They were movers and shakers, life-of-the-party people.
She was the low-key Fernandez sister.
For a long time, she’d preferred it that way, especially after . . .
It was simply safer.
The thing was, safer often also meant lonely.
“How come you didn’t bring your own plus-one tonight?” Jeremy angled toward her to be heard over the music, his shoulder bumping into hers. His earthy cologne teased her senses.
She shrugged, her bare shoulder rubbing against the cool material of his shirtsleeve. “Pretty much everyone I know was already coming. Plus, I thought it’d be rude to leave a date alone if the caterer or someone needed help.”
Besides, the only man she would have liked to ask was already on the invite list. With his own plus-one. And probably way out of her league.
Not that Jeremy had any inkling of her major crush on him.
“Always thinking of others, huh? You’re pretty amazing, Rosa Fernandez.” Jeremy raised his glass in salute with a playful wink.
“Thanks,” she murmured. His flattery and sincere tone caused heat to flood her cheeks, reminding her of Héctor’s earlier Red Rosie comment. She despised the nickname that dated back to her freshman public-speaking class and the vicious blushing episodes she’d suffered.
Rather than press her flute to her warm face, Rosa settled for a gulp of the cold champagne.
“Mis amigos, it’s almost closing time.” The DJ’s rich baritone elicited a groan of disapproval from the partiers. “We’ll play our last slow song, then finish the night with a bang. Gracias por venir esta noche! For you gringos, that means ‘thanks for coming tonight’ to celebrate Yazmine and Tomás’s wedding! Now, here’s one for all you couples out there.”
The beginning strains of an old Spanish love song drifted from the speakers. Regret and loss tightened Rosa’s throat when she recognized the tune as one Papi and his trío had often played at their gigs throughout the years.
Around the ballroom, dancers quickly paired up. Rosa watched a young teen work up the nerve to ask a pretty girl from their church to join him. The girl hesitated, hands clasped behind her back. Rosa waited, anxiously hoping the poor boy’s spirits weren’t about to be crushed.
Dios, her adolescent memories were pockmarked with similar self-esteem-diminishing moments. Waiting for this cute boy or that smart one to invite her to a school dance, or out for ice cream. Or even for a library study date. The one time she’d tried taking the initiative, she’d bungled it. Badly. Eventually, she’d given up wishing for a date. Books were far safer companions.
Finally, the girl gave a shy nod and the young couple moved to join the others. Out of the corner of her eye, Rosa noticed Jeremy pushing his seat back. She turned to say good-bye, only to find him holding out a hand to her.
“You’re not going to let the night end without allowing me one dance, are you?” His blue eyes warmed with a plea for her to say yes.
Surprised anticipation hummed in her chest.
She’d wanted an invite from him all night, but figured his date wouldn’t appreciate it. Now that the statuesque socialite was out of the picture....
Behind him, Rosa caught Lilí laughing with her partner, enjoying herself, having done very little tonight to help behind the scenes.
Diviértete, Lilí had chided her earlier during the wedding party dance.
Her little sister was right. It was time for her to have a little fun. The thought had Rosa’s pulse pounding like she’d already started dancing a salsa.
Rising to her feet, she set her hand in Jeremy’s larger one.
His fingers closed around hers, the tight grip welcome, reassuring. He led the way to the edge of the dance floor, where he pulled her close to him.
Arms draped around his neck, Rosa laid her head against the front of his shoulder, savoring the feel of his strength under her cheek. She took a deep breath to steady herself, his subtle musky scent mixing with the warm, sweat-laden air from the bodies surrounding them.
Dios mío, she’d dreamt of a moment like this with him so many times over the months of wedding preparations. The number of poetry stanzas she’d written about it was actually a bit embarrassing. That’s partly why her work was for her eyes only, never shared with anyone.
Jeremy’s hands pressed against the small of her back sent waves of heat pulsating through her as they swayed to the music. Their thighs brushed together, the intimate contact weakening her knees with desire.
“It’s been an incredible evening.” Jeremy bent his head closer to hers, his breath warming her ear.
