kidding.”
“Yes, I am.” He laughed. “Still, he’s the owner, try to stay on his good side. He might spit in your paella.”
“Maria says that too. I can’t believe that you Spanish people go around spitting in each other’s food.”
“What? I was kidding.”
“Gotcha.” I laughed. “All right. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
When he took a long drink, a wave of insanity washed over me. I forced myself to peel my eyes off the Adam’s apple moving with each swallow and vanquish all thoughts of nibbling kisses along his smooth neck.
“Why haven’t you brought more women here, to this beautiful spot?”
Those green eyes bored into mine. “Segovia is a special place for me. My parents used to bring us here for the day before going up the mountains to ski. After the accident, I didn’t want to share Segovia with anyone else. Before today.”
“Oh, Santiago, that means a lot to me. Thank you.”
After a long moment he said, “I was engaged to be married. Once.”
Cristina. “I know.”
His eyes widened. “You do?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what you went through. You never heard from her again?”
He shook his head, staring at the fork he twirled with his fingers.
“What do you think happened?”
“I wish I knew, Erin. I hope she’s happy. Wherever she is.” Pain was etched in his eyes.
Lightly, I put my hand on his. “You deserve happiness too.”
A shadow passed over his face. He turned his hand over so our fingers were linked. “What about you? A beautiful woman such as yourself must have many novios .”
“Not when she’s married to her career.” Sadness crept in and settled heavily in my chest. “There’s not much time for a social life.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“I have a fish named Hairy.”
He grinned. “Never known a woman to be in love with a fish.”
I snorted and the wine I had just sipped went up my nose. “You’ve never met Hairy. The world’s most handsome Beta.”
“Hmm. Is it strange to be jealous of a Beta?” The darned twinkle in his eyes was getting my hopes up.
“What about Helena? Nothing romantic between you two?” I stared long and hard at him, searching every pore for the truth.
He didn’t flinch under the scrutiny. “We dated a while. She’s a wonderful lady, just not what I’m looking for.”
“Ah.” I swallowed. “Looking for someone in particular, are you?”
“Yes.” His gaze was intense, his answer saying it all. “I’m tired of being alone.”
Me too. The thought popped up so fast in my brain I almost shouted it. Was the loneliness driving me insane?
He studied my face as if something remarkable and/or scary had just flashed across it.
Good grief, had I said any of that out loud?
I groped for humor to diffuse the situation. “So who is she? Describe this woman you seek. Or better yet, let me do it.”
He sat back in his chair, the grin slowly spreading. “All right.”
“Okay.” I pretended to push up my short sleeves and rubbed my palms together. “She’s got to be perfect, right? Size four everywhere, but the top.”
“Not necessarily. Someone your size would certainly do.”
That nearly knocked me off my chair. “Okay, so body perfection is not the issue. Let’s see. How about intelligence?”
“Smart, yes. For thought-provoking conversations, such as this one we are having right now. Who says your body isn’t perfect?”
I cleared my throat. “All right then. How about a woman who is devoted to her career and better at business than most men?”
He shook his head. “I’d love a woman who is good at whatever she does, even staying home and being a mother—”
“Oh no.” I groaned loudly. “You want a stay-at-home mother, preferably pregnant and barefoot, right?”
He raised his hand. “She can wear shoes.”
“Just what I thought.” I shook my head. “Most men either want a vixen, or a mother. You’re looking for—”
“A beautiful woman, inside and out, to help
“Yes, I am.” He laughed. “Still, he’s the owner, try to stay on his good side. He might spit in your paella.”
“Maria says that too. I can’t believe that you Spanish people go around spitting in each other’s food.”
“What? I was kidding.”
“Gotcha.” I laughed. “All right. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
When he took a long drink, a wave of insanity washed over me. I forced myself to peel my eyes off the Adam’s apple moving with each swallow and vanquish all thoughts of nibbling kisses along his smooth neck.
“Why haven’t you brought more women here, to this beautiful spot?”
Those green eyes bored into mine. “Segovia is a special place for me. My parents used to bring us here for the day before going up the mountains to ski. After the accident, I didn’t want to share Segovia with anyone else. Before today.”
“Oh, Santiago, that means a lot to me. Thank you.”
After a long moment he said, “I was engaged to be married. Once.”
Cristina. “I know.”
His eyes widened. “You do?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what you went through. You never heard from her again?”
He shook his head, staring at the fork he twirled with his fingers.
“What do you think happened?”
“I wish I knew, Erin. I hope she’s happy. Wherever she is.” Pain was etched in his eyes.
Lightly, I put my hand on his. “You deserve happiness too.”
A shadow passed over his face. He turned his hand over so our fingers were linked. “What about you? A beautiful woman such as yourself must have many novios .”
“Not when she’s married to her career.” Sadness crept in and settled heavily in my chest. “There’s not much time for a social life.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“I have a fish named Hairy.”
He grinned. “Never known a woman to be in love with a fish.”
I snorted and the wine I had just sipped went up my nose. “You’ve never met Hairy. The world’s most handsome Beta.”
“Hmm. Is it strange to be jealous of a Beta?” The darned twinkle in his eyes was getting my hopes up.
“What about Helena? Nothing romantic between you two?” I stared long and hard at him, searching every pore for the truth.
He didn’t flinch under the scrutiny. “We dated a while. She’s a wonderful lady, just not what I’m looking for.”
“Ah.” I swallowed. “Looking for someone in particular, are you?”
“Yes.” His gaze was intense, his answer saying it all. “I’m tired of being alone.”
Me too. The thought popped up so fast in my brain I almost shouted it. Was the loneliness driving me insane?
He studied my face as if something remarkable and/or scary had just flashed across it.
Good grief, had I said any of that out loud?
I groped for humor to diffuse the situation. “So who is she? Describe this woman you seek. Or better yet, let me do it.”
He sat back in his chair, the grin slowly spreading. “All right.”
“Okay.” I pretended to push up my short sleeves and rubbed my palms together. “She’s got to be perfect, right? Size four everywhere, but the top.”
“Not necessarily. Someone your size would certainly do.”
That nearly knocked me off my chair. “Okay, so body perfection is not the issue. Let’s see. How about intelligence?”
“Smart, yes. For thought-provoking conversations, such as this one we are having right now. Who says your body isn’t perfect?”
I cleared my throat. “All right then. How about a woman who is devoted to her career and better at business than most men?”
He shook his head. “I’d love a woman who is good at whatever she does, even staying home and being a mother—”
“Oh no.” I groaned loudly. “You want a stay-at-home mother, preferably pregnant and barefoot, right?”
He raised his hand. “She can wear shoes.”
“Just what I thought.” I shook my head. “Most men either want a vixen, or a mother. You’re looking for—”
“A beautiful woman, inside and out, to help
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