Man of Passion Read Online Free

about six orchids on the windowsills. Some of them were in bloom. When he halted, turned and looked down at his youngest daughter, he thought about how much she looked like Ellen had when they'd first gotten married. They'd been in their mid-twenties, and Ben recalled vividly how he'd plunged over the edge when he'd seen Ellen. She was so alive, almost ethereal. More like a diaphanous cloud than something created from terra firma. Though Ari had his light blue eyes, she had Ellen's thick, gold hair and oval face. In fact, Ari was the same height and build as Ellen. His daughter had let her hair grow since graduating from college and it hung in a loose pageboy around her slumped shoulders.
    Ben wished Ari would square her shoulders and stand up tall and proud. But she never did. He watched as she fluttered around the living room, removing several magazines from the couch to the coffee table, next to the lacy fern that sat there.
    "Have you eaten?" Ari asked, her heart pounding hard with anxiety.
    "Yes, I have." Ben sat down. Ari took the overstuffed chair opposite him. Chewing on her lip, she watched as her father put down the briefcase and then slowly opened the thick manila envelope.
    "What's that?" She hoped it was her airline ticket for Manaus .
    "Your adventure," he muttered. Lifting his head, his hand resting on the papers he placed on his lap, he said, "Are you sure you want to do this, Ari? I've got a job on Wall Street waiting for you. Why can't you drop this idea of yours and do something solid for your career?"
    Hurt wove through her. She avoided his piercing blue gaze. Ari had a tough time looking people squarely in the eyes. She always felt so worthless, so inept and small in comparison to those who could boldly meet someone's gaze and hold it. She admired people who could. She felt like a coward most of the time. Rubbing her face with her hands, she whispered, "Father, I've got to do this!" Her soft voice grew fervent. "Please? This is for Mom." She put her hand against her heart. "She dreamed so much of going to the Amazon to hunt orchids and draw them. I really want to do this for her."
    Wearily, Ben studied his daughter's features in the lamplight. She looked more girl than woman to him. Maybe Morgan was right and he needed to see Ari differently. But dammit , it was hard. Almost impossible to do. "But you can't even draw, Ari!" Instantly, he saw how his words wounded her. Every little emotion registered across her face, just as it had on Ellen's. They were so much alike that it broke his heart. "I'm sorry, Ari…you just don't have your mother's education and training. You never took a course in art."
    Pressing both hands to her heart, Ari fought back the tears. She felt like such a loser. She wanted desperately to please her father, but this thing, this urge deep in her heart and gut, was driving her like a fanatical force that would no longer be ignored. She had to respond to it, to how she really felt. Heart aching, Ari whispered, "I know I'm a lousy artist, Father. I don't even pretend to call myself one. But I love to sketch. I used to sketch with Mom all the time. Remember how she'd loan me some of her paper and colored pencils and we'd both draw the orchid she chose?"
    "Only too well," Ben admitted tiredly. On the walls of Ari's condo were at least ten of Ellen's original paintings of her beloved orchids. Ellen had been a small sensation in the art world with her talent for portraying the luscious, feminine-looking orchids. It had started as a hobby, but she had eventually made a lot of money at it, as well as achieving no small amount of fame.
    Ben studied Ari. She looked helpless to him, her hands pressed against her small breasts, her eyes pleading. What tore at him most were the unshed tears he saw in them. Dammit , he didn't mean to hurt her or make her cry. Ellen would cry at anything and everything. Ari was no different.
    "Look," he said gruffly, "I've got your airline ticket here, your passport