Read Online The Thorn in His Side by Kim Lawrence - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kim Lawrence
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protective screen as he slipped the button of his beautifully cut grey jacket. Underneath he wore a white shirt with a thin silver stripe running through it. His narrow silk tie was the same shade of silver.
The man might be a total reptile, but there was no doubt that he had style and no morals, she reminded herself as she dragged her gaze from the suggestion of muscular ripple as he lifted a hand to rub it back and forth across his dark hair, causing short strands to stand up before he smoothed them back with a preoccupied expression.
What, she wondered, was he preoccupied by—the next person he intended to grind beneath the heel of his handmade leather shoes?
It was massively frustrating, she decided as she struggled and failed miserably to gauge the expressionon his lean face. All she could see mirrored in his eyes was her own reflection looking back at her.
Libby sighed. Had she really expected to see a flicker of remorse from the heartless bastard—
beautiful
bastard, she corrected silently as he gracefully folded his long lean length into the chair.
The taut silence that had built up grew thicker as Rafael Alejandro, who appeared oblivious now to the nerve-shredding tension, stretched his long legs out in front of him and leaned further back, pushing his head into the leather headrest as he rested his chin on the platform of his steepled fingers.
Rafael’s initial response to her earlier harangue had been outrage—she had offended him on every level—but as she had continued to throw the ludicrous heated accusations at him outrage had receded to be replaced by an equally strong desire to wipe that haughty look of disdain from her face and see it replaced by desire.
Rafael wanted to see those beautiful eyes shimmer, not with loathing, but with helpless lust; he wanted to see those lips, not tight with condemnation, but soft and tremulous in anticipation of his kiss.
Rafael did not doubt his ability to bring about these changes, but why would he? Why should he? She was
exactly
the sort of high-maintenance female he avoided.
There were any number of women who were flatteringly grateful for any attention he gave them, women who were only too eager to tell him how marvellous he was.
Rafael was suddenly filled by a compelling need to hear this spitting red-headed virago tell him how marvellous he was. It was almost as powerful as the desire he felt to feel her soft body beneath him, to hear hersoft moan as he parted her lips and plundered all the hot sweetness within.
Libby felt the slow sweep of his eyes as they journeyed with excruciating slowness up from her toes, she felt it like a burning brand. It took all her will power to stand there and endure the insolent leisurely appraisal.
It seemed to Libby it just went on and on. Finally unable to maintain her defiant pose, she snapped.
‘Are you marking me out of ten?’ The moment the cranky remark left her lips Libby realised she was inviting a massive put-down, and she firmed her slender shoulders in preparation.
The moments stretched and as no put-down was forthcoming she watched warily as his dark lashes lifted, exposing the dark bands of colour along the angles of his high cheekbones. The impact the molten heat burning in his stare had on her drew a gasp from low in her throat and made her stomach muscles clench viciously.
‘Fishing …?’
Libby blinked to clear the buzzing in her head. ‘A compliment from you?’ She made a sound of scorn and curled her lip.
Head tipped a little to one side, he studied her flushed furious face before concluding, ‘The sneer could do with some work, but the self-righteous diatribe, now that,’ he admitted, shaking his head slowly from side to side in an attitude of mock admiration, ‘I was impressed and I am not easily impressed.’
‘I can die a happy woman.’ And if her heart rate didn’t slow, Libby thought, clamping a hand to her chest, that might be sooner than later!
‘I particularly like the way
The man might be a total reptile, but there was no doubt that he had style and no morals, she reminded herself as she dragged her gaze from the suggestion of muscular ripple as he lifted a hand to rub it back and forth across his dark hair, causing short strands to stand up before he smoothed them back with a preoccupied expression.
What, she wondered, was he preoccupied by—the next person he intended to grind beneath the heel of his handmade leather shoes?
It was massively frustrating, she decided as she struggled and failed miserably to gauge the expressionon his lean face. All she could see mirrored in his eyes was her own reflection looking back at her.
Libby sighed. Had she really expected to see a flicker of remorse from the heartless bastard—
beautiful
bastard, she corrected silently as he gracefully folded his long lean length into the chair.
The taut silence that had built up grew thicker as Rafael Alejandro, who appeared oblivious now to the nerve-shredding tension, stretched his long legs out in front of him and leaned further back, pushing his head into the leather headrest as he rested his chin on the platform of his steepled fingers.
Rafael’s initial response to her earlier harangue had been outrage—she had offended him on every level—but as she had continued to throw the ludicrous heated accusations at him outrage had receded to be replaced by an equally strong desire to wipe that haughty look of disdain from her face and see it replaced by desire.
Rafael wanted to see those beautiful eyes shimmer, not with loathing, but with helpless lust; he wanted to see those lips, not tight with condemnation, but soft and tremulous in anticipation of his kiss.
Rafael did not doubt his ability to bring about these changes, but why would he? Why should he? She was
exactly
the sort of high-maintenance female he avoided.
There were any number of women who were flatteringly grateful for any attention he gave them, women who were only too eager to tell him how marvellous he was.
Rafael was suddenly filled by a compelling need to hear this spitting red-headed virago tell him how marvellous he was. It was almost as powerful as the desire he felt to feel her soft body beneath him, to hear hersoft moan as he parted her lips and plundered all the hot sweetness within.
Libby felt the slow sweep of his eyes as they journeyed with excruciating slowness up from her toes, she felt it like a burning brand. It took all her will power to stand there and endure the insolent leisurely appraisal.
It seemed to Libby it just went on and on. Finally unable to maintain her defiant pose, she snapped.
‘Are you marking me out of ten?’ The moment the cranky remark left her lips Libby realised she was inviting a massive put-down, and she firmed her slender shoulders in preparation.
The moments stretched and as no put-down was forthcoming she watched warily as his dark lashes lifted, exposing the dark bands of colour along the angles of his high cheekbones. The impact the molten heat burning in his stare had on her drew a gasp from low in her throat and made her stomach muscles clench viciously.
‘Fishing …?’
Libby blinked to clear the buzzing in her head. ‘A compliment from you?’ She made a sound of scorn and curled her lip.
Head tipped a little to one side, he studied her flushed furious face before concluding, ‘The sneer could do with some work, but the self-righteous diatribe, now that,’ he admitted, shaking his head slowly from side to side in an attitude of mock admiration, ‘I was impressed and I am not easily impressed.’
‘I can die a happy woman.’ And if her heart rate didn’t slow, Libby thought, clamping a hand to her chest, that might be sooner than later!
‘I particularly like the way
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