‘And what is that supposed to mean?’
Beth raised mocking brows. ‘Exactly what it sounded like—admiration for Raphael Cordoba’s efficiency.’
His lips thinned. ‘Rodney has already explained that he will be taking over your security as from today?’
‘Oh, yes.’ She nodded coolly. ‘And I can’t tell you how nice it is to know that I get on so well with the man I will be spending so much time with in future.’
Raphael’s jaw clenched. He had intended to tell Beth over breakfast of the necessary changes that had been made in her security detail—if not the reason for them!—but she had looked so pale and unapproachable when she joined him in the kitchen earlier, followed by his discomfort after their conversation regarding his estrangement from his father, that he had thought it better to wait until they were on the plane before breaking that particular piece of news to her. He had not anticipated that Rodney would see her first and impart that information to her.
Information which, if Beth’s coolly contemptuous attitude towards Raphael now was any indication, she had totally misinterpreted. A misunderstanding, and attitude, that Rodney’s presence made it impossible for Raphael to try and explain or change. And asking to talk to Beth alone—being alone with her for any reason—would not be a wise move on Raphael’s part when he still desired her so deeply!
‘As we are all ready, we may as well leave,’ he bit out tautly instead.
‘The sooner the better,’ Beth added hardly.
Raphael gave her a long and searching glance. She really did look very pale. To the point of delicacy. Far too much so, he believed, for it to be attributed solely to the tension that now existed between the two of them.
Could he possibly have physically hurt Beth last night, with the intensity of his lovemaking? Had he been too rough with her? Too demanding?
‘Would you wait outside for us in the car?’ Raphael instructed Rodney abruptly, his gaze still fixed unwaveringly on the pallor of Beth’s face.
She looked displeased at the idea of being alone with him. ‘Oh, but—’
‘Rodney,’ Raphael prompted hardly, waiting until the other man had left the kitchen before turning back to a wide-eyed Beth. ‘Are you feeling quite well?’
‘Is that your not so polite way of telling me I look awful this morning?’ she came back challengingly.
‘Stop it, Beth!’ Raphael reached out to lightly grasp the tops of her arms as he shook her slightly. ‘You are very pale, that is all. I did not...hurt you, last night?’
Beth looked up at him sharply, her gaze searching on that aristocratically handsome face. Had Raphael somehow guessed? Did he know how she felt about him—?
‘Physically?’ His next harsh comment completely alleviated that particular worry.
She grimaced. ‘I’m a little sore. But otherwise, no, you didn’t hurt me.’
A frown creased his brow. ‘I did not know—I was a little rough with you, considering your...innocence.’
‘I really don’t want to talk about this any more, Raphael!’ Beth pulled out of his grasp, her gaze avoiding meeting that piercing blue one. ‘I’m pale because I didn’t sleep well, that’s all. I’ll sleep on the plane and be absolutely fine by the time we reach Buenos Aires.’ She hoped.
That nagging pain in the pit of her stomach seemed to have spread to her side, too, now, and increased in intensity. So maybe their depth of lovemaking last night had somehow set off some sort of reaction inside her?
How embarrassing was that?
‘Could we just go now, Raphael?’ Her eyes flashed darkly as she looked up at him challengingly, heaving a relieved sigh as he gave a brief nod before indicating with his hand that she should precede him outside.
And with any luck, Beth could escape into that bedroom at the back of the Navarro plane as soon as they had taken off, bury her head beneath the bedcovers, and just sleep for the whole tedious journey to Buenos Aires.
Well away from the disturbing Raphael Cordoba...
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘BETH?’ RAPHAEL SHOOK her gently by the shoulder as he sat down on the side of the bed in the cabin at the back of the Navarro jet, where Beth had disappeared to, and apparently been sleeping, almost from the moment the plane took off from England. ‘Beth!’ he repeated more firmly as he received no response.
She gave a groan as she turned onto her back and slowly opened her lids, her eyes appearing dark and slightly unfocused rather than the clear and challenging glitter Raphael was used to. ‘Are we there?’ She pushed