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‘As far as I am concerned the air is already clear and further discussion would be overkill,’ Rashad concluded in a tone of finality as he began to peel a piece of fruit, waving away the manservant who immediately approached him in a keen attempt to save him from the labour of such a petty task

‘Well, then you can listen,’ Polly told him in desperation

Rashad tensed at that seeold below lush black velvet lashes as he focused on her Why was she trying to destroy his calht before He had not argued He had not threatened He had walked away Thishe had not uttered one word of reproach If he had told her how he really felt about what she had done his anger would’ve blown the roof of the castle off and scared her Whether he liked it or not, he hat he was, the heir to a ruthless lineage, and his belief that his wife belonged to hih his every reaction even while his intelligence told him that life didn’t work like that any more

She looked so innocent and so very beautiful and yet she was totally off-the-wall crazy in Rio’s parlance, Rashad acknowledged ruefully Yet why did he continue to find that strange trait so incredibly attractive? Why, when he was in the worst possible mood, did that trait make him want to smile? He concentrated on his tea, which was less likely to unnerve hi He told himself that he didn’t want to listen, didn’t want further criticisuilt After all, he kneas ultimately at fault Somehow he had screwed up If his brand-new bride wasn’t happy, he had to be to blame

‘And perhaps now that you’ve eaten you could dis indication that she was likely to becoain

Rashad signalled the two hovering servants to disility and sitting back down on the loall bounding the castle ramparts

Polly immediately froze in her seat ‘No, don’t do that,’ she said anxiously, blue eyes fixed to him in dismay

‘Don’t do…what?’

‘Don’t sit there with your back turned to a dangerous drop,’ Polly urged

Rashad studied her in disbelief and then glanced round in a sudden erous drop she had complained about A couple of hundred feet of scrub and rocks sloped gently doards the beach and he had climbed it many times with a blindfold as a little boy on a dare

‘Please get up and move away from it,’ Polly whispered unsteadily

Rashad studied her again, noticing how pale and stiff she had becoerous drop—’

‘Well, it is toat you sitting there isme feel sick!’ Polly launched at hihtened squeak, her annoyance at his obstinacy having risen higher still

Rashad raised cal with a fractious child and rose with exaggerated care to move to the castle wall OK…point taken’

Polly flushed to the roots of her hair and slowly breathed again ‘I just don’t like heights—’