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“Isn’t that our role?” Maria had devoured her food every bit as eagerly as he had.
“Maybe they want to make very clear how little they’re interested in returning to Alma...in any fashion.”
“Oh.” Her crestfallen look urged him to comfort her. But the unexpected wave of tenderness made him uneasy. She caused him to feel things that were inappropriate at best and dangerously seductive at worst. How could he fulfill his mission if he were constantly derailed by his baser instincts?
A life of public service meant subverting his own needs for the greater good. For the benefit of his country and for the sake of his pride he would have to ignore the way she made him feel.
She had left her blond hair loose today, confined only by two small tortoiseshell clips, one at either temple. Though he knew she came from a background far less privileged than his, she carried herself with a regal grace and dignity that surpassed her years.
He had suggested her as one of the team for this trip, but ultimately, she had been chosen by the committee. Her talent and hard work impressed everyone who witnessed her in action.
She’d been right to call him on his preoccupation. Nothing at the moment was more important than the Montoros.
As they finished their meal, the housekeeper hovered, spiriting away empty plates and keeping their glasses full. At last, she left them alone.
Alex cleared his throat. “Would you like a nap?”
“The answer is yes, but I’m not going to take one. I’m determined to beat this jet lag. How about a walk instead?”
“You do know it’s hot as hell out there.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yes. But it’s Florida. I’ve never been here.”
He held out his hands. “Far be it from me to stop you. I’ll tag along to make sure you don’t get lost.”
Maria changed clothes so quickly he was stunned. Instead of the subdued navy dress she had worn earlier, she came out of her room wearing white shorts that showcased her long, tanned legs and a raspberry-colored tank top. Her hair was now caught up in a free-falling ponytail. The outfit shaved half a dozen years off her age, reminding him again of how young she was.
He swallowed against a tight throat. “That was fast.”
She shrugged. “My mother believes in a woman being herself. Too many lotions and potions breed vanity...or so she claims. I started sneaking mascara and lip gloss when I was fourteen.”
“Such a rebel,” he teased.
“I tried to behave. I really did, because I adored my mother, even as a bratty teenager. But I wanted to be like all the other girls.”
“Not such a terrible failing.”
“I suppose not. But she came home from work early one day before I’d had a chance to wash my face, and she was so...”
“Angry?”
“No. Not that. It was worse. I had disappointed her. She told me that it was a mistake for a girl to primp and paint herself to attract a boy. That I should be proud of who I was inside. That the exterior didn’t matter.”
“Wise words.”
“Yes. But they came from a place of pain. I never knew the details, though it was no secret that my father abandoned her before I was born. When it came to love, she had chosen poorly, and she paid for it the rest of her life. My goal has been to earn enough money to set her up in a little retirement flat. I owe her so much. And I want to give her a chance to enjoy life while she is still strong and healthy.”
“You’re a good daughter.”
For a fleeting second he witnessed a surprising vulnerability in her aquamarine eyes. “I hope so.”
Four (#u6475eb09-1048-5d04-9160-b29e47bf3f82)
As they exited the small house, Alex pondered Maria’s words. He knew she was ambitious. Unlike some people, he didn’t see that as a negative in a woman. He’d like to think he was more of an enlightened male than some of his contemporaries.
But what if Maria’s ambitions had more to do with securing a future for her mother and herself than for simply rising in the ranks of government service? Did she want a husband and children? Or had her mother’s experience made Maria reluctant to entrust a man with her future? The more he thought about it, the less he was sure of anything.
What bothered him the most was the faint but insistent notion that she might be setting herself up to land in a Montoro’s bed. Gabriel’s to be exact. Did Maria have fantasies of becoming a princess?
Almost instantly, Alex was ashamed of his doubts. He had no basis at all for such a supposition. Merely his own jealousy. Though he knew a relationship with Maria was not likely to be good for either of them, he winced at the thought of her being with another man. Surely it was a dog-in-the-manger attitude.
As they wandered the grounds, he tried to keep his mind on the flora and fauna and not on the long-legged grace of the beauty in front of him. The more time he spent in Maria’s company, the less control he had over his fantasy life. Already, he’d been awakened twice on this trip by intensely erotic dreams.
Now, with her three feet ahead, his hands itched to feel the silky hair that tumbled down her back. It bounced and swung as she walked. In his imagination he could see that same hair spread out across his pillow, those wide-set eyes, drowsy with passion, staring up at him.
Damn it. He was hard and hot and horny, none of which were appropriate conditions for the man who was supposed to be orchestrating a diplomatic dance that could affect thousands of lives.
Clenching his jaw, he concentrated on naming the flowering shrubs they passed. Anything to keep from staring at a heart-shaped butt and narrow waist made for the grasp of a man’s hands.
