Rafe Valdez.

She'd counted on her dislike of him. Putting up with sex as a means to an end. Playing a part in public, whilst leading separate lives in private.

Except it wasn't quite working out the way she'd envisaged.

No matter how hard she tried, it was becoming impossible with each passing day to distance her emotions, for he had only to touch her, and her pulse raced to a quickened beat.

It was all very well to abide by the adage take each day as it comes…the days were fine. It was the nights—

'Rafe, darling.'

Danielle turned slightly at the sound of that husky feminine voice.

Cristina. Who else?

'I'd value your advice on a business proposition I'm considering.' The blonde offered Danielle a faint smile. 'You don't mind if I steal him for a few minutes?'

'Go ahead.' The proposition was undoubtedly a foil, but why should she care? Except she did, and that rankled more than she wanted to admit.

Fool, she derided silently. What possessed you to imagine you could become intimately involved with a man like Rafael Valdez, and keep your emotions intact?

Could he control his emotions?

Without doubt. The weak and undisciplined didn't survive the city streets.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.