Great. Do it. Ill handle things here, Rafael responded.
His brother looked sceptical.
This is a one-time offer, set to expire in ten seconds, he pressed as his sister-in-law and his physiotherapist started walking towards them. For the first time he noticed Ravens open-toed high heels and saw the way they made her long legs go on for ever. Sasha said something to her. Her responding smile made his throat dry.
Hell, he had it bad if he was behaving like a hormonal teenager around a woman who clearly had man issues.
He barely felt it when Marco slapped his shoulder. Ill set things in motion first thing in the morning. I owe you one, brother.
Rafael nodded, relieved that the disturbing subject of his father had been dropped.
What are you looking so pleased about? Sasha asked her husband as they drew level with them.
I have news thats guaranteed to make you adore me even more than you already do. He kissed her soundly on the lips before leading her away.
Rafael saw Raven looking after them. I do believe if they had a like button attached to their backs you would be pressing it right about now?
Her outraged gasp made him curb a smile. He loved to rile her. Rafael didnt hide from the fact that while he was busy riling Raven Blass, he was busy not thinking about what this place did to him, and that gained him a reprieve from the torment of his memories.
She faced him, bristling with irritation and censure. Whereas if you had a like button Id personally start a worldwide petition to have it obliterated and replaced with one that said loathe.
He took her elbow and, despite her resistance, he led her to an exquisitely laid out buffet table. Well discuss my various buttons later. Right now you need to eat something before you wither away. I noticed you didnt eat any breakfast this morning.
She glared at him. I had my usual bowl of muesli and fresh fruit.
Was that before or after you spent two hours on my beach contorting yourself in unthinkable shapes in the name of exercise?
Its called Krav Maga. It works the mind as well as the body.
He let his gaze rake her from top to toe. I dont dispute the effects on the body. But I dont think its quite working on the mind.
He stopped another outraged gasp by stuffing a piece of chicken into her mouth. Her only option, other than spitting it out, was to chew, but that didnt stop her glaring fiercely at him.
Rafael was so busy enjoying the way he got under her skin that he didnt hear the low hum of the electric wheelchair until it was too late.
Buenos tardes, mi hijo. Ive been looking for you. The greeting was low and deep. It didnt hold any censure or hatred or flaying judgement. In fact it sounded just exactly as it would were a loving father greeting his beloved son.
But every nerve of Rafaels being screeched with white-hot pain. His fist clenched around his walking stick until the metal dug excruciatingly into his palm. For the life of him, he couldnt let go. He sucked in a breath as his vision blurred. Before the red haze completely dulled his vision, he saw Ravens concerned look as her eyes darted between him and the wheelchair-bound figure.
Rafael?
He couldnt find the words to respond to the greeting. Nor could he find the words to stem Ravens escalating concern.
Dios mío, he couldnt even find the courage to turn around. Because how the hell could he explain to Raven that he and he alone was responsible for making his father a quadriplegic?
CHAPTER THREE
DO YOU WANT to talk about it?
The therapy in your job title pertains only to my body, not my mind. Youll do well to remember that.
Raven shouldve heeded the icy warning, shouldve just kept her hands on the wheel of the luxury SUV and kept driving towards the stunning glass and steel structure that was Rafaels home on the other side of the de Cervantes estate from his brothers villa.
But her senses jumped at the aura of acute pain that had engulfed Rafael the moment hed turned around to face the old man in the electric wheelchair. The same pain that surrounded him now. Grey lips were pinched into a thin line, his jaw carved from stone and fingers clamped around his walking stick in a white-knuckled grip. Even his breathing had changed. His broad chest rose and fell in an uncharacteristically shallow rhythm that screamed his agitation.
She pulled over next to a tall acacia tree, one of several hundred that lined the long winding driveway and extended into the exquisitely designed landscape beyond. Behind them, the iron gates, manned by twenty-four-hour security, swung shut.
Narrowed eyes focused with laser-like intensity on her. What the hell do you think youre doing?
Ive stopped because we need to talk about what just happened. Your mental health affects your bodys recovery just as much as your physiotherapy regime.
