A Touch of Notoriety(40)

‘No problem,’ the older man assured him dismissively. ‘I might have been tempted to do the same with such a pretty young lady.’

He gave them a smiling nod before entering the inn.

‘Well, that was...a little embarrassing,’ Beth dismissed ruefully, her gaze avoiding meeting Raphael’s as she turned and briskly followed the other man inside the intimacy of the inn.

Raphael followed more slowly, his mouth tightening as the older man, now standing at the bar ordering a drink, nodded to him in passing as the waitress took them to a table looking out onto the gardens.

He should not have given in to the temptation to kiss her. Certainly should not have placed her in a position of public ridicule.

Beth waited until the waitress had taken their food order and served the bottle of wine Raphael had ordered, before taking an obviously much-needed gulp of it. ‘The notice outside said they have rooms available here, so maybe we should take that man’s advice.’ She looked across at him.

Raphael drew in a sharp breath, a frown having appeared between his eyes as he looked up from the menu he had been studying. ‘I do not think so,’ he finally bit out tautly as Beth finished off the rest of the wine in her glass.

‘Why not?’ she prompted as the waitress hurried over to refill her wine glass.

He arched dark brows. ‘Well, for one thing, your brother is my best friend, and as such I know Cesar well enough to know that he would wish to inflict actual bodily harm on anyone who took advantage of you at this moment.’

‘Even if my invitation means I’m the one intending to take advantage of you?’

‘Even then,’ he assured her harshly. ‘Secondly, you appear to be well on your way to becoming inebriated, and I do not seduce inebriated women.’

‘What if she’s the one doing the seducing?’

‘Beth—’

‘Raphael?’ she came back softly as she deliberately picked up the now full wine glass and took another challenging sip.

‘Eat something before you drink any more, hmm?’ He reached across the table and carefully removed the glass from her hand before placing it down onto the table between them.

She leant back in her chair. ‘And if I promise to eat something, and not drink any more wine, are you still going to refuse me?’

He drew in a hissing breath. ‘You are upset, and not thinking clearly at the moment—’

‘I’m thinking clearly enough to remember I wasn’t in the least inebriated when the two of us last made love.’

Raphael breathed deeply. ‘That was different.’

‘In what way was it different?’ She arched one blond brow. ‘Because that time you were the one to instigate the seduction rather than me?’

‘No, of course not,’ Raphael snapped his impatience. ‘But you have received a shock today, and you are upset, and I should not have kissed you just now.’

‘Raphael, if you don’t make love to me tonight, then I’m going out to find someone else who will,’ she assured her determinedly.

Raphael’s eyes narrowed as he easily noted the reckless light in those dark brown eyes, and the rebellious tightening of her lips.

‘Do you have someone in mind?’

Her chin rose challengingly. ‘And if I do?’

‘Then I would advise against it,’ he bit out harshly.

‘And if I choose not to take your advice?’

His shoulders moved in a stiff shrug. ‘That is your prerogative, of course.’

‘And you’re saying it wouldn’t bother you?’

Oh, yes, it would bother Raphael very much to imagine Beth making love with another man. More than he cared to think about. Or acknowledge.

She sat forward, her dark gaze holding his as she spoke softly. ‘I could feel how much you wanted me a few minutes ago...’

How much Raphael still wanted her, his engorged shaft a throbbing ache between his thighs. ‘You are playing with fire, little one,’ he advised gruffly.

Beth already knew that, was only too aware of the desire she could still see burning in Raphael’s piercing blue gaze. And she longed for that burn, wanted to be alone with Raphael, in the privacy of a bedroom, and know the full force of the desire he had minutes ago demonstrated he felt for her. And not, as Raphael seemed to think, because she was ‘upset’ or ‘not thinking straight’. Oh, that probably played some part in it, was allowing her to do and say things she might otherwise not have said or done. But the truth of the matter was she wanted Raphael to make love to her. Had wanted that since the moment she first looked at him over a week ago...