The millionaire’s temporary engagement!

Impulsive Catriona Parkes-Wilson must retrieve a forgotten family heirloom, and if that means breaking into the mansion she grew up in, so be it! But she never expected to get caught by the house’s hot-tempered new owner, Alejandro Martinez, nor be forced into posing as his date for one night!

Desire rips through Alejandro the minute he sees Kitty, her reckless abandon igniting an animal urge to take her as his own. So when Kitty is mistaken as his fiancée, Alejandro is determined to take full advantage—and unleash the powerful hunger that rages between them!

‘We’re engaged?’ Alejandro sent Catriona a look.

With the bright lights gleaming from the house, this one was easy to interpret. He was amused?

‘It’s your fault,’ she declared, instantly defensive. ‘I was trying not to be predictable. You dared me.’

‘So it’s my fault?’

‘This entire mess is your fault.’ She nodded firmly.

He slowly stepped closer. ‘You don’t feel any responsibility, given you’re the one who broke in and tried to steal from me?’

‘I didn’t break in; I used a key. And I wasn’t stealing anything that belongs to you.’

‘No? I wonder…’ He was watching her closely, and then his smile returned, slow and seductive. ‘Catriona, you are going to pay for this, you know.’

‘Not in the way you’re thinking.’

He laughed and stepped nearer so he was right in her personal space. ‘Very much in the way I’m thinking. You think these sparks can be ignored?’

NATALIE ANDERSON adores a happy ending. So you can be sure you’ve got a happy ending in your hands right now—because she promises nothing less. Along with happy endings she loves peppermint-filled dark chocolate, pineapple juice and extremely long showers. Not to mention spending hours teasing her imaginary friends with dating dilemmas. She tends to torment them before eventually relenting and offering—you guessed it—a happy ending. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with her gorgeous husband and four fabulous children.

If, like her, you love a happy ending, be sure to come and say hi on Facebook.com/authornataliea, follow @authornataliea on Twitter, or visit her website/blog: natalie-anderson.com.

Books by Natalie Anderson

Mills & Boon Modern Romance

The Forgotten Gallo Bride

Tycoon’s Terms of Engagement

Blame It on the Bikini

The Throne of San Felipe

The Secret That Shocked De Santis

The Mistress That Tamed De Santis

Mills & Boon Modern Tempted

Whose Bed Is It Anyway?

The Right Mr Wrong

Waking Up in the Wrong Bed

First Time Lucky?

Visit the Author Profile page

at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

Claiming His Convenient Fiancée

Natalie Anderson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This one is for the nurses—Olivia, Akansha, Gavin, Glenda, Jo (and Arnie!), Karl, Maria, Naomi, Salma, Shannon and Shannon, and all the others who have helped us…you guys are amazing. Thank you so much for everything—not least teaching us Beanie!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

FRENETIC DRUM AND bass reverberated down the dark street. Irritation pulsed along Kitty Parkes-Wilson’s veins, keeping time with the relentless beat. It was too much to hope the neighbours would complain; no doubt they were wishing they could be at the party, all desperate to suck up to the rich new blood on the block.

Alejandro Martinez. Former management consultant turned venture capitalist. Millionaire. Promiscuous playboy. Party animal. And, since signing the documents three days ago, proud owner of the beautiful building in the heart of London that had, until said three days ago, been her family home. The home she’d grown up in, the one that had been in the family for more than five generations until her father had seized the wad of cash Alejandro Martinez had waved under his nose and skipped off to his sunny retirement villa in Corsica with his third picture-book-pretty wife. He’d cleared his debts and abandoned his failed business—and floored children.

All of which Kitty could handle. Just. Anyway, as much as she’d have liked to, the fact was she couldn’t have bought Parkes House herself. But she hadn’t even been told before it had been sold, and something had inadvertently been left in the Edwardian mansion. Something her father didn’t own and had no right to sell. And that she couldn’t cope with. Kitty Parkes-Wilson was on a retrieval mission and nothing and no one was going to stop her.

It wasn’t the necklace’s material worth that made it so important. Its loss meant her twin, Teddy, was in trouble, and her own heart was in trouble.

‘You can’t do this.’

She grinned at the way her brother could sound both aghast and excited.

‘You can’t stop me—I’m already here,’ she answered in a low voice, pressing her phone closer to her ear as she slowed down her pace just before arriving at her former home. ‘And you know I can do it.’

‘Damn it, Kitty, you’re crazy,’ Teddy growled. ‘You’re only just off the train; why do you have to rush into this? Come here and we can talk about it.’

If she stopped to talk about it too much, she’d lose her nerve. ‘The sooner I get it back the better. Now’s the perfect chance, what with the party and all.’

‘But what if you get caught—?’

‘I won’t,’ she impatiently interrupted. ‘He’ll be too busy partying with his models to notice me.’

Alejandro Martinez only dated supermodels, trading them in with efficient regularity. According to the theatre gossip Teddy had shared when he’d told her that the house was being sold, the current model was Saskia, the number one swimwear model in the North American sports magazine market. Kitty figured that with those legs to distract him, Mr Martinez would never notice the quick in-and-out of an uninvited party guest. Especially one who knew the secrets of the house and how to stay hidden as she snuck her way to the second-floor library.

‘It’s in the library post, right?’ She ignored her stomach’s hungry rumble and double-checked with her twin. ‘You’re sure about that?’

‘Positive.’ Her brother’s tone changed to out-and-out concerned again. ‘But Kitty, please, I’m really not sure—’

‘I’ll call you as soon as I’m clear, okay? Stop worrying.’ She ended the call before he could reply.

Adrenalin amped her muscles. She needed to concentrate and keep her confidence high. With a quick glance each way along the street, she quietly braced then hopped the fence. She ditched her small carry-on bag between a couple of shrubs and got to work.

Alejandro Martinez was not getting his hands on her Great-Aunt Margot’s diamond choker. He was not putting it on any of his many girlfriends. Kitty would go to prison before she let that happen. It was not a flashy bauble for a temporary lover.

The back door key was still hidden in the same spot of the communal gated garden where she’d first hidden it a decade before. No one but she and Teddy knew it existed or that it was there and so, despite the sale of the property, it hadn’t been handed to the new owner. She recovered it in less than ten seconds.

Phase one: complete.

She turned to look at the house. Brightly lit and in beautiful condition on the outside at least, it appeared to be the gleaming jewel in a row of similar styles. But Kitty knew the truth hidden beneath that freshly painted facade.

She made short work of the fence again then crossed to the corner of the street and found her way to the mews laneway behind the mansions. Her heart hammered as she neared the rear of the house. The lights were on, and she could see a catering worker at the sink.

That was when she threw her shoulders back and lifted her chin.

She unlocked the door, stepped in and smiled blithely at the kitchen hand, who looked up and gazed at her in astonishment. She waved the key at him and held her finger to her perfectly reddened lips. ‘Don’t tell him I’m here—I want to surprise him,’ she said as she confidently strolled past him and out into the corridor.

The dishwashing chap didn’t stop her. He didn’t say anything. He just turned back to the plate he was rinsing.

She’d learned a few things from sitting in on Teddy’s drama classes over the years.

Act confident. Fake it till you make it. Act like you own the place and people will believe you do.

People chose to believe the easiest option—the least trouble for them. And with her walking in all smiles, and with a key, who would doubt her right to be there?

Phase two: complete.

All she had to do now was head up the stairs to the private library, retrieve the necklace and get out again as fast as possible.

But curiosity bit. It had been months since she’d been home and now her heart ached with nostalgia for what she’d lost. In the three days since he’d taken over, what changes had Alejandro Martinez made?

