She took the specially installed lift that divided her suite from Rafaels to the sub-basement level where the state-of-the-art gym was located. It was the only room in the whole house that didnt have an exhibitionists view to the outside.
Rafaels house held no concrete walls, only thick glass interspersed with steel and chrome pillars. At first the feeling of exposure had preyed on her nerves, but now the beauty of the architecturally stunning design had won her over. Nevertheless, right this minute she was grateful for the enclosed space of the gym. Here she didnt need to compose herself, didnt need to hold back her punches as she slammed her gloved fist into the punching bag. Pain repeatedly shot up her arms, and gradually cleared her mind.
She was here to do her job. Which started and ended with helping Rafael heal properly and regain the utmost mobility. Once she achieved her aim and made peace with her part in his accident, she could walk away from the crazy, bone-deep, completely insane attraction she felt for the man who was in every shape and form the epitome of the man whod fathered her.
The man whose playboy lifestyle had mattered to him on so deep a level hed turned his back on his parental responsibilities until theyd been forced on him by the authorities. The same man whod stood by and barely blinked while his friends had tried to put their hands on her.
Punch!
Her hand slipped. The bag continued its lethal trajectory towards her. Only her ingrained training made her sidestep the heavy-moving bag before it knocked her off her feet. Chest heaving, she tugged off the gloves and went to the climbing frame and chalked her hands.
Clamping her lids shut, she regulated her breathing and forced herself to focus.
Rafael would not derail her. Shed made a colossal mistake and vocalised her roiling disgust for his lifestyle at the most inappropriate moment. Whatever the papers had said, Raven knew deep down she was partly, if not wholly, responsible for putting Rafael in the dangerous frame of mind that had caused his accident. She also knew things couldve turned out a million times worse than they had. This was her penance. She would help him get back on his feet. Then she would leave and get on with the rest of her life.
Reaching high, she grabbed the first handhold.
By the time she reached the top seven minutes later, her new course of action was clearly formulated.
* * *
Ive laid out the itinerary for the next three months. If you cooperate, Im confident I can get you back to full health and one hundred per cent mobility with little or no after-effects, she started crisply as she opened the door and entered Rafaels study. She approached his desk, only to stop when she noticed his attention was caught on the papers strewn on his glass-topped desk.
Im talking to you, Rafael.
I heard you, he muttered, and held out his hand for the sheet without looking up. After a cursory glance, he started to shake his head. This isnt going to work. He slapped it down and picked up his own papers.
Raven waited a beat. When he didnt look up, she fought a sharp retort. May I ask why not?
I have several events to host and meetings to attend between now and when the X1 season starts. Your itinerary requires that I stand still.
She frowned. No, it doesnt.
It might as well. Youve upped the regime from two to three times a day with sports massages thrown in there that would require me to be stationary. And was that acupuncture I saw in there? His derisive tone made her hackles rise higher. Ill be travelling a lot in the next three months. Youre sorely mistaken if you think I intend to take time off to sit around being pricked and prodded.
She watched the light glint off his damp hair. What do you mean, youll be travelling a lot? Youre supposed to be recuperating.
Steely blue eyes met hers and instantly Raven was reminded of the unwavering determination that had seen him win several racing championships since hed turned professional at nineteen.
I have a multi-billion-dollar company to run, or have you forgotten?
No, I havent. But wasnt...isnt Marco in charge for the time being? He told me he had everything in hand when we discussed my helping you
His eyes narrowed. What else did you discuss with my brother?
Mouth dry, she withstood his stare. What do you mean?
I expected an element of confidentiality when I hired you...
What exactly are you accusing me of?
You will not discuss details of my health with anyone else but me, is that clear?
I didnt
Youre glowing. His gaze raked her face down to her neck and back up again.
Excuse me?
You look...flushed. If I werent painfully aware of the unlikelihood of it, Id have said you had just tumbled from a horizontal marathon in a lovers bed. Not quite tumbled to within an inch of your life, more like
Can we get back to this, please? She waved the sheet in his face then slammed it back in front of him.
