Ruy rested a long brown forefinger gently across her parted lips. ‘Silencio, por favor...it is nothing.’
Her lips prickled even below that light touch and her pupils dilated. ‘Ruy—’
‘It is very sexy that you didn’t suggest that I share the bed with you,’ Ruy murmured softly, gazing down at her for all the world as though that omission on her part were an act of astonishing restraint.
Thoroughly taken aback, Suzy shot the vast bed a glance, acknowledging that it was large enough to absorb two couples, never mind one, but she was still struggling to get her head around the telling fact that he found her failure to ask him to join her in the bed sexier than an invitation would have been. And that concept lay so far beyond her grasp of the male outlook on sex that she could only gaze back at him in incredulity at the comment.
‘Sleep well, buenas noches,’ Ruy husked, striding out and leaving her standing there in a fog of confusion.
Did Ruy get women coming on to him so often that it had become the norm for him? He was extraordinarily good-looking, she conceded thoughtfully, picturing that lean, strong, sculpted face and those stunning eyes that could go from dark to smouldering gold. Very, very good-looking, she concluded as she made use of the new toothbrush laid out for her and prepared for bed. She had studied him throughout their meal, seeking a flaw, nonplussed to be unable to find one. Those gorgeous looks of his had briefly mesmerised her into stealing that kiss. She winced for herself afresh. Talk about making a production out of being attracted to a guy! She had practically shouted it in his face. But she was comforted by the conviction that most women probably found Ruy Rivera extremely appealing and he was clearly used to it and bored by it, so her foolish little kiss would soon be forgotten.
As she would soon forget him, once he was out of her radius, she told herself soothingly. She was a very down-to-earth and sensible woman, always had been, always would be. Accepting Percy’s offer had been a mistake, a glitch caused by panic on her father’s behalf. She felt quite nervous and sick at the thought of what her rearranged future might now hold for her and her father, but she was well used to making the best of what she got in life even if it often wasn’t what she wanted or felt she needed. And she would handle whatever happened, she told herself squarely, slipping into the gloriously comfortable bed.
As Suzy drifted inexorably into the deep sleep of emotional exhaustion, Ruy was striding into the village pub to introduce himself to her father. No sooner had he intimated that he had news of Suzy than the barmaid was left in charge and he was ushered into a private room where he sat down to discuss business over a revered Scottish malt while thinking that Suzy might try to object but he was sticking strictly to the guidelines she had given him...
CHAPTER FOUR
SUZY SLEPT IN and scrambled out of bed in a rush to head into the bathroom, stumbling to a halt when she saw clothing lying across the chair by the wall, clothing that was familiar. She stared in frowning puzzlement at a pair of her own skinny jeans, her favourite green sweater with its asymmetric hem, and in the bag beneath the chair she discovered fresh undies, socks and both her make-up and toiletries bags.
How on earth had her possessions arrived at Ruy’s house? Had Cecile told Suzy’s father where she was and had her father packed a bag for her and brought it over while she slept? Sudden guilt that she had still not phoned her father washed over her. But in truth, she had yet to work out how much she could risk telling the older man about the breakdown of her relationship with Percy.
She washed and dressed very quickly and didn’t bother with any make-up, sensitive now to what Ruy might assume if she appeared to be gilding the lily for his benefit. After all, a man who could thank a woman for not inviting him into bed had shameless confidence and a daunting, meteoric awareness of the strength of his own attractiveness. Suzy planned to do nothing and say nothing that might encourage such arrogance. Hadn’t she already done enough with that stupid kiss? Hopefully he would put that down to her disorientation after she had almost been frozen into a Popsicle.
As she moved towards the door, a knock sounded on it and she tugged it open, startled to find Ruy standing there holding a tray. ‘What’s this?’ she muttered.
‘It was supposed to be breakfast in bed, but I can see I left it too late,’ Ruy fielded with amusement.
‘Ruy,’ Suzy admonished with a raised auburn brow. ‘I’ve never had breakfast in bed in my life. I’m more likely to be serving it to other people than enjoying it myself.’
‘That may be but there is always a first time,’ Ruy retorted, refusing to be sidetracked and settling the tray down on the circular table by the window. ‘Sit down, eat...’
‘Gosh, you must keep your housekeeper busy,’ Suzy remarked in wonderment at the beautifully set tray with its ornamental cloth and fresh orange juice, pastries, fruit and tea, all proffered in the finest china along with a seasonal lilac blossom in a tiny vase. ‘This is beautiful. Make sure you thank her for me. She went to a lot of trouble.’
‘I will,’ Ruy promised, impressed by her thoughtfulness because so many of the women he knew took excellent service entirely for granted.
‘When did Dad drop my clothes off? You should have wakened me,’ Suzy scolded as she drank her orange juice, still pacing the room.
‘He gave the bag to me last night. Mrs Liggett brought it up but found you asleep.’
Her smooth pale brow had furrowed. ‘You saw my father last night? Oh, you went to the pub for a drink.’
‘No, I went specifically to see him and we talked in private,’ Ruy extended, lounging back against the bedroom door with folded arms and narrowed dark perceptive eyes locked to her restless movements. Sunlight burnishing her hair, she was full of energy but growing tension was threaded through that energy like iron bars strengthening concrete, he conceded, amused by that analogy but well aware of the questioning onslaught of her bright eyes and the volatile force of nature that powered her deceptively small and slender frame. He found it strange that her volatility, which had troubled him at the outset of their acquaintance, now only drew him in faster.
‘Why would you go to see my father?’ Suzy asked with a frown.
‘To make life a little smoother for you,’ Ruy countered lazily. ‘When I see a problem, I tend to solve it. In fact, I excel at solving problems.’
Suzy tossed her head back in irritation. ‘My problems are not your problems!’
Unperturbed, Ruy spread the fingers of one lean hand and began marking off points. ‘One... I detest abusers and I wanted you to feel free to report your ex to the police. Two... I knew that you wouldn’t accept the money to pay off Brenton from me...you told me so. Three... I want to make it possible for you to act as my model without other concerns getting in the way. Four... I would also like you to accompany me to my brother’s wedding. Five...if you think of this situation from a logical point of view, our mutual needs can dovetail perfectly.’