Enamored by Diana Palmer Page B

about his Latin heritage,” Apollo explained with a glance at Diego, whose expression gave nothing away. “The gentleman making the remarks was very big and very mean, and to make a long story short, Diego assisted the gentleman into the hotel swimming pool through a plate-glass window.”
    “It was a long time ago.” Diego turned as Matthew came running into the room.
    “You have to come see my drawing, Mama,” the boy said urgently, tugging at his mother’s hand. “I drew a puppy dog and a bee! Come look!”
    “Momento,
Matthew,” Diego said firmly, holding the boy still. He introduced the visitors, who smiled down warmly at the child. “You can show your drawings to Mama in a moment, when our visitors have gone, all right, little one?”
    “All right.” Matthew sighed. He smiled at his mama and went shyly past the visitors and back to his crayons.
    Apollo said, “He’s a mirror image of you…” The last word trailed away under the black fury of Diego’s eyes. He cleared his throat. “Well, we’d better get back to work. We’ll be over with the others tonight. But we won’t stay long. We don’t want to wear out the missus, and don’t lay on food. Just drinks. Okay?”
    “And we’ll come in separate cars next time,” Joyce grumbled, darting a glance at the black man. “His idea of city driving is to aim the car and close his eyes.”
    “I could drive if you could stop putting your hands over your eyes and making those noises,” he shot back.
    “I was trying to say my prayers!”
    “See you later,” Apollo told Melissa and Diego. He took Joyce by the arm and half led, half dragged her out of the apartment.
    “Don’t they make a sweet couple?” Melissa murmured dryly when they’d gone. “I wonder if they both carry life insurance…?”
    Diego smiled faintly at the mischief in her eyes. “An interesting observation, Señora Laremos. Now, if there is nothing I can do for you, you can praise your son’s art while I get back to work.”
    Her pale gray eyes searched his face, looking for revelations, but there were none in that stony countenance. “It offended you that Apollo mentioned a resemblance.”
    “The boy’s father obviously had some Ladino blood,” he countered without expression. He put his hands in his pockets, and his black eyes narrowed. “You will not divulge your lover’s identity, even now?”
    “Why should it matter to you?” she asked. “I had the impression when I left Guatemala that it would be too soon if you never saw me again.”
    “I tried to talk to you at the time. You would not listen, so I assumed that my feelings would have no effect on you.”
    “Do you have any feelings?” she asked suddenly. “My father said once that if you did it would take dynamite to get to them.”
    He stood watching her, his slightly wavy black hair thick and clean where it shone in the light, his eyes watchful. “Considering the line of work I was in, Melissa, is that so surprising? I could not afford the luxury of giving in to my emotions. It has been both a protection and a curse in later years. Perhaps if I had not been so reticent with you the past five years would not have been wasted.”
    Her pulse jumped, but she kept her expression calm so he wouldn’t see how his words affected her. “I understood,” she replied. “Even though I was young, I wasn’t stupid.”
    “Had you no idea what would happen when you led me into that sweet trap, Melissa?” he asked with a bitter laugh.
    “It wasn’t a trap,” she said doggedly. “I’d written a lot of silly love poems and scribbled some brazen note to you that I meant to destroy. I’d never have had the nerve to send it to you.” She colored faintly at the memory. “I tried to tell you, and my father, that it was a mistake, but neither of you would listen.” Her fingers toyed with the hem of her pink blouse. “I loved you,” she said under her breath. Her eyes were closed, and she missed the expression that