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His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of that third woman. She was out of breath, her head bare, black hair curled in disarray down to her shoulders. Her light brown skin was flushed, her dark gold eyes wide.
She dressed like a nun but…no wimple. Maybe she was one of those novices or whatever they called them.
As they locked gazes, she held a hand to her chest, as if surprised by something.
Lucas’s blood zinged and swerved through his veins. Instinctively, he took things up a notch and offered what the papers called “the smile to end all smiles,” the ultimate way to charm any woman who caught his fancy.
Even a wannabe nun? he wondered. Say it ain’t so.
Her stark clothing couldn’t conceal the lush curves of her body. Around her wrist a charm-laden bracelet gleamed. Maybe this order wasn’t traditional, choosing to forgo dressing in regular habits and accessories.
At any rate, Lucas thought, she’s off-limits. David, Dad and the board of directors would go ballistic if you outdid yourself and big-bad-wolfed a future nun, of all people.
In welcome, she broke into her own smile, blushing while she allowed her hand to fall to her side as she gathered her composure. The color of her cheeks brought even more animation to her delicate, innocent features: a gently tipped nose, full pink lips and dark angel-wing lashes.
“I see you’ve met Gabe,” she said breathlessly. Her English was very good, with barely the trace of an accent.
The cranky nun interjected. “Lord, help the man now.”
“Sister Maria-Rosa…” said the chubby-cheeked one. Then she turned to the newcomer. “We were all playing ‘Splash the Authority Figure,’ and Gabriel was the winner.”
The woman nodded. “It seems you put up a good contest, Sister Elisabeth.”
“I always do.” The nun looked like some kind of cherub as she rolled her eyes in resignation.
The new woman walked toward Gabriel. The boy was fairly hopping with excitement at her presence.
“You having fun with your friend?” she asked, frowning slightly at the boy’s drenched clothing.
Gabriel reached out for a hug. The woman freely gave it to him, not seeming to mind that she would be dampened, too. When she pulled away, Lucas tried to keep his eyes off a wet blouse that was now hinting at the lines of a simple slip underneath.
Future nun, nun, nun, he told himself.
After she helped Gabriel down from the bench, it took her only a few seconds to realize that she was less than fully covered and she awkwardly crossed her arms over her chest. Good thing, too, because Lucas had been dreading having to embarrass her by pointing it out. It’d been tough enough to keep his gaze averted.
“Gabriel,” the nun named Sister Maria-Rosa said, “we need to change your clothing now.” She sighed. “What are we going to do with you?”
The novice stepped forward, arms still protecting her front. “I can—”
“No, Alicia—” Sister Elisabeth said, gently taking Gabriel by the hand and leading him away “—You already have many responsibilities. Don’t worry about Gabriel.”
They hadn’t addressed her as “Sister,” but maybe that was typical for a wannabe.
The nuns nodded at this woman named Alicia—a four-syllable name as opposed to three, Lucas noted—as they left. The little boy turned around and waved back at them.
“Adiós, Miss Alicia. Bye-bye, man.”
Lucas waved, too, along with four-syllable Alicia.
“He’s really a good boy.” She looked at him, blushing an even deeper red, then glanced away. “Most of the time.”
Lucas didn’t know what to say, because if Gabriel was anything like him, as he suspected, she was dead wrong.
“But you were handling him very well,” she said, raising a brow and grinning.
Damn.
He laughed, just to set himself back to balance again, to send away the thrust of a taboo attraction. “But I don’t have to control him twenty-four hours a day.”
Her face fell, and he realized that maybe she’d been sizing him up for a possible adoption.
Right. Him. That was a funny one.
He shrugged off his coat and offered it to her. With a grateful nod, Alicia took it.
“You don’t mind?” she asked. “I don’t have an extra change of clothes here and—”
“I don’t mind a bit.” Well, yeah, actually, the hound in him did mind, but Lucas wasn’t about to admit to any carnal thoughts around someone bound for the church.
“Thank you.” She put it on, bringing an end to the best thing that had happened to Lucas all day.