Apparently he’d liked the look of the street and knocked on everyone’s doors to find someone willing to sell. Her father hadn’t been willing—he’d been desperate. Alejandro had been the answer to all his prayers. And Alejandro had got a good deal. House. Contents. Even the cars.

Winding up the company was one thing, but for her father to sell this home without saying a word to them beforehand was unforgivable. He’d sold everything in the house as well—only stopping to parcel up the few personal papers left in here. There were things she and Teddy might have liked, family treasures that had sentimental value. She didn’t care about the monetary side of things; she’d grown up knowing most of it would never be hers. Her father hadn’t thought of her—then again, he never had. But for once he’d not thought about Teddy either. Not that Teddy cared—he was glad not to have any reminders of the expectation he could never live up to. Except there was the last legacy from Great-Aunt Margot—the one Kitty had got her hair colour from, the one who’d given Kitty what confidence and fun she had. Great-Aunt Margot was her inspiration.

Kitty ventured down the corridor towards the bubble of music and chatter and laughter and glanced through the open doorway into the atrium.

The lighting there was much dimmer than in the kitchen. The guests probably thought it was low to set the ‘mood’ and make everyone look even more attractive, but they really didn’t need the help. No, the soft lighting was all about helping hide the aged, peeling paintwork and how much refurbishment and restoration work the house needed. It seemed Alejandro had had no hesitation in stripping the house of all its ‘maximalist’ decor—all the antique furniture, vases and fine china displays had vanished, and in their place were three dozen nubile, beautiful women. Every last one had to be a model. Kitty’s heart puckered. It was weird to have all these other women here, all relaxed and happy and looking as if they belonged, when she no longer did.

Stopping to look had been a mistake.

She skirted the back of the room to confidently—but not too quickly—walk up the stairs. She kept her head high, her shoulders back and sent a glimmer of a smile to the person she saw along the hallway glancing up after her.

Faking it. Making it.

The volume of the music lowered the higher up the stairs she went. By the time she got to the second floor it had become bearable background noise. There was no one in sight up here—the entire house had yet to be taken over by pumped-up party people. She’d timed her arrival just right—enough people were present for her to disappear into, but it wasn’t yet wild enough for them to be everywhere.

Despite the disappointment of seeing the stripped out interior below, she couldn’t resist pausing by the master bedroom. The door was open—inviting her—but when she peered carefully around it, she found she couldn’t step into the room. It was stuffed with boxes and furniture. So this was where everything from downstairs had been shoved. Her heart ached more and she quickly stepped along the hallway. Unfortunately, the library door was closed. She hovered a moment to listen, but heard nothing coming from within the room. Nervously, she turned the handle. To her relief it was dark inside and apparently unoccupied. She knew that if she left the door open, enough light would spill from the corridor for her to find her way. She smiled in anticipation as she lightly tiptoed to the shelves lining the farthest wall. This house had several secrets that the new owner would never know about—her father wouldn’t have thought to tell him any of it. Sure, the pleasure she felt at having knowledge over Alejandro Martinez was childish, but the way he’d waltzed in and snatched away her home made her smart.

On the fifth shelf up, behind the fourth book along from the left, there was a small lever. She depressed it and listened to the scratchy whirring sound as a small cavity opened up. She didn’t need to take the other books out; it was only a tiny safe—only large enough for a pile of notes written by bored children, or a coil of diamonds in a platinum setting left there by her forgetful, beloved, fool of a brother.

Kitty scooped them up, relief washing through her. She’d half expected them not to be there—Teddy’s recollections weren’t always accurate. But they were hers again and she could get them back to where they belonged. She’d hated the thought of letting Margot down—even though Margot was only alive in memory now.

Swallowing hard, she straightened the chain and put it around her neck, angling her head as she secured the clasp and then ran her finger along her throat to ensure the choker was sitting smoothly. The cold heaviness was familiar and made her heart ache all over again.

These were the only diamonds Margot had ever worn. She’d bought them for herself, by herself. She’d declared that she needed no man to buy her jewels and had lived her life in defiant independence, refusing to settle into any kind of expectation—ahead of her time and leaving Kitty in awe.

She wished the choker could be hers for good, but it was Teddy’s birthright and he’d given up everything else already. Kitty had nothing to lose.

She released her hair from the high topknot she’d coiled it into while on the train. To leave looking different from how she’d arrived was part of the plan and her hair served another purpose now—it mostly hid the gleaming necklace. She pushed the lever again and the compartment slid shut.

Phase three: complete.

Satisfied, she turned, ready to leave.

That was when she saw it—the man’s silhouette looming in the doorway. She froze. With the lack of light she couldn’t see his face, but she could see he held a phone in his hand. And she could see how tall he was. How broad. How impossible to slip past.

‘Hello?’ She wished she didn’t sound so scared.

She wished he’d answer.

Her heart took two seconds to start pumping again and when it did her pulse thumped loudly in her ears. She hadn’t heard him arrive. The floor in the library was wooden and she’d been certain she’d have heard approaching footsteps. But apparently this guy could enable stealth mode. Was he Security? How long had he been watching her? Had he seen what she’d done?

Apprehension fluttered in her belly.

‘She wasn’t wearing a necklace when she arrived,’ he slowly mused. Softly. Dangerously. ‘Yet she wears one now.’

She froze at that accented English, at that tone. She was definitely in trouble.

‘If you’d get your boss for me, I can explain,’ she bluffed haughtily.

‘My name is Alejandro Martinez,’ he replied, still in those soft, dangerous tones that made her skin prickle. ‘I am the boss.’

It was the devil himself. Of course. Kitty’s heart thundered.

He reached out a hand, casually closing the door. There was a split second of total darkness before he unerringly turned on the light.

Kitty rapidly blinked at the brightness. By the time the dancing spots cleared from her vision, he was less than a foot from her, his phone gone and his hands free.

She swallowed.

He was very close and very tall. She wasn’t short yet she had to tip her chin to look into his face. His hair was dark brown and thick and he was so good-looking, he ought to have been outlawed as hazardous to any woman’s attention span. Yes, Alejandro Martinez was fiendishly handsome with that olive skin, those chiselled features and those serious, assessing eyes.

Nervously, she flicked her hair in the hopes it would curl around her throat. She wasn’t getting past him in a hurry; there was only one exit out of this library and he’d closed the door.

‘No, there’s no point trying to hide it now,’ he mocked softly, but his eyes glittered like polished onyx. He slowly lifted a lock of her hair back with a lazy, arrogant finger. His penetrating gaze lingered on her neck, then raked down her body—her breasts, her waist, her legs. Every inch of her felt grazed.

‘A diamond collar for a lithe little cat burglar,’ he said. ‘How appropriate.’

To her horror, her body reacted to his unabashed sensual assessment of her and to his low accented tone. Her skin tightened. Heat flooded her cheeks, her lower belly and she fought the instinct to take a squirming step back.

Alejandro Martinez was so not her cup of tea. Too obvious. Too forceful. Too...everything.

‘A ginger she-cat,’ he added thoughtfully, his focus lifting to her face. ‘Rather rare.’

She bristled. She’d always hated her hair. She’d gone through a phase when she’d dyed it darker, only that had made her almost see-through skin and squillions of freckles look worse. In the end she’d given up and gone back to natural and faced the fact she was never going to be a ‘beauty’.

‘You know about the bookcase?’ she asked, trying to take control of the situation—of herself—and draw attention away from this awareness. But her voice sounded husky and uncertain. She had to get herself and the necklace out of here as fast as possible.

‘I do now. What other secrets do you know about this house?’ His gaze seemed to penetrate right through her. ‘What else are you planning to steal?’

