Mariah stared at the shop again. Things started to make more sense. Anger built inside her, doing a slow burn. Silently, she cursed herself for not listening to her intuition about this trip. She’d ignored all the signs, the sly smiles, the way Jamal and Eva shut up when she walked into the room, the limo, the weekend work. It meshed together into one big conspiracy with her as the victim and a Señor Rat as the perpetrator.
Her eyes locked on the small wrapped package. She picked it up and ripped off the wrapping paper to reveal a jewelry box. With trembling hands she opened the lid. A pair of large diamond earrings and a small note nestled in the velvet lining. She read it to herself. Mariah, please forgive me for being such a fool. I live for the moment I will see you again. It wasn’t signed, but it didn’t need to be.
“How dare he make you do his dirty work.” She snapped the lid shut. “The coward! Take me back to the airport. I’m not doing this. You can tell my client to go to hell.”
“I can’t take you anywhere else.” He stuffed his little finger in his mouth. Another fingernail bit the dust. “Come inside, please, let me explain, before you make your decision.”
The driver took his cue and opened the door for them. Seething, Mariah stalked behind Alvaro into the boutique.
Rico was going to die. No, that would be too easy. She couldn't think of a fate that suited this crime. Slow torture would be preferable. She could throw him in a pit with a thousand tone-deaf karaoke singers, or have him buried alive in a pile of horse manure, or— She started smiling as she imagined creative ways to extract her revenge.
Alvaro unlocked the front door of the boutique with his key since it was too early for the store to be open. Despite her anger, Mariah admired the window dressings and the clothes displayed on mannequins. After all, a girl had her priorities. “Are these your designs?”
“Yes.” Alvaro seemed relieved by the brief reprieve from her wrath.
“You’re very good. She stopped to inspect a mini skirt and a silk blouse with the expertise of a professional shopper.
Mariah jumped when she heard a racket coming from above. A tall man with long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail flew down the stairs. He slid to a stop in front of her, gesturing dramatically with his hands. His theatrical flair presented an obvious contrast Alvaro’s quiet demeanor. The man’s presence dominated and electrified the entire room.
“Oh, my, this is her?” He raved in an accent not quite as pronounced as Alvaro’s. “She’s stunning. Such great raw material. This will be a simple task. We’ll make her the most beautiful woman there.”
He inspected her, walking around her as if she was another one of the mannequins. Mariah’s mouth set in a thin line. What was the man ranting about? Most beautiful woman where? Whatever Rico planned for tonight, she refused to be a willing party.
“Mariah, meet my partner, Leonardo. He has the salon upstairs.”
Leonardo ignored the hand she held out to him and hugged her enthusiastically. She fought for her breath. “It’s pleasure to meet you, Mariah. Now I understand why Rico couldn’t forget you. A gorgeous man like that can have anyone he wants. I wondered why he insisted on flying someone all the way from Washington. Then I see you—”
Mariah reined in her temper and gathered her composure. Rico would pay, but she would be clever about it. “Yes, such a gorgeous man. It’s a shame he isn’t going to live much longer.” Mariah smiled sweetly at them. Alvaro and Leonardo broke into nervous laughter. “Why am I here?” She looked from one to the other.
“To escort Rico to the Delgados’ charity gala tonight. Everyone who is anyone in the music industry will be there. He knew if he asked you outright, you wouldn’t go with him,” Leonardo explained.
“Well, he’s right about one thing.” Mariah looked around, ready to take Rico down a few notches. “Where is the coward?”
“He couldn’t get away. He’ll meet you at the party,” Alvaro explained. “I’ve designed the perfect gown for you to wear. We must hurry. I have alterations to make.”
“I’m his stylist,” Leonardo interrupted. “My staff and I will be doing your hair, makeup, nails, the complete treatment. You’ll enjoy it. We’ll pamper you.” He stood back and held his chin in his hand, studying her. Picking up a lock of her hair, he examined it.
Mariah moved out of his range, but Leonardo followed her, grasping handfuls of her hair and piling it on top of her head in different arrangements. Meanwhile, Alvaro wound a tape measure around her waist and wrote down some numbers.
