Defying the Billionaire's Command

Because she had some; he’d sensed it a few times now. And while she might not love his grandfather, there was something between them. He felt it every time she stroked the old man’s hand.

And why did seeing that irritate him so much?

Because you want her for yourself.

And he knew better than most that a life based on wanting was no life at all. Which was why he’d based his on action.

‘I’m not in love with him. I’m not in love with anyone.’

Dare shook his head. She was doing a number on his head. But was it calculated, or just dumb luck?

He paced over to her, determined to get the truth from her once and for all. ‘I know you’re not in love with the old man, but you do care for him, don’t you?’ he demanded, his voice rough with unchecked emotion.

She heaved a laboured sigh as if he were an annoying insect she’d like to see the back of. Well, it was nothing compared to how he felt about her!

‘Yes.’

Dare’s gut tightened at the honest emotion behind that single word. What if there really was some genuine affection between this woman and his grandfather? What if she wasn’t just after him for his money? It made what had happened between them on the terrace even uglier.

But what if she was only playing on his sympathies now? Trying to get him onside so that he didn’t fight her for his grandfather’s assets later?

Dare stared at the quaint row of shops lining one side of the square. He wasn’t used to second-guessing himself all the time, but he’d been doing just that ever since he’d run into her.

Frustrated with his vacillating thoughts, Dare was almost relieved when a child cried out and a forgotten ball bounced past him. Without thinking too much about it he strode forward to where the kids had all clustered around a young girl who sat clutching her ankle, tears coursing down her face.

‘Move back,’ he said, going down on his haunches in front of the girl.

‘Billie!’ A woman’s frantic voice made him look up as she jostled forward. ‘Sweetie, are you okay? What happened?’

‘My ankle hurts.’

‘I told you not to play too rough. You have ballet tomorrow night—oh, darling, how badly does it hurt?’

‘Why don’t I carry her over to those seats?’ Dare offered.

‘No, you shouldn’t move her just yet,’ Carly interjected tersely.

Dare frowned at her and the woman’s gaze flicked between them both before settling on his.

‘Oh, well...’ She blushed. ‘That would be very helpful, thank you.’

Ignoring Carly’s venomous glare, Dare lifted the girl into his arms.

‘I think it’s broken,’ the child wailed as he placed her on a nearby bench.

‘You’ll be fine,’ he assured her.

‘Here, let me take a look.’ Again Carly threw him a dark look and moved to the child’s feet.

The mother shifted nervously, peering at Dare. ‘Oh, do you think—?’

‘I’m a doctor,’ Carly said with a ring of authority. ‘I can tell you if it’s broken.’

‘Oh, well, of course, I...’

Carly ignored the child’s mother who, she noted cynically, hadn’t been so distressed she had missed the bulge in Dare’s biceps as he’d picked her daughter up off the ground.

It was pathetic, really, but she supposed if you liked the rugged type with an edge of arrogance and danger about him then this man would be appealing. Very appealing.

‘Hi there.’ She shoved thoughts of Dare’s male appeal out of her mind and smiled at the worried girl, who must have been about ten years old. ‘Billie, is it?’

The girl nodded.

‘Okay, Billie, I’m just going to have a feel of your leg and you tell me when it hurts and how much, okay?’

Carly was aware the whole time of Dare’s searing gaze on her and it took every ounce of professionalism to ignore it.

After a few minutes she announced that the ankle was probably only sprained, but, given the amount of bones in that area of the body combined with the girl’s age, she should probably have it X-rayed. ‘And in the meantime keep a bag of ice on it. That way you’ll keep the swelling down, which will aid the healing process.’