One-Click Buy: September 2010 Silhouette Desire

by Brenda Jackson

  She was female enough to be hugely relieved she’d dressed up for tonight. She knew the del Castillos tended to observe the old traditions like dressing for dinner, which was served late—Spanish fashion. Luckily, Sara’d had just the thing in her wardrobe—an off-the-shoulder deep plum-colored satin cocktail dress. Artful pleating both above and below the sash at the waist gave a feminine fullness to the fabric without creating too revealing a silhouette. It was tasteful while still being sexy, and was just the sort of thing she knew her sister would have chosen for a night like this.

  Rina had done her hair in an auburn river of curls down her back, and she’d pulled the side sections up—securing them with a cluster of small diamante clips on top of her head—which exposed the chandelier-style diamante earrings she’d chosen from Sara’s stash of jewelry. Rey’s look of approval as his eyes coasted from top to toe and back again spoke more vehemently than words.

  As the dress was fully boned, but cut quite low in back, she’d gone without a bra and beneath the soft silky fabric of the bodice she felt her nipples tighten and peak in response to the flare of desire in his gaze. She fought back a soft moan as he leaned forward and a hint of his cologne filled her nostrils. His lips were cool, impersonal upon her cheek but the look in his eyes was anything but.

  “I think we’d better head straight to the castillo, don’t you?”

  “Are we running late?” she asked, her voice a little breathless.

  “No, but we will be if we stay here a moment longer.”

  Color and warmth flood her face. She hadn’t been wrong about that look in his eyes. His comment was the closest he’d come to breaching his word, after that last time she’d allowed things to get out of control.

  Rina forced her lips into a smile. “We’d better get along then, hadn’t we?”

  The journey in Rey’s car was short and as they approached the ancient fortress, Rina was struck by the idea that a single family could have called the bastion home for so many generations. It spoke to a permanence and durability she had little concept of. As a family, they must have toiled long and hard to continue their hold on the building and the land surrounding it over the past many centuries. It spoke to a tenacity and sense of unity quite rare in a modern world.

  “This is quite some home,” she commented as they drove in through the gate set in the outer walls.

  “Impressive, isn’t it?”

  “I don’t think impressive is quite the word,” she answered, awestruck by the floodlit battlements.

  She heard Rey’s low chuckle beside her. “It has that effect on people.”

  “You must be incredibly proud of your lineage.”

  He gave a sharp nod. “Sí, we all are. We would do anything to protect what is ours. Anything.”

  Rina felt a frisson of caution run down her spine. Was it her imagination or was there an implied warning in Rey’s words? Instantly thereafter he flashed her an engaging smile, sending her worries to the back of her mind.

  “Come. If you think the exterior is daunting, just wait until you see inside.”

  Rey came around to the passenger side of the car and opened her door before taking her hand and helping her from the low-slung vehicle. She was grateful for his steadiness. The black patent leather heels she’d chosen from Sara’s shoes were higher than she usually wore, bringing her almost eye level with Rey’s hazel gaze. He placed his hand gently at the small of her back. From the heat he radiated she could almost imagine the imprint of his fanned fingers upon her skin.

  He guided her up the stairs that led to the impressive front door to the castillo. They were opened as they approached. “Buenas noches, señorita, and Señor Reynard,” the liveried man at the door welcomed them. “Please, come in. The others are waiting in the salon.”

  Rina’s eyes grew huge as she passed through the arched stone portal and into the flagstoned entrance hall. Rey was right. It was incredibly daunting. A massive wide staircase curved up one wall, the wall itself lined with gilt framed portraits. Even from this distance she could discern a strong family resemblance. Rey followed her gaze and murmured in her ear.

  “I’m lucky, I take more after our mother’s side of the family.”

  Rina laughed. “Lucky? I doubt your brothers would see it that way.”

  They continued down a corridor toward another arched doorway. Inside she could hear the low murmur of conversation. As they entered the room, Loren rose from her seat and took Rina’s hands, reaching up to kiss her cheeks.

