Roarke's Kingdom

Constancia smiled again. “I am glad. Now, please, what would you like for breakfast?”

“I’m not really hungry…”

“She’ll have toast,” Roarke said. “And poached eggs. And some fruit.”

“But I don’t want—”

“So long as you’re my responsibility, you will do what I think best.” Roarke poured two cups of coffee from a carafe on the sideboard and sat down across from her. “If you follow orders, you should be here no more than a week.”

“No wonder you live on your own island,” she said coldly. “People in the real world would never tolerate you.”

“You’re probably right.”

So much for insulting him. Time to try another approach.

“Besides, I can’t impose on you for that long.”

“You’ve already imposed on me,” he said bluntly. “Another few days aren’t going to change that.”

“Well, there are other considerations.”

“Such as?”

“I already missed my flight home. I’ll have to try and see if the airline will—”

“You missed your flight?”

“Yes. You said I’ve been here more than two days and my flight was on Monday.”

“Then why were you at Campbell’s just a few days ago, looking for a job?”

His voice fairly purred. Jennifer forced herself to take a swallow of orange juice. Such a stupid thing to have said! Think, she told herself, think.

“Because—because I thought I’d stay in Puerto Rico for a few months, if I could.”

Roarke leaned back in his chair and lifted his coffee cup to his mouth. Steam rose from the dark liquid, pluming across his face.

“Just like that?”

She shrugged. “Yes,” she said calmly, “just like that.”

“What about your family? Your job?” He paused. “Surely there’s someone waiting for your return.”

“Only Bernie.” That much was true enough, and it almost made her smile. “And he can replace me easily.”

“That’s an interesting assessment of your importance,” Roarke said, putting the cup down and folding his arms across his chest.

His voice was tinged with a hint of derision. Stupid move number two, to have made it sound as if she’d been talking about a lover.

“Bernie is my boss,” she said flatly. “I’m a waitress. Believe me, it wouldn’t be very hard for him to find someone to take my place.”

Roarke said nothing. Instead, he rose to his feet.

“Then your staying on here won’t inconvenience anyone.”

“Except you.”

He swung toward her. “There’s really no choice, is there?”