Despite her claim of jet lag, Maria seemed indefatigable. The various pathways were clearly marked, so it was easy to circle back around in the direction of their accommodations. At the very last turn, they lingered beside a small lagoon, taking advantage of a patch of shade.
A pair of peacocks strutted on the far bank. Birdsong echoed from every direction. Maria leaned against a tree trunk, propping one foot behind her. “I like the wildness,” she said, smiling dreamily. “The landscape is passionate and alive.”
“If it were you, would you go back to a country where you had never lived? Simply to fulfill a destiny you didn’t choose?”
She gazed toward the water, her profile as familiar to him now as his own face in the mirror. “I honestly don’t know. My life is so different. Once my mother is gone, I’ll never have a chance to press the issue of my father’s identity. And she won’t even discuss her own family, because they threw her out when she ended up pregnant and unmarried. So the idea of having a family tree that can be traced back almost two thousand years is hard for me to grasp. My past is a blank slate.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“It is what it is.”
She wasn’t trying to elicit his sympathy. Her words were matter-of-fact. He wondered, though, if she recognized the vein of wistful sadness he heard in them.
Her skin glowed with heat and perspiration. It occurred to him in that quiet moment that her beauty was intrinsic, not dependent at all on the paints and potions she had so whimsically described. She might look much like this after a bout of energetic lovemaking.
Shifting restlessly from one foot to the other, he fought the urge to take her in his arms. Clearing his throat, he glanced at his watch. “We should get back and clean up.”
She nodded, smiling at him with such sweet openness that his heart clenched in his chest. “I’m glad I was able to come on this trip. I know you put in a good word for me, and I’m grateful.”
He stared at her, his body rigid with desire. “I don’t want your gratitude, Maria.”
Hurt flickered in her eyes, only to be replaced by dawning surprise as she realized what he wasn’t saying. “I asked you before what you needed from me. And you wouldn’t answer.”
“Correction. I didn’t answer because you weren’t willing to listen.”
She straightened from her relaxed pose against the tree and took a step in his direction. “And if I’m ready now?”
He shuddered, no longer able to hide the hunger that rode him hard. “Come here,” he said, tugging her by the hand until she landed against his chest. He linked his hands at the small of her back, allowing himself one tiny nibble of a shell-like ear.
She looked up at him, her eyes huge. “Men are strange creatures.”
He choked out a laugh. “What does that mean?”
“I’m all sweaty and icky.”
Inhaling sharply, he shook his head. “Definitely not icky. Trust me on that one.” He found her mouth with his, going in for a quick pass and then lingering to taste every nuance of warm, willing woman.
Maria was not shy, but there was a certain hesitance in her response, a tiny awkwardness that perhaps signified a lack of experience. That same pesky tenderness surfaced, making him want to protect her from himself. And wasn’t that a conundrum...
Finally, her arms went around his neck. Now they were pressed chest-to-chest, hip-to-hip. There was no way she could miss the state of his body. He was hard everywhere.
Though it took everything he had, he kept the kiss gentle, the embrace circumspect. They were standing where anyone could see them. And they had a very critical appointment in less than an hour.
One more minute. That’s all he needed. His tongue stroked hers. “Hell, Maria. You make me forget my name.”
“Alex,” she whispered, straining against him, standing on tiptoe. “Smart, sexy, adorable Alex.”
“Adorable?” He frowned, trying to focus as she sucked on his bottom lip.
“Adorable,” she said firmly. “You’re so serious and dedicated and straight-arrow. It’s lovable and charming.”
He forced himself to release her, though when she clung to him in protest, his resolve weakened. His heart slamming in his chest like a pile driver, he took her wrists in his hands and dragged them away from his neck. “I’m not feeling at all dedicated right now, Maria. If it weren’t for the possibility of alligators in that lagoon, I’d be tempted to pull you down on the ground and have my adorable wicked way with you.”
“Alligators?” Her shriek sent a flock of birds skyward.
If he’d hoped to derail the possibility of sex, he’d succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. His companion looked scared to death.
He shook his head in bemusement. “You do know where we are, right? Alligator alley?”
“I didn’t think they were everywhere.” She clung to his arm as he led her back toward their quarters.
Alex ushered her inside the villa and shut the door. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. Gators aren’t aggressive as a rule. Though they might grab the occasional cat or dog.”
“Oh, Lord.” When she went white, he realized his assurances weren’t helping.
“Go take your shower,” he said. “As long as you stay out of unknown pools and ponds, you’ve got nothing to worry about, I swear.” He leaned down for one last kiss. “I’ll protect you.”
* * *
Maria turned the water as hot as she could bear it, stepping into the shower and trying to stop shaking. Maybe her fear was irrational, but while she could handle the occasional mouse or nasty spider, alligators were beyond her experience. Maybe this was what people meant when they said every Eden has its serpent.
