In the Brazilian's Debt(43)

                Tightening his hold on Lizzie, Tiago met Chico’s stony gaze                     with amusement, and it was Lizzie who spoke up. ‘Yes, I’d mind,’ she said.

                Brave words, but her eyes betrayed her. Those eyes were hurt                     and he knew why. He had treated her like any other savvy woman of his                     acquaintance, and had forgotten this was Lizzie. He stared levelly at his                     teammate. ‘Tiago?’

                Tiago didn’t need asking twice.

                He caught hold of Lizzie’s arm when she went to move away. ‘Are                     you refusing my invitation to dance?’

                ‘Yes,’ she said bluntly, attempting to freeze him with a                     look.

                ‘I know you want to dance with me.’

                ‘Oh, do you?’ Her words were angry, and two red patches had                     appeared on her cheeks. He guessed if he hadn’t been her boss and this training                     course hadn’t depended on his endorsement, she would happily tell him where to                     go.

                ‘One last dance?’ he suggested.

                ‘Why?’ She tipped her chin to regard him coolly.

                ‘Because we both want to.’

                They stared at each other unblinking for a moment. He wanted                     her, while Lizzie was equally determined not to succumb to his somewhat less                     than respectable charms again, and was determined to prove it by remaining stiff                     and unresponsive in his arms. She held him as the dance required, but there was                     no intimacy in her touch. She was like a block of ice, moving in time to the                     music, while only paying lip service to the hot South American beat.

                ‘This is like dancing with a nun,’ he remarked.

                ‘You think?’ she queried. ‘That’s strange, when I feel as if                     I’m dancing with an international polo player who’s hitting on one of his                     trainees for the second time in one night.’

                ‘You’re not just one of my trainees, Lizzie.’

                ‘Just the most available,’ she said, tight-lipped.

                ‘That’s not what I meant, and you know it.’

                She was keeping as much distance between them as she could.                     ‘What’s wrong with you, Lizzie?’