Healthy mind, healthy body? Thats a piss-poor way of trying to extract the hot gossip, Raven mía. Youll need to do much better than that. Why dont you just come out and ask for the juicy details?
She blew a breath, refusing to rise to the bait. Would you tell me if I asked you that?
No.
Rafael
Arctic-chilled eyes narrowed even further. In case you didnt already guess, that was my father. Our relationship comes under the subject line of kryptonitekeep the hell out to any and all parties.
So you can dissect my personal life all you want but yours is off limits?
His smile was just as icy. Certain aspects of my personal life are wide open to you. All you have to do is say the word and Ill be happy to educate you in how we can fully explore it.
That is not what I meant.
Youve taken pains to establish boundaries between us since the moment we met. This is one of my boundaries. Attempt to breach it at your peril.
She frowned. Or what? Youll fall back on your default setting of sexual innuendo and taunts? Rafael, Im only trying to help you.
His hand slashed through the air in a movement so far removed from his normal laid-back indolence her mouth dropped open. I do not need your help unless its the help Ive hired you to provide. Right now I want you to shut up and drive. He clipped out the final word in a hard bite that sent a chill down her spine.
After waiting a minute to steady her own shot nerves, she set the SUV back onto the road, aware of his continued shallow breathing and gritted-jaw iciness. Her fingers clenched over the titanium steering wheel and she practised some nerve-calming breaths of her own.
From the very first, Rafael had known which buttons to push. Hed instinctively known that the subject of sex was anathema to her and had therefore honed in on it with the precision of a laser-guided missile.
Seeing his intense reaction to his fatherand shed known immediately the nearly all-grey-haired man in the wheelchair was his fatherhad hammered home what shed been surprised to learn this morning at the chapel, and had somewhat confirmed at Marcos villa: that Rafael, as much as he pretended to be shallow and sex pest-y, had a depth he rarely showed to the world.
Was that why she was so driven to pay penance for the way shed treated him several months agobecause deep down she thought he was worth saving?
Was that why she was so driven to pay penance for the way shed treated him several months agobecause deep down she thought he was worth saving?
Raven shied away from the probing thought and brought the car to a stop at the end of the driveway.
The wide solid glass door that led into the house swung open and Diego, one of the many staff Rafael employed to run his luxurious home, came down the steps to open her door. In silence, she handed him the car keys and turned to find Rafael rounding the bonnet. The sun glinting off the silver paint cast his face into sharp relief. Her breath snagged in her chest at the masculine, tortured beauty of him. She didnt offer to assist him as he climbed the shallow steps into the house.
In the marble-floored hallway, he shrugged off his suit jacket, handed it to Diego and pulled his shirt tails impatiently from his trousers. At the glimpse of tanned golden flesh a pulse of heat shot through her belly. Sucking in a breath, she looked away, focusing on an abstract painting that took up one entire rectangular pillar in the hallway for an infinitesimal second before she glanced his away again, to find him shoving an agitated hand through his hair.
Do you need? she started.
Unless Im growing senile, todays Sunday. Did we not agree wed give the Florence Nightingale routine a rest on Sundays?
Annoyance rose to mingle with her concern. No, you came up with that decree. I never agreed to it.
Handing his walking stick to a still-hovering Diego, he started to unbutton his shirt. Its a great thing Im the boss then, isnt it?
Her mouth dried as several inches of stunning flesh assaulted her senses. When her brain started to short-circuit, she pulled her gaze away. Undressing in the hallway, Rafael, really? She tried to inject as much indifference into her tone as possible but was aware her voice had become unhealthily screechy. What do you thinkthat Im going to run away in virginal outrage?
His shameless grin didnt hide the strain and tension beneath. At twenty-four, I seriously doubt theres anything virginal about you. No, mi dulzura, Im hoping youll stay and cheer me on through my striptease.
The sound that emerged from her throat made his grin widen. Dont you want to heal completely? That limp will not go away until you work hard to strengthen your core muscles and realign the bones that were damaged during the accident. If youd just focus on that we can be rid of each other sooner rather than later.