  “I’m so glad you could come tonight. Now, we are a real family. Come and sit by me and you can tell me what you’ve been up to since we saw you last. I hear Rey has you enslaved in his office, of all things.”

  A pang of guilt lanced through her at Loren’s words. A real family? It should be Sara here tonight, not her. Rina forced a smile to her lips and murmured something vague, allowing Loren to draw her over to the others.

  Somehow she managed to make conversation, glossing over the time she’d spent helping Rey and letting him steer the conversation toward the changes they’d been discussing. This ignited a lively debate between Alex and Rey as he brought up the proposed changes at the resort. Eventually, Alex concurred with most of what had been suggested.

  “So, you have hidden talents,” Alex said directly to Rina. “Maybe you should stay on in Rey’s office. Goodness knows he could do with a fresh take on things.”

  “If I didn’t know you loved me already, mi hermano, you’d pay for that remark,” Rey bantered in return, saving Rina from making comment.

  “And what about the vineyard? I can’t imagine that you don’t have some thoughts on that,” Benedict joined the discussion for the first time.

  Rina noticed he looked pale, with faint lines of strain around his eyes. Walking with a cane, he’d moved stiffly across the room before, and his sigh of relief as he’d lowered himself into the deep button back leather chair next to hers hadn’t escaped her ears.

  She looked to Rey, who nodded. “Go on, tell him your ideas. I warn you though, he won’t be a pushover like this one,” he gestured toward Alex who snorted in mock disgust.

  She fought to control the smile on her face. Being here, being around the brothers and Loren, not to mention the old man who’d been avidly listening to his grandsons and interjecting his own opinions from time to time, was a delight. There was a deep love and respect between all of them. She could well imagine how the family code had come about with them as living examples.

  Rey crossed the room to pour a glass of one of Benedict’s finest wines and brought it over to her.

  “Could you bring the bottle over, also?” Rina asked before turning back to Benedict. When he did, she turned the label to face him and pointed at it with the tip of one finger. “I think the starting point for the wine is to have a sense of unity with the del Castillo brand. It’s something you need to consider across the business entities. At your offices, at your homes, I’m constantly reminded of your family crest. Honor. Truth. Love. But I don’t see that anywhere in your marketing, for the resort or for the wine.”

  By the time a maid came to call them into dinner, Rina had expounded on her ideas for not only revamping the wine bottle labels, but for an entire new del Castillo look. Her ideas had been met with shrewd observation and many questions but she knew from the tingle in her toes that she had captured them with her ideas. The knowledge was exhilarating but tempered with a pang of regret that she wouldn’t be here to see them through once Sara returned.

  Rey watched her from across the room and tried to ignore the sense of pride he had in her as she caught the attention of everyone else. Caught it and held it in her palm as she spoke with a passion he recognized all too easily. She might have tried to pretend a lack of knowledge on publicity and development issues in the office, but here, with a private audience, the real Sarina truly glowed.

  She was animated as she spoke, and he felt every cell in his body tune into her energy. More than that, she fit
in with the dynamic that was the del Castillo family. Strange that a cuckoo in the nest should appear to suit him so much better than the sister he had actually asked to marry him. Would Sara have eased into tonight’s conversation as easily? he wondered. He had to answer in the affirmative. She was urbane and well practiced in social mores. She would have fit in as easily—but not as well. He could see that his brothers and Abuelo were already completely under Sarina’s spell, not just because of her intelligence and insight, but because of the care and consideration she showed them all. Sara lacked the heart of her sister.

  A heart he had become increasingly intrigued by.

  Before the idea could flower and develop into something more, he reminded himself of the sham the sisters were conducting. No one did such a thing, in his knowledge anyway, without an ulterior motive. Usually a financial ulterior motive. He had to keep his wits about him and his emotions very firmly in check. Eventually he’d get the truth from Sarina, he was sure of it.

