Fire and Desire (Arabesque) Read Free Page B

what a beautiful person she was, both inside and out, Corinthians had felt that in order for her and Caitlin to have a true friendship, she needed to let her know what her feelings had been for Dex at one time. She had also made it clear to Caitlin that Dex was unaware she had harbored such affections. He considered her a good friend and nothing more. Caitlin had appreciated her honesty and forthrightness, and she knew Caitlin considered her a friend.
    What bothered her now more than anything was not any feelings of love she still harbored for Dex, since she knew for certain there weren’t any, but the unexplained feelings she’d begun to feel for Trevor Grant. He was the last person she wanted to feel anything for. The man had her pegged as some two-bit home-wrecker, for Pete’s sake! That meant he didn’t think a whole lot of her character. That angered her more.
    “You don’t know what I stand a chance of doing,” she said finally. “I’ve discovered when it comes to love, most men are fickle. Otherwise they wouldn’t have mistresses, now would they?” she added, knowing her words would fuel his anger.
    It did. Trevor’s gaze showed his seething rage. When the waitress came to collect Corinthians’s money, she turned her attention away from Trevor. After taking a calming breath, she decided to thank the waitress for her meal in the woman’s native tongue.
    The waitress’s face suddenly turned a hot crimson and tears appeared in her eyes. She whirled and ran from the room.
    “Why did you say something like that to her?” Trevor snapped.
    Corinthians flinched at the harsh tone of Trevor’s voice. She noticed the sudden quietness in the hotel’s restaurant and that other patrons were openly staring at her. “What’s wrong? I don’t understand,” she said in alarm. “I merely told her I had enjoyed my meal.”
    “No, you did not! You didn’t even come close.”
    Corinthians swallowed slowly, afraid to ask but knowing she had to. “Then what did I say to her?”
    Trevor’s glare deepened. “You told her she had the face of a dead horse.”
    Shocked denial appeared on Corinthians’s face. “I did not!”
    “You did, too! I strongly suggest you brush up on your Portuguese before spurting off your mouth.” He then motioned for the attention of the restaurant manager, which wasn’t hard to do since all eyes were on them anyway. When the man arrived at their table, Trevor spoke to him in rapid, fluent Portuguese.
    Corinthians’s mouth dropped in surprise. When the man rushed off in the same direction the waitress had gone earlier, Corinthians found her voice to ask, “Where did you learn to speak Portuguese?”
    Trevor glared at her. “While in the Marines I learned to speak several different languages.”
    Corinthians’s face showed another shock. “You were in the Marines?”
    “Yes. I was in the Marines for more than fifteen years.”
    At that moment the manager returned with the distressed waitress in tow. Corinthians felt absolutely awful. One look at the woman and she could tell she’d been crying. “Oh, Trevor, please tell her that I didn’t mean what I said and that my use of her language is rusty and—”
    “It’s not rusty, it’s deplorable.”
    Ignoring his comment, Corinthians continued. “Please tell her I truly apologize for what I said and that I didn’t mean it. I was trying to tell her I enjoyed my food.”
    In a soft, calming voice, Trevor began speaking in Portuguese. Corinthians noted the softening of the woman’s features and the smile that stole onto her face. Whatever Trevor was saying was helping to smooth things over. When the woman looked at her and laughed before turning to leave, Corinthians raised a brow.
    “What did you say to her?”
    Trevor shrugged. “I told her everything you asked me to. I also shared with her a few thoughts of my own.”
    “A few thoughts of your own like what?”
    He leaned back in his seat and looked at her. “I told her that