Zoe had been stranded and they had rescued her. She was touched by how warmly they’d included her and offered her a place to stay until she could reach Rachel, who, according to Orlando, was supposed to return tomorrow morning.
But that seemed light-years away.
Right now she and Joaquin were alone. Soft music played on the stereo and something electric vibrated between them. Was this really happening? Was she really spending the night with Joaquin?
The thought made her a little light-headed and it also scared her more than a wee bit. They hadn’t even been on a date. In fact, until today, she hadn’t even been sure Joaquin wanted to be her friend. He was a puzzle. Gruff and silent one minute, but then he showed up when it really mattered.
And now here they were. Alone, sharing a bottle of wine and conversation that, for once, wasn’t about work.
She’d seen a different side of Joaquin today. A more human and personal side of him. She’d loved how relaxed he’d been. How natural things had felt between them.
But despite their easy-going good time at Cowboy Country, she realized that there was still so much about him that she didn’t know.
Nothing else would happen between them tonight, as much as her body begged to differ. There wasn’t going to be any hanky-panky, but she fully intended to leave here knowing him better.
“Would you like some more wine?” he asked, picking up the bottle and pouring more into her glass even before she had a chance to answer.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” she joked. “Because I usually don’t drink much.”
One side of his mouth kicked up, just the hint of a smile. He refilled his own glass and sat back against the sofa cushions.
That was a good sign. It meant he was in no hurry to call it a night and head to their separate bedrooms, which were at opposite ends of the hall from each other.
When they’d gotten back to the house, Orlando had showed her to her room, which had an en suite bathroom. He had set out fresh towels and a new toothbrush. He’d asked Joaquin to get her a blanket from the closet in the room where he was staying. Joaquin said he would and also agreed to lend her one of his T-shirts to sleep in. But for now they sat on the couch in front of the fire, not so close that it might suggest crossing that line, but certainly close enough to edge right up to that line. Whether his interest was strictly platonic or more personal and much more exciting remained to be seen.
Now that they were alone, though, she felt as if she owed him some sort of explanation.
“I’m so sorry for this,” she said.
He sipped his wine. “For what?”
“For barging in on your dinner and putting you in the position to have to take me in. My sister should be home tomorrow. I’ll get out of your hair once she gets back.”
“No worries,” he said. “In fact, if you want, you can hang out until Sunday. That’s when I’m returning to Austin. You can ride back with me.”
Another day in paradise and then a six-hour car ride back? It was so tempting.
“Rachel was planning on going to Austin tomorrow for some family business,” she said. “We’ve been having regular meetings on that issue involving my father that I told you about. But thanks, anyway. I just want to make sure you didn’t think I did this on purpose.”
The second the words escaped her lips, the phrase “the lady doth protest too much” sprang to mind.
“You didn’t?” he said.
She wanted to die until his mouth quirked up again and she realized he was kidding. Joaquin Mendoza had a sense of humor. Another checkmark in the sexy-as-hell column on the Husband List.
“For the record, no, I did not do it on purpose. I’m sure it might look that way. Especially after Steffi-Anne took such pleasure in pointing out all the guys I’ve dated.”
“To put your mind at ease, I figured you wouldn’t intentionally ditch your purse and cell phone just to spend the night with me.”
“Another item for the record, I haven’t spent the night with all the guys I’ve dated. Even though she made it sound like that, it’s not true.”
“Good to know.”
“Well, personally, I was surprised you didn’t have Steffi-Anne’s phone number in your phone.”
“I have no reason to call her. Why would I have her number in my phone?”
“I thought she would’ve at least punched in the digits herself. To make sure you could get in touch with her. You know, in case of an emergency. I guess she’s falling down on the job.”
“Guess so.”
The two drank their wine as the fire blazed and music played in the background. Zoe recognized the song from a Ray Lamontagne CD she loved, but she couldn’t remember the name of the track. She wanted to commit the melody to memory because it fit the mood so perfectly.
She had no idea where this was going, if it was even going anywhere. That’s why she wanted to sip the moment slowly, savor it so it would last. Because this—being with him, just the two of them here with their defenses down—was something she could get used to.
“Do you need to call anyone to let them know you’re here? Because once they realize you weren’t on the bus, don’t you think they’ll worry? Especially if they try your phone and you don’t answer.”
“When I was at the restaurant, before I found you, I called my brother Ben. I left a message on his voice mail and told him I’d lost my purse, but I would catch a ride back to Austin with Rachel.”
Joaquin frowned. “Won’t he worry if he knows that Rachel isn’t home and no one can get in touch with you?”
“Nah, it’s just one night. It’s fine.”
Ah, this was a little tricky to explain. It dawned on her that while they were both close to their families, they were a different kind of close. His was obviously tightly knit. The kind of closeness she longed for one day. But her family—they were so busy going in opposite directions, racing toward their various goals and agendas, they probably wouldn’t miss her if she was incommunicado for one night.