He shrugged and sat back in his plush leather chair, the cool, calm businessman back in place. Marco has his own company to run...and a new family to attend to. Besides, hes taking a well-earned break, so Im managing his company as well.
A wave of shock nearly rendered her speechless. And you didnt think to speak to me before you decided all this?
I wasnt aware I needed your permission to live my life or run my business. His voice, a stiletto-thin blade, skimmed close to her skin.
She took a breath and searched for calm, a state which shed concluded long ago was near on impossible when in Rafaels presence. Its part of the contract we agreed. If youre going to take on any substantial amount of work Ill need to know so I can formulate your therapy accordingly. For goodness sake, you cant go from zero to full-time work in the space of an afternoon. And I really dont know what you were thinking, telling your brother youd take on this amount of work for the next goodness knows how long!
Rafaels gaze dropped to her annoyed almost-pout and fought not to continue downward to the agitated heaving of her breasts. Peachy...the smooth skin of her throat glowed a faint golden-pink. Hed long been fascinated by how a woman with jet-black hair such as hers could have skin so pale it was almost translucent. He knew she took care to stay out of the sun and practised her exercises before daybreak.
An image of her, streamlined, sleek and poised upside down in a martial arts pose, slammed into his brain. The groin-hardening effect made him grip his pen harder. His gaze fell once more on her lips and it was all he could do not to round his desk, clasp her face in his hands and taste her. Or maybe coax her round to him, pull down that prim little skirt shed donned and discover the delights underneath.
Dios, focus!
Luckily, I dont answer to you, mi dulzura. He certainly had no intention of enlightening her on what hed been working steadily on for over a month; what he hadnt stopped thinking of since hed woken from his coma.
Because finding a way to occupy his mind was the only sure way of keeping his many and varied demons at bay.
...I hope to hell youre not thinking of adding racing to this insane schedule. She paled a little as she said it and the usual kick of satisfaction surged.
...I hope to hell youre not thinking of adding racing to this insane schedule. She paled a little as she said it and the usual kick of satisfaction surged.
And what if I am? He moderated his voice despite the cold fist of pain that lodged in his gut. Unless a miracle happened, his racing career was over. A part of him had accepted that. Deep inside his soul, however, it was another matter.
Im hoping it wont come to that. Because you know as well as I do, youre in no shape to get into a racing cockpit.
He raised an interested brow. And how exactly do you intend to stop me?
Her delectable lips parted but no words emerged, and her eyes took on a haunted look that made him grit his teeth. I cant, I suppose. But I think youll agree youre not in the best shape.
Physically or mentally?
Only you can judge your mental state but, as your physiotherapist, Id say youre not ready.
He finally got his body under enough control to stand. He caught her sharp inhalation when he rounded the desk and perched on the edge next to where she stood. Hazel eyes, wide and spirited, glared at him.
Taking the sheet from her hand, he dropped it on the table, reached acrossslowly, so she wouldnt boltand traced his forefinger along her jaw. Your eyes are so huge right now. Youre almost shaking with worry for me. Yet you try and make me think you detest the very ground I walk on.
Her hand rose to intercept his finger but, instead of pushing it away, she kept a hold of it, imploring eyes boring into his. I dont detest you, Rafael. If I did, I wouldnt be here. Ill admit were...different but her shoulders rose and fell under the thin layer of her cotton top Im willing to put aside our differences to help you recuperate properly. And racing before youre ready...come on, you know thats crazy. Besides, think of your family, of Sasha. Do you think youre being fair to them, putting them through this?
He froze. Ive never responded well to emotional blackmail. And leave Sasha out of this. Ill tell you what, if you dont want me to race, youll have to find other ways to keep me entertained.
She dropped his hand as if it burned, just like hed known she would. Why does everything always circle back to sex with you?
I didnt actually mean that sexually, but what the hell, lets go with it.
Stop doing that!
