Page 8 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8
Ripley looked poleaxed for another half second, then he was nodding and striding from the room.
Alone, Jario surged from his desk, his hands tingling as disbelief filled him at her audacity.
She’d known who he was all along. Played him like a fiddle.
The wide-eyed expression. Those pseudo-innocent nightclothes hinting at false modesty. Her feigned breathlessness designed to trigger the right response in a red-blooded male. All an elaborate ruse he’d fallen for like a chump.
She’d wagered on his potent reaction to her beauty. And she’dalmostsucceeded.
Only Willow Chatterton had no idea what she’d awakened.
Mildly unnerving anticipation rushed through him like hot lava prior to a volcanic explosion.
They returned in double quick time. From their exerted breathing he knew Ripley had instilled the need for haste.
Jario’s gaze fixed on her the second she stepped into the room, hating himself for notingeverythingabout her. The light sheen of sweat dotting her upper lip, the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
Wide,duplicitousliquid brown eyes, blinking at him.
Ripley hovered in the doorway, his own gaze repeatedly sliding to her. Jario’s blood boiled faster. ‘I’ll deal with you later. Leave us. Now.’
His assistant hurried away, shutting the door behind him.
In the thick silence that followed, he watched her dance between outright defiance and wariness, her mouth pursing twice before she exhaled whatever emotions were eating her alive. ‘I can explain.’
‘Can you? I’m dying to hear how you believe anything you say would mitigate your true intention for boarding my yacht.’
A flash of fire. ‘I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. I had no choice,’ she stated firmly.
There went the haze again. For a wild second, he couldn’t quite catch his breath. ‘Choice?’ His ravaged voice grated his own ears, the word triggering a deep-seated repulsion that seared acid into his throat. Made his fists bunch at his sides as he battled to regain control.
Choice was the reason he was riddled with demons.
Choice was why he was without a father.
Choicewas what had driven him from his home, the need to sail the seas, the need to keep moving,always moving, his only option.
‘You have no idea what you’ve just walked yourself into, Miss Chatterton. But believe me, I’ll take great pleasure in showing you.’
CHAPTER TWO
‘YOULIEDYOURway onto my boat. True or false?’
The accusation rankled, especially considering her own emotive feelings about lies. Willow’s insides shook but her lips stayed shut, knowing any response would show weakness.
She’d thought she had time, that like all pampered rich people, Jario Tagarro would sleep until midday. It didn’t help that she wasn’t a morning person. That being summoned at 4 a.m. just to start preparing the mountain of chores involved in catering to one man’s needs had rubbed her circadian rhythm the wrong way.
She fought to stand her ground now as he ventured closer.
‘Answer me.’ His body pulsed with the force of his turbulent emotions as arctic-cold eyes froze the marrow in her bones.
‘No, I didn’t lie. I was always going to introduce myself to you properly and tell you how and why I was here. And to be fair, I did try to get in touch with you, but none of your people would even agree to get a message to you.’
‘Because believe it or not, they’re trained not to allow random strangers to gain access to me.’
She exhaled long and slow to ease the building tension. And failed. ‘Well, I didn’t board your boat without permission. I was interviewed and offered a job and I took it.’
‘With ulterior motives in mind. Or are you going to split hairs by suggesting withholding your true purpose didn’t count as deception?’