Miami and Coral Gables were beautiful beyond belief. Lush...tropical...a garden paradise. She’d never anticipated a dark side.
As she dried off and re-dressed in the outfit she’d worn earlier, she hoped she had chosen appropriate attire for the weekend. Unfortunately, there was no manual for how to hobnob with royalty in America.
Her navy linen sheath dress was very plain, its only adornment a trio of quirky wooden buttons on either shoulder. Her shoes were low-heeled strappy sandals in a neutral shade with cork soles. She stared in the mirror. Too casual? Not casual enough?
The decision was moot now, because she didn’t have enough clothing with her for endless choices. Truthfully, it probably didn’t matter. She was not a key player in this drama. Alex was the one in the hot seat. The Montoros would be grilling him, not Maria. Poor Alex.
She finished drying her hair and brushed it out, leaving it as it had been when she arrived. The clips kept it off her face. Presumably this afternoon’s gathering would be inside an air-conditioned space. One thing she had already learned about Florida was that even if the outside temperatures were sweltering, inside most buildings, it was cold enough to hang meat.
Alex was waiting in the living room when she went in search of him. His smile was automatic and held no hint that only minutes earlier they had been passionately entwined in a kiss that had made her weak with longing.
She decided to match his air of calm. “Are we ready?”
He nodded. At that same moment the doorbell chimed. A young man, probably Maria’s age, stood waiting with a polite posture. His grin was quick and easy. A navy knit polo shirt, stretched across his broad shoulders, identified him as an employee of Montoro Enterprises.
“I’m here to take you to the main house,” he said. “The Jeep’s right outside.”
The vehicle was spotless, though perhaps not designed for women wearing dresses. Maria’s cheeks flamed when she was forced to accept Alex’s help climbing into the rear seat. The two men sat up front.
It dawned on her that this compound must be even larger than she had imagined, because it took five minutes to drive to their destination. All the buildings, large or small, had been designed in the same vein, with whitewashed stucco walls and blue tile roofs.
Most of the places they passed she couldn’t identify, but she did see a gardening shed and a transportation corral that housed multiple golf carts. When they arrived at the Montoros’ residence, she was not surprised to find that it was the largest building on the property.
It was a work of art...two stories, with wraparound porches, ceiling fans and rattan furnishings. And there were windows...lots of windows. The glass was probably tinted, because otherwise, the sun would bake the inhabitants.
Their escort parked at the base of a shallow set of steps and abandoned them. “Just knock,” he said, whistling as he wandered away.
Maria looked at Alex askance. “I guess we’re on our own.”
He shaded his eyes and looked around with curiosity. “I guess we are.” He didn’t seem a fraction as nervous as she felt. But then again, his family was every bit as prestigious as the Montoros, though not royal. If Alex so desired, he could probably be elected to lead the country when the current prime minister’s term was over.
Together, she and Alex ascended the stairs. Moments after Alex rang the buzzer, a honey-skinned gray-haired man answered the door. He was dressed much like Alex in clothes that gave deference to the climate, though his manner was anything but relaxed. An English butler couldn’t have been more dignified.
“Welcome to Casa Montoro,” he said. “The family awaits you in the salon.”
The house reminded Maria of a spread she’d once envied in Architectural Digest. Every detail was harmonious perfection. Polished hardwood floors, colorful rag rugs. And views. Wow. One entire wall of glass framed the ocean in the distance.
When she and Alex entered the large room, Rafael III jumped to his feet. “You’re here at last. We’re honored to welcome you to our home.” He shook Alex’s hand and kissed Maria on both cheeks.
One glance around the assemblage told Maria that the key players in this drama were present. Rafael’s three children—Gabriel, Bella and Rafael IV. Juan Carlos II, the cousin. And, last but not least, the frail but indomitable Isabella Salazar.
At seventy-three, she should still have a number of good years ahead of her, but her body had been ravaged with Parkinson’s. Though bound to a wheelchair when she was able to get out of bed, she was an imposing figure. Grandmother to Juan Carlos and great-aunt to his cousins, Isabella wielded considerable influence. And she was a proponent of the old ways. Which made her automatically an ally.
With the exception of Isabella, Maria and Alex had met everyone the night of the reception. Knowing that, and as a matter of courtesy, Rafael took them immediately to sit with his aunt.
The old woman might have been trapped in a broken body, but her mind was sharp and her eyesight keen. “Do you know why we invited the two of you today?” she asked, the words abrupt.
Maria gulped inwardly and saw by Alex’s reaction that he was as taken aback as she was. Alex recovered first. “Not exactly, ma’am.”
“You’re wondering why we didn’t bring the entire delegation out here.”
Alex was brave enough to give her the truth. “The thought crossed our minds.”
“It’s simple, boy. Your people are supposed to have the weekend free to relax and enjoy Miami. Correct?”
“Yes.”
