Obligation To Love. Catherine O'Connor

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СКАЧАТЬ saw him at last; he was leaning casually against the bar, surveying the rest of the passengers with disinterest. It was obviously no novelty to him being in the VIP lounge awaiting first-class travel to foreign parts, thought Hayley with a sudden stab of resentment. She stared at him—it was hard not to: his sheer presence demanded attention. The whole man’s demeanour was overpowering. Something about him seemed to frighten her; he was different from any other man she had known. He stood over six feet tall, with the hallmark of wealth stamped heavily upon him. It was not just the tell-tale flashes of light from his gold cuff-links, or the wafer-thin strap of his expensive watch. Everything about him screamed riches and power and, above all, authority. However, there was also a sinister air about him—perhaps he’s a drug smuggler or a terrorist, thought Hayley in sudden alarm. He certainly looked capable of doing anything to achieve his own ends. His whole posture was arrogant and self-sufficient, and it made Hayley acutely aware of her own limitations. She looked down at the simple linen suit she had bought for the flight, and compared to him she felt like a pauper!

      Her eyes flickered back to the stranger at the bar. There was something that seemed to compel her to look at him. He was dress

      ed in an impeccably tailored dark grey suit that revealed the sharp leanness of his trim body while at the same time drawing attention to the width of his broad shoulders. His pristine white shirt had been pulled open at the neck re-vealing the strong tanned column of his throat, and a few dark, telltale curls protruded slightly. His tie hung loosely down and he looked completely at ease, nonchalant—despite the expensive cut of his suit—and totally relaxed in the grand surroundings of the lounge.

      Hayley started in alarm, dismissing all thoughts of the attractive stranger as she shot to her feet; at last her flight had been called. She made her way on to the aircraft, trying to stifle her nerves and the whirl of butterflies that seemed to have taken up residence in her stomach. She was greeted by the reassuring smile of their air stewardess, who seemed to have sensed her misgivings. She scanned the seats for her number and then froze. She gaped in amazement as she realised whom she would be sitting next to, and her stomach clenched suddenly into a tight ball. He seemed to be engrossed in his paper, oblivious to her presence, yet Hayley wasn’t convinced; somehow his pose seemed con-trived, but she could think of no reason for any subterfuge. She faltered for a moment, aware of the clamminess breaking out on the palms of her hands. She felt even more vulnerable and her heart seemed to thud painfully against her ribcage. She swallowed the rising lump of panic in her throat; of all people, she would have to be next to him! she thought indignantly. She knew she couldn’t possibly relax next to such a formidable character.

      ‘Excuse me, may I get past?’ she said, her voice surprisingly calm and not betraying in the least the turmoil she felt inside. The man lowered his paper slowly, as if each movement was calculated for the fullest impact, and fixed his dark eyes on her. For a moment he did not speak but continued to look at her, his gaze travelling slowly over the subtle contours of her body, till he had made a complete inventory of her. Hayley felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and a frisson of excitement spiralled down her back as she stood waiting for him to move. He then nodded briefly and moved slightly, his muscular body lithe and deceptively languorous.

      ‘Thank you,’ she managed to stammer, as she squeezed past him. She was all too aware of the hard firmness of his muscular legs as they moved obliquely to let her pass. A soft sweep of heat caressed her as her own legs inadvertently brushed against his. She was about to apologise, but the words died on her lips as she caught the mocking amusement in his eyes at her embarrassment. Once seated, she dived behind a glossy magazine and hid behind the printed matter as if erecting a wall between them, though she doubted there would be any fortress that could keep such a man out; his power and strength were evident in every line of his firm frame. It seemed odd to be seated next to him; there were vacant seats in the aircraft and lone travellers liked to stay alone. She wasn’t really interested in the magazine but concentrated hard on the articles in an attempt to pacify her rapid pulse. The close proximity of the man sent her senses reeling and she was unused to such strong reactions. She had caught the lemony tang of his aftershave and its deep scent seemed to fill her nostrils, teasing her to respond to him.

      Hayley dived back into her magazine, mentally trying to shut out his presence—and the thought of take-off. She was so completely immersed in an article on homeopathic medicine that she failed to notice the flashing light above her head informing her to fasten her seat-belt. The announcement that followed alerted her immediately and she became uncharacteristically flustered and— suddenly—frightened. In her haste, she was unable to fasten the clasp; it seemed to take on a mind of its own. Her fingers fumbled hopelessly with the belt, her agitation increasing as she realised he was watching her again. Hayley felt him cast a scornful look at her incompetence.

      A stab of hostility stole into her heart when he offered, ‘Can I be of assistance?’ His voice held an unmistakable taunt in its rich tones, a taunt that made her determined to succeed alone, without his help. She continued to struggle, silently cursing the perversity of inanimate objects as the belt seemed to refuse to fasten.

      ‘I shall do it.’ His voice was very quiet, low yet commanding. Hayley was about to protest; her head shot up and there was a defiant, angry gleam sparkling like icy chips in her pale blue eyes. Then her eyes met his and an involuntary shiver made her slender body tremble slightly. The depths of his dark eyes held an unmistakable harshness as they glinted with unconcealed enjoyment at her confusion. Hayley’s hands froze on her lap and her angry words of self-reliance died on her lips, as his strong, tapering fingers reached over and deftly clicked the buckle shut. He gave her a smile of supreme superiority which infuriated her but, all the same, she was so uneasy that she felt unable to speak. He leant back casually as Hayley nodded her thanks, hating herself for this lapse of weakness that had suddenly manifested itself in his presence. She watched him warily: his cool composure was like a façde, as if he was hiding something. He settled back, closing his eyes, his sooty lashes curled upwards, casting a soft shadow on his olive-tanned skin. He breathed deeply and seemed to relax, his face changing. He looked far less formidable now, his sensuous mouth curling gently with a serene grace and his angular features softening with tranquillity. His dark hair fell effortlessly in a sleek, smart style.

      ‘Relax, lean back, and breathe slowly and deeply,’ he instructed Hayley, without even opening his eyes. She pushed herself into her seat, her back rigid, and took a sideways glance towards him, but his eyes remained closed. He must have been aware of her studying him and Hayley found the thought mortifying. She was determined not to give him a second glance for the rest of the journey. It was obvious he was the type of man who thought all women found him irresistibly attractive. Well, he would be disappointed this time, thought Hayley, shutting her eyes tightly as well, to block out his forceful image.

      ‘Breathe deeply,’ he commanded again tersely.

      He was obviously used to being obeyed instantly; his speech lacked the usual social pleasantries and, for a moment, Hayley thought she would hold her breath in defiance. But he spoke again. ‘Don’t be childish,’ he said. ‘You’ll feel better.’

      His eyes had remained closed the whole time, which was unnerving, but at least he could not see the flood of colour that yet again covered Hayley’s face. The plane began taxiing down the runway, and instinctively Hayley gripped the arm-rests as it soared upwards. She fought the sickening feeling of nausea as her tummy flipped over with the ascent, the engines’ roar filling her ears. She sang nursery rhymes over and over in her head to prevent her from thinking about what was happening. Then there was a sudden uplift, then peace, as the roar lessened and clear blue sky surrounded them.

      ‘It’s all over now. Take-offs and descents are always the worst.’ His reassuring voice fell like a warm caress on her troubled nerves. Hayley opened her eyes and let out a huge sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging. She stiffened momentarily, unable to think how to react; he’d opened his eyes now and she certainly didn’t want to give him the impression that she was interested in him СКАЧАТЬ