Page 9 of Their One-Night Rio Reunion
That dark, impenetrable gaze had swept up and down, humiliating her even further, because she had known exactly how she must look while Caio had oozed male sophistication. And then she’d realised in that moment, with bone-chilling horror, that she’d got it all wrong. This was not a man who would lower himself to take an unwilling wife. He would have sophisticated, experienced mistresses for his needs.
As if reading her mind, he’d said coolly, ‘I don’t know whatyouare expecting, but I don’t sleep with virgins, Ana. You’re quite safe from me, I assure you. This marriage will not extend to the bedroom. It’s a business agreement, for one year, as stipulated in the prenuptial agreement.’
He’d reached for the door then, and opened it onto a plain corridor, bright with harsh emergency lighting and leading to stairs down to the lower levels.
‘By all means, leave if you want to. I’m no gaoler. But if you do, I can’t promise that your father will keep to his end of the agreement and allow your brother to pursue his art studies in Europe.’
Drowning in embarrassment, Ana had remembered why she’d married Caio in the first place. For her brother. So he could get away from their family’s toxic environment and follow his dreams.
She’d used her hair to try and hide her burning face as much as possible. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
Caio had simply shut the door again and said, ‘Goodnight, then, Ana. Sleep well.’
He’d walked back into the apartment and Ana had battled with wanting the ground to open up and swallow her whole and the gut-punching realisation that he didn’t want her, and how that felt like a jagged piece of glass between her ribs.
And now, a year on from that night, one thing was crystal-clear: she needn’t have worried about unwanted orwanted advances from her husband, because he wouldn’t have touched her if she’d begged him to.
‘Ana?’ Caio prompted, frowning.
Ana struggled to recall what he’d asked.‘Where were you even planning on going?’
She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter now.’ She needed to escape from that incisive gaze. As lightly as she could, she said, ‘I think I’ll explore a little, and change into something more comfortable.’
‘I’ll see what provisions we have and prepare some lunch.’
‘Don’t worry about me,’ Ana said quickly. ‘I can look after myself.’
Caio unfolded his arms and slipped the shades resting on his head down to cover his eyes. ‘Suit yourself.’
He turned and walked back inside the villa.
CHAPTER FIVE
IMMEDIATELYANAFELTchurlish and childish. It had taken the full year for her to emerge from her shell and feel she could stand with this man in public and not stick out like a sore thumb. But right now she felt as gauche as she had on their wedding day.
She cursed herself. It was going to be a very long twenty-four hours. But surely with a vast villa and sprawling grounds between them they could keep their distance?
Ana made her way down to the lawn, past the vast pool, its surface barely rippling in the light breeze, towards the beach.
She told herself she was being paranoid to think for a second that Caio cared if she ate with him or not. No doubt, in his mind, this whole security threat was just an unfortunate speed bump on the road to getting his life back to normal. Ana could well imagine the legion of beautiful women lining up, waiting to entice Brazil’s hottest newly minted bachelor back into their beds. He’d undoubtedly already lined up a woman to celebrate his first night of freedom with—except now he was stuck here.
Ana reached the beach. Wide, pristine, empty. The Atlantic Ocean was calm today, but she could imagine that it would be breathtaking on a stormy day, lashing the beach and swirling around the island.
But her mind wasn’t on the view. It was on Caio. He’d seemed surprised that she was insisting on leaving Rio today. And almost... Ana shook her head. No way had he beenhurt. He didn’t care for her. But then, a little voice pointed out, he didn’tnotcare for her.
She sat down on the sand, under the shade of a palm tree. The sun was merciless even at mid-morning at this latitude.
A memory resurfaced. She’d been married to Caio for about two months, and they’d been in Bangkok for the launch of Caio’s South East Asian office, staying in a stunning penthouse hotel suite with views over the Chao Phraya river as it snaked its way through the teeming Asian city.
The sights, sounds, smells and sheer humidity—Ana could recall the sensory overload as if it was yesterday. It had been the first time her hair had felt like a heavy, thick burden, and she’d vowed there and then to chop it off at the first opportunity.
That had been the start of her metamorphosis from being a tomboy who’d hidden behind her brothers all her life into her own woman.Seeking Caio’s attention had also been a motivator.Her conscience pricked. Yes. She had wanted to lure his eye, not liking how invisible she felt when she stood beside him in public...
But she didn’t want to think about that now.
One evening Caio had returned to the hotel suite from a business meeting to find Ana pacing up and down, so full of rage and a sense of helplessness that she wasn’t even aware she’d been crying.
‘What is it? What’s happened?’ he’d asked.
