The Spanish Tycoon's Temptress (21 page)

When she finally pulled up behind the stables, she was hot, miserable, irritated and painfully hungry. 

She walked into her father’s cottage and dumped her overnight bag by the door, already feeling better once she smelled the macaroni and cheese scent wafting through his small home.
“Dad?  I’m home!” she called out.  “Can you tell me what the surprise is that couldn’t wait another month?”

Her father stepped out of the kitchen, tossing a dishtowel over his shoulder.  The look in his eyes told her something was very wrong. “Glad you’re here!” he said, a little too loudly, his eyes darting from her to the kitchen, then back again worriedly.  “Dinner is almost ready.  Why don’t you go change and I’ll get everything ready.”

Rachel watched her dad carefully, noting the odd look in his eyes.  “Didn’t you mention that you made macaroni and cheese for dinner?  I can already smell it so there’s no need to change.  I can just dig in.”

He hesitated, glancing behind him and Rachel peered into the kitchen, wondering what he was trying to see. 

When the tall man emerged from the tiny kitchen, he took her breath away and her body immediately reacted to those dark, penetrating eyes.  He was taller, his shoulders broader and his eyes darker, more dangerous.  Everything about him was just….more.  She gasped at the sight of him, her eyes taking in the overwhelming presence of the man she’d been avoiding for the past six years.  And she’d been doing a damn good job if that until tonight. 

Her father shuffled around for a moment before he said, “I’ll just go check on dinner.”  And he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving her alone to face her demons. 

“Rais!” she breathed, her heart instantly racing, her knees starting to feel weak and wobbly.  She couldn’t believe that he was actually here, in her father’s small cottage.  It had never felt this tiny before but Rais was so large, he actually had to duck between the kitchen doorway leading to the den area so he didn’t bump his head.  And shockingly, he had to angle his shoulders to get through the doorway?  Ridiculous, she thought, trying to pull her eyes away from him. 

It was difficult, but she finally did it.  Unfortunately, her eyes only moved away from his penetrating eyes.  Traveling down his body was just as bad.  His broad, muscular shoulders tapered to slim hips and long legs that she knew were covered with bulging muscles, just like the rest of him.  The man was the epitome of masculinity topped off with an aura of confidence that many, many women found fascinating and alluring. 

She was not immune to his magnetism either, which was why she’d tried so hard to avoid visiting her father while he was in residence. 

She knew that Rais’ father passed away several years ago, so he was now Sheik Rais Sayyid Tarif Zaman, Sheik of Dunari, she thought in a ridiculous train of thought that left her speechless.  She couldn’t even tell him to get out since, technically, this was his cottage, his farm and all of the horses out in the stables were his.  He owned the farm here in Virginia so if he wanted to come to his house earlier than anticipated, he could do whatever he pleased. 

“It’s been a long time,” Rais finally broke the silence. 

His deep, husky voice broke through her crazy thoughts, jilting her mind into overdrive.  “Yes.  I guess it has been a few years.”

He raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly as he said, “More like six years, I believe.”  He leaned against the wall and slid his hands into the pockets of his immaculately tailored slacks, those dark, dangerous eyes never leaving her face.  “One might almost imagine that you have been avoiding me.”

Rachel flushed and looked down at her feet.  “That would be silly,” she said, hoping he couldn’t see her cheeks flame up in color with the dimmer light in the cottage’s den area.  “How have you been?” she asked, suddenly overcome with the need to straighten the magazines that were scattered all over the coffee table and pick up the newspapers that had been carelessly left on the floor.  She was nervous and wished she could just slip out the door and fade back into the darkness of the autumn evening. 

He smiled slightly, crossing his arms over that massive chest of his while he watched her nervously straighten up the room.  “I’ve been fine.  Why haven’t you been around?”

She picked up and refolded the blanket that she’d bought for her dad because he fell asleep on the couch so often.  “I’ve been pretty busy.”

“Too busy to swing by once in a while to say hello to an old friend?”

She stopped and froze, wondering how to respond.  She looked up at him, then away once again, too nervous to hold that contact with his too-knowing gaze.  “Well, I know it’s not very far but, well, you know how traffic is around here.  It’s hard to get out this way.  And I don’t have…
well, I can’t really take time off very often.”

He moved closer, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her frantic movements.  “You’re nervous.  Why?”

She actually jumped and took a step backwards.  “I’m not nervous,” she countered but couldn’t look him in the eye.  She took a deep breath to try and steady herself.  When she felt like she had a bit more control, she said, “Why are you here?”  She looked at his firm chin or his broad shoulders, the middle of his fabulously muscular chest…anywhere but into his eyes. 

He put his hands back in his slacks and looked down at her.  Rais couldn’t believe the beauty she’d grown into.  He’d suspected she would be like this as he’d watched her grow up and knew that she would be beautiful.  But the woman standing in front of him was stunning.  She had a cool sophistication that was startling with a sensuality that was soft and seductive instead of being blatant.  Her long, black hair looked like a silk wave as it cascaded down her shoulders and her pretty blue eyes revealed so much, but also hid everything he wanted to know.  “Why have you been avoiding me?” he countered in a low voice so her father wouldn’t hear them in the kitchen.

He’d wanted her for so long, he couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t ached to hold her in his arms.  Ever since she’d turned sixteen, his feelings for Rachel had changed from brotherly affection and interest to something much stronger, significantly deeper.  And the older she got, the more intense that feeling had become.  Suddenly, six years ago she’d simply stopped coming out to his farm to visit her father, his lead trainer, and he’d missed her almost painfully.  There had been times when he’d been furious that she wasn’t here for him so he could o feast on her glorious beauty or just revel in her laughter and smile.  Then there were other times when he was relieved that he wouldn’t have to find another woman to ease the ache she always left in him after he saw her or spoke with her because she was too young. 

But she was older now.  She wasn’t a teenager with soulful eyes that laughed at his dry humor or teased him about his arrogance.  She wouldn’t be racing ahead of him on her horse, her long, slender legs holding onto her horse and her bottom bouncing on her saddle, giving his mind images that were inappropriate and leaving him hard and aching. 

Every year she’d grown more beautiful and more interesting.  Each visit had left him with an ache, a desire to be with her more often which he’d had to fight with every fiber in his being.  When she’d turned eighteen, it had been the hardest because she’d continued to grow into that figure that had him dreaming about holding her in his arms.  He couldn’t count the number of times he’d woken up in a sweat because he wanted her so desperately. 

As he looked down into those blue eyes, he reveled in the fact that she was now old enough for his pursuit.  And he would have her.  She might resist at first, but it would be just out of habit.  He would show her that he wanted more from her and they could explore this attraction he knew they both shared. 

Yes, Rachel would be in his bed and they could expand the friendship they used to have so that it was more, deeper. 

He stepped closer, his nose filling up with her soft, feminine scent.  “I’d like…”

“Dinner is ready,” her father called out from the kitchen, interrupting whatever it was that Rais was about to say.