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Authors: Patti Beckman
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his high forehead gave him a noble appearance. His muscular body hinted at passion only dreamed of in romantic novels. His wealth and power were sufficient to attract women in the highest circles of society.
But there was more to a person than the surface veneer. There was such a thing as character. And what JoNell knew about this man's character—or lack of it!—where women were concerned did make him repugnant to her.
"This conversation has gone far enough!" JoNell said hotly. "I can't see where it makes any difference whether I find you handsome or not handsome, or distasteful or not distasteful."
"It makes a difference to me—a great difference!"
"Well, not to me. I'm here to give you flying lessons. That is my only interest in you."
"But I wish to have you become more interested in me than if I were just another student, JoNell."
"What arrogance!"
"Some women love arrogance," he smiled.
"Not this woman! You're also conceited."
"That, too, can make a man attractive."
"You're impossible!"
He threw back his head and laughed. His laughter like everything else about him was big—it echoed from the dunes.
"Please," she said with angry tears. "Leave me alone! Do you have to make a conquest of every woman you meet?"
His laughter faded and he gazed at her soberly. "Why must you think of it as a 'conquest'? Can you not believe that I find you suddenly so important in my life that I must tell you so?"
"There you go, talking in Spanish again. Do you do that automatically when you start handing a poor girl your line?"
"I am sorry," he said with a slight nod of his head. "I do it without thinking. The two languages are so comfortable for me, I switch from one to the other without realizing it. Whatever language I use, I am trying to tell you how compelling you are, how much I find myself wanting you."
JoNell swallowed hard. She felt a trembling in her knees. She tried to hold onto her anger. "You met me twenty-four hours ago," she choked. "You know nothing about me…"
"I know everything about you. You are very young, JoNell, but surely you must know that in the important things in life, one must trust the heart, not the mind. Something deep inside gives us the message, sometimes quickly and without warning."
Fire was raging in his slashing green eyes now. He took a step closer to JoNell. A shiver of fear gripped her. Suddenly she realized how alone they were on this deserted stretch of beach. The size of Del Toro's powerful body made JoNell feel even smaller and weaker than she really was. If he decided to take her by force, she knew she couldn't stop him. What had possessed her to land in this isolated spot with the notorious Del Toro, knowing his unsavory reputation with women as she did?
Her mouth suddenly dry, she said, "We'd better go. It's getting late."
She turned to flee to the airplane, but was cut short by a strong hand gripping her upper arm. Powerful fingers bit into her flesh.
"You're hurting me!" she gasped.
"Not as much as you are hurting me," Del Toro raged. "You don't give me a chance! Your mind is made up to hate me!"
He pulled her to him. She felt the steel bands of his arms imprison her. She struggled helplessly as he mashed her to him and pressed his hard manliness against her threateningly. She twisted her shoulders, struggled and started to scream. He held her tight with one strong arm and covered her mouth with the other masterful hand.
"It won't do you any good to scream," he whispered huskily in her ear. "There is not another living soul within a hundred kilometers."
In that instant, JoNell was sure she was in the possession of the devil. Demanding green eyes bore into hers with fierce determination. Nostrils flared with passion. She felt the fight drain from her. Almost hypnotized, she became limp and fluid in his arms. Hungry lips pressed on hers. She felt the tingle of thick hair brushing against her upper lip. The half hysterical thought crossed her embattled mind that she had
But there was more to a person than the surface veneer. There was such a thing as character. And what JoNell knew about this man's character—or lack of it!—where women were concerned did make him repugnant to her.
"This conversation has gone far enough!" JoNell said hotly. "I can't see where it makes any difference whether I find you handsome or not handsome, or distasteful or not distasteful."
"It makes a difference to me—a great difference!"
"Well, not to me. I'm here to give you flying lessons. That is my only interest in you."
"But I wish to have you become more interested in me than if I were just another student, JoNell."
"What arrogance!"
"Some women love arrogance," he smiled.
"Not this woman! You're also conceited."
"That, too, can make a man attractive."
"You're impossible!"
He threw back his head and laughed. His laughter like everything else about him was big—it echoed from the dunes.
"Please," she said with angry tears. "Leave me alone! Do you have to make a conquest of every woman you meet?"
His laughter faded and he gazed at her soberly. "Why must you think of it as a 'conquest'? Can you not believe that I find you suddenly so important in my life that I must tell you so?"
"There you go, talking in Spanish again. Do you do that automatically when you start handing a poor girl your line?"
"I am sorry," he said with a slight nod of his head. "I do it without thinking. The two languages are so comfortable for me, I switch from one to the other without realizing it. Whatever language I use, I am trying to tell you how compelling you are, how much I find myself wanting you."
JoNell swallowed hard. She felt a trembling in her knees. She tried to hold onto her anger. "You met me twenty-four hours ago," she choked. "You know nothing about me…"
"I know everything about you. You are very young, JoNell, but surely you must know that in the important things in life, one must trust the heart, not the mind. Something deep inside gives us the message, sometimes quickly and without warning."
Fire was raging in his slashing green eyes now. He took a step closer to JoNell. A shiver of fear gripped her. Suddenly she realized how alone they were on this deserted stretch of beach. The size of Del Toro's powerful body made JoNell feel even smaller and weaker than she really was. If he decided to take her by force, she knew she couldn't stop him. What had possessed her to land in this isolated spot with the notorious Del Toro, knowing his unsavory reputation with women as she did?
Her mouth suddenly dry, she said, "We'd better go. It's getting late."
She turned to flee to the airplane, but was cut short by a strong hand gripping her upper arm. Powerful fingers bit into her flesh.
"You're hurting me!" she gasped.
"Not as much as you are hurting me," Del Toro raged. "You don't give me a chance! Your mind is made up to hate me!"
He pulled her to him. She felt the steel bands of his arms imprison her. She struggled helplessly as he mashed her to him and pressed his hard manliness against her threateningly. She twisted her shoulders, struggled and started to scream. He held her tight with one strong arm and covered her mouth with the other masterful hand.
"It won't do you any good to scream," he whispered huskily in her ear. "There is not another living soul within a hundred kilometers."
In that instant, JoNell was sure she was in the possession of the devil. Demanding green eyes bore into hers with fierce determination. Nostrils flared with passion. She felt the fight drain from her. Almost hypnotized, she became limp and fluid in his arms. Hungry lips pressed on hers. She felt the tingle of thick hair brushing against her upper lip. The half hysterical thought crossed her embattled mind that she had
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