Think—think... She wasn’t going to allow him to pull her strings like a puppet all night, was she? It might not feel like it at the moment, but it was Xavier who was on the back foot. Her inheritance was safe. She could fight for the islanders for the rest of her life, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. But he had to produce an heir. If she didn’t make something of her advantage now, then she deserved to lose the island. Her mind raced through the limited possibilities. First on the agenda was sorting out her current predicament. Maybe there was a spare waitress’s uniform she could borrow?
‘So, Señorita Resourceful?’ Xavier prompted with amusement. ‘What are you going to do now?’
‘More than you suppose,’ she tossed back at him.
‘Oh?’ There was amusement in his eyes, but also a new wariness had crept in.
‘You think you’ve got it all covered, don’t you?’ she said. ‘You can walk out of here with a knowing smile, while I’m left to do the walk of shame into a party where I’m already unwelcome. I’m guessing you think this introduction to high society will put me off for good, and that I’ll be only too pleased—grateful, even—to accept your pay-off, and go to live quietly, while you move your bulldozers in.’
‘You have an extremely vivid imagination, Señorita Clifton.’
‘Do I? I think you see this as the start of returning things to how you imagine they should be,’ she said, still busily tucking and folding.
Xavier frowned. ‘What do you mean by that?’
‘You might even give me a job as a housekeeper on the island, if I’m lucky,’ Rosie said. Raising her head, satisfied she had done the best she could with the dress, she saw Xavier’s jaw clench, suggesting she was right. ‘The Del Rio family will reign supreme once again, and everything in your world will have returned to how it should be—in your eyes,’ she finished grimly.
‘You know nothing about my family.’ His tone was ominously quiet.
‘I can hardly believe you’ve got one. My theory is that you were raised in a petri dish and then planted on top of the gold at the end of the rainbow.’
‘I have as much a family as you do,’ he said.
‘We both had Doña Anna,’ she argued.
He was quiet for a moment, and then he shrugged. ‘If you’re upset about the dress, I’ll buy you another.’
‘The dress is the least of my worries. We can’t go on like this—you trying subtly, or not so subtly, to drive me away. I’m. Not. Going. Anywhere,’ she spelled out. ‘That’s the last time I’m going to say it, so what are you going to do about that?’
Actually, Rosie thought, what was she going to do about it? Seizing control took more than good intentions. If she didn’t like Xavier’s suggestions regarding the future of the island, it was up to her to come up with something new.
‘Take the dress off,’ he murmured. ‘It’s ruined.’
‘You’re not listening to me, are you?’ she demanded with frustration.
He smiled, and, though she knew she should stick rigidly to the point, those dark eyes held such danger they excited her. She wasn’t used to flirting, and, though she knew this wasn’t the time for it, the tension between them was threatening to snap. And then he made a big mistake. Putting a hand on her cheek, Xavier dipped his head as if to kiss her—as if it were his right! Don Xavier Del Rio had to learn that she could be dangerous too—
‘Que diablos—’
Buttons bounced across the floor as she reached up and ripped his shirt apart.
She was filled with an unreasonable passion, born of the desire to assert herself. Why shouldn’t she enjoy the heat of his hard, hot flesh beneath her fingers? Why shouldn’t she lock her hands around what remained of his shirt and yank it apart? She was on fire. There was no chance of stopping her until both his shirt and jacket were on the floor. The fight was on. Xavier gave her no chance to enjoy her triumph. Seizing what was left of her dress, he ripped it from neck to hem.
‘What are you going to do about that?’ he challenged as it fell to the floor.
Her answer was to launch herself at him. Pummelling her fists against his chest, she gave vent to her passion in animal sounds of anger that all too soon turned to sounds of need. When she had finally exhausted herself, and her blows had slowed, she looked up to find, to her frustration, that Xavier was still smiling. So much for seizing control!
‘Why, Señorita Clifton,’ he murmured, ‘I would never have credited you with quite so much passion.’
She was breathing so heavily it was hard to argue, and the next thing she knew she was in his arms. Holding her firmly in place, Xavier cradled her breasts, and then chafed her nipples remorselessly until pleasure consumed her, wiping every sensible thought from her head. Dipping his head, he claimed her mouth, and with a thoroughness and skill that obliterated the world as she knew it. His kisses were addictive and he felt so unbelievably good. He tasted minty and hot, and, when she pressed her body against his, she loved the feel of his steel against her curves.
‘Do you hate me as much as the dress?’ he queried with amusement. ‘I think you must,’ he said, staring down. ‘You lived such a quiet life on the island until I arrived.’
‘I lived such a safe life,’ she argued, but that only made him laugh all the more. ‘Don’t,’ she said, in between kisses. ‘Don’t make fun of me.’
‘Is that what I’m doing?’ he whispered, staring deep into her eyes. ‘I thought I was making love to you.’
Cupping her face, he made her look at him, and, though she knew she should resist, she couldn’t see anything but good humour and desire in his eyes. The first was unreasonably attractive, while the desire both terrified and excited her. He was tempting her to kiss him back. She didn’t hate Xavier. She wanted him. She hadn’t even known she was capable of feelings as strong as this. He nuzzled the exposed skin below her ear. The lightest touch of his sharp black stubble made her shiver with helpless need. Her body melted against his, while her breasts felt so full and heavy, and all she could think about was having him touch them again. He didn’t disappoint her. Dipping his head, he lightly abraded the tip of each nipple with his teeth and with his tongue, until she couldn’t deny him anything, and went willingly as he backed her towards the desk.