“Mmm-hmm,” she murmured. And definitely more incredible now.
“I wish Rey could have been here. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the church when Pablo read your dad’s letter.”
The shock of hearing Papi’s words had definitely brought the prick of tears to Rosa’s eyes. At that point of the ceremony, plenty of men had reached for their handkerchiefs, too.
“He was an amazing man,” Jeremy continued.
Knowing Jeremy understood how much Papi had meant to her and her sisters endeared him to her even more. Papi had always said that a good man recognized another. Jeremy and her father had shared that awareness. She’d been lucky enough to witness it.
Rosa tilted her head to look up at Jeremy. The white disco lights above them turned his dark blond hair to burnished gold, leaving his handsome face a mix of shadows. But this close to him, she couldn’t miss the depth of tenderness in his eyes.
“Papi would have loved being here,” she said. “He’d have been so proud of Yaz.”
“He would have been proud of all three of his girls. Especially you.”
“Pues, I appreciate that, but I don’t know. . . .” she demurred.
“Well, nothing.” Jeremy brushed his knuckle across her cheek, continuing the path lower to trace the edge of her mouth. His gaze shifted down to her lips and back up again. Desire curled through her. “You amaze me, Rosa. Always downplaying your talents, but I know better. I’ve seen you in action.”
His finger brushed her lips ever so softly. Once. Twice. Slowly he bent toward her and she rose up on her toes, aching for his kiss.
Someone bumped into her side, knocking her off balance.
“Ooooh!” she gasped, stumbling in her stilettos.
Jeremy tightened his hold to steady her.
“Perdóname,” the older man, one of Tomás’s cousins from Texas, apologized. His matronly partner reiterated the sentiment. Rosa waved off their concern with a smile and the couple resumed dancing.
“You okay?” Jeremy asked, stepping back a bit to look her over.
Rosa nodded, swallowing her disappointment. Ave Maria purísima, had their potential first kiss just been dashed? Now she’d never know.
Thankfully, the song hadn’t finished and Jeremy gathered her in his arms again, gently pressing her head to his shoulder.
His hand skimmed down her back, stopping at the curve of her hip. Tendrils of desire floated through her like wisps of sensuous smoke from a fire banked too long. She let her lids drift closed, lost in the thrill of his touch. The rush of pleasure at what might have just happened.
For some strange reason the image of Cecile, his date for the evening, flashed through her mind. Guilt quickly followed, but Rosa squashed it. The woman must be crazy to have left early; obviously she wasn’t really interested in him.
“Let’s enjoy the last of the night while we can,” Jeremy said in her ear. “When I’m sitting in my office in Japan, missing home, I’ll think of tonight and smile.”
His words filtered through the desire fogging her brain and Rosa jerked in surprise. Japan? What was he—?
She stutter-stepped, accidentally catching Jeremy’s toes. “Ay, perdóname.”
“That’s okay.” Jeremy eased them back into step with the music.
“Um, Japan? What do you mean?”
Her question brought his gaze to hers. A confused frown
creased his brow. “You didn’t hear?”
“Hear what?”
“My company landed a new project in Japan and they appointed me to lead the team. I told Yaz a few days ago. She didn’t mention it?”
Rosa shook her head.
“It happened pretty fast, actually. I leave in two weeks and will be gone anywhere from four to six months. It’s a really great opportunity.” Excitement rang in his voice, his expression brightening like that of a boy who’d just hit his first Little League homerun.
Six months overseas?
Dread crept over her, threatening to ruin the best part of her evening.
The stunning news of his imminent departure, on the heels of what she’d thought was their heart-stopping almost kiss, left her feeling deflated.
“I’m . . . wow . . . congratulations.” She forced her lips into a smile, then quickly laid her head against his chest, afraid he might see the regret in her eyes.
The song came to an end and the DJ cranked up the volume for one final bass-thumping, beat-pumping fast song that had the others whooping. As Rosa and Jeremy slowly broke apart, Lilí slid into the space between them. Her head bobbed and weaved to the beat, her hips swaying in tempo.