A hot streak of stubbornness shot through her. She wasn’t going to tell him anything—not about the house, not about herself, not about the necklace.

So she just stared up at him silently, waiting for him to make his next move.

His expression hardened. ‘Give me the necklace,’ he said firmly.

She shook her head. ‘Possession is nine-tenths of the law,’ she muttered.

‘Possession?’ He suddenly looked even more intent, even more predatory as his jaw sharpened and his eyes gleamed as they locked on hers.

Heat unfurled low in her belly. Shocking, utterly unwanted, destructive heat.

‘It is very valuable,’ he noted, continuing to watch her way too closely for her comfort. Standing too close too. When had he moved closer?

Kitty struggled to keep her brain working. The necklace was valuable, but not only in the way he meant. It was all heart and memory to her.

‘You know it’s not yours,’ she said, determinedly meeting his gaze and refusing to step back and show his intimidation was working.

‘I am also willing to bet it’s not yours.’ His return gaze was ruthless. His stance was implacable.

But all that did was fire Kitty’s desire to defy him. This man had taken ownership of everything she loved. He wasn’t having this too. But she couldn’t halt the telltale guilty heat building in her cheeks.

The diamonds might not belong to her legally, but they were hers in her heart. Damn Teddy’s uselessness. ‘It’s mine to retrieve.’

And hers by love. No one loved this necklace more than her—more than that, she’d loved the woman who’d once owned it.

Alejandro shook his head slowly. ‘This building and everything in it belongs to me now.’ A small smile hovered at his mouth. ‘Seeing as you are so insistent to stay, I guess that includes you too.’

Oh, she did not belong to anyone—and most certainly not him. This display of ownership was outrageous and beyond arrogant. ‘Actually, I was just leaving,’ she snapped coldly.

‘No.’ That tantalising smile vanished and he firmly grasped her wrist.

Kitty couldn’t hide the tremble that rippled through her as she fisted her hand and tried to pull free from him.

‘I think that both the necklace and you will remain in my possession until we find the rightful owner.’ His eyes glinted. ‘Of both.’

Defiance burned, sharpening her senses. Surely he was just being provocative, except she had the feeling he meant it. He was clearly used to being in control and having all the power. She didn’t want to tell him the truth about the diamonds. She wouldn’t try to appeal to his sensitive side—it was all too obvious he didn’t have one. Arrogant jerk.

The pressure on her wrist grew—inexorably he drew her closer.

‘What are you doing?’ she gasped when he firmly ran his other hand across her stomach.

Alejandro didn’t answer as he swept his palm further around her waist. She was a slim thing and had little in the way of curves, most unlike the women he usually spent time with. And yet there was something undeniably attractive about her. Undeniably different. She was clad entirely in black—slim three-quarter-length trousers and a fitted black sweater that emphasised her tall but slender frame. Her eyes screamed outrage and he suppressed a smile at the stiffness of her body as he continued his search. Maybe that was it—she presented resistance, challenge. And for him that was novel.

‘You’re assaulting me?’ she snarled venomously.

‘Checking for a concealed weapon,’ he answered smoothly, but a grim defensiveness rose within at her accusation. Alejandro Martinez would never assault any woman. He was not like—no.

He forced his attention to his pretty prisoner, not his past. Her eyes were the weapons here and now, striking like twin daggers and making him smile, a respite from the memory that had flickered. Pleased, he removed the phone from where she’d tucked it into the waistband of her trousers.

He released her to study his prize. The phone wasn’t the latest model and had one of those covers that had a pocket for a couple of cards—a bank card and driver’s licence tucked inside. Perfect.

‘Catriona Parkes-Wilson.’ He read the name aloud, glancing to watch her reaction to the identification.

Soft colour bloomed in her pale cheeks again, and her emerald eyes flashed. She really was striking.

‘Kitty,’ she corrected him quickly.

Catriona—Kitty—Parkes-Wilson was the daughter of the man who’d sold him this house.

Alejandro would have guessed that the diamonds—undoubtedly real—would be hers, but she’d looked so guilty when he’d stopped her that he now wondered. He had to be certain of their provenance before relinquishing them to her just like that.

But finally he understood her presence here tonight. She was on a retrieval mission.

She was also the ultimate in spoilt heiresses—so headstrong and so used to getting her way that she thought she could strut straight into any room and take what she wanted. Why not do the normal polite thing and ask? The sleek Catriona seemed only able to take. And no doubt she was used to causing trouble with every step.

He dampened down the rising attraction and told himself it would be fun to teach her a lesson in politeness, and then possession.

‘Catriona...’ he repeated her full name, deliberately ignoring her preference, and couldn’t stop his smile when she looked more annoyed ‘...I’m delighted to have you back in your former residence. Welcome.’

His security detail had informed him of her unorthodox arrival via text but Alejandro had already spotted her from his hidden vantage point upstairs where he’d been having a moment away from his guests. She’d climbed the stairs as though she thought she was invisible. As if hair the sparkling colours of an autumnal bonfire could ever blend into the background. Even when it had been tied in that pile on her head it had caught his attention. Now that it hung loose in a tumble of crazy curls, he was tempted to tangle his fingers into it and draw her close for a kiss...

But he wasn’t about to give in to this unexpected burst of desire.

Alejandro enjoyed sex and had no shortage of it, but it had been a while since he’d felt such an instant surge of lust for a woman. It was mildly irritating—he had better control than this and, to prove that to himself, he wasn’t about to explore the sexual electricity arcing between them right now. Not yet. It would be more amusing to put this petulant princess in her place. He’d met too many spoilt people who’d never had to do a real day’s work in their lives and who had no idea what hardship really was. Catriona Parkes-Wilson needed to learn some genuine manners.

An idea came instantly, as they generally did, but this one made his muscles tighten in a searing burst of anticipation.

‘Remain here this evening as my date,’ he said bluntly. ‘Or I call the police. The choice is yours.’

‘Your date?’ Her eyes widened in surprise.

He knew she felt the sensual awareness the way he did. It seemed she didn’t like it all that much either. Inexplicably, that improved his mood. He’d have her apology. And then, if it was good, maybe he’d have her.

‘The police?’ she suddenly added quickly, almost hopefully.

That threat was the lesser of the two evils to her? He needed to make that option more alarming. ‘Your fingerprints are all over—’

‘They would be anyway,’ she interrupted scornfully. ‘I lived here, remember?’

‘And I have security camera footage.’ He smiled.

That silenced her.

‘I can’t ignore my guests for hours while I iron out this interruption of yours,’ he said. ‘So you will remain with me until I have the time to deal with you.’

Her eyes didn’t waver from his as he stipulated his rules.

‘I don’t intend to leave your side even for a second,’ he informed her quietly, failing to suppress the satisfaction that rose at the thought. ‘Slinky cats can be clever escape artists. I’m not having you slip out when I look away for a second.’ He read the fire in her gaze and his blood heated. ‘And I do expect you to behave.’

Kitty glared at him. The thought of staying as his date should appal her. But what really shocked her was the delicious anticipation that shivered down her spine at the thought of such relentless attentiveness from him. What was wrong with her?

He bent closer, those full lips twisted ever so slightly into that tantalising smile. Dear Lord, he was too handsome.

‘Catriona,’ he said softly.

Now he loomed over her. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the bottomless depths of his black eyes. Her mouth parted as she struggled to breathe because her heart was thundering. Anticipation spiralled through every cell. Was he going to kiss her? Was she going to let him? Where had her will gone?

