Unless, of course, he could persuade her to stay the night at his apartment.
The thought of luring secrets from her while between his Egyptian cotton sheets had merit, he thought, but would she play along? Sara had kept him at arm’s length, flirting with him but never letting it go too far. For some reason he’d never felt the urge to press the issue with her, especially as he’d never held the intention of following through on the engagement. With Sarina, however, there was an inexplicable difference. Almost a yearning. From the minute she’d appeared outside his offices, he’d felt a physical connection between the two of them, and it would be all too tempting to explore it further.
The idea took a firmer hold in his mind. How hard could it be to seduce the truth from her? he wondered. She had no idea he was onto whatever cunning plan the sisters had hatched between them.
The sun was low on the water and a new crowd of people had entered the bar. Noisier, more flamboyant and with an edge of careless fun he had no mood to indulge in.
He downed the last of his wine and stood, taking Sarina’s hand and encouraging her to her feet.
“Come, it is time we went to my apartment. I have a special evening planned for us both.”
“I don’t know if I could eat another thing after those delicious bites,” she halfheartedly protested as she tucked her clutch bag under her free arm.
He smiled in return and leaned closer to her, his lips almost grazing the shell of her ear as he spoke.
“I think I can tempt you to more, just you wait and see.”
Even in the subdued lighting of the bar, he saw the flush creep across her cheeks and noted the change in pitch in her breathing.
They strolled back toward his apartment building, a mere ten minutes away, and he allowed the silence between them to continue. Far better to allow her to consume her thoughts with what he might have in mind than to cloud them with inane conversation. Outside the restaurant, he drew her against his side, one arm casually draped across her shoulders and his fingertips tracing small patterns over the top of her bare arm.
He felt her skin react instantly, tiny goose bumps peppering the surface, and sensed the shiver that ran through her body.
“Cold?” he asked.
“No, not at all,” she replied, her voice slightly thick, as if she’d just woken.
He allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction, but it was short-lived because even as he recognized how his touch affected her, so did it in turn affect him. Desire could be a double-edged sword at times, he mused as he led her through the vast, glass sliding doors leading into the lobby of his building.
He guided her into the mirrored elevator and as they traveled to the top floor he marveled anew at just how identical she and Sara were. If he hadn’t been aware of that intrinsic spark of difference in his reaction to them, he would never have been able to pick one from the other. From the lush, dark red spirals of hair, the wide-set gray eyes thickly lashed in black, to the long patrician nose and the full, deliciously sensual mouth—Sara and Sarina were mirror images of one another.
On his floor, he swiped his electronic key to open the double doors, again carved with the family crest, and showed Sarina into his apartment. The carefully carved words seemed to leap out at him as he passed through the doors and pulled them closed behind him. Honor. Truth. Love. It was as if each word echoed in his mind. His internal response was instant and emphatic. Of course he abided by all three. How could he do anything else and still hold his head high?
But what of the lie he’d been perpetuating with Sara? a quiet deep voice asked from within. Could he swear that he’d been truthful about that? Could he claim his actions had been fully honorable? He puffed out a breath of frustration at the train his thoughts were taking. He had no time to examine this now.
“Is everything okay?” Sarina asked.
“More than okay,” Rey said, gliding across the carpet and gathering her in his arms.
She slid into his hold as if she’d been doing this for weeks rather than days, he thought. There was no sense of restraint, no physical holding back. Her lower stomach and thighs pressed against him and she curved into his body as if it was the most natural thing in the world to her.
And it was certainly the most natural thing for his body to welcome hers, he thought ruefully as his pulse began to beat that bit faster and his temperature rose. The scent of her hair and the fragrance she wore wound their delicate way around him, casting a spell upon his senses.
Sara had never affected him so deeply, he acknowledged as he stroked his hands over the bare skin of Sarina’s back. Sure, he’d been attracted to Sara. He was a hot-blooded, heterosexual male with a well-honed appreciation for a beautiful woman, but there was something about Sarina that hit a different chord with him.
Perhaps it was the fact that he knew she was not who she claimed to be that added that extra touch of spice to being with her. He eschewed the thought even as it occurred to him. It had been different from the moment she’d arrived here, not since he’d figured out that she was an imposter.
He tipped her chin up to his and kissed her lightly on the lips before reluctantly setting her away from him.
“I need to check on something in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.”
He needed to create some distance before he lost himself in her and forgot what he was trying to find out.
“You cooked?”
She followed him into the large and well-equipped kitchen.
“I am capable of it, you know.” He laughed at the note of surprise in her voice and lifted the lid on the slow cooker he had on the bench top. Instantly, the rich aroma of the spiced lamb he’d prepared before heading into his office this morning filled the air.
“That smells divine,” Sarina said, coming beside him and leaning over the pot to inhale.
She closed her eyes and breathed theatrically, then smiled.
“I didn’t think I could be hungry so soon after the tapas, but I’m prepared to be wrong about that.”