  Abuelo insisted on escorting her into the dining room, and Rey was forced to acquiesce. But as he watched the long column of her spine as she walked slowly in front of him, he couldn’t help but feel the familiar strands of anger pull at him. She was not just taking him for a ride, she was hurting them all. Loren, with her trust and eagerness to form a close friendship with another del Castillo bride. Abuelo, with his fear of the governess’s curse and his hopes for his grandsons and the family line to extend into perpetuity. Even Benedict and Alex seemed to have opened their hearts to the woman who was supposedly his forever.

  Where had their judgment gone? Alex and Benedict had initially been skeptical of his engagement when he’d announced it to them a month ago. Benedict, in particular, had skated all too close to the truth. But now, for some strange reason, they seemed to want to bring Sarina—or Sara, as they thought she was—into the family fold.

  Too many people stood to lose too much by her actions. He had to do something to force her hand and he had to do it tonight. There was no other option left to him.

  Twelve

  Rina was relieved that conversation over the dinner table was wide ranging and relaxed, however it became more and more difficult to acknowledge everyone when they called her by her sister’s name. Especially when it was Rey. More than anything she ached for him to call her by her own name, but she knew that was impossible. No matter what Sara’s decision was, Rey was strictly off-limits.

  As the evening progressed, she noticed how Benedict began to look more and more drawn. It wasn’t until Abuelo had retired upstairs for the night, aided by Javier, that Alex and Reynard turned their full attention to their younger brother.

  “How are you, really?” Reynard got straight to the point.

  Benedict flicked a look at Loren and Rina and shook his head infinitesimally. “Tired, sore. It’s only to be expected.”

  “What you need is to get away from here. I hate to say it, but keeping up appearances for Abuelo is going to do your head in, Benedict.” Alex sat back and twirled his glass of port between long fingers.

  Rina watched him, interested that for all the brothers’ similarities, they were each very firmly carved individuals. She knew there was little more than twelve months between each of the brothers but Alex clearly took to heart his role as head of the family, appearing older than his years.

  “And where am I supposed to go, Alex?”

  A trace of bitterness laced Benedict’s tone. Rina noticed Rey’s brows draw together in concern. Clearly this was not Benedict’s usual demeanor.

  “He’s right,” Rey added. “The media are bound to follow him wherever he goes around here. It’s not as if he can hide out at the resort or any of our neighboring countries. Besides, he needs to follow his rehabilitation program. He won’t be able to do that if he’s constantly being hounded.”

  “What about New Zealand?” Rina blurted before she could think twice.

  Four sets of eyes swiveled toward her.

  “New Zealand?” Alex asked, raising one brow in a manner all too similar to his brother’s. “Don’t you think that’s going a bit too far?”

  “Isn’t distance what he needs?” Rina lifted her chin toward Alex before flicking a look to Benedict. She’d expected him to appear annoyed, or at least be ready to shoot her suggestion down in flames, but there was a thoughtful expression on his pale face.

  “Sara’s right,” Loren interjected. “No one would follow him there. He could go by private jet. It would lessen the risk of his travel plans being detected and ensure his travel is more comfortable.”

  “But what about the personal trainer he’s hired?” Rey interjected.

  “We do have personal trainers in New Zealand, you know,” Rina commented, semi-teasingly. “It might be the other side of the world, but it is quite civilized.”

  “Why can’t he come with me?” Benedict spoke and all heads snapped toward him as if pulled on the same cord.

  “You’re serious about this?” Alex asked, a note of incredulity in his voice. “But you should be here. Close to home. What if—”

  “What if nothing. There’s no more the doctors can do for me, I’ve told you as much. Besides, I can recuperate in New Zealand just as easily as I can here. Better, probably, because I won’t need to worry about you all.”

  “And the vineyard?” Rey asked, sending a confused look in Alex’s direction.

  Alex merely shrugged his shoulders, deferring to Benedict who immediately started to speak.

