Rebel's Bargain

He opened his mouth as if to say something then paused. ‘The jet belongs to a friend,’ he said at last.

Poppy hesitated, about to call him on his blatant change of subject then shrugged. She wasn’t interested in what made Orsino tick. He’d cured her of caring.

Twenty minutes later they were finally alone, seated on opposite sides of the cabin. The plane had lifted off and the steward had retired to the galley after serving drinks.

‘What the hell did you think you were doing back there, Orsino?’ Her outrage hadn’t abated. Her fingers were white-knuckled around her glass.

‘Where?’ He turned his head towards her but his expression was unreadable behind those glasses.

‘Oh, don’t be so coy.’ She all but grated her teeth together. ‘Outside the hospital.’

‘What? The kiss?’

‘Of course, the kiss.’ Heat saturated her skin at the nerve of the man pretending not to understand. ‘What did you think gave you the right to do that?’

Above the dark glasses one black eyebrow arched. ‘A husband’s right?’ he purred in a whisky-deep voice.

‘A husband’s—!’ Her words were cut off as she surged upwards, only to find herself restrained by the seatbelt. With a fumbled click she freed herself and shot to her feet, stalking across the luxurious lounge to stand before him. She shook with the force of her indignation.

‘How many times do we have to go through this, Orsino? You’re no longer my husband.’

Slowly, oh so slowly, he lifted his head towards her voice. Her skin prickled as his gaze trawled her body, from her hips, past her waist to her breasts and then finally to her face. Heat surged in her cheeks.

Could he see her or was he just pretending, yanking her chain? Either way, his leisurely survey set her teeth on edge, like fingernails scraping down a chalkboard.

Poppy wrapped her arms around herself rather than reach out to wrap her hands around his throat. She’d never in her life been violent but Orsino brought out a response more potent than any she’d known.

Except the depth of misery and hurt he’d left in his wake. The memory of that helped get her anger under control.

‘You didn’t like kissing me?’ He tilted his head as if puzzled. But the shadow of a smile lurking at the corner of his mouth told its own story. ‘You could have fooled me.’

Poppy swung away, pacing the deep, plush carpet. ‘Then obviously I succeeded. Being kissed by you isn’t an experience I want to repeat. Ever. I prefer to save my kisses for someone I care about.’

Silence.

‘And does this man have a name? Or can I guess?’ Orsino’s voice held a dangerous edge, like honed steel sheathed in velvet. It abraded her senses, making her shiver.

‘That falls in the category of none of your business.’ He had a hide, prying into her private life after all this time.

Orsino’s lips twisted up in a smile she could only describe as feral. ‘If you try to flaunt him under my nose while we’re together you’ll find it’s very much my business.’

Poppy spun around to stare at him. Reflective glasses met her gaze, giving nothing away.

‘Now hold on right there. We’re not together. I’m letting you stay for a few weeks. What I do and who I see is nothing to do with you, Orsino.’

‘Perhaps not.’ He lifted his glass and took a slow sip. ‘But I think you’ll discover, dear Poppy, that the press will make it their business to ferret out the juicy details of this man you care for so much. Imagine the fallout when news breaks of your affair even as you’re nursing your poor, wounded husband.’

‘You … You …!’

‘I’m just telling it like it is. You know what the paparazzi are like.’ He paused. ‘Will I meet him? Is he at this shoot you’re taking me to?’

Poppy darted a disbelieving glance at Orsino, casually sipping his drink. Did he think he could just ask and she’d open up?

She shook her head. The man was amazing.

‘You seem inordinately interested in my love life.’

He said nothing but his lips tightened. Poppy frowned. Why would he take an interest? He hadn’t for five long years.

The memory of her unanswered calls and emails stiffened her spine. She didn’t trust his sudden fascination with her personal life.

‘What are you up to, Orsino? Are you trying to make it look like we’re reconciling? Is that why you kissed me?’ Though what he had to gain she had no idea.

‘You put too much weight on an innocent kiss.’

It was on the tip of Poppy’s tongue to say that for all his restraint there’d been nothing innocent about that kiss. It had been pure temptation, designed to make a woman melt.