Island Tango (Silver Goddess Series, Book One) Read Online Free

an instinctively protective position as Pedro continued his heated assault on her with just his eyes.  Those eyes contained such unusual power, she thought.  His pitch black eyes beheld a slightly animalistic glimmer framed by something even more hypnotic, a quality she could not easily describe.  She had written a two hundred page dissertation on Amazonian rituals to obtain her doctoral degree, but Herculea doubted she could manage to put together one coherent sentence about the man’s entrancing eyes.
    She turned to catch a glimpse of his angular profile and was again struck by the near perfection of his features.  She wondered how old he could be.  He lo oked somewhere in his early forties perhaps, but his age, like his eyes, seemed to defy clear explanation.
    “You are very quiet, Herculea.  I hope that is not because you are tired?” He furrowed his brow with questioning concern.
    “No, not at all.” She said quickly.
    “Good. Because you will need plenty of energy for tonight.” He winked naughtily at her , and she widened her eyes, startled.  He continued, chuckling, “First we are going to tango.  We will work up a fierce appetite before I take you to dinner.”
    Pedro was certainly a confident man, but his self-assurance bordered on arrogance.  She was hungry and hadn’t expected this strange order of events.  Dinner and dancing, isn’t that how it usually went?  It hadn’t been that long since her last romance for her to forget such a basic idea.  She hoped the only appetite he was talking about was one for a meal.  While her body could easily fall prey to his predatory charms this very night, her mind could not be coerced into acting so rashly.  Suddenly, Herculea realized that after one encounter at the gym, a phone conversation, and the beginning of a date, she still knew nothing about Pedro.  What kind of job did he have?  Wh at part of San Francisco did he live in?  She parted her lips to launch an inquiry when he suddenly spoke again.
    “Here we are.” He announced in his richly toned Argentinian accent.
    Herculea looked up and saw a palatial building in front of them.  Sitting on an enormous propert y dotted with trees strung with lights, the building was enrobed in soft pastel colors.  It looked like a magical place, and she was sure it must be on the outskirts of San Francisco.  She had never seen anything like it in the city.  Before she could say anything, Pedro was opening the passenger door and escorting her out of the car in his gentlemanly yet overtly flirtatious way.  She allowed him to lead her by the hand to the ostentatious gold inlaid entrance, situated just beyond a marble pathway.
    Inside, to the right was a dining room draped in expensive crystal chandeliers, and to the left was a ballroom f illed with couples dancing and a live band on stage .
    “What a beautiful place.” She breathed in amazement.  “Where are we?”
    “We are here.” Pedro replied cryptically, encircling her waist with his vice-like arm and strolling with her towards the ballroom.  “Are you ready to tango, Herculea?”
    His words were barely audible over the vibrating sounds emanating from the musicians, and she merely nodded her head, feeling slightly shaky.  He enrobed her in his powerful arms, gliding onto the center of the dance floor with a commanding hand pressed against the small of her back.  He was an excellent dancer, and she let him lead.  As they moved in instinctive rhythm with the music, his eyes never left hers.   Elegantly, he dipped her, maintaining the pulsating contact of their bodies.  She felt both delicate and sultry as her red lace skirt swayed with the music, and her scarlet high heels tapped alongside Pedro’s large black dress shoes.
    Hours later, bathed in sweat and sore from head to toe, they finally sat down to dinner.  Pedro ordered a bottle of Chilean wine without consulting Herculea.  He also ordered a selection of appetizers before she had a