“Good, I’m pleased to hear it,” he said, giving the mixture a gentle stir before replacing the lid. “I’ll put the rice on and we’ll be ready to eat in about twenty minutes or so.”
“Can I do anything to help? Set the table or something?”
“I thought we could eat outside on the terrace. The harbor is beautiful this time of year and when the sun sets fully, it’s lovely to see the lights. You’ll find place mats and cutlery in the drawers over there.” He gestured to a sideboard against the wall. “Would you like a drink while we wait for the rice?”
“Just water will be fine. If I have any more wine, it might go to my head.”
“And that would be a bad thing?”
She just laughed and got the utensils and place mats out of the drawer before crossing to the wide glass picture windows that led outside onto his private balcony. The expanse of tiles with the toughened safety glass wall beyond, allowing an unobstructed view of the inner harbor, had been a major selling point for him when he’d bought the apartment.
He’d loved living at the castillo—it had been his family’s home for centuries and he’d enjoyed the sense of longevity surrounding him while growing up, even more so when his parents had unexpectedly and tragically passed away. But once he hit his mid-twenties he’d wanted something intrinsically his own, and he was drawn to the busyness of the city—loved being close to his work where he headed up the publicity machine that was responsible for driving the del Castillo brand, in its many forms, to greater heights.
“Wow, that view certainly is something,” Sarina said as she came back into the apartment. “It’s a good thing I have a head for heights with that wall of glass there.”
“It unnerves some people. Are you sure you’re comfortable to sit out there?”
“Oh, definitely, I wouldn’t miss the sunset for all the world,” she gushed enthusiastically.
The phone on the wall gave a discreet chirp, distracting him from her smilin
g face.
“Hola!” he answered, then frowned at the voice on the other end. “Sí, I understand.” There was another pause. “Well, of course we will manage. You make sure she is well cared for. If there is anything I can do, don’t hesitate to ask. Anything, do you understand? Adios.”
Slowly he replaced the receiver and rubbed his hands across his eyes.
“Is it Benedict, is something wrong?” Sarina asked.
“No.” He sighed. “It isn’t Benedict, thank goodness, but it is serious. My PA has been diagnosed with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, she’s being rushed into surgery now. That was her husband. He’s beside himself with worry about her and apparently all she could think of as they wheeled her away was for him to tell me that she won’t be in to work tomorrow.” He shook his head in amazement.
“She obviously takes her job very seriously.”
“Sí, she does. She is like my right hand in the office. I could never have spent so much time at the hospital with Benedict if she were not so trustworthy.”
“You must be worried about her.”
“I am, but I know the doctors at the hospital are among the best in the world. I’m sure they will do whatever they can. I do fear, though, that she will put more strain on herself fretting about leaving the office at what she knows to be such a crucially important time, aside from Benedict’s situation.”
“How so?”
“Our company is working on a major publicity push for the resort and the winery. Having to get another person up to speed will cause delays.” He shrugged and turned to open the fridge and grab the fixings to throw together a green salad. “Still, there’s nothing I can do about that. We’ll just have to make do, and reassure Carmella as best we can that everything is under control.”
“Do you have a temp agency you can call to fill in someone else’s position at work and then second one of your existing staff into her role?” Sarina suggested.
“It’s a good idea but we’re already operating on a skeleton staff through the summer.”
“Perhaps I could help?”
He laughed out loud at the suggestion. “You? There are no horses in my office, and the only time my staff jump is when I make them.”
“Horses aren’t the only thing I can manage,” she replied, lifting her nose in the air. “I’ve been known to run— I mean, I’ve helped my sister a time or two back home when she’s been snowed under. She sometimes needs an extra pair of hands on a keyboard or a fresh perspective on her ideas.”
Reynard noted her near mistake in revealing her true vocation. He pretended to consider her suggestion as he ripped apart lettuce leaves and tossed them into a bowl. If she’d orchestrated a reason to come to work in his office, then he might have been suspicious, since it could have been part of whatever plot she was brewing. But she couldn’t have anticipated Carmella’s situation. And besides, it might not be a bad idea, he decided, to have her exactly where he could find her every minute of the day. Eventually, she’d be bound to slip up somewhere and he’d be in a position to extract the truth from her, and put an end to her and her sister’s plans.
“Do you really think you could?”
“I’m going nuts with boredom at the cottage, Rey, give me a chance. If I stuff up, then you can fire me,” she said with a self-deprecating shrug.
He nodded slowly. “Okay, then. Starting tomorrow you can be my temporary assistant. I warn you, though, I’m a hard taskmaster.”
“Good,” she replied. “I enjoy a challenge.”
Oh, she’d have her challenge, all right. But it wouldn’t be the kind of challenge she’d be expecting. It would be a challenge of her own honesty and truth, and it would be on his terms. Something he was very much looking forward to.
Nine
A challenge? Rina wanted to grab the words back into her mouth the minute she’d said them. What the heck had she been thinking? Work with him? Sara would never have done anything like that at anytime let alone when she was supposed to be on holiday—or, more importantly, enjoying life as the fiancée of one of the island’s leading citizens.