He was so close now she could feel his breath on her skin and his eyes were mesmerising and she simply couldn’t seem to move. Then she felt the warmth of his fingers as he brushed the skin at the nape of her neck. She shivered, drawing in a shocked breath, but it was too late. He’d undone the clasp of the necklace before she’d registered his true intention. Now she could only stare as he stepped back and poured the glittering chain into his inside top pocket—right over the spot where his heart should be. Not that he had one of those.

He’d taken the diamond choker from her and she’d just let him.

She’d stood there like a vacant fool and let him reclaim the necklace. She’d let his good looks and his sexual magnetism render her brainless. How stupid could she get?

‘I can’t be your date,’ she snapped, furious with herself.

‘Why not?’

‘You have a girlfriend already.’

‘I do?’ He sent her a penetrating look.

‘Saskia something.’ She straightened and snarled, venting her annoyance on him, ‘I’m not helping you cheat on another woman.’ She knew how much that sucked. ‘Not even pretend cheating. So go ahead and call the police.’

She didn’t think for a second he would but, to her apprehension, he pulled his mobile from his pocket again.

Had she misread him? Did he want the police here, interrupting his terribly exclusive party? She’d have to explain all and wear yet more mortification, but that was better than letting this man win. Surely the police would let her off with a warning—as a first time offender, distraught by the loss of her family home and all that... She might even be able to keep Teddy’s name out of it.

She watched, breathing rapidly and still feeling too hot, as he held the phone up to his ear.

‘Saskia, darling. I wanted to be honest with you and let you know before you heard it from anyone else.’ He didn’t hesitate. ‘I’ve met someone else.’

Kitty’s jaw dropped. He’d phoned the latest model girlfriend? She stared at him in frozen fascination as he kept talking.

‘I know it seems sudden, but sometimes that’s how life works.’

Had he just broken up with the woman?

OMG. The phone call was swift and to the point and the arrogant bastard smiled at her the entire way through.

‘You just ended your relationship?’ she all but gasped as he ended the call. ‘Over the phone?’

‘Four dates doesn’t really constitute a relationship.’ He shrugged and pocketed his mobile.

‘And you never go much beyond five dates anyway.’ Teddy had told her that. Apparently, Alejandro’s appetite for a rapid succession of beauties caused frequent comment—celebration by some, such as Teddy, and derision from others. Kitty was firmly in the second camp.

His eyebrows flickered. ‘Don’t I? I don’t tend to keep count.’

Of dates or women? ‘You can’t just do that.’

‘I just did.’

‘You don’t care?’ Was it all that meaningless for him? His callousness was repellent, yet there was still that fickle, stupid part of her that was attracted to him.

‘No. I don’t.’ He laughed at her expression. ‘She doesn’t either. We both knew what we were in for.’

And what was that—a few meaningless hours in bed together? Kitty whipped up her anger on behalf of the woman. ‘You’re sure about that?’

‘Utterly.’ He looked bored as he glanced at his watch. ‘Now you needn’t have any scruples about being my date for the night.’

‘No way.’ She shook her head, still shocked at his callous phone call. As if she’d ever date someone so ruthless. ‘You’re heartless.’

‘If that’s the case—’ he reached for his pocket again ‘—then I will have to phone the police. Naturally, I will push for charges to be laid.’ He sent her a mock-apologetic glance. ‘It’s unacceptable for people to unlawfully enter houses and take whatever they find lying around.’

She narrowed her eyes. He was playing a game. He’d have called the police already if that was what he’d really meant to do. ‘You’ll do whatever necessary to get what you want, won’t you?’

He smiled as if that wasn’t something to be ashamed of. ‘Always.’

No doubt he’d blackmail, coerce, fight dirty and think nothing of it.

She gazed at him. He was hideously self-assured. Going through women like normal people went through pints of milk—on an almost daily basis and simply discarding the bottle when done. But that someone so shallow could be so attractive-looking? It was so wrong—the guy needed a warning label stamped on his forehead. Yet there was a whole roomful downstairs waiting to step up and be the next one. His looks and charisma had made things—women—far too easy for him.

He sent her that soft, suave smile, totally in control and at ease. ‘What’s it going to be, Catriona?’ he prompted her gently. ‘A night with me at your side, or a night in the cells?’

Her body recognised his beauty; her brain recognised he was a calculating bastard. She’d ensure her brain won this battle. She was certain he was not interested in her; he just wanted to teach her a lesson. That was obvious.

But he was the one who needed a lesson. The palm of her hand itched, but she’d never resorted to violence, not even in her worst attention-seeking teen tantrums and she wasn’t letting this devil get to her in a way no one else ever had.

Nor was she letting him win. She had no idea what he thought he was going to achieve by forcing her to stay with him during his party, but she wasn’t letting him have it. She’d make the night as difficult as possible for him. Then she’d tell the truth and demand Margot’s diamonds back.

‘Don’t call the police,’ she finally responded, answering demurely. ‘I’ll be your date.’

His eyes narrowed just the slightest, but his smile was ready and heart-stopping. He pocketed the phone again and then reached out and laced his fingers through hers. ‘I never thought for a second that you wouldn’t.’

CHAPTER TWO

‘YOU’RE VERY SURE of yourself,’ Kitty said, counting her breathing in an attempt to slow her speeding heart.

‘I’m sure of people,’ he answered. ‘They are predictable.’

Well, he definitely wasn’t predictable. And she refused to be—at least to him. ‘What is it you want from me?’ She tried to extricate her hand from his, but he wouldn’t release her.

‘What do you think I want from you?’ That smile now lurked in his eyes.

Her chin lifted. ‘If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking.’

His glance sharpened, but he spoke calmly. ‘Your time. Your undivided attention. And when every guest has gone tonight, we’ll have a reckoning.’

Something flipped in her belly. Half horrified, half intrigued, she couldn’t resist asking more. ‘What kind of reckoning?’

The smile he flashed was nothing short of wicked. ‘I think you’ve already guessed.’

He couldn’t possibly mean that. She flushed. ‘Never. Happening.’

He laughed then, releasing his grip on her to throw both his hands in the air, surprisingly animated. ‘See? Predictable.’ That foreign element underlying his American accent had deepened deliciously.

He was teasing her? She shouldn’t feel even a hint of disappointment. Yet she did. Alejandro Martinez was too much the practised flirt and too sure of his own attractiveness.

‘I’m not in the least interested in you in that way,’ she said, determined to make the point as clear as possible.

‘Of course you’re not,’ he soothed, turning to lead the way to the door.

‘I mean it. You try anything—’

He sighed theatrically. ‘Well, it will be difficult, but I’ll try to control my animal urges.’

Okay, so now she felt a fool because of course he wasn’t really interested in her like that. He’d be back on the phone to his Saskia soon enough and sorting out the lovers’ tiff or he’d be off with another of the models downstairs...

Laughter danced in his eyes as he turned and caught her glaring at his back.

‘You are very beautiful when cross,’ he said provocatively. ‘Does that fiery hair bring a temper with it?’

She refused to answer him. Her hair didn’t bring rage so much as rashness. Fool that she was, she should have listened to Teddy and calmed down before deciding to come on this crazy mission. She should at least have eaten something, then she wouldn’t be feeling this light-headed.

He paused and waited until she’d looked up into his face again before teasing her further. ‘If you are a good date, you might get a reward.’

‘All I want is the necklace,’ she replied stiffly. And maybe some dinner at some point. Hopefully, there’d be some decent canapés downstairs and not just the tiny, calorie-free stuff that models lived on.

He took her hand firmly in his again and drew her towards the door. He was really serious about her mingling?

‘What are you planning on telling your guests about me?’ she asked.

A mystified expression crossed his face. ‘Nothing.’

Clearly the opinion of others didn’t bother him at all. Kitty tried very hard not to be bothered by what others thought, but there was still that soft part of her that ached to please someone. Anyone. Everyone.