The thought was sobering. What did that say about the Robinsons? To outsiders looking in, they probably seemed like the family that had everything. And they really didn’t want for much. But her parents were like two trains on different tracks. They shared the same station, but came and went on different schedules. The same could be said for her siblings. They worked together, yet maintained separate lives in the same city. Except for Rachel, who had made an enviable life for herself here in Horseback Hollow. Zoe had been completely unaware that Rachel and Matteo would be away tonight or even where they were going. Not that they needed to check in. It was just a different dynamic than Joaquin had with his family, and it made Zoe wish the Robinsons were a little more connected.
This “Fortune hunt” her siblings were on was turning out to be polarizing. Ben was at one end of the spectrum with his dogged determination and she was on the other end, the lone supporter of their father’s wishes to leave well enough alone. The rest of her brothers and sisters were either on Ben’s side or somewhere in the middle.
Maybe she could be the one to stop this nonsense and bring them all together at their family meeting on Monday.
“Where’d you go?” Joaquin’s voice brought her back to the present. He was gazing at her intently and it unleashed a swarm of butterflies that performed a loop-de-loop in the pit of her stomach.
“I was just trying to think of how to say that even though my family is tight, we’re different.”
“What do you mean?”
Zoe shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. They would certainly be concerned if they thought something had happened to me. But we’re not the type to check in. But on the other hand, if I called my dad and told him that the bus left without me, he’d go ballistic. He would probably fire Steffi-Anne. I’m not kidding. He’s superprotective
of me. Maybe it’s because I’m one of his youngest. Or maybe it’s because, despite his gruff and bluster, we’ve always understood each other. Or maybe I should say, I understand him and he is protective of me. So, he can’t know about the bus, okay?”
Joaquin cocked his head to the right. “Despite all the crap Steffi-Anne pulls on you, you’re not going to put her in her place?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not afraid of her. I just don’t ever want to contribute to someone losing her job. You never know what motivates people to act the way they do. Maybe it’s insecurity. Maybe it’s jealousy, though I’m not suggesting she’s jealous of me. Although I can guarantee you she would be if she knew I was sitting here with you like this.”
A lock of hair had fallen onto Joaquin’s forehead and Zoe reached out and smoothed it back into place. Joaquin caught her hand and pulled her closer.
The next thing she knew, his lips were on hers. The kiss started whisper-soft, tentatively at first, as if he were testing the waters. When she leaned in and opened her mouth, inviting him in, he deepened the kiss. The world disappeared for a moment and the only thing Zoe was aware of was the feel of his lips on hers and that he tasted like something she’d been craving her entire life. She would’ve been perfectly content if the rest of the world had broken away, leaving the two of them to become one.
Time drifted and she had no idea how long the kiss lasted. It could’ve been a moment or a lifetime, but when it finally tapered off and they reclaimed their personal spaces, Zoe knew she was forever changed.
It was just a kiss, but it had been so much more than that. Because even as innocent as it had been, she’d given him a part of her she didn’t want back. In fact, she wanted to give him more.
That was why it was probably a good thing when he stood, looking a little disoriented, and said, “We should probably call it a night. Let me get you that blanket and T-shirt.”
* * *
He’d kissed Zoe. What the hell was wrong with him?
He couldn’t shake the self-flagellation even three days later as he sat in his office on Monday morning. He was an idiot. He should’ve had more self-control than that. She deserved better. Certainly more than he could offer. But there was something about Zoe that rendered him stupid.
Her sister had called first thing Saturday morning. Before he and Zoe had been able to talk about what had happened and how they should move forward, Rachel and Matteo had arrived to say hello to Joaquin and whisk Zoe away.
He’d had the rest of the weekend to beat himself up and set himself straight. He hadn’t seen her since she’d driven away with Rachel and Matteo, but he’d decided he’d gauge how she acted toward him and then see if they needed to talk and he needed to make things right. For all he knew, now that she’d had time to gain some distance and put everything into perspective, she might be just as sorry as he was that they had crossed that line. Yeah. It was unlikely, judging by her body language Saturday morning.
She had looked beautiful, all fresh-faced and natural. That’s probably how she would look if they woke up together.
He leaned back in his desk chair, lacing his fingers behind his neck and looking up at the ceiling. Sorry was a strong word to describe how he was feeling. He was sorry he’d initiated the kiss and had put them in this situation, but he’d be lying to himself if he didn’t concede that in the moment he had enjoyed every last second of it. But he’d been down this path before. He’d made the mistake of messing with the boss’s daughter and if that experience had taught him one thing, it was that you don’t play with people’s emotions.
He should know. He’d been the biggest player in Miami until one spoiled, rich woman had played the player and taught him a lesson he couldn’t forget. A lesson he’d be wise to remember now.
