by Linda Bond
When the mystery man suddenly broke through the gathering, her breath halted in her lungs.
Antonio stopped when he saw her.
Their eyes locked, and her heart pounded as if injected with adrenaline. She shot a hand to her head, fingering a strand of hair that had fallen loose. Antonio had cut his glorious long hair, almost shaved it all off, into a preppy cut typical of most South Tampa millionaires.
She slid her other hand across her mouth. Slowly, she pulled her fingers over her lips and across her chin. Freshly shaven, Antonio’s goatee was completely gone, his features no longer looking dangerous, but regal instead. The man walking toward her looked younger than she remembered, and he’d traded his fatigues and beret for a beautifully fitted, expensive-looking black tuxedo and a simple black bow tie.
Wow. She took a step backward, knocked out by Antonio’s new appearance. He looked, quite literally, like a young James Bond. Like a freaking million bucks.
Quickly Rebecca walked into the crowd and away from Sam, Zack, and Dallas. Antonio swerved and followed, his dark eyes never breaking the stare. Those black orbs hadn’t changed at all. They still flamed with intent. Antonio ignored several people trying to stop him, his stride purposeful, as if he couldn’t wait to get to her.
As if no one else in the room mattered.
Loud voices, many close by, blended together into a distant buzz. The room shrank and her vision narrowed and all she could see was Antonio.
The closer he drew, the more of her body tingled with anticipation.
He’d made it back, alive! Part of her wanted to run to him, throw her arms around his neck and squeeze him until the whole length of his body melted into hers. She wanted to scream how happy she was that their leaving without him hadn’t resulted in his death. But another part of her realized what a threat his return posed, and he probably didn’t even know it. Closing her eyes, her hand came to rest on her neck, her jagged pulse the proof of her apprehension.
She swallowed, wondering what he’d do next. They were in the middle of a roomful of people, people who had heard Antonio’s name on the news, seen video of him, although he did look quite different now. And no one would expect an escaped revolutionary to score an invite to the governor’s exclusive soiree, but she was still nervous someone might catch on. Namely Zack. What should she do? She had to think first. Okay, maybe breathe first.
“Buenas noches, mi amor.”
She opened her eyes. His heat washed across the nape of her neck. He was right behind her. How did he do that? Move around and shift positions so swiftly? “Good evening, Antonio.” She stared at the bustling crowd of dancers and partiers mingling around as if nothing mattered. None of them had any idea a society scandal was brewing, about to boil over right before their eyes.
“Rebecca, look at me.”
The strain in his voice made her breath hitch. “Jesus, you’re alive,” she whispered, turning toward him. Tonight, he smelled not of seven-year rum but of expensive top-shelf whiskey.
“Yes, I am.” He raised one brow, a confident smile on his lips.
“And you’re here.”
“You should close your mouth.” His eyes twinkled, locking with hers. “People are beginning to stare.”
Her gaze automatically brushed the couples standing closest to them. A few pairs of eyes were on them. “I can’t believe it’s you.” Like a moth to the flame, her gaze flew back to Antonio. Her sexy, disheveled revolutionary had vanished. This man looked like he’d spent the day at a men’s spa, instead of returning from a Cuban jail cell. A lump formed in the back of her throat.
He reached out to brush a strand of hair away from her eyes. “The look on your face tells me you’ve missed me.”
“I have.” She sighed. “I have, but Antonio, please.” She brushed his hand away. His fingers left a trail of heat. “Not here.”
“Are you serious?” The cockiness drained out of his eyes, and hurt moved in. “That’s how you greet the man who came all this way just to thank you?”
“Oh God, I’m sorry.” The dam holding back her emotions cracked. “I’m so sorry we left you.” Placing a hand over her heart didn’t stop the leak. “We didn’t have a choice. That damn Ignado betrayed us all.” She dropped her head, unable to bear the wounded look in his eyes. “I’m glad you’re alive.” And she was, but she also feared what his appearance here might do to his future. “But you have to go now. For your own safety.” She glanced up at him.
