Valaquez Bride Read Online Free PDF

but
failed miserably. The lean brown hand that was casually gripping the
steering wheel evoked the unbidden memory of how she had felt that
evening they had danced together and that same hand had curved almost
possessively into the insweep of her slim waist. Why did he have to be
so damned attractive and magnetic? And why was she such a sap?
Considering his insulting treatment of her tonight, she knew she
shouldn't see anything at all attractive about him. It simply wasn't
logical for her to even be aware of his male magnetism, yet she
realized rather bleakly that logic had little to do with her responses
sometimes. And this was one of those times. With an inward sigh of
resignation, she closed her eyes.
    After a moment, she reopened them, actually noticing the
plush interior of the car for the first time. Judging by this expensive
vehicle and by Raul's tailor-made suit, the Valaquez family fortunes
obviously hadn't suffered any losses in the past year, not that she had
really thought they might have. Raul was well-known as one of Spain's
most successful young entrepreneurs and now she could imagine why he
was so successful. If he was as ruthless in his business dealings as he
had been with her tonight, he couldn't fail to succeed.
    Her wry smile faded abruptly when she suddenly sensed Raul
was watching her but when she looked at him, he turned his attention
back to the narrow winding streets of the city without a word. A slight
confused frown knitted her smooth brow as she realized they were
approaching Alhambra, rather than driving away from it, which they
should have been.
    "This isn't the way to the hospital," she spoke up, her
voice quavering as all sorts of crazy suspicions popped into her head.
"Why are you going this way? Where are you taking me?"
    "To see Will," Raul answered, his low-timbered voice
conveying more than a little impatience. "I had him transferred to a
private clinic in the suburbs where he'll receive more personalized
care."
    Juliet subsided into silence, feeling very much the fool.
She really had to regain control of her emotions. Raul might be more
ruthless than she'd ever imagined but he wouldn't resort to kidnapping,
just for the sake of revenge. Still, despite the logic of that thought,
she didn't really feel particularly safe until Raul turned off the road
onto a winding paved drive that led across the lush grounds of what
appeared to be an estate. It
was
the clinic,
however, evidenced by the long low white building with its typically
Spanish flat roof and arched arcade, gracing the front. Baskets hanging
from the arches spilled over with the nodding blossoms of scarlet
fuchsia. Well-tended palms were planted before each arch column and
there was the clean fresh scent of orange and lemon in the cool night
air. All in all, the clinic looked like one of those exclusive spas
where the affluent go to escape the pressures of their lives and Juliet
wondered how Uncle Will would be able to pay the bill for his stay
here. He was by no means destitute but he wasn't a millionaire either
and to stay in a place like this, it would certainly help to have a
small fortune stashed away somewhere.
    After Raul opened Juliet's door and she got out of the
car, he cupped her elbow in one large hand as they walked inside the
clinic. Once in the spacious reception area, however, he allowed his
hand to drop and moved away from her. Illogically, she almost regretted
the distance he deliberately put between them, especially when the
pretty young woman seated at the reception desk gave him a blatantly
flirtatious smile and he returned it, then began to converse with her
in Spanish. As they talked and laughed together, Juliet stood back
feeling left out and berating herself for feeling that way. After all,
she knew Raul disliked her immensely and also knew if she had good
sense, she'd dislike him too. He had certainly given her no reason to
nominate him for Spain's Mr. Congeniality award.
    Wandering away from the chatting