‘But then that doesn’t take much,’ she muttered, dizzily drowning in his intent gaze as he shifted fluidly against her, letting her feel the hard thrust of his arousal.
Bella was down at the stableyard one morning when she was told that a visitor was waiting to see her. Returning to the house, she stilled in the doorway of her studio, taut with disbelief at the sight of a complete stranger calmly leafing through her paintings. ‘What are you doing?’ she demanded sharply. ‘Who are you?’
The man straightened, seemingly unaware of his offence, and crossed the room. He extended a polite hand. ‘Dai Matheison… Rico asked me to pay you a visit next time I was in the area.’
Rico had asked him? Bella’s face froze. ‘The Matheison Gallery, right?’ she murmured, mentioning the prestigious gallery with distinct coolness.
‘Try not to hold it against me.’ Shrewd blue eyes read her taut facial muscles.
‘Rico didn’t tell me you were coming.’ She wanted to leap up and down with sheer rage and embarrassment. How dared Rico humiliate her like this? Unknown artists did not receive personal visits from the owner of the Matheison Gallery.
‘Between you, me and the gatepost,’ Dai Matheison said drily, ‘I didn’t want to. But if what I have so far managed to see is a sample of your work Rico did us both a favour. I’m doing an exhibition in late September. I’m willing to include you if you’re interested.’
Her teeth gritted. ‘Thank you but I don’t think—’
‘Rico may be a friend, but don’t insult me by assuming that I would issue such an invitation on that basis alone,’ he cut in smoothly. ‘If I didn’t think you were worthy of my gallery’s reputation, Miss Jennings, God Himself would not persuade me otherwise.’
Bella reddened, sharply disconcerted. ‘I—’
He handed her a card. ‘Call me if you’re interested and don’t leave it too late. I need an answer soon.’
‘Mr Matheison, I’m sorry—’
‘Not half as sorry as I am.’ He smiled with rueful amusement. ‘I was looking forward to shooting Rico down in flames. But after what I’ve seen here I shall have to grit my teeth and say, Thank you for the tip. You’re even more talented than he said you were.’
He was gone before she could gather her wits again. In one explosive stride she reached the nearest phone and dialled Rico’s private number.
‘Did you remember to call the caterers?’ he asked straight off, reminding her about the party he was planning to hold in a fortnight’s time.
‘Yes. Dai Matheison has just been here!’
There was a moment of silence.
‘And?’ he responded calmly.
‘And nothing, Rico! How dare you do that to me?’
‘I have other contacts.’
‘Stuff your bloody contacts!’ she hissed. ‘If you must know, he’s willing to show me, but that’s not the point—’
‘That was exactly the point,’ Rico interrupted with unhidden satisfaction.
‘You had no right to interfere.’
‘You and your giant insecurity complex were likely to avoid the issue into the next century,’ he informed her. ‘So I took care of it for you.’
His lack of remorse only inflamed her more. In all her life she had rarely felt so mortified as Rico had made her feel. ‘You humiliated me,’ she condemned shakily. ‘And if you can’t see that, then there’s not a lot of hope for us!’
‘Be brief, Bella,’ he sighed, refusing to take her seriously. ‘I have two diplomats waiting to see me.’
‘I make my own breaks. I don’t need you to pull the strings for me. Dai Matheison didn’t want to come here. He thought he was coming to see your little bimbo’s etchings—’
‘Now he knows differently,’ Rico returned with exasperated unconcern. ‘Tell me, is there a point to this howling melodrama? You should be grateful I had that amount of faith in you. I told you I’d be your patron—’
‘
You just can’t accept what I give!’ she accused in stark distress. ‘You’re not happy unless you think you’re paying for what I do in bed!’