His left eyebrow cocked up. He glanced at one couple in particular, who looked as if they were already spreading rumors about them. He nodded politely and turned back to her. “I believe I bought myself at least two minutes with you on the dance floor. I’m not leaving until I collect.”
“Don’t be crazy.” She took a step back, her gaze darting toward the table where her friends had been sitting. They weren’t there anymore.
Antonio thrived on crossing the line and facing the consequences later. If she agreed to the dance, she’d keep him away from Zack, who would be itching to take Antonio in for questioning once Zack found out Antonio was actually here. The dance floor was filling up. “Okay.” She couldn’t look at Antonio. He looked so damn good, and she’d already fallen prey to that physical chemistry once. “Let’s get this dance over with.”
“Well, when you put it that way.” Antonio reached for her hand and pulled her toward the dance floor. He didn’t say another word as he led her into the center of the tangled web made up mostly of South Tampa couples. A number of people stared with raised eyebrows as they walked by. Her stomach clenched at their judgmental glances. But they couldn’t know who Antonio was. They wouldn’t recognize him like this. She was just being paranoid.
Once Antonio got her deep in the center of the moving crowd, where they simply blended in with the wave of dancers, he drew her to his hard body, pulling her so close she could feel proof of his excitement at seeing her again. Jesus, did he always have his testosterone level turned on high? The crowd of people staring her down melted into an unimportant blob, and once again her body automatically reacted to his.
“You’re trembling.”
“I’m frightened.”
“Why?” he whispered into her ear. “I’m not going to leave you again. I promise.”
“That’s what scares me.”
He stiffened and stopped dancing, pulling back enough to look into her eyes. He wasn’t smiling.
“I’m not going to lie to you,” she said. “I’m thrilled to see you. I’ve been worrying about you every day. But in all honesty, it would be better for you if you would just leave. We can meet and talk about this later.”
Another slow song started. “I have a better idea. Let’s not talk at all.” He pulled her into a more intimate embrace, easily sweeping her into his arms.
Her body fit into his so effortlessly, just like it had the last time they’d danced at Johnny’s farm. “Oh Antonio, it’s not going to be that easy.”
“I suggest you start calling me Tony. That’s how people in Tampa know me.”
She stopped midstep. “People in Tampa know you?” Glancing over his shoulder, she exclaimed, “These people?”
“Well, many have heard of Tony Vegas.” Swaying, he forced her to move in time with the slow, sensual beat of the Latin ballad. “I have a reputation for being a shrewd businessman, but I admit to being a bit of a recluse in the past.”
Tony Vegas? Heat spread throughout her body. What game was he playing now?
His fingers found that sensitive area at her waist, right above her hip bone. He pressed in with both his fingers and thumb.
She shivered and pushed his hand away. “Stop it. Why Tony Vegas?”
“The Miami sisters who placed me with a Catholic family when I first arrived here thought I’d stand a better chance with a more American name.”
Moving his fingers casually back to her waist, he stroked her in small movements that no one dancing near by would be able to pick up, but the tiny el
ectrical jolts shooting through her body left her breathless. “Please, Antonio, stop teasing me.”
He continued to touch her in an intimate manner.
She quivered, like she had the last time he played this control game, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t be fooled by this polished appearance. I may have cleaned up, but the man inside has not changed,” he whispered. “You know I believe in doing what I want. And right now, what I want to do is you. I’ve missed you.” His voice broke as he said it.
The flat of his palm on her lower back and the seriousness of his words sent longing soaring throughout her already-aroused body. “Why are you here tonight? Why not talk in private?” Tell him. Tell him the truth. That there’s another reason he has to leave. The police know his name. Zack knows his name and what he looks like. They will arrest and charge him despite the public outcry or her efforts to stop them.
“I decided I needed to reenter society and stop hiding under all that hair and all that old anger.”
Oh my God. “You’re different.”
