A Touch of Notoriety

‘And why do you bother continually fighting what is, after all, your destiny?’ Raphael eyed her coolly from behind those wraparound sunglasses.

Beth gave a pained frown. ‘Perhaps because I don’t see it as my destiny?’

‘Grace appears to be having little difficulty in accepting the Navarro family as her own.’

Beth Blake gave a rueful smile. ‘It’s different for Grace. She’s chosen to fall in love with Cesar, to accept Cesar’s marriage proposal, and to become a member of the Navarro family and all that entails.’

Raphael arched dark brows. ‘Does anyone choose to fall in love?’ As Cesar’s personal bodyguard until a few days ago, Raphael had been a silent witness to the other couple falling in love, and he did not believe it to have been in the least as smooth and pleasant as Beth’s words implied that it was.

Perhaps it was now that Cesar and Grace had acknowledged their love for each other and were planning their wedding, but certainly not initially, when the sparks had flown and they had argued about almost everything except the attraction building so rapidly between them.

Much as he and Beth now argued about everything…

No, it was not the same at all, Raphael dismissed determinedly. Much as he might be attracted to Beth Blake’s fiery nature and her beauty, and the supple and desirable curves of her slender body, where she was concerned Raphael had no intention of allowing that attraction to become anything more than visual appreciation. She was Cesar’s beloved little sister returned to him, and as such Beth could never become one of the numerous women who had fleetingly shared Raphael’s bed these last fifteen years.

Which were the only relationships with women Raphael allowed in his life, having learnt of a woman’s treachery at a young age, from his own father’s second wife.

‘Probably not.’ Beth gave a grimace as she answered him. ‘But Grace at least has her love for Cesar as reason to try and embrace his lifestyle.’

‘And you do not have love for Cesar, and your parents, as a reason to try and do the same?’

It was impossible for Beth to miss the censure in Raphael Cordoba’s tone. And no doubt, if she took off those damned sunglasses of his, she would find that same censure in those piercing blue eyes. ‘Stop twisting my words, Raphael,’ she murmured instead. ‘And how can I possibly love three people I didn’t even know existed a couple of weeks ago?’ And there, in the proverbial nutshell, was the reason for Beth’s feeling at a loss as to how to deal with this situation.

She wished she could remember Carlos and Esther as having once been her parents, even the arrogant Cesar as having been her brother, but the truth of the matter was that Beth had absolutely no recollection of any of them. Furthering her belief that she couldn’t possibly be related to them, no matter what those blood tests said to the contrary.

Time would take care of that, the two older Navarros had assured her, together and individually. Time they obviously expected Beth to spend here in Argentina getting to know all of them…

‘Not a day has gone by this past twenty-one years when they have not all thought of you.’ Obviously Raphael Cordoba didn’t feel the same degree of patience towards her in that regard. Or any patience at all, judging by the coldness of his expression as he looked down the length of his arrogant nose at her.

Beth sighed heavily. ‘And I’m sincerely sorry for that. But only in the way any third party would feel after hearing of the abduction of the Navarros’ baby daughter, and the heartache they have suffered in the years since,’ she added firmly.

His jaw tightened. ‘You do not consider that Carlos and Esther have already suffered enough heartbreak on your behalf?’

‘That’s hardly fair—’

‘They are also two of the kindest, warmest people I have ever known.’

‘I’m sure they are.’ Beth looked pained. ‘But I’ve already had, and loved, two sets of parents. A third one not only seems unlikely but…well, excessive.’

Raphael’s eyes narrowed. ‘The difference is that they are your natural parents—’

‘Why is it that none of you will even try to understand why I just can’t accept that?’ Her own eyes darkened almost to the same black as Cesar’s when he was angry or upset. ‘Why I can’t accept any of this? And why I have to go back to England,’ she added determinedly.

‘Everyone is trying—’ He bit back the steely rebuke he had been about to deliver as he instead straightened his shoulders determinedly; arguing with the person he was employed to protect was not conducive to building the trust between them that was necessary in such situations. A trust Beth Blake stubbornly refused to give him. This was something he would need to speak to Cesar about when they were able to speak privately together. ‘If you will not stay in Argentina for the Navarros’ sake, you might at least consider it for Grace’s. She is, after all, arranging her wedding next month to Cesar.’

‘Ooh, low blow, Raphael,’ Beth murmured dryly. ‘If all else fails bring in the sister angle.’

He gave an unapologetic grin. ‘Is it working?’

‘Of course,’ she acknowledged heavily.

Raphael didn’t enjoy seeing the dejected look on that beautiful face. ‘If it is any consolation, Grace argued constantly with Cesar, too, when they first met.’

Beth raised blond brows over surprised brown eyes. ‘Your point being?’

She looked so much like her older brother at that moment that Raphael had trouble holding back his derisive laughter at Beth’s continued insistence that she couldn’t possibly be related to the Navarro family. At this moment she was undoubtedly every inch a Navarro!

‘My point being that the Navarro family cannot be all bad if Grace has learnt to love them in such a short time,’ he drawled dryly.

Beth tilted her head as she gazed up at him quizzically for several seconds. ‘You like my big sister…’ she finally murmured slowly.

‘I do, yes,’ Raphael confirmed without hesitation. Grace Blake was as feisty and outspoken as her younger adopted sister, and was without a doubt the perfect match for the often remote and arrogant Cesar.

Beth gave a derisive smile. ‘Then perhaps there’s hope for you yet, Raphael!’

He arched dark brows. ‘In what regard?’

‘In regard to your belonging to the human race, after all, rather than the unemotional robot I had thought you to be!’ she retorted.

Raphael drew in a hissing breath at the deliberate insult. ‘You will go too far, Gabriela!’

‘And then what?’ Beth chose to ignore his no doubt deliberate use of that name. This time…

‘Then I might have reason to prove to you just how much of a robot I am not!’

Beth looked up at him searchingly, wishing—not for the first time today—that his piercing blue eyes weren’t hidden behind those damned sunglasses. Although perhaps not—no doubt his gaze would be as razor-sharp as his tone…

‘Is that supposed to scare me?’ she prompted lightly.

It was now possible to feel the laser-sharpness of his gaze through those protective shades. ‘There are far more…enjoyable ways of subduing a disobedient woman than scaring her,’ he drawled softly.

Beth felt a shiver of reaction down the length of her spine. Not of fear, but of arousal…

Which was the real reason she constantly felt the need to challenge this man, of course. She had never been so physically aware of another man in the way she was of Raphael Cordoba. Of those arrogant good looks. And the sheer power of that muscled body beneath those perfectly tailored designer suits. Even the way Raphael smelt, sandalwood and lemon and pure healthy male, was enough to put all of her senses on alert. So much so that Beth was usually aware of his presence in a room before she even saw him. It was not a comfortable feeling for a woman who had believed, until she met this arrogant Argentinian, that she was cool and sophisticated when it came to her reaction to men.

Hot and bothered more accurately described her reaction to Raphael Cordoba!

‘“Subduing a disobedient woman”?’ Beth gave him a derisive glance. ‘Do you have to behave quite so much the Neanderthal?’

He gave a tight, humourless smile. ‘I assure you, no woman has ever had reason to complain about my…methods of securing their submission.’

Beth would just bet they hadn’t! The man was sexual seduction on two long sexy legs, so what was there to complain about?

Plenty, when Beth really didn’t want to hear about the other women Raphael had been involved with.

‘Then more fool them,’ she snapped disgustedly before turning on her heel and striding off in the direction of Cesar’s apartment.

All the time aware of Raphael as he continued to follow two steps behind her.