Seduction: The Billionaire's Bride of Vengeance

Once again, he was denied satisfaction. Because she didn’t look devastated. Just surprised.

‘Goodness! That was quick. Did you get a bargain?’

‘I paid the market price,’ he said somewhat stiffly. Why wasn’t she more upset?

The answer was obvious: because she already knew about the bank’s repossession and probable fire-sale. Why? Because she was still in touch with her doting father.

‘Mmm,’ she said. ‘I would have thought the bank might have auctioned it. But no matter. My only concern is removing my personal things.’

‘Why didn’t you remove them before this?’ he asked abruptly.

‘I would have if I’d known the situation. But I didn’t. I’ve been overseas for the last few months. Although once Mum contacted me and told me what had happened, I flew back straight away. My plane got in first thing this morning. I honestly didn’t think it would cause any trouble if I came here to collect my things. I didn’t mean to stay long, but I was so wrecked after the flight that I couldn’t resist a sleep.’

‘I see,’ he bit out. Now he knew why she hadn’t been in the news lately. She’d been overseas. Probably staying in various playgrounds of the rich and famous: St Moritz, the French Riviera, maybe the Greek islands? Her skin had that warm, honey colour which indicated a life of leisure in the sun.

‘Look, it won’t take me too long to pack what I want,’ she went on hurriedly. ‘I promise I won’t take anything I shouldn’t. The household silver is safe, I can assure you,’ she finished with another of those gut-twisting smiles.

Damn it all, what was it about this creature which entranced him so?

He wanted to hate her, but he was finding it darned difficult.

Russell vowed to try harder.

‘You obviously still have a set of house keys,’ he pointed out sharply.

‘I promise to leave them behind. We could arrange a hiding place.’

‘I don’t think so, Ms Power. I’ll stay till you go. That way you can hand them to me personally.’

Her shrug showed the first trace of irritation. ‘If you insist.’

‘I insist.’

‘It could take me quite a while,’ she said. ‘I’ll have to contact a girlfriend and get her to bring over her car. I have a lot of clothes and only a couple of suitcases.’

‘That’s all right. I’ll wait.’

Her very pretty mouth tightened. ‘You’re being ridiculous, do you know that?’

‘I’m being careful.’

‘I only want what is rightfully mine.’

‘So do I. I’ve paid twenty million dollars for the privilege.’

‘Twenty million! Wow! And there I was thinking you were a greedy opportunist.’

Russell drew himself up to his full six feet three inches.

‘I don’t take advantage of other people’s misfortunes,’ he said, stung by her remark.

‘In that case you should appreciate my situation more,’ she said. ‘And be a little more accommodating. I mean, you’re not moving in here right this second, are you?’

‘No.’

‘Then what’s your problem?’ she threw at him, green eyes flashing. ‘Surely you don’t think I’m going to strip the place bare.’

‘I have no idea what you might do, Ms Power. I don’t know you.’

Her hands found her hips. ‘Then why do you dislike me so much?’

‘I don’t,’ he lied.

‘Huh! I can always tell when someone doesn’t like me, and you don’t like me, Mr McClain.’

‘You’re imagining things,’ he said.

‘If I am, then goodness knows how you got to be such a success at your job. I always thought real-estate salesmen were experts in charm. You seem to have left yours at the front door.’

Russell’s smile was wry. ‘Aah, but I’m not trying to sell you anything, Ms Power.’

‘Oh for pity’s sake, call me Nicole.’

‘If you insist.’

‘I insist.’ Her hands fell from her hips as an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. ‘Look, I appreciate you must have had a shock, finding someone in your new house, especially not knowing who I was. After all, you didn’t know it was me, did you?’

‘No,’ he replied, his mind once again going back to the sight of her in that shower. His body began recalling that sight, too.

Russell cleared his throat and did up his suit jacket. ‘I thought you were a squatter,’ he admitted.

‘And once you found out I wasn’t?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You still weren’t happy. When I came downstairs you glared at me like I was some kind of vermin.’

That’s because I wanted you, naked again, and under me. For hours on end.

I still do.

The discomfort of his ongoing arousal made Russell brutally aware that to stay in her provocative company any longer than necessary was masochistic in the extreme. He had to get out of here, and soon.

‘Now you really are imagining things,’ he said. ‘But you’re right,’ he added with one of those warm, winning smiles he reserved for his female clients. ‘I am being rather ridiculous about this. So please … take your time packing your things, and stay another night, if you need to. You can drop the keys in at the Bondi branch of McClain Real Estate any time tomorrow.’

She seemed stunned by his sudden turnaround.

Russell took her speechless moment as his cue to depart.