Page 196 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

Good grief, the man was worth his well-muscled weight in gold. ‘I hope Ramon pays you ridiculously well,’ she said. ‘I don’t know how you put up with his round-the-clock demands.’

‘He’s a good employer. He doesn’t demand all that much.’

‘He’s listening in right now, isn’t he? In your earpiece. And you’ve just earned yourself a bonus.’

‘This trip is a bonus. It is the first time in three years I’ve known him to travel for leisure.’

Elodie paused, startled by the nugget of information she’d never have expected the utterly discreet Piotr to let fall. But this tripwasn’tleisure. It was business. And all work and no play made Ramon Fernandez a formidable opponent.

Ninety minutes and three shops later, Elodie stood in the private changing room and stared at her reflection. The shop assistants would admire her in anything—which meant she was reliant on her own judgement. She had to please no one butherself. She liked her costumes at work—pretending, being in character. But this was something just forher.

The soft silk skimmed her body, sophisticated, sexy, sweet too. It might not please him—it might not be the bold statement he expected from her—butsheloved it.

Energised and excited, she decided to find something equally confidence boosting to wear to the family cocktail party they were going to gatecrash to stop Ashleigh’s engagement. Oh, yes, Elodie Wallace was finally on her game.

CHAPTER SEVEN

RAMONHADMOUNTAINSof work to do, and he was not going to let a little thing like getting married disrupt his routine. He absolutely was not bothered that Elodie had been gone for more than three hours already. Yet he’d lost track of the number of times he’d gone to the suite’s media room to glance out the window overlooking the hotel entrance and now here he was wandering over to do it again. His concentration was blown and pushing him into feral territory. Which wasnothim. He did not abandon all responsibility just because he wantedsex. He was not his father.

Only this time as he looked out the window, he spotted her walking into the hotel. His entire body responded with a savage driving urge that almost overwhelmed him. He breathed deep and glanced wide, amused to see Piotr, masking a pained expression as he walked a step behind her, laden with bags. Was she making a stand with her purchases?

He sure as hell hoped so. He couldn’t wait to see the contents of them. He couldn’t wait to touch her. It wasn’t for the wedding that he was really holding off. It was to test his own self-control. He was determined that he wasn’t a lecherous, rampantly reckless man like his father. Turns out he was exactly that. And to make it worse, he was now so tightly wound he no longer cared about the fact.

The second she appeared in the hotel suite he moved towards her. ‘You must be exhausted.’

She might want to lie down—in which case he would join her. He utterly abandoned the idea of keeping his hands off her until after the wedding. The ceremony would happen regardless and was honestly irrelevant. He could and would have her. Now.

‘Not at all.’ Elodie evaded his approach with a swift step and a coolly proud gaze. ‘I have an appointment with a hairdresser and a beautician. Possibly a make-up artist.’

He stilled, locking in place in the middle of the lounge. Every muscle burned with the urge to touch her—to provoke her the way she provoked him by merelyexisting—let alone with the levelling look that accompanied her words.

‘You should cut your hair,’ he muttered huskily. ‘Tie it up at least.’

She froze and that levelling look of hers iced.

Ramon tried but couldn’t suppress his smile because he was sure she would do the opposite. She blinked a couple times and her mouth softened. He remained rock-still as she walked over until she stood right in front of him. Which yes, was another thing he’d desperately wanted. She rose on tiptoe, bringing her lips dangerously close to his ear. He went from rock-still to diamond-hard.

‘Is that your juvenile way of saying you like my hair long and loose?’ she murmured.

Of course she had him. ‘You’rethe one who likes things to mean the opposite of what’s true.’

Her eyes gleamed. ‘I’ll do my hair how I want.’

‘Great,’ he croaked in total capitulation. ‘Can’t wait.’

Because he’d weave his hands into her hairhowevershe styled it—he was desperate to feel its silky length and wrap himself in her fire. Pleasure flashed in her eyes as with a tilt of her chin she shot him the smallest smile. Helplessly he watched her leave with a sway to her hips utterly designed to aggravate and arouse him even more.

He couldn’t stand to remain cooped up inside while she was out. He left the hotel, turned down a couple of streets, vaguely taking in the shop fronts. He didn’t shop in person. His assistants ensured the clothes he needed were in ready supply, knowing his preferred brands. His tailor made house calls for fittings. He never had need to purchase anything personal.

But one sign caught his eye, the window pulled him closer, and a quixotic impulse pushed him inside. He couldn’t recall being in a jewellery store. Had never bought anything for himself or anyone else. Such gestures were meaningless—his father had showered his mother with sparkling gifts and flowery attentions to hide his infidelity. She’d believed him, accepted them. Ramon had refused to treat dates with trinkets. But this deal with Elodie was different. It was a tease. He would get something to provoke her. Only then one item caught his eye and it wasn’t a provocation.

It was perfect.

Almost two hours later he stood by the window overlooking the sea and considered making the leap. He needed to cool off somehow. He’d been dressed and waiting for her to appear from her room for more than fifteen minutes. No one kept him waiting. Ever. Yet here he was, almost bursting out of his skin from the agony and irritation of waiting. He finally heard the door open and spun.

‘Oh, were you waiting? So sorry.’ Her voice was breathy as she sauntered towards him, head high, eyes glinting.

Once again Ramon couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face. ‘You really do like playing games.’

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