Page 35 of How to Undo the Proud Billionaire

Radd walked into his villa and nodded to the housekeeper, who was smoothing down the cover of his enormous bed.

“Hey, Greta.”

“Mr. Radd.” Greta smiled at him as she carefully placed a pillow in the center of the bed. “I’ll just gather the dirty towels and get out of your way.”

“No hurry,” Radd told her, moving into the living area. Walking over to the always-open doors leading to his deck, he gripped the top of the frame and looked toward the plunge pool. Brin stood in the clear water, her slim back to him, looking through the rails of the balcony to the water hole below.

A couple of buffalo cows stood at the water’s edge and Radd scanned behind them, instantly picking out the rest of the herd standing in the dense bush. In the far distance, a giraffe and her calf ambled across an open patch of savanna. Not knowing how to break the tension between them—he knew that she was aware of his presence—he looked up at the sky, which was that perfect shade of African blue, so thick and heavy he could shove his hand through it.

Radd tried to break the heavy silence. “Let’s clear the air, Brinley.”

Brin didn’t pull her eyes off the water hole. Right, the silent treatment.

Excellent.

Radd dropped his arms, pulled his phone out of his pocket and placed it on the nearest table. Kicking off his flip-flops, he whipped off his shirt and walked over to the plunge pool, dropping into the heated water behind her.

Damn, the water felt good. The best thing—apart from feeling Brin in his arms—that had happened to him this morning. Pushing his wet hair off his face, Radd joined Brin at the side of the pool, his arms brushing hers, and she immediately pulled away and put six inches between them.

Yeah, getting back in her good graces wasn’t going to be easy.

Radd sighed, wondering why it felt so imperative for him to do so. She’d just walked into his life and in a few days she would be out of it, so why did he care so much about what she thought of him? He didn’t give a damn about how people viewed him, well, except for Digby and a handful of old, good friends. Women, let’s face it, were easy.

But Brin wasn’t. Easy, that is, nor was she run-of-the-mill.

She had a backbone he hadn’t expected, a fierce temper when roused by injustice. And complete disdain for anyone who used their position and power to intimidate.

He liked that. Hell, he liked her. More than he’d like anyone for a long, long time. And that was very bad news indeed. She had the power, damn her, to be the catalyst for him to change. He didn’t want to change, he liked his life the way it was.

“I sent lunch but was told that you didn’t eat either,” Radd commented.

“I’m sorry to have wasted the food, but I wasn’t hungry.”

Hell, he didn’t care about two plates of food; he wanted to know what was going on in her head. Brin reached for her sunglasses and slid them onto her face, covering her beautiful eyes. Like her conservative, full-piece swimsuit, her lack of eye contact was another barrier to regaining the easy, laidback companionship they’d shared before.

And it had been easy; he enjoyed having her in his space and appreciated the fact that she didn’t need to be entertained. In the time they spent together alone, he felt completely comfortable reading a report or working while she read or dozed. And when they did talk, their conversation flowed. She had a self-deprecating sense of humor he enjoyed, and he found himself laughing at her wry observations. Her love for Kagiso was obvious, and she seemed eager to hear about his life on this farm as a child and tales of his wild Tempest-Vane ancestors, most of whom were eccentric. A few were certifiably nuts.

They’d been comfortable, relaxed and, dare he say it, happy.

Until the ugly scene this morning.

Radd opened his mouth to try to breach the distance between them, but Brin whipping her glasses off her face and tossing them onto the deck had his mouth snapping closed. When her eyes slammed into his, he saw her anger and, wait, was that embarrassment?

“I’m am very sorry I interfered this morning. You’re right, it had nothing to do with me and I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry if I put you in an uncomfortable position.” Brin hauled in a breath and managed, just, to meet his eyes. “I didn’t like the way Naledi spoke to Mari and I was upset that you didn’t stand up for Mari, for your staff. But you were right, it had absolutely nothing to do with me.”

Radd could tell, despite being a man and generally clueless, that she was still properly, deeply upset. He rubbed his stubble-covered jaw, trying to make sense of her extreme reaction. Yes, she and Mari seemed to like each other, but they weren’t best friends, so why was she so intent on defending her and his staff?

Making a concerted effort to keep his voice low and nonaccusatory—he was trying to understand, not start another fight—he asked for more of an explanation.

Brin hesitated before throwing her hands in the air. “You are part of their social group, a member of their elite club! You’re as powerful as them, certainly as rich! You should protect and defend those weaker than you, the people you employ!” Brin hauled herself out of the pool in a fluid movement, all long legs and feminine grace.

And damn, she was even more beautiful when she was furious. Radd couldn’t resist looking at her firm, high breasts. In the pool, against his shorts, parts of him were rising, too.

Not that she’d appreciate his response…

Brin’s eyes dropped down and widened when she saw his evident need for her. She threw up her hands and scowled at him. “Really?”

He shrugged. “I’m a guy, you’re wearing next to nothing, and I can’t help thinking about what we were doing when we were interrupted earlier.”

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