She worked hard to fight it and protect her stupidly vulnerable heart. For too long her self-esteem had been bound up in the opinion of men. First her father. Then her fiancé.

She hesitated at the top of the stairs. Alejandro was already on the first step, but he turned. His eyes were almost at the same level as hers.

‘Come on, my reluctant date,’ he dared in that divine accent. ‘Come down and act the mute martyr.’

Was that what he expected her to do?

She went from famished to galvanised in less than a second. She’d act the ultimate party person—something she hardly ever was. With just that one look from him her appetite vanished. It was her twin, Teddy, who usually held centre stage, while she was the quiet foil—always his most appreciative audience. But now? Now she was energised. Now she had a game to win.

‘You’re obviously very bored with your life.’ She placed her hand on his upper arm, leaning close in a parody of an adoring, clinging lover—half hoping he’d pull away.

He didn’t. His smile broadened. ‘Because I have to coerce a beautiful woman into standing alongside me for the night?’

‘Exactly. You must be very jaded,’ she murmured, trying not to dwell on the size and hardness of the muscles she could feel under the fabric of his oh-so-perfectly tailored suit. ‘Having to spice it up like this.’

He chuckled. ‘I haven’t the time to deal with you the way I want to right now; I need to spend time with my guests. We’ll deal with each other properly later.’

She wasn’t sure if that was a promise or a threat. Worse, she wasn’t sure what she wanted it to be.

‘You don’t think taking me down there with you is a risk?’ She sent him a sideways look. ‘Or do you truly think I’m predictable?’

‘I’m very good at taking risks,’ he said with no trace of humility. ‘And, in my experience, the higher the risk, the greater the reward.’

‘So I’m high risk?’

He hesitated, checking his words ever so slightly. ‘You’re not afraid to put yourself on the line. That makes you interesting.’

She didn’t want to be interesting. She didn’t want to feel the flush of pleasure that he’d complimented her.

She refused his murmured offer of a drink as they descended the last stairs. As much as she yearned for the Dutch courage, she figured it would be more of a hindrance than a help. She needed all her wits about her to successfully spar with Alejandro Martinez and combat whatever ‘reckoning’ it was he had in mind.

Maybe she should have confessed all about the diamond necklace when she had the chance upstairs in the library, but he’d been so irritatingly assured, she’d been unable to resist the urge to bait him right back.

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected from him once downstairs, but it wasn’t the supremely polite courtesy he showed her. He introduced her to everyone as they walked through the atrium to the formal lounge. Many of them were American, like him, and out to enjoy themselves as much as possible. The first few people he introduced her to looked at her with benign disinterest—clearly used to Alejandro appearing every night with a new woman. No wonder he’d looked bemused when she’d asked what he’d say about her to his guests.

‘Meet Catriona,’ he said to the fourth group of people they stopped beside.

‘Kitty,’ she sweetly corrected, yet again, and extended her hand to the nearest of the three women. ‘I’m his special date for the night.’

Three sets of eyebrows lifted in unison.

‘Special?’ one rapier-thin woman queried, her gaze equally dagger-like.

‘I had to promise her that, or break out the handcuffs,’ Alejandro answered smoothly.

The sensuality of his reply rippled through her—and the rest of the group. Eyes widened, then narrowed. But only Kitty knew the truth of his words. Only she knew he didn’t mean fur-lined kinky toys, but tight, unbreakable restraints—yet somehow the thought of them wasn’t as repellent as it should be. Not when she envisaged Alejandro wielding the cuffs and the key.

As Alejandro turned and led her further into the room, the look he sent her was slightly goading as if he knew he was thwarting her prediction of his behaviour. As if he knew the lurching direction of her thoughts. She refused to let the smile slip from her face. She’d ‘sparkle’ down here even if it killed her.

Except it wasn’t that hard at all because he made her laugh too easily. He was extremely charming. In minutes she knew exactly why there were so many women present. He had that charisma, that X-factor, that way of looking at a woman as if she were the only person in the world who mattered to him in that moment. When she was the object of his focus, a woman felt good. It was a terrifyingly unfair talent. And he shared it around. He had his fingers laced through hers, but he talked with everyone equally.

Then she noticed people were watching them more attentively. Their gazes rested on the way he remained close to her the entire time. At the way he constantly touched some part of her—a hand on her back, her arm, or clasping her hand. As time passed into the second hour, he placed his arm over her shoulder and drew her closer to his side.

The guests began looking more assessingly at her. She heard the ripple of inquiry as they made their way from room to room. She heard the whisper of her name. Surreptitious glances became openly speculative.

If Alejandro noticed he said nothing, but his attentiveness became even more apparent. Until he then led her to a corner and stepped in close to put himself as a wall between her and the rest of his guests.

‘You seem to be causing a stir,’ he said, his onyx gaze pinning her in place.

‘Not me.’

He was the one doing all the touchy-feely stuff that was causing the stares.

‘Absolutely you.’ He laughed. That amusement danced in his eyes too and she couldn’t tear her attention from him.

‘You enjoy messing with people’s lives?’

‘In what way am I messing with your life?’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Don’t overdramatize having to spend one night alongside me. It’s not going to change your world.’

‘It’s not?’ She furrowed her brow in mock-disappointment. ‘But I thought any woman who spent a night with the amazing Alejandro had her world rocked.’

‘Minx.’ He laughed again. ‘Come on, we’d better keep moving.’

‘Must we, darling?’ she murmured as she stepped alongside him.

The look he shot her then promised absolute retribution.

Kitty lifted her chin, feeling more game than ever. But, now she could look more freely about the house, she realised there was much gone from the rooms. Her family had had a ‘maximalist’ rather than a ‘minimalist’ style of decor but the mantelpieces were bare and shelves barren—the spaces punctuated by used champagne glasses and platters of stupidly tiny delicacies she’d yet to sample. With a pang she wondered what he’d done with all the smaller items of furniture and the trinkets and sculptures that she’d loved all her life—surely they weren’t all crammed into those boxes in the bedrooms upstairs.

‘Alejandro?’ a woman called from almost halfway across the room and walked over with quick, clipping steps. ‘I’ve just had a text from Saskia,’ she added, her eyes cold and wide as she locked her gaze on Kitty. ‘Bit of a bombshell, actually.’

‘Oh?’ Alejandro couldn’t have sounded less interested but his arm tightened infinitesimally, pressing Kitty closer to his side.

She wished he wouldn’t do that; feeling his hard strength was appallingly distracting, but she had the feeling he did it without even realising—so used to having a woman with him.

‘She said you’ve met someone else.’

There was a split-second of awkward silence and Alejandro was utterly still. The woman’s confident expression suddenly faltered.

‘Oh, that would be me,’ Kitty interjected sweetly before Alejandro had a chance to speak. ‘When I’ve had enough of him she’s welcome to have him back.’

She heard Alejandro’s sharply drawn breath and braced herself. Was he finally going to tell her to go now?

But he drew her closer still. It wasn’t an unconscious, almost undetectable gesture now. ‘But sweetheart,’ he breathed. ‘It’s my job to ensure you’ve never had enough.’ He turned to the woman. ‘If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to get Catriona a drink. I think she needs one.’

‘How many times do I have to tell you—it’s Kitty?’ she muttered as he held her hand tightly and drew her through the crowds with him.

He smiled back at her and his hand tightened. ‘What will you have?’

She was aware of everyone watching them as he led her through the room. ‘Got any cyanide in the champagne?’

‘I’ll save you some for later, when it’s time to face your—how do you say?—fate worse than death.’ He looked pleased with himself at that.

