Eduardo.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” His apology whispered against her cheek as he drew her into his space, one hand still on her abdomen, the other clasping her shoulder.
His warmth radiated out and encircled her. For someone who appeared so cool and haughty, he was extremely hot. Literally.
Nathan’s eyes widened.
She turned her cheek toward Eduardo and whispered back. “It’s okay.” She was so stunned he was there, she forgave him, just like that.
His fingers played down from her shoulder to her hand—tickling her bare skin. Sensation slammed into her. She flinched, trying to hide her shiver. She’d experienced sexual attraction before, but this was something else. This was intense enough to render her speechless and brainless and frankly, scared stupid.
His hold both tightened and teased. “I had a meeting that took longer than—”
“It’s okay.” She put her hand over his wrist to keep it at her waist, desperate to stop the circular strokes of his fingers that sent her overly sensitive nerves into orbit. “It doesn’t matter.”
There was no hello kiss, of course, but she felt giddier than if they’d been making out for two hours without coming up for air.
“Eduardo, this is Nathan. Nathan, Eduardo.” Breathlessly, she introduced them and watched Nathan’s expression freeze. “Eduardo would have been here sooner, but he was held up at work.”
“Where do you work?” Nathan asked coolly.
That would be right—all that mattered to these guys was which school you went to, what job you had now, and how much money you earned.
“At a clinic,” Eduardo answered, his foreign lilt more audible than it had been this morning. “I’m a pathologist.”
Nina jerked in surprise. Eduardo’s fingers immediately stroked her waist again and she struggled to think as her body and brain slithered back into meltdown. A pathologist? Wasn’t he a banker or trader or financial analyst?
Nathan looked as flummoxed as she felt. And then she felt Eduardo’s amusement behind her.
“He’s brilliant,” Nina said, firmly taking control of herself again. “Solves all kinds of cold cases.”
“Like on CSI or something?” Nathan’s jaw dropped.
Eduardo’s hand tightened and he pulled her back to lean right against him. Nina took the hint and kept quiet—she’d lost the ability to speak anyway, and apparently the ability to stand up all by herself.
“Something like that,” Eduardo answered. “I like microscopic detail. What do you do, Nathan?”
“Commerce,” Nathan answered briefly. “You guys known each other long?”
“Not long enough.” Eduardo’s palm was firm and flat against her belly—could he make his possession any more obvious?
Nina bit back the groan as deep inside she delighted in the idea of his total possession. He couldn’t play the Latin lover thing up anymore—it was having way too much of an effect on her.
Nathan paused. “Let me get you a drink, Eduardo. A pint? And another wine for you Nina?”
“I’ll have a wine too, thanks. Same as Nina’s,” Eduardo answered.
The others had kept their distance at Eduardo’s appearance and as soon as Nathan stepped away, Nina spun to face her accomplice, so ridiculously glad he was there. And too excited for her own good. “Let’s get out of here.”
His arm still encircled her and she was so close she was practically leaning against his chest. Her nipples screamed the instinctive signal but hopefully the black hid their aroused state.
His brows shot up and he laughed. “What about your friends?”
“They’re not really friends.” They’d been Corey’s friends and they’d lied to her as much as he had—loyal to him, not her.
“No,” Eduardo said. “Don’t wimp out now.”
“I’m not wimping out,” she answered. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” Finally, it was clear to her. She didn’t need to prove anything to them. Why had she thought she did? Why had she let them—and Corey—have that hold over her still?
She glanced over to the group and saw their curious looks, the stony expression on Nathan’s face as he watched them from the bar. And okay, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to a small hit of satisfaction within. “I think you just showing up like this is enough.”
“I say we stay for a few minutes. After all, your friend has gone to get us drinks. It would be rude to leave now.” His gaze skittered down in that wolfish way and his smile reappeared. “What’s with the steel-capped stilettos?”
She lifted her brows and sent him an arch look. Her metal-tipped shoes were the height of fashion—and almost gave her the height necessary to look him in the eye. “Protection in case I have to dance with you later.”
His smile gave way to a burst of laughter.