Doing what, mi encantador?
Pretending youre a male bimbo whore.
Are you saying Im not? He pretended astonishment, the fizz of getting under her skin headier than the most potent wine.
She nodded at the papers on his desk. You just reminded me that you run a multi-billion-dollar corporation. I dont care how great you claim to be in bed; you couldnt have made it without using some upstairs skills.
He leaned back on the table when a twinge of pain shot through his left hip. How do you know?
You shouldnt sit like that. Youre putting too much pressure on your hip.
Annoyance replaced his buzz. He didnt deny that Raven had made much progress where his previous physios had failed. After all, it was the reason Team Espíritu had hired her as his personal therapist last year. She was the best around and got impressive results with her rigorous regime. But shed always been able to brush him off as if he were a pesky fly.
He remained in his exact position, raising a daring brow when her gaze collided with his. His blood thickened when she took the dare and stepped closer.
Without warning, her hand shot out and grabbed his hip. Her thumb dug into his hipbone where the pain radiated from. A few rotations of pressure-based massage and he wanted to moan with relief.
Why do you fight me when you know Im the best person to help you get better? she breathed.
Because my mamá told me I never took the easy way out. You will never get me to ask how high when you say jump.
She paused for a second, then continued to massage his hip. You never talk about your mother, she murmured.
Tension rippled through him. I never talk about anyone in my family. The prying all comes from you, bonita. Youve made it a mission to upturn every single rock in my life.
And yet I dont feel in any way enlightened about your life.
Maybe because Im an empty vessel. He tried damn hard not to let the acid-like guilt bleed through his voice.
No, youre not. You just like to pretend you are. Have you considered that by pretending to be something youre not, all youre doing is attracting attention to the very thing you wish to avoid?
Thats deep. And I presume that thought challenges you endlessly?
Her hand had moved dangerously close to his fly. If she looked down or moved her actions a few inches west, shed realise that, despite their verbal sparring skimming the murkier waters of his personal life, he was no less excited by her touch.
In fact, he wasnt ashamed to admit that he found the return of his libido exhilarating. For a few weeks after hed emerged from his coma itd been touch and go. His doctors had cautioned him that he might not resume complete sexual function. Raven Blasss appearance in his hospital room five weeks ago had blown that misdiagnosis straight out of the water.
No, she responded. I know better than to issue challenges to you.
Youre such a buzzkill, he said, but he felt relieved that shed decided to leave the matter of his mother alone.
He saw the faintest trace of a smile on her face before it disappeared. Her fingers moved away, rounded his hip and settled into his back. The movement brought her closer still, her chest mere inches from his. Firm, relief-bringing fingers dug into his muscle. Again he suppressed a moan of relief.
I know. But think how smug Id feel if you got back into racing before you were ready and reversed your progress. Youd never hear the end of it if you proved me right.
The sultry movement of her mouth was a siren call he didnt try very hard to resist. His forefinger was gliding over her mouth before he could stop himself. Her fingers stilled before digging painfully into his back. The rush of her breath over his finger sent his pulse thundering.
Or I could die. And this relentless song and dance could be over between us. Once and for all.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE CALM DELIVERY of his words, spoken with barely a flicker of those lush jet eyelashes, froze her to the core.
Is that what you want? To die? Her words were no more than a whisper, coated with the shock that held her immobile.
We all have to die some time.
But why, Rafael? Why do you wish to hurry the process when every rational human being fights to stay alive?
Mi tesoro, rational isnt exactly what most people think when they look at me.
Thats not an answer. She realised she was hanging on to him with a death claw but, for the life of her, Raven couldnt let go. She feared her legs would fail her if she did. And hell, she wasnt even sure why Rafaels explanation was so important to her. For all she knew, it was another statement meant to titillate and shock. But, looking closer, her blood grew colder. Something in his expression wasnt quite right. Or, rather, it was too right, as if he held his statement with some conviction. What is it, Rafael? Please tell me why you said that.