He was so certain she was about to say something revealing, but Sofia’s hesitation suggested she thought him as dangerous as whatever was causing the shadows behind her eyes. Dios! Would he never find out the truth about this woman?
There was only one certainty here, and that was the heat rising between them.
‘Is this what you want?’ he demanded.
‘Yes!’ she exclaimed, eyes closing, lips parting as his hand found her.
‘Then I suggest you find someone else to ease your frustration. I don’t play games with dangerous little girls.’
CHAPTER FOUR
CESAR STALKED BACK towards the palace, leaving Sofia standing on her own. She couldn’t catch her breath, let alone order her thoughts. Kissing him had been a huge mistake that had left her feeling embarrassed and humiliated. Giving in to wild impulses would only ever lead to trouble. Judging by his expression, she couldn’t have sunk any lower in Cesar’s opinion.
Not only did he believe her to be a gutter journalist but someone who held her body cheaply, like a counter to be played when it suited her. What irony that nothing could be further from the truth. Her body might ache for Cesar’s touch, but not like this, furtively and wildly, but passionately, truthfully and openly. With a long, shaking sigh she dragged herself back into the moment. It was vital to clear her head before returning to the party.
She found it easier than expected to remain in the gardens, where the scent of blossom soothed her. It was quiet and removed from the upbeat atmosphere inside the brilliantly lit palace ballroom, which gave her chance to search her mind for a solution to keep her retreat afloat.
On top of that, she had to keep her brothers and Cesar and any future victims safe from a blackmailing tyrant. Cesar was the most obvious ally. No one wielded more power than he did, but she’d lost his trust. He couldn’t have made it clearer that he despised what she’d done, and despised the person he believed she’d become. He wasn’t alone in that. Right now she hated herself, but it was no use crying over spilt milk. She smoothed her hair. This was a time for action, not brooding. It would take too long to try to win back Cesar’s trust by small increments. She had to be bold, and the only way she knew how to be bold was in the saddle.
The retreat she had created, on land left to her by her parents, was another gentle, contemplative setting, created specifically to house those who badly needed help to rebuild their lives. She could see now that her paintings had been her way of escaping reality, but what was needed going forward was Sofia in warrior mode. There could be no more missteps or hesitation. She had always looked out for herself, and her next task was to convince one of the most commanding men on earth to join forces and help her defeat a bully.
Well, that should be easy, Sofia reflected as she made her way back through the night-fragrant garden. Her body burned with arousal after the encounter with Cesar, while her mind was burning up with embarrassment. Cesar didn’t trust her. He didn’t like her. And though he needed her to ride in his charity polo matches, he almost certainly wouldn’t shed a tear if he never saw her again. But since when had life been easy? There was always a new hurdle to jump. This one just happened to be higher than most.
Having studied Cesar’s famous agenda, it was immediately clear that where anything was connected to him, money was no object. First-class travel arrangements had been made for all, including the horses. With influential contacts across the globe, Cesar naturally anticipated that everyone’s path be as smooth as his. He could alter the destiny of a country at a stroke of his pen, for goodness’ sake, and all she needed was for Cesar to help her end the bullying tactics of one wicked man.
First she’d have to win back his trust and change his opinion of her. The feat loomed ahead of her like an insurmountable wall.
Then it was a wall she’d go around, or go through, Sofia determined.
She paused before entering the ballroom to allow her heartbeat to steady. She would need every bit of her composure to confront Cesar again. Most important of all was to hide her feelings for him. Attraction had no part to play in this. She had a job to do.
Dannazione! Where had she gone? Where was Sofia? Had she fled the party? Gut instinct said no. Sofia wasn’t the type to run away from anything or anyone. She’d had to be gutsy to survive four hard-living brothers—and him, Cesar reflected as he unconsciously swiped the back of his hand across his mouth where her lips had touched his.
Only one Acosta brother had found love. He turned to look at the team’s fitness trainer, Jess, whose husband was Dante Acosta. Jess was a down-to-earth farmer’s daughter and a trained physiotherapist, who had helped to heal her husband when doctors had practically given up on Dante submitting to the months of treatment required. They somehow managed to combine Jess’s career with Dante’s business and polo-playing schedule, and quite obviously their love for each other was blooming, as Dante had confided that family life came first.
Dante had been lucky finding Jess, but lightning never struck the same place twice, and neither Cesar nor Sofia’s other brothers had even come close to finding a soul mate.
‘Cesar...’
Sofia! He swung round. ‘I thought you might have left the party.’
‘Is seeing me a good surprise or a bad one?’ she asked coolly.
It was impossible not to notice how beautiful she was, and how appealing only she could be with a coronet of fresh flowers in her hair. ‘What do you want?’ he asked, impatient with himself for feeling this way about her.
‘Bad surprise, I take it,’ she said.
He frowned.
‘I’m here to apologise,’ she explained. ‘There’s no mileage in you and me being enemies. We have to work together during the charity polo matches so we can raise as much money we can. Why not declare peace now?’
He shot her a cynical look. Sofia had many things to apologise for, but he didn’t feel inclined to drive her away. ‘Why don’t you find somewhere to sit and enjoy the party while you can?’
‘While I can?’ she queried. ‘Do you expect something to go wrong imminently?’
Ignoring that, he offered to find her a seat. He scanned the crowded ballroom.
‘I can find my own place to sit down,’ she assured him, ‘but thank you.’
