"Lover At Last" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ward, J.R.)

Turning away, she went to the door and waited for the unlock.

тАЬNi├▒a, donтАЩt be like this,тАЭ Eduardo said. When she didnтАЩt reply, the creak of his chair suggested he was getting up and coming around.

Sure enough, his cologne wafted right into her nose and his hands landed on her shoulders.

тАЬListen to me,тАЭ he said. тАЬYou are very important to Ricardo and me. We do not take you for grantedтАФmucho respect, yes?тАЭ

Sola looked over her shoulder. тАЬLet me out.тАЭ

тАЬNi├▒a.тАЭ

тАЬRight now.тАЭ

тАЬTake the money.тАЭ

тАЬNo.тАЭ

Eduardo sighed. тАЬYou do not need to be this way.тАЭ

Sola enjoyed the guilt that threaded through the manтАЩs voiceтАФthe reaction was, in fact, precisely what she was after. Like a lot of men from their culture, Eduardo and Ricardo Benloise had been reared by a traditional motherтАФand that meant feeling guilt was a reflex.

More effective than yelling at them or kneeing them in the balls.

тАЬOut,тАЭ she said. тАЬNow.тАЭ

Eduardo sighed again, deeper and longer this time, the sound a confirmation that her manipulation had once again truly found home.

He wouldnтАЩt give her the money she was owed, however. Over-the-top office decor and flashback to his childhood dynamic aside, he was tighter than a bank vault. That being said, she was confident that sheтАЩd effectively ruined his evening, so there was satisfaction in thatтАжand she was going to take care of what Ricardo owed her.

He could do it aboveboard. Or, as he had chosen, he could force her hand.

That came with a surcharge, of course.

Yup, it would have been so much cheaper for him just to give her the contract price, but she was not responsible for the decisions of others.

тАЬRicardo will be upset,тАЭ Eduardo said. тАЬHe hates being upset. Please just accept the moneyтАФthis is not right.тАЭ

The logical part of her brain suggested that she take the opportunity to point out the unfairness of being cheated out of what she was owed. But if she knew these brothers, silenceтАжoh, the silenceтАж

As nature abhorred a vacuum, so did the conscience of a well-raised, well-bred South American.

тАЬSolaтАжтАЭ

She just crossed her arms over her chest and stared straight ahead. Cue the Spanish: Eduardo broke into his native tongue, as if his angst had stripped him of his English skills.

He finally gave up and let her out about ten minutes later.

There would be roses on her doorstep at nine a.m. She wasnтАЩt going to be home, however.