Mum's The Word!. Cat Schield

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СКАЧАТЬ all her favorites?”

      “Of course.” Stewart’s head turned at the light knock on the door. “That must be Lady Darcy. I’ll let her in, then make myself scarce.”

      Gabriel grinned, glad she was as eager to begin their evening as he. Stewart went to answer the door. With his pulse kicked into overdrive, Gabriel found himself holding his breath in anticipation. Realizing what he was doing, he exhaled, wondering how long it had been since the idea of spending time alone with a woman had excited him. But Olivia wasn’t just any woman.

      She aroused him faster and more intensely than anyone since Marissa. To look at her, it made no sense. She was elegant, cool and poised. Not the sort of sultry, lush temptress that turned men’s heads. But today he’d discovered an inner core of vibrant, sensual woman hiding within her. The little he’d sampled explained his craving for a more prolonged taste.

      A tense conversation was taking place near the door. Gabriel frowned as he spied the petite woman standing in the hall. Not Olivia. Her private secretary. Although curious about the content of their discussion, Gabriel made no attempt to listen in. He would learn what it was about soon enough.

      The exchange at the door came to an end. Stewart came toward him, wearing a frown.

      “What’s wrong?”

      “Your Highness.” Stewart looked as if an elephant had stepped on his toes. “Lady Darcy has declined your invitation.”

      Dumbstruck, Gabriel stared at his assistant. Declined his invitation? Outrageous.

      He’d anticipated their evening alone and the chance to learn more about her. “Is she ill?”

      Stewart hesitated. “I didn’t...get that impression.”

      “What impression did you get?” he demanded, impatient at his secretary’s caginess.

      Stewart squared his shoulders. “That perhaps she was unhappy...with you.”

      “With me?” When they’d parted this morning she’d been all dreamy eyes and feminine wiles. What could have possibly happened in the past twelve hours?

      Without another word to Stewart, Gabriel exited his suite. Long, determined strides carried him down the hall toward the rooms assigned to Olivia. He barely noticed the maid scurrying out of his way as he passed her. He did, however, notice Ariana stepping out of Olivia’s suite.

      “Gabriel, what are you doing here?”

      “I’m here to collect Olivia for dinner.”

      Ariana’s gold eyes widened. “Didn’t you get the message? Olivia’s not up to having dinner with you tonight.”

      He leaned down and pinned his sister with a steely glare, wondering what mischief she had been up to. “What’s wrong with her?”

      Ariana set her hand on her hip and regarded him with annoyance. “She’s not feeling well.”

      “Then I’d be remiss in not checking on her,” Gabriel intoned, sounding as suave as he could through gritted teeth. “Step aside.”

      But his sister didn’t budge. “Leave it tonight, Gabriel,” she coaxed. “Give her a little time.”

      “Time for what?”

      “Honestly,” his sister fumed. “You can be so insensitive sometimes.”

      What was he missing? “Enlighten me.”

      Ariana pressed her lips together, but Gabriel kept up his unrelenting stare and she finally sighed. “She’s had your affair with Marissa thrown in her face all day.”

      He remembered the expression on Olivia’s face while the footage of him and Marissa had played on the television. But he thought they’d cleared the matter up in his office. Why was she letting the past bother her? Gabriel nudged his sister aside and reached for the door handle.

      “Gabriel—”

      “This is none of your concern. It’s between me and my future bride.”

      “Fine.” Ariana tossed up her hands. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

      With her dire words ringing in his ears, Gabriel entered Olivia’s suite. Some impulse prompted him to slip the lock before scanning the space. His fiancée was not in the bedroom. After his encounter with Ariana, he’d expected to find Olivia sulking over some perceived slight. Then he noticed a slight billowing of the sheer curtains over the French doors leading out onto the terrace.

      Olivia stood near the terrace railing staring out over the pond and the park, her gaze on the path where they’d walked and kissed this morning. She wore a black dress that bared her back in a plunging V. She’d knotted her hair on top of her head, exposing the nape of her neck. The sight of all that bare skin did unruly things to his body. He’d always been a sucker for a woman’s back, finding the combination of delicacy and strength an intoxicating combination.

      Gabriel shoved aside desire and refocused on the reason he’d come here in the first place.

      “We’re supposed to be having dinner in my suite.”

      “I don’t feel up to it,” she replied in a cool tone, not bothering to turn around.

      “Then you’re not upset.”

      “Of course not.”

      He didn’t believe her. For the briefest of moments he wondered if she was trying to manipulate him with some feminine trickery. He almost laughed at the notion. Marissa was the only other woman who’d tried to best him with her wiles. He’d quickly set her straight.

      Time to set Olivia straight, as well. “I thought this morning you understood that whatever was between Marissa and me has been over for three years.”

      “What sort of evening did you have in mind for us tonight?” She turned around and faced him and he got his first glimpse of her expression. Genuine anger shimmered in her gaze. “Were we to sip champagne and become lovers or did you plan to educate me on Sherdana’s upcoming social and economic challenges?”

      What had gotten into her? This morning she’d been like warm honey in his arms. Tonight she’d become an ice sculpture. All this because a few reporters dredged up old news from three years ago?

      “I’d hoped we’d spend some time getting to know each other tonight, but I had no intention of rushing you into bed.” Tired of sparring with her, he stepped within touching distance. “I thought that we’d reached an understanding this morning.”

      “So did I,” she murmured, the fire fading from her tone.

      “Then what’s wrong?”

      “Our marriage is an arrangement.”

      “Yes.” He grazed his fingertips up her sides from her hips, letting them coast along the side of her breasts. The hitch in her breath told him the fight was over. “But it doesn’t have to be all business between us.”

      “And it isn’t,” СКАЧАТЬ