Nina smiled back at him. Yeah, getting away with this fake boyfriend deal was going to be so easy. It was ensuring she didn’t fall deeper into lust that would be the problem. But she’d stay sensible, right? Hadn’t she always been sensible? Or as Corey had said—boring.
But she didn’t think tonight was going to be boring.
“Have you been traveling much, Nathan?” she asked as he returned and handed them drinks.
“A little,” he replied. “But I want to be in London now. You really want to miss the biggest event on earth?”
“I’m not bothered,” she said, shrugging. “There are some things on the Continent I’ve waited too long to see.”
“And I want to show her my childhood home,” Eduardo chipped in.
“Where’s that?” Nathan asked, looking at Nina.
“A small town just north of Barcelona,” Eduardo answered, going on to explain its location and winning features in detail.
A few of the others joined them at the tall bar table and the conversation continued—mainly about her upcoming trip. It was easy to talk about. And with Eduardo right there, no one asked any questions directly about him and not one person mentioned Corey. They all seemed a bit stunned. She totally got why.
He was stunning.
There hadn’t been a guy in her life other than Corey. Life and soul of the party Corey. Loud and chatty and welcoming to everyone Corey. But in the details? With her? It was only when she looked back on it that she realized how inattentive he’d been. How he’d always looked round to see if there was someone better, more important to talk to.
Now, as she spoke, she was aware that Eduardo hadn’t taken his eyes off her. Not once. He seemed intensely focused on her—and only her—and on what she was saying. He never looked beyond to see who else might be present, but paid attention as if she were the most riveting woman in the room.
As if she were the only woman in the room.
It was heady stuff, and now her smile came so effortlessly.
“How did Nina con you into coming here tonight?”
Nina heard Nathan quietly ask Eduardo while she was talking to another of Corey’s old friends.
Maintaining her smile, Nina strained her ears to hear Eduardo’s reply as well as that of the woman she’d been talking to. No surprise that the challenge—that implied negative—had come from Nathan. He’d never liked her dating Corey—like he thought she wasn’t good enough for his best friend.
Now, for
the first time in fifteen minutes, Eduardo looked away from her, lifting his chin to give Nathan an ice hard stare. “There’s nothing I like more than being near Nina.”
He turned back to Nina, utterly dismissive of the other man. Nina looked into Eduardo’s silver-tinged eyes and saw a flare of protectiveness. She swallowed, heart thudding, as he flashed a private, intimate smile.
Then he turned to speak to everyone. “And now I’m sorry but I have to take Nina away. We have another party to go to.”
Nina summoned her best apologetic smile, but it wasn’t anywhere near as apologetic as all that. She half waved at the others and let Eduardo take her hand and lead the way, weaving them through the crowded bar.
On the footpath outside, she breathed in some fresh air. “They all thought I was the evil hand-brake,” she said. She had to explain why she’d felt such fear in facing them.
“The what?”
“The hand-brake. The boring witch stopping Corey from having fun and doing all the crazy things he wanted to. And maybe I did.” She frowned. “But he stopped me from doing things I wanted to do, too.”
To her surprise Eduardo laughed. “No. That guy likes you.”
“Nathan?” She shook her head. “No, he doesn’t. He likes me least.”
“No. He doesn’t like me and there’s only one reason for that.”
Nina stood in the middle of the path and stared at him. “Are you suggesting—no.”
“You don’t see that?”
“No.” She screwed up her face, shuddering at the thought.
Eduardo stepped closer. “You don’t value yourself enough.” He took her hand in a firm grip and dug into his pocket. “Perhaps this will help.”
Good grief, the guy had a small box in hand and now he’d opened it. She gaped at the glittering ring inside.
“This is for your aunt?”
“No,” he scoffed. “It’s for you.”
Nina snapped her mouth shut—speaking between clenched teeth. “You’re kidding. You said ‘girlfriend.’ ”
“I thought ‘fiancée’ might enhance the evening.”
“No way.” She peered closer into the box—it had to be said, it was dazzling. “It’s an heirloom?”