His body twirled in a small circle, taking her with him. “You’ve changed me. I knew you’d be here, and I wanted to thank you personally for taking care of my family while I couldn’t. You have no idea how much that means to me.”
Her breath stilled and her heart swelled about three times its normal size. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the wave of joy tiding in her. Antonio knew she’d gone to Miami and had claimed his sister and family members. “A six-thousand-dollar donation is thank-you enough, I think.”
“Money means nothing.” His eyes smiled down at her. “But the charity you selected is a good one.”
“How would you know?” Antonio and charity didn’t really add up.
“I helped the nuns start that charity six years ago, after I sold my company.”
“What?” Rebecca tripped over his left foot, forcing them to bump into an elderly retired doctor and his wife dancing next to them. “So sorry,” Rebecca murmured, her attention immediately pulled back to her own partner. Would he continue to surprise her like this? “Your company?”
“I used to ship Florida produce to other countries, including Cuba.”
The irony of his statement didn’t escape her. “You sent food to Cuba, where they have endless fertile farm land, but not enough to eat.” She shook her head.
“That sounded a bit cynical.” The corners of his mouth tipped up. “I think I’m rubbing off on you, Rebecca Menendez. Perhaps you did see Cuba through my eyes, after all.”
Her heart skipped beats, and the heat in her cheeks flamed hotter. Antonio was doing it again. Slowly seducing her with his words, his passion and his politics. Stop it, Rebecca. Get a grip on yourself. She’d gotten out of this whole thing without any repercussions on her life. She should listen to Zack and stay away from Antonio. But selling produce wasn’t illegal. She needed to hear more about Antonio’s life. He wasn’t a criminal. Was he?
She looked to her right. Another doctor’s wife was watching them with an inquisitive look on her face as she and her husband slow-danced nearby.
“My company was quite successful. I sold it for millions, took the money, and took time off to plan and execute our trip to Cuba.”
Our trip. She shook her head. Don’t let him pull you in. Keep some distance between you two. “So you actually run in these circles?” The owner of a chain of successful jewelry stores and his glamorous wife danced past them, both flashing smiles. At least they weren’t judgers. “Why haven’t we met before this?”
“I’ve chosen not to attend these events, until now.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “I used to believe most of these people represented everything I hated.”
“And now?”
He dropped his gaze, paused, and then twirled her full circle, her gown sweeping across the floor. “I’m opening my eyes and my heart to new possibilities.”
Stumbling and catching herself, she looked up at him, conflicted emotions raging in her center. “Because of me?”
He nodded, holding her up and settling them once again into a slow, sexy groove. “I know this world is important to you. Unlike most here, I understand why.” He pulled her in, his cheek brushing hers, his skin hot and fevered. “I’m willing to give this world a chance if that’s what you really want.”
…
“We could do so much good together.” His lips found her skin, and he whispered against her cheek, “When I first saw you tonight, you literally took my breath away.” She smelled so good. Felt so good. He caressed her shoulder, stroking her exposed flesh, moving his fingers in circles, hoping to send electric pricks of pleasure throughout her body. “I don’t think I can let you go. Not right now. Not ever again.” God, he missed her. He missed the fire in her eyes, the passion in her voice when she stood up to him, and the way her body melted into his, just like it was doing now.
He pulled back and stared at her, feeling a longing so intense it made his center quake. “I thought about you and what might have happened to you and my family every single day I was away. You have no idea how surprised and thankful I was when I learned from my uncle you convinced my sister, Esmeralda, Pedro, and Tonito to come with you to America. Esmeralda told me you actually offered to go with Ignado to Havana to try to help me. That you’d risk your own safety…” He swallowed. No one had ever risked so much for him. “I can’t explain what that means to me. And you took care of my family while I’ve been gone. You may not admit it, or even realize it yet, but you did that because you care about me.”
“Oh Antonio, I have to talk to you.”
But the way Rebecca was looking at him made him think she wanted nothing to do with words. Neither did he. He wanted to touch her whole body, run his hands through her long hair all fancy and piled on top of her head, mash his lips on top of hers.
