kissing him. If she was to be Enrique’s wife, she needed to bury all memories of Alejandro deep in her heart. Otherwise she would make herself and her marriage miserable, wanting what she couldn’t have.
Not that Jules had real feelings for him or vice versa. They’d just met. She was getting carried away after a lovely evening with a fellow sailor. Alejandro hadn’t flirted with her. He’d barely noticed her beyond her sailing abilities.
The setting with its full moon, starry sky and ocean breeze was perfect for two people to connect, to kiss. Yet he hadn’t gotten caught up in the romantic atmosphere. That was a little…annoying. Maybe he didn’t find her attractive.
What was she thinking? She shouldn’t want him to hit on her.
“It’s too bad we couldn’t take pictures,” he said.
“Yes.” But having a photograph of tonight was too big a risk. If Enrique found it…
Enrique.
Maybe he was the reason Alejandro hadn’t made a move on her. He might be the black sheep of the family, but he was an honorable man and not about to kiss his brother’s fiancée.
She respected that. Respected him.
If only Enrique was more like his younger brother… Jules swallowed a sigh.
Alejandro double-checked the ties. “Ready to go?”
She took a final glance around. Everything had been stowed or secured, but she was in no hurry to leave.
Waves lapped against the hull. The boat rocked with the incoming tide. The sound and motion comforted her. She ran her hand along the deck, a final farewell to La Rueca.
Regret mixed with sadness. “I’m ready.”
She exited the boat without taking Alejandro’s hand. She didn’t need his help. Not anymore.
Touching him again, feeling her small hand clasped with his larger, warm one, would make putting tonight behind her harder. Being with him made her feel so different. She didn’t know if that was freedom calling or not. But real life beckoned, or rather would with the sunrise.
Tears stung her eyes. Blinking them away, she headed up the dock. Her nonskid shoes barely made a sound against the wood.
Would the memory of tonight fade into nothingness as she embraced her role as Enrique’s fiancée and wife? Jules hoped not.
She glanced up at the sky. A shooting star arced across the darkness.
I wish this didn’t have to end.
The thought was instantaneous, and her entire body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, felt that way. She kept her gaze focused on the sky. The star and its tail vanished.
What a waste of a wish. Jules should have wished for Enrique to change his mind instead. She blew out a puff of air.
Time to stop pretending. She wasn’t living a fairy tale, but it wasn’t a Gothic novel, either. She needed to face up to her responsibilities.
Climbing the steep hillside, she ignored the burn in her thighs.
Alejandro caught up without sounding winded or breaking a sweat. He walked alongside her, shortening his stride to match hers. “I hope you enjoyed your sail.”
“I did.” She forced the words from her tight throat. Making small talk wasn’t going to be easy. The walk back made her realize how prisoners at the Tower of London must have felt on their way to the executioner. Though Jules faced a life sentence, not death. A sentence she’d chosen for herself, for the sake of her brother, her children and her country. “Thank you so much for tonight.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Alejandro’s easy smile doubled her heart rate. She wanted to scream and cry. If he’d been the firstborn… No, a man like him would never need an arranged marriage to secure a bride. No matter what the amount of that bride’s dowry.
“Watching you sail tonight has been a true pleasure, Julianna,” he continued. “You’re very skilled. Amazingly so.”
His words made her stand taller. She needed to focus on the positives, not wallow in what-could-have-beens or what-ifs. “Plying me with compliments, huh?” she quipped.
“I’m
Not that Jules had real feelings for him or vice versa. They’d just met. She was getting carried away after a lovely evening with a fellow sailor. Alejandro hadn’t flirted with her. He’d barely noticed her beyond her sailing abilities.
The setting with its full moon, starry sky and ocean breeze was perfect for two people to connect, to kiss. Yet he hadn’t gotten caught up in the romantic atmosphere. That was a little…annoying. Maybe he didn’t find her attractive.
What was she thinking? She shouldn’t want him to hit on her.
“It’s too bad we couldn’t take pictures,” he said.
“Yes.” But having a photograph of tonight was too big a risk. If Enrique found it…
Enrique.
Maybe he was the reason Alejandro hadn’t made a move on her. He might be the black sheep of the family, but he was an honorable man and not about to kiss his brother’s fiancée.
She respected that. Respected him.
If only Enrique was more like his younger brother… Jules swallowed a sigh.
Alejandro double-checked the ties. “Ready to go?”
She took a final glance around. Everything had been stowed or secured, but she was in no hurry to leave.
Waves lapped against the hull. The boat rocked with the incoming tide. The sound and motion comforted her. She ran her hand along the deck, a final farewell to La Rueca.
Regret mixed with sadness. “I’m ready.”
She exited the boat without taking Alejandro’s hand. She didn’t need his help. Not anymore.
Touching him again, feeling her small hand clasped with his larger, warm one, would make putting tonight behind her harder. Being with him made her feel so different. She didn’t know if that was freedom calling or not. But real life beckoned, or rather would with the sunrise.
Tears stung her eyes. Blinking them away, she headed up the dock. Her nonskid shoes barely made a sound against the wood.
Would the memory of tonight fade into nothingness as she embraced her role as Enrique’s fiancée and wife? Jules hoped not.
She glanced up at the sky. A shooting star arced across the darkness.
I wish this didn’t have to end.
The thought was instantaneous, and her entire body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, felt that way. She kept her gaze focused on the sky. The star and its tail vanished.
What a waste of a wish. Jules should have wished for Enrique to change his mind instead. She blew out a puff of air.
Time to stop pretending. She wasn’t living a fairy tale, but it wasn’t a Gothic novel, either. She needed to face up to her responsibilities.
Climbing the steep hillside, she ignored the burn in her thighs.
Alejandro caught up without sounding winded or breaking a sweat. He walked alongside her, shortening his stride to match hers. “I hope you enjoyed your sail.”
“I did.” She forced the words from her tight throat. Making small talk wasn’t going to be easy. The walk back made her realize how prisoners at the Tower of London must have felt on their way to the executioner. Though Jules faced a life sentence, not death. A sentence she’d chosen for herself, for the sake of her brother, her children and her country. “Thank you so much for tonight.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Alejandro’s easy smile doubled her heart rate. She wanted to scream and cry. If he’d been the firstborn… No, a man like him would never need an arranged marriage to secure a bride. No matter what the amount of that bride’s dowry.
“Watching you sail tonight has been a true pleasure, Julianna,” he continued. “You’re very skilled. Amazingly so.”
His words made her stand taller. She needed to focus on the positives, not wallow in what-could-have-beens or what-ifs. “Plying me with compliments, huh?” she quipped.
“I’m
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