She wasn’t kidding about being bored, though. Aside from the strain of waiting for news about Benedict at the hospital, at least there she’d felt useful, as if she’d had something of value to offer and add to the family’s comfort. At the cottage there was nothing. She’d met the cleaner and been soundly scolded both in Spanish and in English for risking life and limb on the rickety old bike. Now she wasn’t allowed to do her own grocery shopping or any cleaning around the house. And she got the feeling the woman wouldn’t be too happy that she’d done some gardening, either.
With Sara not returning her texts or calls, she felt as if she was locked in limbo—and sitting still had never been her forte.
“When do I start?” she asked.
“Is tomorrow morning too soon?” Reynard replied.
His expression remained urbane but she saw something in his eyes that made her think he expected her to withdraw, or find some reason to change her mind.
“That should be fine. How shall I get into the office, though?”
“Good question. The ideal solution would be for you to stay here,” he suggested.
Again she had that sense that he was watching her. Preparing to gauge her reply.
“That could work, or I could hire a car so I’m a little more independent.”
His eyes narrowed a little. “Are you sure? You wouldn’t prefer to do without the worry of driving in the central city, on the opposite side of the road to what you are used to?”
“I’m sure I’ll get used to it pretty quickly. I’ve driven in Europe before. It becomes logical when you’re driving in the left-hand seat to keep your left shoulder to the center of the road.”
He nodded slowly, but she had the impression he was less than pleased. For herself, as tempting as it was to stay in the apartment with him, she knew she would never be able to resist wanting to be more intimate with him. There was an allure between them that she found more and more difficult to fight. For the sake of her love for her sister, she didn’t dare give in to it.
“It will not be necessary for you to hire a vehicle. There is bound to be a spare car in one of the garages at the castillo. I’ll call Alex and see what’s available if you’re set on driving yourself.”
“I am, and I appreciate it.”
“You like your independence?” he asked.
“Within limits,” she acceded.
If she really was engaged to him, she’d have agreed to stay at his apartment in a flash, but that wasn’t the case. Besides, for whatever reason, Sara had been keeping a distance between herself and Rey, and until she came back, Rina had to work harder to maintain it.
Reynard turned to check the rice on the stove top.
“Ah, dinner is ready. Would you take the salad and the dressing in that glass cruet to the table? I’ll bring the plates.”
Rina did as she was bid and Rey followed behind her in a few moments with their meals plated up. They ate in a relatively companionable silence, given the way her mind was now racing. After their meal they watched as the sky turned myriad shades of purple before turning into a black velvet blanket peppered with golden stars.
“I see why you chose to live here,” Rina commented. “It’s as if the sky is mirroring the lights in the city below.”
Reynard nodded. “Yes, I never grow tired of the view. I wondered, at first, whether I would even notice the stars sitting here at night, but you can see everything when you look for it.”
Rina shot him a sharp look. Was there a hidden message in there, or was she simply being oversensitive? When Rey didn’t say any more, she relaxed a little.
“By the way,” Rey continued, “I took the opportunity to phone Alex while I made the coffee. He has instructed a staff member to bring a car around for you tomorrow morning. It is one of their pool cars so it won’t be missed.”
“I really appreciate that. Will you show me tonight where I wi
ll need to go, before you take me home?” she asked.
He nodded. “Sí, and we can make a quick call into my offices to get you a card for the parking garage under the building, too. Shall we be on our way then?”
“I think that’s a good idea. Wouldn’t do to keep the help up too late.” She smiled.
Rey snorted a soft laugh and shook his head. “Is that what you are to me now? The help? Is it not enough to be my fiancée?”
“I didn’t mean any offense,” Rina amended.
“No offense taken,” Rey said, reaching for her hand and leading her from the table. “But just so you know I’m clear on this, I heartily concur with office romance.”
He wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head, his lips warm and soft against hers, the lingering, slightly nut-flavored taste of their coffee on his tongue as he kissed her. Rational thought fled as he deepened the kiss and as she wound her arms around his neck, holding him close to her. Liquid heat flooded her body, curling around her like a burning silken ribbon of need which then tightened and clenched deep within her womb in an age-old response.
Moisture pooled at the apex of her thighs, her skin there sensitive, yearning for more. Yearning for his touch. Her nipples peaked against the softness of her bra, her breasts full and aching for him. When his hands skimmed up her rib cage and cupped her through the fine fabric of her dress, she moaned, a guttural sound that came from deep within. She arched her back, pressing her breasts against his palms, wanting to feel his possession without the barriers of the layers between his touch and her skin.
He shifted and his hardness pressed against her mound, drawing another moan from her as sensation spiraled with increasing demand from her core. She lifted one leg, hooking it around his, tilting her pelvis so she could flex against him again and again, slow, firm. Firmer.
He dropped one hand to clasp her thigh and the raw heat of his fingers curled around her flesh burned like a brand. He broke off the kiss, his breathing heavy, and rested his forehead against hers.
Stand-In Bride's Seduction Page 9