  “The vineyard has managed without me all this time. What’s another month? It’s not as if I can actually work there anyway, I’m still too damn weak. Besides, I can work on a computer from New Zealand as effectively as I can here at home. Maybe now that things are financially looking up a bit again, I can complete that research into the new wine varieties I started to explore four years ago.”

  “You’d be willing to do this, then? Be so far from all of us?” Alex asked quietly.

  “If it means having a chance to come to terms with everything, then, yes.”

  There was an undercurrent between the men that Rina couldn’t put her finger on. Judging from Loren’s expression, she too was out of the loop. Alex turned to Rina, his dark eyes serious.

  “Did you have somewhere in mind that would suit Benedict’s needs at this time? Privacy is of the utmost importance.”

  “Actually, I do have a place that should work. A friend of mine runs an exclusive boutique hotel and health spa on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, about twenty minutes from Queenstown by private launch. There’s a fully equipped gym, aqua therapy facilities, a lap pool—pretty much everything you need. Above all, it’s totally secluded. Only a private wharf, or heli access. Of course, being winter there and with Queenstown the tourist mecca it is, it’s a pretty busy time of year for Mia, but I could call her if you like—see if she has space available?” Rina offered.

  “I know the area. You think you could arrange this now?” Benedict asked, his chocolate brown eyes burning with intent.

  Rina looked at the ornate antique ormolu clock on the sideboard. “I can try. New Zealand is twelve hours ahead of us, so it’ll be ten-thirty a.m. there. I should be able to get a hold of her.”

  Loren rose from her chair. “Come with me, Sara, I’ll take you to my study. Perhaps you can call your friend from there.”

  “When would you want to book from, and for how long?” Rina asked as she followed Loren to the door.

  “As soon as she can take me, and for at least a month.”

  Her head spun slightly at the swiftness with which Benedict had made his decision. Clearly he wanted to get away from Isla Sagrado, but why so urgently?

  “And, Sara?”

  She turned in the doorway. “Yes?”

  “I want sole occupancy—well, for me, my trainer and possibly one or two other personal staff. I’ll pay handsomely for the privilege.”

  She nodded. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”

  When Rina returned to the din
ing room she was bubbling with suppressed excitement.

  “It’s doable,” she said as she entered the room. “Provided you agree to her financial terms, and that you pass a credit check, you’re all set for next week. I had to do some persuading because she was heavily booked for the time you want, but she’s agreed to transfer those to other resorts and spas in the area. She does expect to be well compensated for the loss of trade and for the disruption to her existing guests, of course. I’d told her I’d let you know and call her back.”

  “And her terms?” Benedict asked.

  “The same rate as if she had a hundred percent occupancy of the hotel, plus a premium of twenty percent.”

  “Make the premium thirty percent. I’ll pay half up front, the other half at the end of the occupation.”

  Rina gasped. “Are you sure?”

  “Never more so. Call her back.”

  “I still can’t believe he made up his mind so quickly,” Rina said to Rey as they drove back to the cottage.

  “He has his reasons,” Rey replied enigmatically. “Thank you for supporting him in this. For making it easy for him.”

  “I’m just glad I could help.” She stared out at the dark landscape and worried at her lower lip with her teeth. “His injuries—he will recover from them, won’t he?”

  Rey sighed. “We hope so. But the accident has taken a far greater emotional toll than we expected. I think his recovery may take a while longer. I’m only sorry he feels the need to be so far from us while he does so.”

  Rina reached across the interior of the car and put her hand on Rey’s thigh, squeezing gently with her fingers.

  “He’ll be all right. Mia will ensure he’s looked after and her staff is exceptionally well trained as far as privacy is concerned.”

  “They will need to be. My brother’s pride has taken enough of a blow with his accident—it would crush him to see pictures of himself, in his less-than-able state, plastered across the tabloids. This way, when he returns to Isla Sagrado, he’ll be his old self again.”