‘I already told you, that’s never happening.’

He stopped in the centre of the room and faced her, apparently uncaring that everyone was staring, and positively hauled her right into his arms. ‘No? Not even a kiss to say sorry?’ Slowly and deliberately he brushed his thumb across her lower lip. ‘Methinks the lady doth protest too much.’

‘Methinks the asshole doth have an outsize ego.’

He gazed at her, his expression delighted. He couldn’t have looked more proprietorial. Or more smitten. But his whispered words were so sarcastic and his awareness of her unbelievably smug. He was enjoying her discomfort hugely. She could tell by the unholy gleam in his eyes, but every touch made her acutely aware of him and his magnetism grew stronger.

She pulled back and made him keep walking.

So. Not. Happening.

It was his reputation that made her so aware of him. All that history, the list of conquests—the world’s most beautiful, desired women. But it wasn’t only that. There was no denying his physical perfection and the supreme assuredness that went with it.

It was impossible to look away from him for long. She’d never met anyone like him and she’d met plenty of wealthy, entitled people in the course of her life. But if you were to strip all those people bare of their designer dresses and jewels and outsize bank balances, many would fade into nothingness. Not Alejandro. Buck-naked in a bull ring he’d still conquer all. And she had the feeling he intended to conquer her. He thought he already had.

He had another think coming.

The awareness of the guests was even more apparent now. She felt the heat from a zillion hard gazes and fought to keep the polite smile on her face. She wasn’t going to lose her confidence. She was going to keep her head high and weather these last couple of hours. But she was quieter as she stood alongside Alejandro, her hand still firmly bound in his, as he talked work with a couple.

That was when she recognised two of the women on the far side of the room. A small British contingent seemed to be standing together. Kitty’s heart sank—of course they’d be there. Those two were like pearl hat pins—ultra pretty but with a sharp point they liked to stick into someone given the chance. She hadn’t seen Sarah in months, but she didn’t imagine she’d had a personality transplant in that time. The woman was a childhood chum of James’s—one who’d never approved of his engagement to Kitty and she was with another couple who were also very much ‘team James’. And great, they’d spotted her too and were circling closer like a school of sharks honing in for a feeding frenzy.

‘Kitty Parkes-Wilson!’ the first exclaimed loudly.

‘Hi, Sarah.’ Kitty smiled, turning to angle herself slightly away from Alejandro. Given he was engrossed in discussing the prospects of another hedge fund, she crossed her fingers he wouldn’t hear this conversation—because if anyone here was going to be predictable, it would be this woman.

‘Fancy seeing you here this week of all weeks.’ Sure enough, Sarah launched her first salvo in a loud chime.

‘You mean in my former family home the week we lost possession?’ Kitty smiled through her teeth. ‘Funny how life works, isn’t it?’

‘Oh, it is,’ Sarah answered as she glanced at Alejandro’s hand curling around Kitty’s despite the fact he was facing the other couple. ‘I never thought you’d be another of Alejandro’s notches,’ she ‘whispered’ conspiratorially.

‘I’m not!’ Kitty flared at the thought and replied swiftly before thinking better of it. ‘I’m only here because he’s bullied me into staying.’

Sarah’s eyebrows lifted and she laughed a little too loudly. ‘Bullied?’ Her pointed laugh chimed loudly again. ‘Yeah, it really looks like that.’

Was it Kitty’s imagination or had Alejandro tensed?

‘We haven’t seen you in so long,’ Sarah added when Kitty didn’t elaborate. ‘You left London in such a hurry.’

The woman was such a cow to bring that up. Of course she’d left in a hurry. She’d been hurt. She’d just found out James hadn’t wanted her at all. He’d only wanted the wealth he’d assumed came with her. And when he’d found out all the cold hard cash had gone, he hadn’t bothered to break up with her before searching the field for her replacement. He’d been trying them all out behind her back. Now, barely six months later, he was engaged to another woman. A beautiful, wealthy one who didn’t seem at all bothered about his cheating past.

This time Kitty didn’t imagine the sensation. Alejandro’s fingers definitely tightened about hers again. But he didn’t break his conversation and turn towards her.

‘You’re finally over James then?’ Sarah queried.

She knew it hadn’t been her fault, but it still hurt. She’d truly thought he loved her. That he’d got her, and found her attractive. But it was only the money he’d loved. And she’d been so starved for attention, so desperate to believe that a guy finally wanted her, she’d not seen through his fickle facade.

She’d been such a fool. And she was a fool now for letting this woman get to her.

Because she was too angry.

She straightened, channelled her inner Great-Aunt Margot and rewrote the rules.

‘Oh, yes.’ Kitty smiled sunnily at Sarah. ‘You know, I didn’t want to make things public yet,’ she ‘whispered’—every bit as loudly as Sarah had. ‘As you’ve alluded to, it has been a stressful week.’

Sarah’s eyes widened and she leaned closer. ‘Make what public?’ This time her volume really did lower.

‘Our relationship,’ Kitty answered as if it was obvious.

‘Your...’ Sarah’s jaw slackened in shock, then she almost squeaked. ‘You mean with Alejandro? You’re why he bought this house? He bought it for you?’

It was amazing how the smallest suggestion could snowball into something so out of control so quickly.

‘It’s a secret, you understand,’ Kitty murmured guiltily, not quite correcting Sarah’s assumption and hoping Alejandro was still deeply involved with his conversation and not eavesdropping.

‘The two of you are that...serious?’ Sarah’s voice rose.

She was so obviously thunderstruck at the notion that Kitty was suddenly irate. Why was it so shocking that an attractive man might want her? Just for once she wanted to knock the superior smirk from this woman’s face—and every other person who’d looked at her as if she were a loser freak. ‘We’re—’

Sarah’s eyes narrowed on the way Alejandro was holding Kitty’s left hand so firmly. ‘You’re never engaged,’ she breathed.

‘We’re...er...’ Kitty suddenly realised a metaphorical crevasse had opened at her feet. She was in real trouble.

That was when Alejandro turned.

If only the earth really would open up and swallow her whole.

‘Kitty’s just told me the news.’ Sarah reached out and put a hand on his wrist and shot Kitty a sharp look before Kitty could even draw breath. ‘Congratulations.’

Kitty couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

And then Sarah did it. She asked so loudly that several heads turned. ‘Are you two really engaged, Alejandro?’

CHAPTER THREE

ALEJANDRO’S FINGERS TIGHTENED again on Kitty’s—extremely firmly.

But Kitty didn’t wince. She held her breath, waiting for the ultimate in public humiliation. It was suddenly so quiet, it was as if the rest of the world was holding its breath with her. This would actually be worse than when she’d finally found out about James’s infidelity. At least she’d been alone then and not in the centre of a roomful of people.

‘Sarah guessed,’ Kitty muttered as she finally braved a glance up at him and recklessly killed the silence that had been a fraction too long already. ‘She’s always been astute.’

His gaze imprisoned hers and for a second everyone in the room faded. His eyes were like banked furnaces, so very black but so very deep and there was a level of emotion in them that she’d not expected and that she couldn’t interpret.

Oh, God, she should just run away now.

His fingers tightened even more—to the point of pain—as if he’d read her mind and was physically preventing her escape. But she wanted to run. She had to. How could she ever explain?

Sarah—the one who’d never told her that her fiancé was sleeping with someone else. Sarah—who’d never been nice, who’d never welcomed her into the group, who’d never seemed to want her to succeed.

‘You’ve caught her out, Sarah,’ Alejandro said quietly.

Kitty started to die inside.

‘Catriona was reluctant to announce it so soon...’ He trailed off.