She tilted her head, gauging him again. Then, as if he’d passed some kind of test, she stuck her hand out.
“I’m Alicia Sanchez and I’ll be your group’s guide and hostess. We’re so pleased to have you at Refugio Salvo, sir.”
As he took her hand in his for a greeting, his skin tingled, sizzled.
Attracted to an angel, he thought. It was definitely something new, even for him.
* * *
As the stranger’s hand enclosed hers, Alicia’s heart kicked at her chest. It’d been doing that since the first instant she’d seen him, and she still hadn’t recovered.
Unable to get enough of looking at him, she noted every detail: Fancy tie, shirt, shoes. Well groomed. His jacket smelled good, too, like spicy soap, clean and heady.
He was a lot taller, so much that she was forced to lift her chin to meet his gaze. The color of his eyes startled her—a deep violet, just like the flowers that had grown in the small garden of her abuelita’s house back in San Diego. His light brown hair was a little long and ruffled, carefree in the breeze. His body…
Alicia tried not to look, but she couldn’t help noticing that he was strong, wide-shouldered and muscled like an athlete.
His grip tightened, and she realized that she’d been staring, her skin goose-bumped and flushed from the inside out.
Quickly, she let go of him, gaze trained on the ground. She shoved the hand that had been holding his, into a jacket pocket, wishing it would stop blazing with heat.
Then, donning a civil expression, she distanced herself from the visitor. Right away she saw the glimmer in his eyes fade a little, as if he were second-guessing something. Then he also took a step backward.
“You’re with the billionaire?” she asked, making conversation. Easy enough, with his affable personality.
It was obvious that he was here with Lucas Chandler. She knew the reporters were out in front now, taking pictures and asking questions before they all came inside Refugio Salvo. But why wasn’t he with the rest of the crowd?
He gave her an odd glance, then sent her a high-wattage smile in answer. She just about pooled into herself right then and there. What was happening? Dizziness, flushed skin, a giddiness she couldn’t explain…
“I’m looking forward to meeting him,” she said, ignoring the blasts of heightened awareness shooting through her.
“Because he’s so handsome?” He was teasing.
“Well, that’s what the female cooks here say, among other things.”
Cocking an eyebrow, he sat on a bench, looking pretty entertained with her comment. “They say that, do they?”
“It’s not all that important. I’m not one for TV or tabloid nonsense, anyway. But still…” She blushed, laughing at her all-too-human curiosity. “I am wondering about him.”
Especially because he had money. Wait—that sounded wrong. It wasn’t that she wanted any of it. If Mr. Chandler were in another charitable mood, the orphanage itself would be much better off after another donation.
He was smiling at her again. Dimples. My, my.
They were such nice, deep dimples. Semitrucks could park in them.
Yet…was this man sort of flirting with her? Alicia wasn’t sure, but she should put a stop to it. Now. No, really, now. She wasn’t a nun, but she might as well have been with all the promises she’d made to herself. No sex before marriage—never again. As a volunteer who worked side by side with the women of Our Lady of the Lost Souls at the orphanage, she did her best to be a good role model for the children.
And then there was also a very personal need to remain chaste….
“So the nuns volunteer at the orphanage, too?” he added, interrupting her musings.
Press time. She put on her best PR voice. “Yes, the order teaches academics and sees to the boys’ spiritual needs. Regular workers—” like her “—run the facility and oversee the ranch work since each boy, whether he’s just old enough to start chores or mature enough to work with the horses, has scheduled responsibilities and training.”
“You’re all a very caring group of people.”
Why did he suddenly seem so…sad? Or did he look guilty? Alicia couldn’t be sure.
The splashing of the fountain became the only sound. She rushed to cover the tension, wanting everything to run smoothly.
“It’s our pleasure,” Alicia said. “We’re really happy to love and be around these children.”
Months ago, she had volunteered to work here, renting a small house off the profits from the impetuous sale of her deceased grandparents’ home. She had pleaded with the orphanage’s director to be the one who played hostess to the billionaire, to be the one who secured a bundle of money for their needs.
