Hot Nights with a Spaniard: Bedded for the Spaniard's Pleasure / Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride / Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge

But somewhere along the way Cairo had missed the signs that Rafe was tired of the relationship. She knew why she had missed them, of course; her own love for Rafe had made her completely blind to anyone and everything else!

She had certainly been blind to the fact that Rafe’s attention had moved on to someone else, that it was now his co-star, Pamela Raines, who interested him, and whom he wanted to share his bed. As it had turned out, Rafe had been so determined the actress would share his bed that he hadn’t even had the time to tell Cairo to vacate it before moving Pamela Raines into it …

Cairo certainly couldn’t allow herself to be seduced into becoming Rafe’s South of France ‘diversion’, too!

What thoughts were going through her head, Rafe wondered as he looked at her searchingly. Whatever they were, they were making her frown.

‘Were you and Bond happy together?’ he suddenly rasped harshly.

Her eyes widened. ‘I don’t think—’

‘It isn’t going to hurt you to tell me that much, surely, Cairo?’ Rafe pressed, knowing the moment of intimacy was over. For now …

She shook her head. ‘Haven’t you been reading the newspapers the last ten months, Rafe?’

He shrugged. ‘In my experience they rarely report the truth.’

She gave a laugh of pure cynicism. ‘That’s been my experience, too!’

‘Well?’

‘I haven’t asked you about any of your relationships the last eight years, so why on earth should I answer any of your questions about my marriage to Lionel?’ she retorted indignantly.

‘Ask away,’ Rafe invited.

‘I—’ Cairo broke off as her mobile began to ring. ‘That could be Jeff,’ she pointed out huskily.

‘Then you had better answer it, hadn’t you?’ he bit out curtly, before turning away to thrust his hands in his pockets.

Dammit, every time he and Cairo came even close to understanding each other, something, or someone, interrupted them!

Why the hell he wanted answers to these questions after all this time was beyond him. Maybe it was because of those memories this afternoon of when they’d met on the Isle of Man, when the connection between them had seemed so instant and exclusive….

As it had seemed to be just now, too….

Or maybe it was because the abrupt end of his relationship with Cairo three months later had always seemed like unfinished business to him….

One day they had seemed to be totally together and the next she had told him it was all over, using empty phrases like ‘we both need our own space’ and ‘it was fun while it lasted but now it’s over’ as she’d walked out of his life.

Phrases that had only made sense to Rafe when that very same evening Cairo had gone out to dinner with the producer of the film, and only weeks later she had married him!

To add insult to injury, the ‘happy couple’ had even invited him, and the rest of the crew from A Love For All Time to the wedding! Rafe had excused himself from that invitation and spent the afternoon in bed with his co-star Pamela Raines instead.

But being here with Cairo like this, talking to her, touching her again, imagining making love with her, seemed to have released all those old memories, the good, as well as the bad.

Half of him had wanted to punish her just now as he told her of how he would make love to her, the other half punishing himself for still wanting her. He was still hard from those imaginings, his arousal a low throb that he had no control over—

‘Margo’s had the baby,’ Cairo spoke huskily behind him. ‘A little boy,’ she added as Rafe turned in sharp enquiry. ‘Margo is fine,’ she continued emotionally. ‘The baby—

Simon Raphael—is in an incubator, but Jeff seems very hopeful that he’s going to be okay, too—’ She broke off to bury her face in her hands as she began to cry.

‘But that’s good, isn’t it?’ Rafe frowned, this time having no choice but to take her in his arms.

Cairo had no idea why she was crying. Relief, probably. She had been so worried about Margo and the baby.

But it wasn’t just that, she knew. The strain of being here with Rafe, talking to him, having him describe what it would be like making love to her, feeling every caress and touch of his lips on her body, was also taking its toll. Finding herself in his arms certainly wasn’t helping her dispel the effect!

She straightened, avoiding his searching gaze as she wiped the tears from her cheeks to step away from him. ‘It’s much better news than I’d hoped for,’ she agreed.

His eyes narrowed. ‘Does Jeff want you and Daisy to go back to England now?’

‘Not for a few more days, until he’s absolutely sure …’ Cairo shook her head. ‘I have to go in and tell Daisy the good news,’ she said as she turned away.

‘Cairo?’

She closed her lids briefly before turning back to look at him with guarded eyes. ‘Yes?’

Rafe’s gaze was mocking. ‘Now there are only two reasons why you can’t come to Cannes with me this evening….’

She drew in a sharp breath. ‘Rafe, you have no idea of the avalanche of publicity we would be bringing down on ourselves by appearing in public together!’

Rafe gave a rueful smile. ‘I think I have a pretty good idea. Besides, with the appearance of tomorrow’s newspapers, the chances are we’re going to be presented with a fait accompli, anyway.’ His mouth tightened grimly. ‘Personally I would rather spike the bast—the guy’s guns, by appearing in public with you tonight and so ruining his chances of an exclusive tomorrow.’

He had a point, Cairo realized unwillingly.

She was weakening in her resolve not to accompany him, Rafe noted with satisfaction as she hesitated. And he was determined that she would, meant it when he told Cairo she couldn’t go on hiding like this. Yeah, her divorce had been messy and very public, but she needed to get some perspective back in her life.

With their past history, why the hell should he care what Cairo did, either now or in the future?

He shouldn’t.

And yet he knew that he did….

He should never have given into the temptation of telling her all the things he would like to do to her.

‘Well?’ he prompted tersely.

Cairo sighed heavily, knowing that he wasn’t going to give up.

‘Okay, I—I’ll ask Daisy what she wants to do—’

‘Coward,’ Rafe told her softly.

Her chin came up, her eyes flashing darkly. ‘You know nothing about me, Rafe. Nothing!’ she snapped angrily.

He shrugged. ‘Then prove me wrong, Cairo, and come with me tonight.’

Her mouth twisted into a derisive smile. ‘I guarantee you’ll regret your insistence more than I will.’