“Let me guess, you’re telling me that I’m a modern-day Cinderella and that you’re my fairy godfathers?”
The two of them hooted with laughter. In horror, Mariah covered her face with her hands. “Oh, my... oh... I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
Unaffected, they exchanged amused glances then continued their measuring, poking, and prodding. Mariah tried to move away from them, but they followed her wherever she went.
“Uh, look, thank you. I appreciate this, really I do, but I can’t stay. I’m not going anywhere with him.”
Alvaro’s notepad and tape measure fell to the floor. “I was afraid she was going to say that.”
“You have to escort him. You must.” Leonardo gestured dramatically with his hands. Mariah backed up a step so he didn’t accidentally hit her in the face. “This will be Alvaro’s big break. You must go. He needs this exposure.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“This is my chance, Mariah. Rico asked me to design this gown for you as a favor to Leonardo. Photographs of you with Rico will appear everywhere. You’ll be on TV, the Internet, everywhere, wearing my design.
Leonardo interrupted. “This will be his big break! People will see you in his designs and the next morning, they’ll be breaking our door down. If you won’t do this for Rico, do it for him. You will be the most stunning woman there. Everyone will notice.”
Mariah felt sick. She pictured photographs plastered everywhere of her on Rico’s arm. No thank you, she didn’t need to see the public reminders of them together posted on the Internet or in gossip magazines.
“I’m sorry, I’d love to help you out, but I just can’t do it.” She skirted around Alvaro and moved toward the door. Leonardo leaped in front of her and blocked her exit route. No longer meek and quiet, Alvaro flung back his head and wailed in despair. He threw his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder. Unable to break free, Mariah endured his clinging and bawling.
Leonardo crossed his arms and glared at her. “He’s very sensitive. You’re doing irreparable damage to him.”
Mariah met Leonardo’s eyes over the top of Alvaro’s head while Alvaro sobbed into her Armani blouse. She prayed for the earth to swallow her up so she could disappear. “Okay. Okay! Just stop, please! I guess Cinderella is going to the ball.”
The wailing stopped immediately. Alvaro looked up with a big smile on his face and hugged her tightly then Leonardo danced around them. “Rico knew you wouldn’t let me down. He said you were too kind.”
Mariah stared at the two of them and sighed with resignation. Rico had set a clever trap for her and she’d walked right into it. There was no way out now. She’d sealed her fate. Two amateur con-artists, a devious ex-girlfriend, and a Latin rat had duped her.
Her eyes narrowed as she considered her options.
Don’t get mad, get even.
* * *
Mariah twirled around on her spiked heels. She inspected herself from every angle in the full-length mirrors in the dressing area of the boutique.
“Alvaro, lower the dress in back, please. Don’t show my behind but make it daring. I need a little more cleavage in front, too, not a lot more. I mean it’s best to leave something to his imagination. I don’t want anything tacky. What did you do with bodice of this dress? It looks great. He’s going to think I’ve gotten a boob job. And that slit up the side, it needs to go higher. The skirt needs to be tighter, too. Where can I buy perfume nearby?�
��
Alvaro rolled his eyes. The more nervous Mariah became, the more she blabbered. “For a woman who didn’t want to do this in the first place, you’re certainly taking charge now. Rico said to keep the dress conservative.”
“Well, now, Rico’s not wearing this dress, is he?” Mariah grinned at Alvaro. “He asked for it, now he’s going to get it, and then some.”
Alvaro laughed. “You’re going to kill him with this dress.”
“I hope it’s a slow and painful death. Make those alterations, for me, Alvaro. Please.”
Alvaro bowed low. “Rico told me to give you anything your heart desires.”
“In that case, I’ll check out your boutique when we’re done with this dress fitting. I could use some new clothes.” Mariah smiled to herself. She’d clean out this boutique and charge it all to him.
A few hours later she sat in a chair in Leonardo’s salon.
“Leo, I’ve seen what you’ve done to Rico’s hair in person and in pictures. Sometimes I hate it, and sometimes I love it. You’d better illustrate to me exactly what you’re going to do before you lay on hand on strand.”