Sarah’s jaw dropped. So did Kitty’s, but she caught herself in time. She licked her lips, her heart thundering as she gazed at Alejandro. He was smiling? He was looking...satisfied?

He turned to face her nemesis intently. ‘We can trust you, can’t we?’

‘Of course,’ Sarah said weakly. ‘But I...er...might have been a bit loud just then.’

‘No matter.’ Alejandro smiled. ‘We’re all friends here.’

Did he underline the word ‘friends’? He still held Kitty’s hand in a vice but he was smiling.

‘Congratulations.’ Sarah looked stunned.

Alejandro lifted his free hand to place a finger over his lips and winked at her. ‘Shh, remember?’ Finally he turned to Kitty again. ‘Come along, Catriona. I think you need some fresh air.’

He set off at such a pace Kitty almost stumbled. If it weren’t for the grip he had on her hand, she might have. Instead he wrapped his other arm around her waist and—under the guise of attentive affection—practically dragged her out through the back room, past that bland dishwashing guy and out into the small private courtyard at the back.

Only once they were alone outside did he release her. Kitty took a quick few steps to the corner of the tiled courtyard. Then turned to face him.

‘We’re engaged?’ He sent her a look.

With the bright lights gleaming from the house, this one was easy to interpret. He was amused?

‘It’s your fault,’ she declared, instantly defensive. ‘I was trying not to be predictable. You dared me.’

‘So it’s my fault?’

‘This entire mess is your fault.’ She nodded firmly.

He slowly stepped closer. ‘You don’t feel any responsibility, given you’re the one who broke in and tried to steal from me?’

‘I didn’t break in; I used a key. And I wasn’t stealing anything that belongs to you.’

‘No? I wonder.’ He was watching her closely, then his smile returned, slow and seductive. ‘Catriona, you are going to pay for this, you know.’

‘Not in the way you’re thinking.’

He laughed and stepped so he was right in her personal space. ‘Very much in the way I’m thinking. You think these sparks can be ignored?’

She really wished his accent didn’t make his atrocious words sound so damn attractive. His laugh was low and did things to her insides and the cool air did nothing to settle the fever in her bones.

Now she really wished he’d stop looking at her like that. It made her hot and it was even harder to concentrate. And he knew it. He knew he was like catnip to every woman in the world. He loved it. She didn’t want to want him at all. But her stupid body recognised the talent and experience in his.

‘Is this the bit where you attempt to exert your sexual dominance over me?’ she growled as he stepped closer still.

He let out another burst of laughter, but he caught both her hands in his and forced them behind her back in a move of total sexual dominance. ‘No, this is the bit where I stop you from saying more stupid things in public.’

‘You have no right to censor me.’ She had no idea where the wildness came from. She’d never normally speak to anyone like this. Usually she’d duck her head and mind her own business and let Teddy do the talking.

‘Not censoring you,’ he chided wickedly. ‘Kissing you. To leave you speechless.’

‘You’re...what?’ Her jaw dropped. ‘You’re unbelievable.’

‘I know. So good.’ He mock preened.

But his proximity was getting to her—she could feel his strength and his size and, appallingly, she wanted to lean up against him! She stiffened instead. ‘You don’t think you’re hyping yourself up too much? I’m going to expect something so amazing you’re never going to be able to live up to it.’

‘I’m willing to take the risk.’

‘You’re willing to take a lot of risks.’

‘Possibly. But this is my home and you will not cause trouble when I have this many guests present.’

‘Then let me leave. With my necklace.’ She looked up and sent him a brilliant smile, pleased with her comeback. ‘It’s a very simple solution.’

‘No, that can’t happen now,’ he answered bluntly, his expression intent. ‘Stupid talk earns kissing, remember?’

Kitty didn’t get the chance to breathe, let alone reply. Because he’d bent his head and brushed his lips over hers. It was the softest, lightest kiss and not at all what she’d have expected. Silenced, stilled, she waited. There was another light, gentle caress—lips on lips. And then another.

That was when she realised he was the kind of lover who would take his time. Infinite time and care, to arouse her. The thing was, she didn’t need that much time. Her toes curled in the ends of her shoes as he kissed her again and she couldn’t help her slight gasp, the parting of her suddenly needy mouth. But he didn’t press closer, harder—instead, he kept the kiss light, almost sweet, and he was utterly in control. There was just that underlying edge as she absorbed the rigidity of his body...and started to realise that the tightness of his grasp on her wrists was no longer to hold her in place, but to hold himself back.

She looked up at him, bemused by his tender, go softly approach. He threw her a small smile, as if he knew exactly how much she’d anticipated a punishing kiss from him—all frantic passion and a duelling race to the finish line.

And she was not disappointed it hadn’t become that kind of kiss. Nor was she yearning for another.

‘That wasn’t enough?’ he teased knowingly. ‘You want a little more?’

‘That was more than enough,’ she lied with a little shrug. ‘I guess this is where you say we English have no passion.’

‘I’ve yet to meet a woman who doesn’t feel passion when she’s with me—’

‘You mean anger? Rage?’

He chuckled and brushed his thumb across her hyper-sensitised lips. ‘Too easy.’

Awareness rippled down her spine, a warm tide of liquid desire. It was impossible that she be so drawn to this man. He was a philanderer—a total playboy who’d had more lovers than she had freckles. And she had a lot of freckles.

He was just toying with her—too aware of his sensual power and utterly assured of his success.

‘I won’t be another of your numbers.’ She promised herself that.

‘No?’ He laughed and shook her gently. ‘You already are. More than that—you’re my fiancée.’

She died of mortification all over again. In the heat of that kiss she’d forgotten that nightmare moment. ‘Why didn’t you deny it?’ She swallowed.

‘I don’t like seeing anyone ganged up on,’ he said simply. ‘I dislike bullies. It was evident what was going on.’

What would the supremely successful Alejandro Martinez know about bullies? As she frowned at him another emotion flickered across his face. But he suddenly stepped back, looking as suavely in control as ever. He extended his hand to her and waited. That he was so astute surprised her. Now she knew why he hadn’t denied that outrageous engagement story to Sarah. He’d felt sorry for her. She felt worse than ever.

She hesitated, looking into his eyes, unable to read him at all now.

‘Let’s go back inside,’ he said quietly.

With a small sigh she put her hand in his and walked back into the house. But they didn’t return to the packed ground floor reception rooms; instead he led her up the stairs that she had previously used to get to the private library.

‘Stay here awhile, make yourself at home,’ he teased wolfishly as he showed her into the room.

She should have known that moment of kindness and humanity wouldn’t last in him.

‘Where are you going?’ She eyed him suspiciously.

He had his phone out and a key in his hand—one of the large old-fashioned keys that fitted the internal doors in this house.

‘I’m going to get rid of all my guests. I can do that better if you’re not with me.’

‘And you’re going to lock me in here while you do that?’ She folded her arms and called him on it. ‘What if there’s a fire?’

‘I’ll play the hero and rescue you.’ He simply smiled and looked rakish.

‘You’re no hero—you’re all villain.’

He flashed another smile. ‘Women always like the bad boy, isn’t that so?’

That was not so. She felt like flinging the cushions at him, except she wasn’t that childish. Guiltily she remembered her lies downstairs. She’d definitely acted like a proud, childish idiot then.

‘Don’t fret.’ He winked at her just before closing—and locking—the door. ‘I won’t be long.’

He was an inordinately long time. Eventually she heard voices spilling out into the street and resisted the urge to stand at the window and scream for a saviour. She’d made enough of a fool of herself here tonight. What had she been thinking when she’d led Sarah to think Alejandro had bought the house for her? That they were engaged?

