Wedding Party Collection: Proposing To The Planner: The Argentinian's Solace. Susan Stephens

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       ‘I’m not hurting you, am I?’ she asked him as he flinched with self-loathing.

       ‘No,’ he snapped as she hit a tender spot.

       Maxie’s small hands were surprisingly strong, but then he remembered the heavy ropes she’d tossed to shore. She might be small, but in determination Maxie was not to be underestimated. Against the odds, he began to relax. He stared down at her dark, silky head as she worked. There was something about her touch, her scent, her calming approach, her very presence when he had spent so much time alone, that made her intriguingly different—and incredibly, beneath her skilful fingers, he felt his damaged muscles begin to yield and loosen. Having lived with pain since the accident, his relief was indescribable. Closing his eyes, he rested back against the cushioned headrest…

       ‘Does that feel better?’

       He couldn’t believe he’d been asleep, or that her voice had wakened him.

       ‘Well?’ she prompted. ‘Has it helped?’

       He flexed his leg and could hardly believe there was just a low, throbbing ache where so recently there had been acute, stabbing pain. And the dull throb was probably due to the force of Maxie’s fingers. ‘It’s a lot better,’ he admitted.

       ‘Well, don’t look so surprised. If you patronise me I won’t do it again.’

       His mouth tugged in the first real smile. ‘I shall consider myself chastened, Señorita Parrish.’

       ‘You do that,’ she advised. ‘I’m going to wash my hands now.’

       He caught hold of her wrist as she moved away and had the satisfaction of hearing her suck in a sharp breath. She stood trembling and aware as he held her, reminding him of one of his wild ponies. When they were first captured and brought to him they averted their gaze just as she was doing now, as if to look at him would be an admission that they wanted to stay. He felt how vulnerable she was beneath his huge fist, and how delicate her bones were. He could feel her pulse fluttering beneath the skin and felt some primal urge to protect her. For Maxie’s sake he let her go.

       She felt light-headed as she walked the length of the swimming pool on her way to the changing rooms. And that wasn’t just the Diego effect—which was disturbing enough in itself. Her mother had always said Maxie had healing hands, and though Maxie had laughed at this suggestion sessions did take a lot out of her. She could only describe it as her own strength pouring into someone else. How did Diego feel about it? Why had he caught hold of her wrist? He had let her go again, she remembered wryly.

       She took her time washing her hands. Closing her eyes, she prepared herself for a return to a world with Diego Acosta in it and a wedding planner with an increasingly bad habit of straying from her brief. But at least she’d had good news to give Holly. Palacio Acosta had the best facilities for a wedding that Maxie had ever seen.

       By the time she returned to the side of the pool Diego was standing on his good leg, flexing the other. ‘Does your leg still feel better?’ she said, hoping there hadn’t been some unexpected reversal.

       The dark gaze reached deep inside her. ‘There is some improvement,’ Diego admitted. A faint, attractive smile played around his lips, making a crease in his cheek. ‘Same time tomorrow?’ he suggested, pulling on his jeans.

       She quickly averted her gaze and stared over his head. ‘I’ll see if I can fit you in,’ she said.

       ‘You do that.’ Diego’s dark eyes were amused as he fastened his belt. ‘Or we could run a barter system,’ he suggested, tugging a polo shirt over his head. ‘I teach you to ride. You work on my leg?’

       ‘Why not?’ she said, still dwelling on his naked torso, covered now—unfortunately. ‘That sounds fair.’ And totally insane.

       ‘I’d better find you a good ride,’ he said, with the attractive crease back in his cheek.

       ‘You better had,’ she agreed.

       And there it would have ended, with a good bargain made, had she not been trying so hard not to look at Diego when she walked past him. If she had been paying any attention to where she was going instead of avoiding his glance she wouldn’t have tripped over the leg of the lounger and he wouldn’t have been forced to catch her.

       ‘Careful.’ His face was only a breath away.

       ‘Thank you,’ she said, pulling away as if he had burned her.

       ‘My pleasure,’ Diego murmured, with a great deal too much insight in his voice and in his eyes for Maxie’s liking.

       This was like trying to take on the forces of nature single-handed, she concluded. Her heart was pounding a tattoo, and if she couldn’t trust herself to behave what hope was there? But instead of taking things further as Diego so easily could have done, he let go of her arm and stood back to let her pass.

       He wanted her. His hunting instinct was in full flood, but his instinct also told him to keep her safe. From him. He wanted to thank her for bringing him relief from pain, but he knew where that would lead. And he could sense that Maxie was vulnerable. In business she had all the confidence you would expect, together with the skills necessary to succeed, but in her personal life… He knew nothing about her personal life, except that she was innocence personified compared to him. What was she hiding? he wondered as he stared into her cool grey eyes.

       Damn it. She hated being on the back foot. Diego had almost certainly guessed how much she had wanted him to kiss her.

       ‘Are you coming?’ he said, holding the door.

       To buy time, she grabbed a couple of towels and waved them at him. She needed a moment. But she couldn’t keep him waiting all day… ‘Excuse me,’ she said politely when she reached the door. The open space with Diego in it was far too small to pass without brushing against him.

       ‘Excuse me,’ he replied, but instead of moving away he moved in.

       Catching her close, he smiled into her eyes, and with such exquisite confidence she could only gasp as he brushed her lips with his. And then he proceeded to tease her mercilessly with kisses to her neck, before pulling back as if to study the effect. He must have known she was lost. Closing her eyes, she pressed her palms flat against Diego’s chest. Two could play at this game. She slowly traced the map of muscle to his neck and then linked her hands behind his head. Opening her eyes she found him smiling down at her.

       ‘Maxie,’ he murmured in a faintly chastening tone.

       ‘Yes?’ she whispered.

       Taking hold of her hands, he gently drew them down again.

       ‘Don’t tease me,’ she warned, ready to push all her past failures aside in the hope of achieving one perfect moment.

       ‘Is that a challenge?’ Diego asked, drawing her attention to his lips.

       A dam burst inside her. Pressing against him, she reached up. Locking her hands behind his neck she exclaimed with relief when Diego’s grip tightened. Dipping his head, he brushed her lips with his. Parting them with his tongue, he searched deep. It was a fiery exchange, as if she filled some empty part of him. He certainly fulfilled every one of her wishes. A wild sound escaped her throat when his hands first touched her СКАЧАТЬ