His Thirty-Day Fiancée by Catherine Mann

Author:Catherine Mann [Mann, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Rich Rugged & Royal
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2011-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Kate twisted her hair into a wet rope and hurried barefoot into the sitting area connecting her bedroom to Duarte’s.Almost certainly she should have gone straight to sleep after her conversation with Harold. Except her editor’s threat of plastering Jennifer’s picture all over a tabloid story sent bile frothing up Kate’s throat. She’d played it cool on the phone while reminding Harold of how much she could deliver. Then she’d cut the conversation short rather than risk losing her temper.

Before she could think, she’d rushed to the door, knowing only that she needed the reassurance of Duarte’s unflappable calm.

Setting aside his iPhone, he kept his eyes firmly planted on her. “I’m sorry my assistant forgot to order night wear. The hotel does supply complimentary robes.”

“Your assistant didn’t forget. This belongs to me. I had it tucked away in my camera case.” Kate tugged the hem of her well-worn sleep shirt down to her knees. A picture of a camera marked the middle, words below stating Don’t Be Negative. “Did everything go all right with your phone call?”

Hopefully his was less upsetting than hers.

“My father has taken a turn for the worse.” His body rippled with tension, his hands gripping the carved wood arms of his manor chair. “He has developed pneumonia. And yes, you can leak that to the press if you wish.”

Her heart ached that he had to suspect her motives when she only wanted to comfort him. He seemed so distant in his tux against the backdrop of formal damask wallpaper. She searched for the right words to reach him.

“I wasn’t thinking about my job. I was asking because you look worried.” Seeing the shutters fall, Kate padded past the brocade sofa to the fireplace. She held her chilly hands in front of the blaze. “What do you plan to do?”

“Let’s talk about something else.”

Like what? She wasn’t in the mood for superficial discussions about art. How long could they shoot the breeze about the oil paintings in her room, or the lithographs in his? She’d noticed sailing art in his Martha’s Vineyard quarters. Maybe there could be something to those lighter conversations, and certainly she could use the distraction from worries about Jennifer.

“Hey,” Duarte said softly from behind her.

She hadn’t even heard him move.

The cedar scent of his aftershave sent her mind swirling with memories of how close they’d come to having sex in the elevator. She’d wanted him so much. The fire he’d stirred simmered still, just waiting to be rekindled. She was surprised to find herself with him so soon after. Had she come back in here purposely? Had she used her frustration over the call from Harold as an excuse to indulge what she wanted?

She looked over her shoulder at him. “Yes?”

Or perhaps she meant Yes!

“Is something wrong? You seem upset.”

How had this gone from his concerns to hers? Was he avoiding the subject because he didn’t trust her? She decided to follow his lead for now and circle back around to discussing Enrique later.

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