Zoe deserved someone who could offer her everything she wanted. He could not promise that right now. He didn’t even know where he’d be when this project at Robinson ended. Knowing Gerald Robinson, if Joaquin hurt Zoe in any way, he’d have to deal with the big guy.
Joaquin had to figure out his own head before he’d be capable of knowing what he could offer anyone else. And, of course, there was the issue with his dad. He needed to get that out into the open and get to the heart of that matter before he could move on. If things turned out the way his hunch thought they would, it would be a game changer of unfathomable magnitude. He couldn’t even wrap his mind around it yet. Because of that, he hadn’t broached the subject with his dad after Zoe left. Josephine had come over and cooked a fabulous breakfast for them. And Orlando was smiling. Joaquin was pretty sure his dad was in love again. That was such a good thing since, when his mom died, it had seemed as if his father had lost his will to go on. Because Luz had been the love of Orlando’s life.
The paternity bombshell Joaquin was about to drop was of nuclear proportions. Sometimes, such as when he saw the way Orlando had looked at Josephine, Joaquin wondered if exposing the truth was even worth it. Because if his mother had cheated, it might very well change Orlando’s ability to love, similarly to how Selena had shattered the way Joaquin looked at just about everything.
But, he reminded himself, there was a lot more at stake than having a second chance at love or having the carpet yanked out from under him by a woman. The secret he harbored affected more people than Orlando and Josephine.
Even if they’d have a lot rebuilding to do after Joaquin dropped the bomb, it was something that couldn’t be swept under the rug any longer.
He returned his attention to his computer, ready to get to down to business, when a message notification popped up in the bottom right corner of the screen.
It was from Zoe. His chest clenched as he clicked on it.
Are you still up for meeting about the website
at 9:00?
The website?
That’s right. Last week they had agreed to meet again today to work on it.
He knew darn good and well they’d have to talk about the weekend. He really didn’t want to have this conversation here, because it was bound to make things awkward. But he couldn’t put it off forever. The best thing he could do would be to show her that, as far as he was concerned, everything could still be normal.
My office or yours?
He waited for a response but it came in the form of a knock on the door.
“Come in,” he said.
Zoe closed the door behind her and walked into his office looking bright and shiny and beautiful. Her long dark hair hung in loose waves down her back. She wore a red dress with a short black jacket. The outfit danced the fine line between professional and flirty. But if anyone could pull it off, she could. She had painted her lips bright red to match the dress.
His mouth went dry and his heart twisted a little. Because, though every bit as beautiful, this polished, professional Zoe was a sharp contrast to the freshly scrubbed, makeup-free beauty who’d greeted him Saturday morning.
That mental snapshot had his mind racing back to the kiss they’d shared, how those lush lips had tasted and how she’d fit so perfectly in his arms.
For a split second he longed to hold her again and his mind searched for something, anything, that would justify kissing her one more time.
Thank God, a moment later good sense took over and he gave himself a mental shake.
“Good morning.” She flashed her usual warm smile and it made him feel a little more at ease.
“How was your weekend?”
“I had to spend a good chunk of time canceling my credit cards, but all that aside, it was great. It would’ve been even better if we would’ve had more time together.”
His mind raced, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t hurt her feelings but wouldn’t lead her on as he’d done on Friday night.
Before he could form the words, she said, “I got a new phone. I wanted t
o call you, but I didn’t have your number.”
She sat on the edge of one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“And you know what?” she said.
“What?” he asked because, well, why the hell not?
“Not knowing your number made me realize that that are a lot of things I don’t know about you, and I figured out an easy way to remedy that.”
He scowled as he picked up his cup of coffee and sipped it.
It burned his tongue.
That’s what was wrong with him. He hadn’t had enough coffee this morning. And along those same lines, he supposed he could blame his Friday-night weakness on the long day and the wine.
Lame. Yep. It was a lame excuse. But it was all he had. That, a cup of scalding coffee and woman right in front of him who was even hotter—too hot for him to handle.
“What I decided,” she continued, undeterred by his silence, “is I’m starting a new column for the employee newsletter called ‘Getting to Know You.’ I’m going to interview a new employee every week, and guess who gets to go first? You do.”
He winced before he could help it.
“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad. In fact, it will be painless. I promise. It’s five simple questions.”
“Zoe,” he said.
“Come on, Joaquin. This is me trying to show you that nothing has changed between us. So don’t make it weird. Okay? I mean, unless you don’t even want to be friends. Is that how you want it? Because that would make things very weird.”
Their gazes locked across the expanse of the desk.
No. That wasn’t how he wanted it. He still wanted to talk to her, joke around with her. She was fun and refreshing and optimistic. Exactly the type of person he needed in his life.
She was a million surprises. He had to admit, this take-charge, direct, professional attitude wasn’t what he had expected from her this morning. Obviously he’d underestimated her.
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