Chapter Four
“Wow!” Tonya said on the other end of the video chat. “That’s a hell of a view.”
Sandra nodded and looked over the pier she sat by down at the harbor. She was off her work for the day and watching the sun set over the pale, colonial-style buildings that rimmed the water. The sunlight danced on the eddies of the small waves, turning the royal blue water orange. The seagulls strolled past her and down to another tourist, one they could scam bread out of. The light summer breeze blew around her and she pulled her jacket more tightly around her arms. The first week in Barcelona had been busy, although by night she’d already seen a flamenco dancing club and taken a stroll across the La Rambla with all its tourist tents and shops. It was Thursday, and if Xavier hadn’t just been blowing smoke, he’d be taking her to see the Gaudí inspired sites around the city the next day.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
On one hand, he was as gorgeous and enticing as ever. She’d have to be crazy not to want to spend more time with him. Then again, Sandra knew that Xavier was her weakness. She just wanted to be near him and smell that cinnamon scent that seemed to emanate from his aftershave, burning her nose in all the right ways. If they spent the day together, she wasn’t sure she could keep it professional. She definitely didn’t know how well she could keep herself from falling for him all over again.
“And he doesn’t even remember me,” she muttered.
“Hello?” Tonya asked, waving her hand in front of the camera on her end. “You went all on with the hundred-yard stare and the mumbling. Are you okay? I know jet lag’s a bitch, but I thought you’d be over it four days in.”
“Oh, I feel a lot better than I did the first day. They always say don’t go to sleep, just jump into your routine. However, they don’t tell you that pulling a thirty-six-hour day just makes you crash harder. I don’t know how Xavier…um…Mr. Villalobos does it.”
“So, it’s Xavier now?” Tonya teased, drawing out the syllables of his name.
“It’s not like that. He did offer to take me to the Sagrada Família church and some other sites tomorrow in his free time. He said it would be a welcome break.”
Tonya chewed her bottom lip. “Cool.”
She narrowed her eyes at her friend. “That does not sound like ‘cool.’ It sounds like you want to say something, like you’re holding back.”
“I think it’s good. I think you could use some fun between the channel and the maid work.”
“Valet,” she corrected.
“You know what I mean. You’re a complete workaholic. Also, is the Big Boss cute?”
“He’s gorgeous. I’ve seen uglier male models, not gonna lie.”
“Yeah, could be fun. The one thing you’re not good at is keeping it casual, Sandra.”
“I could be!”
Tonya rolled her eyes. “Nope. You were thinking about wedding dresses after about two months with Zane, and we know that was a train wreck. Then you have that great, hot night with that guy at Atlantis. What was his name again?”
Sandra hoped she wasn’t blushing too brightly, although that was the curse of the redhead. “Um, you know. After he didn’t call…” Not that I gave him my number, exactly. “I worked to suppress his name.”
“Eventually.”
Well, not at all, but you’d absolutely murder me if you knew how well Xavier knows me.
“I know, but I’ve learned more. I’ve been burned twice lately, and I can have a good time with Xavier, see a church for God’s sake, and keep myself calm.”
“But he’s totally gorgeous, right?”
“Yes, but some of us, Tonya, aren’t walking bags of hormones.”
Her friend grinned back at her. “That’s a shame because you’re missing out. I’m trying to look out for my best friend. Don’t get too deep in, Sandra. Zane almost ruined you, and I don’t want you to have to work so hard to put the pieces back together again. Go, see what happens, and don’t expect more than a fling if it happens at all, okay?”
Sandra nodded and swallowed hard before she could speak. The truth was after that night at Atlantis, she’d been more obsessed with Xavier, the man who’d made her feel pleasure like she’d never known and whom she’d never thought she’d see again.
The man she was going to spend the day with tomorrow.
Man, she was so screwed, and not in the good way.
“Sandra?”