“Hey, Jer!” Lilí tossed over her shoulder at him. “Give me a sec with my sister, will you?”
Jeremy glanced at Rosa as if to gauge her reaction before he tipped his head and moved away.
Lilí reached for Rosa’s hands, giving them a squeeze. “Me and some of the gang are going clubbing downtown. I thought I’d see if you wanted to join us.”
“Excuse me?” Her head still reeling from Jeremy’s news, Rosa was certain she’d misheard her sister.
“Come on, party with us.”
“Ay, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Lilí rolled her eyes. “You haven’t had any fun tonight.”
“That’s not true, I was just . . .” Rosa slid her gaze over Lilí’s shoulder, relieved to see Jeremy seated at their table.
Lilí stepped closer to her, pivoting to follow Rosa’s gaze. Her sister’s eyes widened and she quickly turned back around.
An impish smirk on her lips, Lilí dragged Rosa to the opposite edge of the dance floor, away from the crush of dancers, but also out of Jeremy’s sight.
“Is something up with you and Jeremy?” Lilí asked. She clapped her hands with glee, excitement lighting her face.
“I—I don’t—” Mortified that she may have let her crush be known, Rosa waved off her sister’s question. “It’s nothing.”
“But it could be!”
Rosa shook her head, her face growing hot with embarrassment.
“Hey, girl, news flash, you’re only a librarian at Queen of Peace, not one of the nuns.” Lilí grabbed her shoulders. “Take off your control-top panty hose and let loose for once.”
“I’m not wearing—” Rosa bit off the rebuttal when she caught the flash of humor in her sister’s eyes. “Ay, por favor, quit messing around.”
Lilí pulled her in for a quick hug. “Jeremy’s a good guy. And he just transferred to the Chicago office so now he’s back in town, too. What could it hurt to ask him to hang out for a bit once this all winds down? See what . . . develops.”
Rosa opened her mouth to argue, but Lilí cut her off before she could.
“Don’t answer that, just promise me you’ll think about it,” Lilí said. “I’m heading out, and I’ll plan to crash in Trish’s room so I don’t wake you up when I get in.”
“Ha, more like so I don’t bother you when I wake up at a decent hour tomorrow morning,” Rosa countered.
“Bueno, que será, será. But I say, go for it! Either way, you got the hotel room to yourself tonight. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
With a saucy waggle of her eyebrows, Lilí melted back into the crowd. Rosa couldn’t hear what her sister said to her group of friends, but they let out a roar of raucous excitement and upped the intensity on their mosh-pit moves.
Skirting the edge of the dance floor to avoid being trampled, Rosa headed back to the table where Jeremy waited. He tugged at his tie to loosen it, and Lilí’s “see what develops” taunt echoed in Rosa’s head.
If only . . .
“Everything okay?” Jeremy asked when she reached him. He stood to pull out her chair, sinking back beside her when she sat.
“It’s fine. Lilí’s heading out to continue the celebration elsewhere.”
“Oh, to be that young and carefree again,” he said, his words laced with amusement. His lips quirked in a sexy grin.
Rosa’s mind jumped back to their near kiss on the dance floor. His intent gaze as his knuckle caressed her cheek and the edge of her mouth.
Dios mío, was it possible? Could Jeremy really be interested in her?
A nervous shudder shimmied her shoulders.
She bit her bottom lip, considering. Yaz was up in the honeymoon suite, off to frolic in Cozumel with Tomás in the morning. Lilí was hitting the town, ready to party all night, damn the consequences, or hangover, tomorrow.
Why couldn’t she have her own fun? Instead of always playing it safe to avoid getting hurt or rejected.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jeremy hooked his fingers through hers on top of the table, giving her hand a little shake.
His touch was like a defibrillator shooting an electric current up her arm and straight to her heart, sparking her to life.
“Are you tired?” she asked. Nervous energy pulsed through her at the idea formulating in her mind.
Jeremy shook his head slowly, eyeing her with interest.
