HAWK’S gaze narrowed speculatively as he easily saw the pallor deepen in Rosie’s face, those deep green eyes once again taking on a haunted look.
So he was right after all, he acknowledged heavily. Rosie was hiding something. And with Donald too ill as yet to enlighten him—if indeed he even knew what secret his daughter was hiding—it would have to be Rosie herself who satisfied his curiosity.
From the guarded look on her face it was something he didn’t think she was going to be too willing to do!
He thrust his hands into his denims pockets. ‘You’re—what? Twenty-two? Twenty-three?’ he prompted harshly.
‘Twenty-two,’ she confirmed shakily.
He nodded. ‘Then who have you been for the last twenty-two years, Rosie—because you sure as hell haven’t been Donald’s daughter!’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ she came back with a derisive laugh. ‘If I’m Donald’s daughter now, then I must have been his daughter for the last twenty-two years too!’
The laugh had been a mistake, Rosie realised as she saw Hawk’s gaze darken dangerously. But what else could she do? She didn’t want Hawk to know who she was—that in the world of classical music—a world he obviously wasn’t in touch with—she was as well-known and successful as he was. She didn’t want anyone in Canada to realise she was Rosemary Harris. She wanted—needed—to maintain her anonymity for a little longer.
Perhaps it would be better if she left here now?
She hadn’t seen her father since he’d walked out on her and her mother when Rosie was twelve years old—had only come to him now because she had known it was the very last place her mother and Edmund—the man Rosie didn’t want to marry on Christmas Eve or at any other time!—would think to look for her.
But Hawk was proving to be a complication she hadn’t bargained for. And not just because of his persistence in trying to find out more about her…
He disturbed her. Excited her. Aroused her. Gave her an insight into emotions she hadn’t even guessed at.
Which might be a positive thing with regard to her interpretation of the music she played, but was of absolutely no help at all to the peace of mind she was so desperately seeking.
The peace of mind she needed if she was to discover if she ever wanted to play again…
Which meant she had to concentrate on finding that peace for herself. And she couldn’t find it around Hawk!
She shook her head. ‘It’s obvious you would rather I didn’t stay on here, Hawk, so—’
‘It’s “obvious”, is it?’ he repeated scathingly. ‘After the way we just were together?’
Well…no. But he certainly wasn’t too pleased about his own response to her a few minutes ago, was he?
She shrugged narrow shoulders. ‘I think that’s something better not repeated, don’t you?’ she said carefully.
Hawk gave a humourless laugh. This woman really was something else. But what? That was the real question…
‘Am I to take it from that comment that you’re not sure, if you do stay on here, that you’ll be able to keep your hands off my body?’ he derided mockingly.
Her cheeks coloured at the taunt, her eyes sparkling angrily as she raised her chin challengingly. ‘You really aren’t that irresistible, Mr Hawkley,’ she bit out coldly.
This time his laugh was genuine. ‘Touché, Rosie,’ he murmured appreciatively. ‘But as for your leaving…’ He sobered, shaking his head. ‘I somehow don’t think Donald would appreciate my driving his daughter away before the two of you have even had a chance to spend any time together.’
‘This is your home, not my father’s,’ she replied evenly.
Yes, it was—and his stay here wasn’t turning out to be the relaxing time he had expected it to be. But all the same he knew that Rosie’s leaving wouldn’t stop his curiosity to know more about her. Or the way he still wanted her!
‘Then I’ll ask you to stay on, Rosie,’ he said tersely. ‘I also suggest that we call a truce until Donald is feeling better.’
She raised auburn brows. ‘I didn’t realise we were at war…’
Not at war, Hawk conceded, but they were certainly a challenge to each other.
‘Okay, Hawk. I’ll stay on at least until I’ve had a chance to talk to my father,’ Rosie decided. ‘Talking of which…’ She stood up, no longer looking at Hawk as she felt slightly self-conscious dressed only in her nightshirt. ‘I really should go and check on him.’
‘Do that,’ Hawk agreed. ‘Then perhaps you would like to come down and join me for a late lunch?’
Rosie gave an uncertain frown. ‘I can easily get myself something in my father’s kitchen…’
‘Why bother when I’m cooking? Besides, I owe you something for waking you up so suddenly.’
Rosie searched his ruggedly handsome face for signs of mockery of the way in which he had woken her. But she could read nothing from his bland expression. Considering what a talented actor he was, maybe that wasn’t so surprising!
Was having lunch with this man a good idea? Was not having lunch with him a good idea? Hawk seemed to have developed a relentless curiosity about her sudden appearance in her father’s life, and he obviously felt protective towards the older man. As if he suspected that for some reason she had come here to hurt Donald.
Years ago she might have thought she would like to hurt her father, in the way he had hurt her when he had deserted her and her mother so completely ten years ago. But maturity had brought with it the knowledge of just how impossible her mother was—how ruthless she could be when she set her mind on a course of action. Who could blame her father for wanting to escape from that?
Hadn’t she just done exactly the same thing…?
