âWhy donât you stay the night?â he asked, suddenly but smoothly, unwilling to let her go.
âIâlook, this never should have happened, never has happened before. I donât know how it did,â Araminta mumbled, embarrassed.
âIt happened because we both wanted it to happen,â he said harshly, viewing her through narrowed eyes. âBecause we are two consenting adults who feel desire for one another.â
âPerhaps,â she conceded grudgingly, retrieving her shoe from beneath a cushion, âbut that isnât a reason to, well, toââ
âTo go to bed together?â he finished. âWhy on earth not? I canât think of any better reason.â
âCanât you?â she exclaimed, suddenly cross. âWell, I can. Lots of them.â
âIt took you rather a long time to remember them, querida.â
VIVA LA VIDA DE AMOR!
They speak the language of passion.
In Harlequin Presents>®, youâll find a special kind of loverâfull of Latin charm. Whether heâs relaxing in denims, or dressed for dinner, giving you diamonds, or simply sweet dreams, heâs got spirit, style and sex appeal!
Latin Lovers is the new miniseries from Harlequin Presents>® for anyone who enjoys hot romance!
Watch for more Latin Loversâyou can never have enough spice in your life!
IT WAS a grey Tuesday afternoon in October when Araminta Dampierre, abstractedly parking her old Land Rover in front of the village shop, felt a jolt and heard a thud. With a sinking heart she twisted her head. Close behind her stood a four-wheel drive that sheâd just hit.
With a sigh Araminta climbed out of her vehicle and took stock of the gleaming silver Range Roverâs squished bumper. Her own Land Rover was not in a great state anyway, but this Range Rover had been in pristine conditionâobviously the latest model, and brand-new. Wishing sheâd paid more attention to her surroundings, Araminta looked up and down the empty village street, searching for a possible owner. But there was no one to be seen.
Taking a last reluctant look at the damage sheâd done, Araminta decided to proceed with her shopping and wait and see if the owner of the Range Rover appeared. Maybe the proprietor of the glistening vehicle that she was fast beginning to loathe would have returned by then, no doubt filled with much righteous indignation.
As she turned to head towards the grocerâs she visualised a dreadfully chic corporate wifeâwith whom Sussex seemed to be teeming latelyâcomplaining furiously about her careless behaviour.
At the grocerâs Araminta handed her shopping list to dear old Mr Thompson and waited patiently while he shuffled about the shelves in search of several items.
âAnd how is Her Ladyship?â the white-haired bespectacled grocer asked solicitously.
âMy mother is fine, thank you,â Araminta responded, smiling. âSheâs recovered after that bout of bronchitis.â
âWell, thank goodness for that. A bad spell it was. My wife had it too.â
âIâm so sorry,â Araminta murmured, glancing out of the window back towards the cars, hoping she wouldnât have to hear all the details of Mrs Thompsonâs illness.
âWill that be all?â Mr Thompson smiled benignly from across the counter at Araminta, whom he had known since she was a small child, when sheâd come in after going to the Pony Club to buy sweets.
âThanks, I think thatâs everything. Just pop it onto the account as usual, will you? And do send my best to Mrs Thompson. I hope she makes a quick recovery.â
âThank you, miss, I will.â
Araminta stepped back onto the pavement, brown paper bag held under her arm, thinking how quaint it was that the villagers still called her âmissâ, even though she was twenty-eight and had been married and widowed.
She made her way back to the car, deposited her bag of shopping on the passenger seat, and wondered what to do, since there was still no sign of the driver of the Range Rover. For all she knew, she or he might not appear for ages. She could hardly stand around waiting all afternoon.
With a reluctant sigh Araminta took out a pad and pen from her well-worn Hermès bag and scribbled what she hoped was a legible note, which she slipped behind the windscreen wiper of the Range Rover. There was little else she could do. The driver could get in touch with her and they could exchange information about their respective insurance companies over the phone.
âIâm back!â Araminta called round the drawing room door of Taverstock Hall to where her mother sat reading by the fire.
âAh. Good. Iâve just told Olive to bring in tea.â
âOkay, Iâll be down in a minute. Just popping the groceries into the pantry. Mr Thompson sends his best, by the way.â
âAh. Thank you.â Lady Drusilla inclined her head graciously. âI really must do something about the Christmas bazaar. Perhaps you could help, Araminta? Instead of scribbling away at those wretched childrenâs books of yours. Itâs time you pulled yourself together and did something useful. After all, when your father died I didnât spend my time drifting. I took charge.â