“Please, take me out of here. Off this dance floor.”
It was as if she could read his mind. That’s exactly what he wanted to do. Get the hell out of here. He grabbed her hand and led her off the dance floor.
She stumbled.
He looked back.
She was staring across the dance floor, but it was hard to see whom she was focused on. His blood pressure raised a notch. He didn’t want her focused on anyone but him right now. It hadn’t been easy getting out of Cuba with so many looking for him. But he did it, thanks to Jose Carlos, in large part to get back to her. Make sure she was okay. He wanted Rebecca’s full attention now.
She turned back to him. “Your six-thousand-dollar, two-minute dance is over. You have to go now.”
He smiled, wondering how she could have forgotten so quickly who was in charge. “Follow me then.” He grabbed her hand. “Because I am not leaving this dance floor without you.”
She knew better than to resist. He may have polished his looks, but the rebel still raged inside him, and he’d cause a scene if he had to.
Maybe she realized that, because she nodded and finally let him lead.
Silently he pulled her through the moving crowd, the human sea parting in front of them, and an ocean of inquisitive glances tiding the floor in their wake.
Chapter Eighteen
Pulling her behind him, Antonio strode through the mansion silently, exiting the main ballroom and heading down a hallway. A few people nodded, recognizing Rebecca, but the looks of appreciation from other women as Antonio passed by made her stomach turn. Was this what jealousy felt like? Or was it simply anxiety stirring her insides?
She kept glancing back, waiting for Sam and Zack or Dallas to descend on them, but so far her friends must not have made the connection to her disappearance and the mystery bidder. Someone who had noticed her and Antonio dancing would eventually tell them. It was only a matter of time. What the hell was she doing? Why did she continue to let Antonio persuade her to follow him when she knew the result would be nothing but disastrous for both of them?
Every nerve in her bod
y vibrated, like a tightly strung cord rocked by a jolt of electricity. She felt alive when she was with Antonio. That’s why she was following him now.
Antonio moved through a pair of doors into a smaller version of the big ballroom. How many rooms did the governor’s mansion have? Looking up to see whom she might know in this room and whom she might need to avoid, she stopped as the opulence of the decor stole her breath away. The entire room looked like a fairy-tale fantasyland, with white linen treatments from windowsill to floor, white trees with crystal lighting hanging from fake branches, and more than a dozen long dessert tables, dressed in white linen with various sweet delicacies displayed in between large carved ice sculptures. This room looked like a snow queen’s ice palace, just the kind of fancy venue she’d dreamed of for her own future wedding reception.
“What are you thinking?” Antonio walked up to where she’d paused, near a large dessert table. He was staring at her with both eyebrows raised.
Antonio looked deliciously handsome, and conflicted emotions turned like a screw inside her. With only a few inches between them now, high-voltage energy surged through her. Her fingers tapped against the tablecloth.
“Tell me. What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked, his eyes narrowing but the corners of his lips turning up, like he already knew where her mind was wandering.
“I’m all knotted up.” She stepped away, catching her breath, taking in the rest of the room. She had to change the subject or she’d just throw herself into his arms and be done with it. But she had something to prove to Antonio first. “I wonder if the taxpayers are footing the bill for all of this? And even if they’re not, this is an example of what’s wrong with America.”
Antonio took a step back, cocking his head to one side. “Not exactly what I expected to hear from you right now.”
She bit her bottom lip, well aware of how off-the-charts her comment must sound, but there was something deep inside her that longed for Antonio to see how the trip to Cuba had affected her. “Look at all this extravagance.” On the table nearest to them, she plucked up a square brownie, with a liquid red middle and a smear of nuts and caramel on top. It was bigger than her whole hand. “The brownie is big enough to feed Esmeralda, Maria, and Tonito. For dinner. Ridiculous. And at the end of the night, they’ll throw over half of this expensive food away.” She sighed. “They always do.”