The Spanish Tycoon's Temptress Page 0,14
being so gentle? What was his plan? Something just didn’t feel right and his swings in emotion all evening confused her. Earlier in the night he’d been angry and now he was basically a protective, terrifying giant standing next to her, glaring at any man who even glanced in her direction as they made their way out of the restaurant.
What was with this jealousy? She hadn’t noticed it when they were together before, but maybe the difference at that time was that he knew she would never cheat on him. She’d read an article that a man who was assured of a woman’s fidelity was much more confident when others noticed her. Was he not sure of her fidelity now?
She sighed as he opened the passenger side door to his car. What a stupid question, she told herself sternly. Of course he wasn’t sure of her. Nor should he be! He’d left her without any reason, without consideration for what she’d believed they had together. She’d never put herself through that again which meant that she wouldn’t let herself feel those things with him.
Well, to be perfectly honest, she wouldn’t let herself feel those things for any other man either. She’d wrapped herself up in her work, not letting anyone get close to her. Not even female friends. Could anyone blame her? She’d been so hurt, so devastated when he’d disappeared from her life, then seeing him with the other women in the gossip columns, women who were tall, blond and pale, the complete opposite of her, had been brutal. She didn’t ever want to go through that again.
“You seem very pensive,” Gaston observed as he drove through the dark streets. “What’s going on in that pretty little brain of yours?”
She turned her head to look at him. The street lights danced across his handsome face, fading as he confidently drove through the night only until the next light caught his face and the whole process happened again. Over and over again, the light brightened, then faded revealing a part of him which would then disappear into shadows once more. Was this how her life would be? Would he come into her life, brighten things up and then fade out again? Was she destined to be this man’s puppet?
No. She was stronger than that. She wasn’t going to allow him to manipulate her in that way again.
In answer to his question she slowly explained, “I was wondering why you showed up.” She didn’t elaborate or even try to soften the question. It was a legitimate question, one she should have asked as soon as she realized he was in her apartment.
Okay, so maybe she had and she just couldn’t remember. She’d been a little bit, well….a lot, overwhelmed by seeing him once again.
He didn’t react in any way other than to glance down at her briefly before his eyes went back to the road. “I received news that you needed funding. I knew that you were doing something worthwhile so I stepped in to help.”
“But why?” she asked, needing to better understand his motivation. Something just seemed…off.
“Does it matter?” he asked, pulling into the parking lot of her apartment complex. He looked down at her, his eyes hidden by the night. “You have the grant money and a secure lab to work in. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” He didn’t bother to mention that he’d ensured that no other agency or company would even consider funding her project. He’d pulled in favors from several people in order to get her here tonight. Right where he wanted her!
She bit her lip because it hadn’t been what she wanted. Her dreams had all been blasted away by the picture on the internet of another woman on his arm seven years ago. But she wasn’t going to tell him that. The arrogance in him was already bad enough, she didn’t need to stroke his ego.
“There are a lot of things I want in life,” she replied with a false brightness. “A fabulous lab, no worries about where I’m going to find my next grant, co-workers that help instead of hinder….I could go on and on, but I’m probably boring you.” She realized that they were now parked in front of her building and she grabbed her purse, eager to get away from him. She wanted to settle down her heart rate, to start to relax. Being around Gaston wasn’t a relaxing time period. He was too strong, too dynamic and just too