Tired defeat permeated her. She’d been up since six, ready to get the train from Cornwall back to London. She’d not eaten on the journey and now she felt queasy. She turned off the main light and switched on the reading lamp, pouring herself a finger of whiskey from the decanter still on the table in the study.

She rarely drank spirits but right now she needed something and she trusted her father’s old single malt more than the concoctions that had been on offer downstairs. And, anyway, this was for medicinal purposes. The liquid hit her stomach and lit a ball of fire in it. She breathed out and closed her eyes, aching to relax properly. She’d spark up again when Alejandro returned. She just needed a bit of a rest now.

The heat drained from her. That kick of adrenalin vanished, leaving her tired and with a headache threatening. She kicked off her shoes and walked to the deep leather sofa that had been in her father’s study all her life, trying not to remember the number of times she’d curled up on it and waited late into the night for him to get home.

She’d spent so long trying to get her father’s attention. But he’d been preoccupied lecturing Teddy, the son and heir, and he’d been too busy wooing the glamorous women he’d had affairs with. She’d gifted him her best sculptures as a kid. She’d poured her heart into them, only to see them admired for a half second and then relegated to a bottom shelf to gather dust. They were never properly displayed, never shown off with pride, merely indulged for a brief moment before he turned elsewhere. Which was exactly the way he treated her.

All she’d wanted was for him to know her, to love her, to let her be... She was such a needy fool.

She’d thought James had understood and that he’d be true to her. But he’d been even worse. At least her father had never hidden his affairs from everyone.

‘I was just... I couldn’t help myself.’ Her father had tried to explain it to her the last time she’d seen him, just after she’d broken up with James, and she’d railed at him for being the same kind of cheat.

Impulse. Making that snap decision that was so often wrong. She’d inherited that faulty gene from him. Not when it came to lovers, but in every other aspect of her life for sure.

Her father had made bad business choices; he’d needed to sell property to get a cash injection because he’d known his time as a businessman was up. He’d wanted to retire to his flash estate in Corsica while he still could. And so he had. Leaving Teddy and her alone. But they were almost twenty-four and able to look after themselves.

Now she was exhausted from maintaining smiles in front of all those people. From restraining herself from losing her temper with Alejandro in front of them all. From reining in her reaction to the torment of his touches. From hiding the heartbreak at being back here and knowing she no longer belonged. That she’d never really belonged. There was nothing here for her any more.

She curled her legs under her on the sofa and told herself to shrug it off. She was fine. She’d go and stay with Teddy at one of his friends’ places tonight after having it out with Alejandro. She’d go back to Cornwall in the morning and get on with her new life. It was all going to be okay.

But in the meantime she slumped lower in the soft leather.

* * *

It took longer than Alejandro desired for his guests to get the idea it was time for them to leave. Admittedly his parties usually went on far later, but he needed to be alone with the vexatious redhead who’d tipped his night upside down. So he smiled, firmly shooting down the teasing pleas for the DJ to play on.

Finally he closed the door on the last couple of guests, who were still shocked and avidly curious. Yeah, that ‘friend’ of Catriona’s hadn’t kept her mouth shut. But he’d known she wouldn’t. They’d all known that.

Rolling his shoulders to ease the tension mounting in them, he lightly jogged up the stairs. His smile was tight. She was going to be furious with him for taking so long. But when he unlocked the door he wasn’t greeted with the instant volley of verbal abuse he’d expected. His breath froze in his lungs at the total silence in the room. Had she escaped somehow? He strode into the library then drew up short—the sight before him rendered him speechless. He simply stared.

She was fast asleep on the sofa, her body a sleek, long shadow of woman. Her skin shone pale in the soft light, but her hair was a riot of flames cascading about her face and shoulders. God, she was beautiful. Different. Sexy as hell.

Desire ripped through him—igniting a fierce animal urge to wake her, kiss her, claim her body with his, here and now. The longing to feel her beneath him was sudden and acute. He clenched his fists at the ferocity of the ache and forced himself to take a calming breath.

No. No.

He never wanted any woman as intensely as all that. He never felt anything as intensely as all that. He refused. He had reason to.

He breathed deeply again and reminded himself of his rational decisions. He hadn’t been going to make her stay the night—despite the teasing and the incredibly erotic pleasure of her kiss. He’d been planning to get to the bottom of the necklace situation and then say goodbye to her, hadn’t he?

But now here she was with her shoes off, fast asleep on the old sofa. He guessed it wasn’t the first time she’d slept on it.

He frowned as he quietly stepped closer to study her. He hadn’t seen just how pale she was earlier, or noticed those smudges under her eyes. She looked exhausted.

‘Catriona?’ he softly called to her. ‘Kitty?’

She didn’t stir. He’d known she wouldn’t. She was in too deep a sleep. Something twisted inside Alejandro as he understood how vulnerable she was in this moment and the degree to which he was entrusted with her care. An icy droplet snaked down his spine. This was a complication he hadn’t foreseen and didn’t particularly want. Maintaining the care and wellbeing of another was not his forte. But he fetched a blanket from his room and covered her to make her more comfortable until she woke of her own accord. He hoped she would soon.

He sat in the large armchair opposite the sofa and pulled the necklace from his pocket to inspect it properly in the lamplight. It was definitely worth serious money and she’d risked a lot to get it back. But it wasn’t hers.

Over the years, so many of those wealthy people he’d studied alongside had annoyed him when they’d shown a lack of appreciation of how damn lucky they were. He’d never taken his success or his security for granted. How could he when he’d come from worse than nothing? So he’d worked harder than any of them. Ensured his grades were the best. Swinging from one scholarship to the next, climbing higher and higher out of a life of poverty, misery, desperation. And his ‘party lifestyle’ that claimed all the headlines was but a tiny fraction of his time. The rest was spent working. Still working. Still achieving. Still ensuring success. And now a spoilt young woman had waltzed in to reclaim—what—her inheritance? The wealth she’d never had to earn for herself.

She’d been brazen and bold in her initial dismissal of him, outrageous in the reckless way she’d back-chatted him, and he’d fully planned to teach her a thing or two. Except he’d then heard the tone in which that other woman had spoken to her and there’d been no mistaking it. He hated bullies—whether they were the kind who used vicious words or the violent fists he’d experienced. So he hadn’t shamed her publicly. He’d backed her and there’d been no missing the bright relief in her eyes. But then her nerve in the private courtyard when she’d insisted it was all his fault? When he’d given in to that urge to kiss her?

He glanced at his Sleeping Beauty again—remembering the softness of her lips, the stirring in her muscles...the spark. He couldn’t regret that—no matter the complication that now arose.

But now he was stuck with the story that she and he were engaged. He’d smiled his way through the shocked shouts of congratulations from every one of his guests as he’d ushered them out. He’d explained that Catriona had been overwhelmed by the attention and that they’d have another party soon. It was ridiculous but he hadn’t been able to find it within himself to reveal the truth. He’d seen that vulnerability when she’d looked at him. He’d seen that hurt. It echoed within him. Didn’t he know what it was like to be that isolated? And afraid.

She was a contrary mix of assertiveness and insecurity, a bit broken but bluffing anyway. He liked that spirit. And he wanted her.

Well, if he was going to have her, he was going to have to play it carefully. She obviously wasn’t someone who went from affair to affair.

He felt the vibration again and quietly extracted her phone from his pocket. He didn’t want to wake her yet, not when she was so obviously wiped out, but it seemed someone was concerned for her welfare. The name ‘Teddy’ was written across the screen and the photo beneath the lettering was of the two of them. The resemblance was impossible to miss. The man was blond rather than red-haired, but he shared the same smile, the same shaped eyes. He had to be her brother.

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