Man of Passion Read Online Free PDF

unable to meet most people's eyes—she felt excruciatingly vulnerable when she did. As if the person staring at her could look directly into her heart and soul. That kind of vulnerability was something Ari experienced twenty-four hours a day. She had no way to turn it off or protect herself.
    But Ari didn't feel vulnerable now; she felt strong and alive. Unable to still the happiness that was palpably flowing through her like a river flowing over its banks in a springtime flood, she leaned back, closed her eyes and pressed Rafe's picture to her heart. Oh! How wonderful she felt! At last she was going to get to fulfill her mother's dream. How many books had they read on the Amazon? Ari remembered how her mother had read aloud to her as a seven-year-old. How she'd loved to hear her voice, for her mother knew how to make even the dullest book interesting, make the words come to life. Opening her eyes, Ari sobered a little. Yes, she was fulfilling a dream, but she feared she would never be able to draw the orchids well enough, or provide good text for the book.
    "I have to try," she told herself fiercely, her words echoing around the room. Looking up, she gazed at a huge oil painting her mother had done of the Phalaenopsis , or moth, orchids. The petals really did look like moths' wings, she mused. The colors were rich and deep, from an elegant white orchid with pink luscious lips, to a pale yellow one and a vivid purple one. Their green, glossy oval leaves provided a fitting backdrop for the hanging spikes in the painting. Yes, there was no question that her mother was an exquisite artist. But Ari wasn't going to try and pretend that she was too. All she'd take with her to the Amazon was her sketchpad and her trusty set of colored pencils.
    "Tomorrow, Ari, you'll be on your own for the first time…." And she was. She'd done everything her father wanted up until now. She'd gone to university. She'd lived in Georgetown and remained near his townhouse in the nearby suburb of Alexandria . Ari had been a faithful daughter to him by coming over to visit and making him dinner two or three nights a week. She'd been there for him as her mother might have been, if she'd lived. No, tomorrow was a brand-new chapter in her life and she knew it. Fear wound around her heart, yet Ari couldn't stop the excitement she felt. At last she was going to make her mother's dream come true…with the help of Rafe Antonio, a man who looked more like a Hollywood star than a forest ranger.

Chapter Three

    Ari tried to balance her soft gold leather purse on her left shoulder, along with two pieces of luggage, as she hurried out of Customs at Manaus International Airport . She was late! When wasn't she? It was a terrible habit that seemed to dog her all her life. Voices of people anxious to meet their loved ones sounded around her as she stumbled along, most speaking Portuguese or Spanish. She heard very little English. People of all skin colors milled about or moved slowly through the narrow hallway that led into the receiving area.
    Had she worn the right clothes? Though it was spring in North America , it was autumn here. Trundling along, Ari wished she were taller. At five foot six inches, she melted into the crowd of men, women and children who moved good-naturedly but sluggishly forward, elbow to elbow. How would Señor Antonio be able to find her? Anxiety rose in Ari. What if he missed her? In her damp hand, she clutched the fax with his photo. He was supposed to be tall. That was good, at least.
    Heart pounding with excitement and trepidation, Ari tried to stand on tiptoe. In her sensible, dark brown oxfords it was fairly easy to do. Colors were everywhere. The people of South America looked like colorful birds to her, their clothing bright and patterned with elements from nature, such as flowers and trees. The odors in the air ranged from spicy perfumes to the tantalizing scents of food cooking somewhere in the terminal ahead of her. The level of