Leo laughed. “I promise it won’t be bleached blond spikes, if that’s what you’re worried about. Rico left instructions to make it soft, sexy, and romantic.”
“Soft? Sexy? ROMANTIC!” Mariah jumped out of the chair. Leo pushed her back down. “That man is pushing it.”
“Señor Sanchez is going to have his hands full with you, Mariah.”
“Thank you.” She relaxed into the chair. “I want to make sure he knows what he’s been missing, and what he’s going to keep missing.”
“Oh, he’s going to know. Without a doubt.”
* * *
Rico paced like a caged tiger. He filled a plate with appetizers, only to leave them sitting on a table. He abandoned three different glasses of wine at separate locations throughout the room. If people noticed his edginess, they said nothing. Besides, his nerves came from the debut of his first song in five years. It had nothing to do with her. Nothing.
Rico glanced at the door and checked his watch every few seconds. If Mariah chose to make a scene, tonight would be the perfect night. Considering how keyed up he was, he’d probably come unhinged if she told him what he deserved to hear.
Grabbing another glass of wine from a tray, he moved restlessly among the guests, keeping one eye on the door. In an earlier phone conversation, Leo assured him that once she got over the shock, she got into the spirit of things.
Eduardo ditched his girlfriend of the moment and edged over to him. He placed a comforting hand on Rico’s shoulder in a rare fatherly gesture. Instead of countering with a smart remark, Rico gave him a distracted smile. “What if she’s furious at me?”
“Work that old Sanchez charm on her, son. No woman can resist it.”
“I’m too young to die.”
* * *
Mariah rehearsed over and over in her mind how she’d react when she saw Rico. She’d smile and shake his hand or give him a polite kiss on the cheek. She’d treat him like a business associate, not like her former lover and love of her life. Cool and composed, she’d display no emotions. After all, he deserved a cool reception considering how he’d tricked her.
He’d be on his knees, pleading for another chance. Once he’d sufficiently groveled, she’d check into a hotel room—alone. And that would be that, thank you. Now, if only her imagined willpower actually existed.
She traveled to the party in the limo with Alvaro and Leonardo. They kept a steady stream of conversation going back and forth to ease her nervousness. Not that it helped, but she appreciated their efforts. She was a certifiable wreck. Her stomach threatened mutiny. Her neck ached from tension. She sat on her hands to stop herself from chewing on her perfectly manicured fingernails.
As their limo pulled up at the front entryway, a valet swept open the door. She really did feel like Cinderella arriving at the ball in her magnificent carriage. She hoped it didn’t turn into a pumpkin by the end of the night, or she’d be riding a city bus to the nearest hotel.
Alvaro stepped out first then reached for her. Mariah took his hand, grateful for the support as she emerged from the safety of the limo onto the sidewalk. A large crowd of star watchers and reporters milled around nearby. They watched Mariah, Leonardo, and Alvaro, trying to figure out if they were somebodies or nobodies. The next limo pulled up, and the fickle crowd discarded the unknown trio.
Alvaro winked at Mariah and squeezed her elbow. She gave him a shaky smile and took the arm he offered her. Leonardo paused to wave at the crowd. He presented the consummate romantic Latin figure, dressed completely in black with his dark hair pulled back in a tight pony tail. He stopped to sign a few autographs, talking with the fans as if he did this every day. Mariah stifled a laugh as he signed his name as Antonio Banderas.
The Delgado house was an old Hollywood-style mansion built in the 1940s. The huge ballroom was decorated like a tropical island paradise. Island music floated through the warm night. Candles and torches lent a romantic glow to the large room. Mariah peeked through the tropical plants at the entrance. The sheer number of people in the room sent her skittering backwards until she bumped into a large palm tree.
Alvaro had warned her that this was THE party of the year. How could Rico do this to her? Why had he made their reunion so public?
Looking for an escape route, she barely dodged a waiter with a full tray of tropical drinks. Leo caught her arm as she was heading out the door and spun her back around.
“You’re not getting out of this now.” Leo passed her off to Alvaro.
Trapped, she took a tentative step forward and donned her best Princess Rye smile. She clung to Al as he guided her through the crowd towards their destination and her fate.