Although she thought she saw his shoulders stiffen as he turned to give his shirt to Diego, his grin was still in place when he faced her. Youre under the impression that I want to be shot of you but you couldnt be further from the truth. I want you right here with me every day.
So I can be your whipping girl?
Ive never been a fan of whips, myself. Handcuffs, blindfolds, the odd paddle, certainly...but whips? He gave a mock shudder. No, not my thing.
His hand went to the top of his trousers. Deft fingers freed his button, followed by the loud, distinct sound of his zip lowering. She froze. Diego didnt bat an eyelid. For goodness sake, what are you doing, Rafael?
He toed off his shoes and socks. I thought it was obvious. Im going for a swim. Care to join me?
I...no, thank you. The way her temperature had shot up, shed need a cold shower, not the sultry warmth of Rafaels azure infinity pool. But well need to talk when youre done. Ill come and find you She nearly choked when he dropped his trousers and stepped out of them. The way his designer cotton boxer shorts cupped his impressive man package made all oxygen flee from her lungs. Utterly captivated by the man whose sculpted body, even after the accident that had laid him flat for months, was still the best-looking shed even seen or worked with, Raven could no more stop herself from staring than she could fly to the moon.
His thighs and legs bore scars from his accident, his calves solid powerful muscle that made the physio in her thrilled to be working with such a manly specimen. Dear Lord, even his feet were sexy, and shed never been one to pay attention to feet unless they were directly related to her profession.
Helplessly, her gaze travelled back up, past his golden, sculpted chest and wide, athletic shoulders to collide with icy blue eyes.
My, my, if I didnt enjoy it so much Id be offended to be treated like a piece of meat.
She snapped back to her senses to see Diego disappearing up the granite banister-less staircase leading to Rafaels vast first floor suite. The click of his walking stick drew attention back to the man in question. One brow was raised in silent query.
What do you expect if you insist on making an exhibition of yourself?
One step brought him within touching distance. Thats the beauty of free will, querida. The ability to walk away when a situation displeases you.
If I did that every time you attempted to rile me, Id never get any work done and youd still be in the pathetic shape I found you in five weeks ago.
Another step. Raven breathed in and clenched her fists against the warm, wicked scent that assailed her senses.
You know what drew me to you when you first joined Team Espíritu? he breathed.
Im sure youre going to enlighten me.
Your eyes flash with the deepest hypnotic fire when youre all riled up but your body screams stay away. Even the most seductive woman cant pull that off as easily as you can. Im infinitely fascinated to know what happened to make you this way.
Personal subjects are off the table. Besides, I thought you had me all worked out?
His gaze dropped to her lips. She pressed them together to stop their insane tingling. I know the general parameters of your inner angst. But I cant help but feel theres another layer, a deeper reason why you want me with every cell in your body but would chop off your hand before you would even bring yourself to touch me in any but a professional way.
The ice that encased her soul came from so deep, so dark a place that shed stopped trying to fathom the depths of it. Enjoy your swim, Rafael. Ill come by later to discuss the next steps of your regime.
Of course, Mistress Raven. I look forward to the many and varied ways you intend to whip me into shape. With a step sideways that still managed to encroach on her body space and bring even more of his pulsing body heat slapping against her, he adjusted the walking stick and sauntered away in a slow, languid walk.
Hell, even a limping Rafael de Cervantes managed to move with a swagger that made her heart race. Tearing her traitorous gaze away from his tight butt, she hurried up the floating staircase to her room. Gritting her teeth against the firestorm of emotions that threatened to batter her to pieces, she changed into her workout gear. The simple act of donning the familiar attire calmed her jangling nerves.
But she couldnt forget that, once again, Rafael had cut through the outer layer of her defences and almost struck bone, almost peeled back layers she didnt want uncovered.
She pushed the niggling sensation away and shoved her feet into comfortable trainers. After a minutes debate, she decided on the gym instead of her preferred outdoor regime. Even though the day was edging towards evening, the Spanish sun blazed far too hot for the gruelling exercise she needed to restore balance to her equilibrium.