She had to succeed in her goal for the orphanage today, to do whatever she could to be a decent person and fight for their requirements. Had to. The more money she raised, the more she could forget about the stain on her soul left by her abuelo’s dying words.
“So you’ve met him?” she said to the visitor, testing the waters. “Lucas Chandler? Do you think he’s a kindhearted sort of guy?”
The man seemed taken aback, but then he fought a smile, clearly knowing something Alicia didn’t. “Kindhearted? I suppose that depends on when you catch him.”
“Oh.” Heaviness settled on her shoulders.
“What?”
He leaned forward, encouraging her. From just his smallest movement, Alicia’s pulse kicked, sending a swirl of scrambled yearning to her chest. But passion wasn’t on her daily schedule. Not when it was so important for her to wait for a respectable marriage; it was the only way to experience what came between a man and woman. Marriage made sex pure and right.
She drew the jacket closer around her body. “Truthfully? We were hoping that he’s one to part easily with his money.”
Well, that had come out wrong. Maybe she was just too flustered around this man; Lord knew she was more articulate than this. She’d meant to say that she hoped he would be generous to the children, that’s all.
And she could tell that she’d surprised him with her words—her greedy-sounding, awful words. Well done, muchacha, well done.
His shoulders had stiffened. She rushed to correct herself but was interrupted.
“Alicia!”
She turned around to find Guillermo Ramos, head of the orphanage, rushing toward her. His crown of salt-and-pepper hair fluttered with the speed of his gait and his slender mustache twitched. Someone was in a snit.
“It’s not quite time to start the greeting,” she said in English, not wanting to leave their visitor out of the loop. “The children should be ready in a few more minutes.” “No, we are clearly starting now.” Guillermo stopped suddenly, hand to heart. “Mr. Chandler, I am Guillermo Ramos. We have talked on the phone.”
Alicia glanced at the stranger, who had gotten to his feet, hand outstretched toward Guillermo.
Mr. Chandler?
Good heavens, she was crushing on the billionaire?
“Good to see you, Señor Ramos,” he said.
Gulp.
Alicia anxiously fiddled with the charm bracelet she always wore, but Guillermo was all smiles.
“I see Senorita Sanchez has been entertaining you during our delay—which I apologize for profusely,” he said.
“Our future Sister Alicia’s been doing an exceptional job.” The stranger—no, Lucas Chandler, the billionaire—turned to her. Now, with the title and money, he seemed…different. More imposing and definitely even more off-limits. “We were just small talking.”
Yes, she thought. Due to her ill-chosen words at the end of their conversation, she had obviously gotten smaller and smaller in his estimation.
And…future Sister Alicia? Who did he think she was?
“I am glad to hear it,” Guillermo said. “But you must know that Senorita Sanchez is not with Our Lady of the Lost Souls.” Here he laughed a little. “She is not even a Catholic, but we are fortunate that she is working in our company.”
At those words Lucas Chandler’s eyes lit up, changing him from an average visitor to everything the other orphanage employees had been whispering about.
Playboy. Ultimate bachelor. Devil in disguise.
“Excellent.” He leveled that lethal dimple-edged smile at Alicia once again. “That’s some excellent information to know.”
She swallowed hard, feeling as if he’d whipped the jacket right off her.
Exposing everything she’d been covering up.
Chapter Two
As the Chandler party returned from the horse stables on their grand tour of Refugio Salvo, Lucas kept his photo-op smile in place. The cameras caught it with their freeze-frames, trapping him in the flashes yet again.
Alicia was at the head of the group, leading them toward the main building, which had been sparsely decorated for the upcoming holidays. There they’d be having an informal meet and greet with the children, who had already welcomed Lucas into their home with a sweet rendition of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” before Alicia had guided them onward. They’d seen the state-of-the-art school building with its computer room, the mini gymnasium with basketball hoops and hardwood floors, the library stocked with the most recent and popular titles, the cozy quad-occupancy rooms in the cottages.