Leonardo, ever the social animal, flitted around giving tips on hair design and clothes. He preened in his dramatic fashion at every compliment.
Several people appraised Mariah as Alvaro maneuvered her through the crowd. They parted to let her pass. Judging by the greetings her escort received, he, too, knew the majority of the guests, perhaps through Leonardo.
Alvaro tightened his grip on her arm, not about to let her run now. He pointed towards a small group standing nearby, laughing and drinking.
A man gorgeous enough to set the standard for all gorgeous men claimed the center of attention.
Mariah dug her heels into the tile floor and refused to budge. Her scruffy frog was now back in his a handsome prince role. The polished, well-dressed stranger before her bore little resemblance to her Rodrigo. Not only was she out of her league, but she wasn’t even on the same planet with this man.
When Rico noticed everyone’s gazes turning her way, his head turned. Penetrating brown eyes captured hers, weaving a spell around her heart.
She forgot there were a couple hundred witnesses to this meeting. She forgot her rehearsed greeting. She stared dumbly at this stranger with Rodrigo’s espresso eyes. He stared at her with an intensity which made her breath catch in her throat.
He was Rico Sanchez. The reality of it hit her like a hard left hook in the stomach. She yearned for that dangerous, scruffy Latin look she’d grown to love. She knew that man and understood him—to a point. This was an entirely different man altogether. Not a lock of hair fell out of place and no stubble darkened his face. She suppressed the urge to run her fingers through those close-cropped strands and mess up his perfectly styled cut.
His polished appearance exuded sex appeal. He wore designer clothes including a black jacket with leather cuffs and form-fitting black shirt unbuttoned a few buttons. She caught a glimpse of dark hair on his tanned, muscular chest and remembered how it looked bathed in sweat after they made love.
Her eyes moved downward; she almost collapsed as all kinds of hot nasty thoughts raced through her mind. His tight, black pants sported an exposed zipper. Oh my, the games they could play with that zipper. And that unmistakable bulge. Had he been thinkin
g of her? She’d counted on her gown making him crazy. She never considered that his clothes might do the same to her.
A hush came over the people in his small group. They looked her way with curious expressions on their faces. Wonders of wonders, her lungs drew air in and out. Her feet needed help though. If she didn’t move soon, they’d start using her for a coat rack.
When she realized she’d been staring at his crotch, she jerked her head upward and concentrated on his chin. The man had a gorgeous chin. A slow cocky smile crossed his lips. It was a wicked Rodrigo smile on Rico Sanchez’s smooth-shaven face. Her face flushed bright red.
She shifted uneasily, balancing on her spiked heels. This man standing in front of her conveyed perfection. She wanted to run, to hide. She couldn’t do this. She shouldn’t be with a man like this. Her scruffy cowboy had transformed into a polished prince, and Cinderella wanted to leave the ball.
To top it off, this incredibly sexy man stared at her with a hunger he didn’t try to conceal. Like the town gossip lighting up the phone lines, her brain raced to alert the rest of her body. Little thrills of organic electricity shot through her, threatening sensual overload and common sense under-load.
Then he sealed her fate. He smiled a lopsided Rodrigo smile. Her heart did a little tap dance all over her remaining common sense. Sucker that she was, she fell for him all over again in less than five seconds.
Not that she’d ever stopped falling.
* * *
His most decadent fantasies couldn’t do justice to this vision standing five feet from him. Her angelic face and uncertain expression betrayed her insecurities. She hadn’t a clue how stunning she was. One corner of his mouth turned up in a crooked smile. She bit her lower lip. Rico suppressed a moan and imagined nibbling on that lip for her.
Her silky hair shone like a brightly polished mahogany table. Thanks to Leonardo’s expertise, it cascaded in waves over her shoulders and down her back in thick curls. He’d give anything to fill his hands with that hair. She wore more makeup than usual. Her eyes looked larger and even more exotic, the green even deeper than he remembered. Her dark red lips invited his kisses, lush and moist. Oh, man, what he wanted those lips to do to him.
Save the Last Dance Page 22