No, she hadn’t come here to hurt Donald. If anything she just wanted to talk to him—to find out why, when he’d left her mother, he’d had to abandon her so completely too. But that was all she wanted. It was too late—far too late—for anything else between them.
‘Come on, Rosie.’ Hawk cut cajolingly into her thoughts. ‘Surely it doesn’t take this long to decide whether or not you want to have lunch with me?’
Or maybe it did after what had just happened between them…
Not the most sensible thing he had ever done, he thought self-derisively. But being sensible had been the last thing on his mind once he had held Rosie in his arms and touched her!
‘Okay.’ Rosie accepted the invitation slowly, suddenly aware that she was hungry.
Something she hadn’t felt for some time—weeks, possibly months—as the wedding had loomed ever closer. Always slender, she knew she had lost several pounds in weight in the last month or so. Even the idea of eating had made her feel nauseous.
But she felt really hungry now. Her mouth was watering, and her stomach was cramping slightly as she remembered she hadn’t eaten anything at all since consuming a sandwich last night after she’d arrived.
Perhaps the arousing of her sensual appetite had awakened her appetite for food too…
What a disturbing thought!
‘If you could wait fifteen minutes or so?’ she said briskly. ‘After I’ve checked on my father, I would like to take a shower,’ she explained, at Hawk’s questioning look.
‘Fine.’ He nodded. ‘Perhaps you would like to move your things in here while you’re at it?’
Rosie looked around the room, appreciating that it would be much more comfortable than sleeping on the sofa in her father’s flat. But she was also aware that if she moved in here it would bring her out of her father’s domain and into Hawk’s—almost as if she really were an invited guest. Not a good idea, in the circumstances.
Once her father was feeling better, and the two of them had talked, she had every intention of leaving. To go where, she still had no idea. But Hawk was far too curious about her for her to stay.
‘I think I’ll continue to stay in my father’s flat, thank you,’ she told him firmly. ‘I would like to remain close while he’s feeling ill,’ she added challengingly, sure from Hawk’s expression that he wasn’t convinced by her concern for Donald.
And he was wrong to feel that way; she might not have seen her father for ten years, but as soon as she had met him again at the airport yesterday she had known an upsurge of the adoration she had felt for him as a child. It was an emotion she had quickly controlled, but nonetheless she had felt it. She certainly didn’t intend hurting her father in any way. She had a feeling, from what she had come to know of her mother, that he had been hurt enough in the past.
Hawk’s mouth twisted derisively. ‘Your concern is touching,’ he drawled. ‘If a little late in coming!’
Rosie’s cheeks flamed with the anger she obviously felt at his rebuke. ‘Considering you know absolutely nothing of my relationship with my father, perhaps you aren’t in a position to judge!’ she snapped coldly.
From what he had already learnt, Hawk very much doubted there had been any relationship between Donald and his daughter for years!
But she was right. He wasn’t in a position to judge. Yet. He gave an abrupt inclination of his head. ‘I apologise.’
His apology obviously surprised her. Her eyes widened slightly as she eyed him suspiciously.
But Hawk was aware that he might just be wrong in his suspicions about this woman. Might be. Maybe…
‘We can decorate the two trees Donald has placed in the sitting room and family room later this afternoon, if you would like?’ he offered lightly.
Rosie still eyed him warily. ‘Fine,’ she agreed, her gaze guarded as she walked to the door.
What was it about this woman that made his pulse race and his body tighten with desire? Hawk wondered, even as he felt the renewed stirring of his body. At this rate he would need to take a shower before lunch himself. A cold one!
Rosie was a beautiful woman, yes. But no more so than many of the women he had known intimately over the years. Her body was willowy. But again, not startlingly so. In fact, she could do with putting on a few pounds.
So why, in spite of his uncertainty about her motives for being here at all, did he feel so attracted to her?
‘Oh, and, Hawk…’ She paused at the door to turn and look at him from beneath lowered lashes.
His gaze narrowed warily. ‘Yes?’
A slight smile curved those sensuously full lips. ‘I’m afraid I lied to you earlier,’ she murmured throatily.
Hawk’s wariness increased, his shoulders tensing. ‘Oh, yes?’ he prompted hardly.
‘Yes.’ She nodded, that smile widening as her eyes openly mocked him now. ‘I can cook!’ she taunted, before turning lightly on her heel and leaving him alone in the bedroom.
The little—!
That was why he was attracted to her, Hawk realised frustratedly. Unlike most other women he knew, Rosie, while obviously aware of his suspicions, had absolutely no interest in what he did or didn’t think about her. In fact, she behaved as if his opinion of her was of no importance to her whatsoever.
Which, although she might not be aware of it, only succeeded in deepening his interest.
Perhaps, with Donald as ill as he was, it was up to Hawk to find out more about this previously unknown daughter of his?
Donald’s mutterings about Rosie’s mother earlier certainly didn’t inspire any confidence in Rosie’s innocence.
Yes, perhaps he should employ some other way of seeing if he couldn’t find out more about her…