“What do you say we grab some bubbly to share? Maybe hang out a bit? If you don’t have anything else—”
“I’ll take care of the drinks. You sit tight.” Jeremy was up and out of his chair before she even finished.
She watched him stride away, all six-foot plus of gorgeous maleness.
Over the years she’d mostly watched him from a distance since he lived near Yaz in NYC and Rosa had been at school in Champaign. Of course, there’d been the occasional get-together when they’d both been home in Chicago over the holidays or if she visited Yaz.
It wasn’t until this past spring, her last semester at U of I, with Jeremy on campus for a co-op between his IT company and the school’s College of Computer Science, that they’d spent more time together. Without Jeremy there, a connection to home after the devastation of Papi’s death, Rosa didn’t know how she would have fared.
Still, inviting him for a nightcap was a bold move. Especially for her.
Across the room, their friendly bartender handed Jeremy two bottles of champagne. Jeremy turned, holding them aloft, and flashed her a triumphant grin.
Just like that, all her doubts faded.
Forget her usual need for planning and pro-con list making. In two weeks, Jeremy would be gone for six months. Six months! Any chance of capitalizing on their “almost kiss” on the dance floor might fade.
¡Es ahora o nunca! Her father’s old adage whispered in her ear.
It’s now or never—words he always told her and her sisters when they talked of dreams, but doubted themselves.
She, ever the conservative one, had rarely dreamed anything extraordinary. Never felt that ahora o nunca necessity.
Until tonight.
Now it was time for her to take a page out of her sisters’ book and “go for it”!
Later, when Jeremy and she said good night, she’d do so with a kiss that let him know she certainly didn’t think of him like a brother. Then they’d see, as Lilí put it, “what developed.”
Desire and fear coalesced inside Rosa, two opposing forces crashing against each other like the ocean waves against the rocks at the base of El Morro in Old San Juan. She grabbed onto the first with both hands. Strived hard to squelch the latter.
Jeremy strode toward her, his gaze locked with hers. She grinned back at him, itching with excitement.
Sí, tonight Rosa Fernandez had finally decided
to break away from the wallflowers and take a walk on the wild side.
Chapter Two
Jeremy pushed the cork out of the champagne bottle with his thumbs, the resounding POP still not enough to knock some sense into him.
He should probably not be in a hotel room, alone, with this sexy Rosa Fernandez look-alike. The same one who had an uncharacteristically playful glint in her caramel eyes.
Agreeing to a nightcap with her had been a no-brainer. They hadn’t seen each other much since her graduation in May. She’d been busy transitioning from college to her new job. His own schedule had been pretty crazy, splitting his time between the New York and Chicago offices while finding and moving into a place downtown. Then the Japan project had come up.
He couldn’t deny that he’d missed her company though. Especially the calmness he felt when he was around her. Stealing a few quiet moments for them to catch up sounded like the perfect way to end the evening.
After he’d snagged the champagne from the bar earlier, the two of them had started out at a back table in the ballroom. That plan was quickly vetoed to avoid getting in the way of the hotel clean-up staff.
Next, they’d nixed sneaking into the closed hotel bar area. Rosa, ever the rule-follower, had balked at that suggestion.
They’d moved to the hotel lobby seating area, but even at this late hour there’d been a lot of foot traffic making it less conducive for private conversation.
Never, not in a million years, would he have anticipated Rosa’s next idea: heading up to her room.
With any other woman, he would have assumed it was an invite for something more than simple drinks among friends. With Rosa, no way would she play the coquette.
Still, when he found himself alone inside the elevator with her, the demure tilt of her head juxtaposed with the come-hither smile curving the edges of her full mouth set his blood pressure skyrocketing. And his brain power plummeting.
For months, he’d been wondering if Rosa could ever see him as more than her older sister’s good friend. Over the spring semester, with her finishing her master’s program and him working in the university’s computer engineering department as part of his company’s co-op, they’d spent more time together than the previous few years of their friendship. Time he had come to value.
Her Perfect Affair Page 2