Through grated teeth, her voice was calm and carried an unmistakable air of finality. ‘After that, I don’t want to see you anymore, Raoul. You might be the best client Marc has ever had, but it doesn’t change the fact that I plan on avoiding you as much as possible.’
‘Keep that thought for later, Kate.’ He watched her with cool indifference as they walked out of the gallery to the curb, where another cab was already waiting, as if it had been conjured by magic.
She raised her eyebrows at the cab.
Not even bothering to hide his arrogant self-confidence, Raoul explained, ‘I told the driver to come back in five minutes and wait. I had no definite plans to stay here any longer. We are a bit late for my initial estimate.’ He checked his watch, which she guessed had cost a fortune.
She followed him to the dark car.
‘ You’re more of a fighter, Kate, than I had given you credit for. And you seem bent on making this difficult every step of the way, isn’t that so?’
And whose fault was that? She had an uneasy feeling of déjà vu as the cab driver’s eyes met hers in the rearview mirror with polite indifference.
‘I was coming with you under the impression we were to explore the gallery,’ she answered, her face composed and calm. ‘Any fighting that happened was entirely your doing, let me assure you. If I had any say at all in the way this evening was going, we would be in there, looking at the pictures and talking professionally, Raoul. I would be helpful with descriptions and suggestions, as I do with all our customers. You’re the one bent on hinting and reminding me of the past, no matter how blunt I am about the fact I don’t want to ever think of it again.’
‘I ’m done for now.’ He had the gall to smile. ‘Just try to curb your impatience a bit longer, and you’ll find out more. You might just end up being grateful.’
He was making fun of he r. She sat stiffly, biting her lips to stop the word ‘never’ from escaping her throat. She would sound childish and petty if she gave him the satisfaction of getting to her, which she abhorred. She would go with him and listen to whatever revelations he had in store, only to dismiss him afterward and walk off with her head held high. The evening would end, and starting the next morning, she would make sure to have as little contact as possible with Raoul.
She was planning on having an honest talk with Marc about the impossible situation he had put her in with his request. Making it as brief as possible could be crucial because she certainly did not want to discuss the details of her affair with Raoul with her current boyfriend. Just the brief overview should suffice. He would have to realize that the idea of her as Raoul’s guide was simply wrong and move on with someone else in charge of appeasing the Spaniard. If nothing else, Marc was bound to be jealous of the time his girlfriend would have to spend with a man who had been her lover. Explaining why she had not cleared it up right away, as they had met at the table, would be difficult, but she knew she could smooth out that wrinkle with the simple explanation that she had not wanted to cause a scene at the charity ball. Knowing Marc, he would believe that. Nothing mattered more than his business and its good image, she thought bitterly, realizing that for the first time, she was actually grateful for his obsession with the gallery.
‘ I’m pretty sure that our driver must be convinced by now that you’re mute, my sweet.’ Raoul’s amused voice interrupted her thoughts as he grinned at her with barely veiled amusement. ‘I’ve heard the saying that children should be seen and not heard, but I never thought it would apply to women, however lovely they might be.’
‘That’s too bad,’ she countered pleasantly, her eyes stormy, ‘and I have always thought that whatever idiot came up with that saying obviously had no children. If I’m correct, it was some pious, bitter monk
‘Keep that thought for later, Kate.’ He watched her with cool indifference as they walked out of the gallery to the curb, where another cab was already waiting, as if it had been conjured by magic.
She raised her eyebrows at the cab.
Not even bothering to hide his arrogant self-confidence, Raoul explained, ‘I told the driver to come back in five minutes and wait. I had no definite plans to stay here any longer. We are a bit late for my initial estimate.’ He checked his watch, which she guessed had cost a fortune.
She followed him to the dark car.
‘ You’re more of a fighter, Kate, than I had given you credit for. And you seem bent on making this difficult every step of the way, isn’t that so?’
And whose fault was that? She had an uneasy feeling of déjà vu as the cab driver’s eyes met hers in the rearview mirror with polite indifference.
‘I was coming with you under the impression we were to explore the gallery,’ she answered, her face composed and calm. ‘Any fighting that happened was entirely your doing, let me assure you. If I had any say at all in the way this evening was going, we would be in there, looking at the pictures and talking professionally, Raoul. I would be helpful with descriptions and suggestions, as I do with all our customers. You’re the one bent on hinting and reminding me of the past, no matter how blunt I am about the fact I don’t want to ever think of it again.’
‘I ’m done for now.’ He had the gall to smile. ‘Just try to curb your impatience a bit longer, and you’ll find out more. You might just end up being grateful.’
He was making fun of he r. She sat stiffly, biting her lips to stop the word ‘never’ from escaping her throat. She would sound childish and petty if she gave him the satisfaction of getting to her, which she abhorred. She would go with him and listen to whatever revelations he had in store, only to dismiss him afterward and walk off with her head held high. The evening would end, and starting the next morning, she would make sure to have as little contact as possible with Raoul.
She was planning on having an honest talk with Marc about the impossible situation he had put her in with his request. Making it as brief as possible could be crucial because she certainly did not want to discuss the details of her affair with Raoul with her current boyfriend. Just the brief overview should suffice. He would have to realize that the idea of her as Raoul’s guide was simply wrong and move on with someone else in charge of appeasing the Spaniard. If nothing else, Marc was bound to be jealous of the time his girlfriend would have to spend with a man who had been her lover. Explaining why she had not cleared it up right away, as they had met at the table, would be difficult, but she knew she could smooth out that wrinkle with the simple explanation that she had not wanted to cause a scene at the charity ball. Knowing Marc, he would believe that. Nothing mattered more than his business and its good image, she thought bitterly, realizing that for the first time, she was actually grateful for his obsession with the gallery.
‘ I’m pretty sure that our driver must be convinced by now that you’re mute, my sweet.’ Raoul’s amused voice interrupted her thoughts as he grinned at her with barely veiled amusement. ‘I’ve heard the saying that children should be seen and not heard, but I never thought it would apply to women, however lovely they might be.’
‘That’s too bad,’ she countered pleasantly, her eyes stormy, ‘and I have always thought that whatever idiot came up with that saying obviously had no children. If I’m correct, it was some pious, bitter monk
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