The Spanish Tycoon's Temptress Page 0,15
male for her to calm down.
She had one hand on the door handle but stopped when she remembered her manners. “Thank you very much for dinner and I will work hard to make sure that the grant money you’ve provided shows results. I’ll contact your office for details.”
As she was stepping out of the car, she heard his door open as well. When she was on the sidewalk, she glanced over at him, startled to realize that he was getting out and following her in. “What are you doing?” she asked, her throat constricting with fear as he approached her.
“I’m walking you to your door,” he said as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I don’t really need you to do that.”
He shook his head as he walked around the car, putting a strong hand under her elbow to propel her forward. “Elana, there’s no way I’m letting you walk those dark hallways by yourself. Why hasn’t your landlord put up adequate lighting anyway?” He was glaring at the building and she could see his mind already working overtime.
“I suppose because that would increase the maintenance costs and that would in turn increase the rent. No one around here wants that,” she replied stiffly, clutching her purse to her stomach as if it were some sort of shield that would keep the impact of his closeness at bay. Unfortunately, it wasn’t working very well and her legs were starting to wobble, her stomach muscles clenching and all those horrible feelings that she’d thought were long buried were rising up once again.
“It’s irresponsible,” he growled, putting that large, warm hand onto her back and leading her through the hallways. “Why haven’t you complained?”
She laughed, the sound coming out sounding harsh. “Because I can’t afford more rent.”
He glared at her lovely face, wondering why he even cared, but he did. “Safety should come first,” he responded, looking down at her, seeing how her knuckles were almost white as she clutched at her purse. “Why hasn’t your father demanded that you live in a safer place?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. It wasn’t any of his business, but he couldn’t help but ask.
She stopped and turned to face him. “I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions and providing for myself,” she answered him heatedly. “Besides, My father is a very sweet old man who is having problems of his own.” She sniffed slightly before turning back to walk up the stairs. “My father can’t control me anyway.”
He leaned down and shook his head. “Your father…” he started to say something, but then stopped. He wouldn’t make any progress getting her to his ultimate goal by maligning her father in her eyes. Not that she would believe him anyway. Elana had always revered her father, thinking him a saint. The man wasn’t a saint by any stretch of the imagination, a fact of which he knew all too well since he’d been slowly destroying the man’s business. What he’d found out about Rufus’ business practices wasn’t very good, but his daughter didn’t need to know that.
Why was he protecting her? Why did he care if she still cared for her father? He should shove the old man’s crimes right at her, let her live in the real world. Rufus was unethical and ran with some pretty unsavory people. If he wasn’t breaking the law, Rufus was definitely skimming that line.
She glared right back at him. “What? Are you going to tell me that my dad needs to take care of me? That I’m not old enough or smart enough to make it alone in life?” She was really working up a steam of anger now. It was all a defense against letting him inside her apartment, but she didn’t care. She pulled herself up to her full height, pushing her shoulders back and feigning confidence. “I’ll have you know that I’m fully capable of running my life exactly the way I want to. My father has his interests and I have mine. I don’t ask him for anything!” she finished, poking him in the chest to emphasize her point.
“All evidence to the contrary,” he replied softly, taking her finger in his large hand and gently pulling it behind her back. The movement caused Elana’s body to fall against his. They were standing at her doorway, the dim light from the hallway too far away to give her any insight into what he might be thinking, if