She stifled a giggle. “I am. That’s why I’m going to my father’s house rather than yours.”
“So you care nothing for my heart?”
“If you’re so easily heartbroken, you’re too fragile to be dating.”
His chuckle echoed in the car. “No one would ever describe me as fragile.”
“Of course not. You couldn’t fight bulls if you were.”
“True. I’d like to dance with you again. Will you come out with me tomorrow night? I know other places we could go, and I promise not to introduce you as Miguel’s daughter.”
They were talking easily, which wasn’t difficult in the darkness of his car. If she’d been looking into his dark eyes, she doubted she could form a coherent sentence. Magnetism was the word she’d been searching for. The man drew her to him with his scent and voice as well as his remarkable good looks. Then there was the smooth way he moved, as though he’d been born for dancing, or sex.
“Could we wait until tomorrow to decide?” she asked. “I haven’t really figured out the routine here, and I don’t want to make plans that might conflict with my father’s household.”
He sighed. “I understand.”
It was plain he didn’t understand at all, and she reached over to touch his arm. “You frighten me a little, and I need some time to get used to you.”
He was quiet a long moment and sounded sad when he spoke. “Santos told you I’ve been in prison. I killed the man who raped my sister. My only regret is that he died too quickly, and I got caught.”
Now that was scary. “Santos did mention prison but not the details. Didn’t you trust the authorities to prosecute the man?”
“No one cares if someone rapes a Gypsy girl. The man who did it will lie and call her a whore, and his friends will back him up. I was responsible for my sister and should have kept her safe.”
“How old was she when it happened?”
“Sixteen, and she died of a drug overdose soon after I went to prison. Shame is what really killed her, though, not drugs. I’m sorry. I should have kept the whole sad story to myself.”
“No, it will go no further. I’m very sorry you lost your sister. It’s plain she was very dear to you.”
“Thank you, but Santos is right, I have a prison record, and you shouldn’t overlook it; others don’t.”
“It must add to your image as a matador.” It wasn’t his prison time that frightened her, however, but simply his power as an attractive man. All too attractive. His devotion to his sister was admirable, even if it had led to murder. When he was so physically appealing, she thought women would forgive and forget a great deal. Then again, he wasn’t a man a woman would shrug off like an old coat either.
“My image? To say I’m a Gypsy is enough to strike fear in many hearts, unfortunately, not the bull’s.”
“I’d rather think of you as a dancer. Who taught you to dance?”
“My mother. I’ve no idea where she is or if she’s still alive. She’d often form liaisons with wealthy men and leave my sister and me with our grandmother. The last time, she didn’t come back. I don’t want your sympathy for that either. My life has been nothing like yours. Let’s leave it at that.”
She had often felt like an outsider in her own family, but she’d had a pampered childhood and had always been loved. She could easily imagine him running through the streets barefoot, his hair too long, and in need of a bath. They were back on the freeway before she relaxed. “Barcelona is a beautiful city. The air here sparkles with energy. Except for the water, the terrain closely resembles Arizona. It’s easy to see why the Conquistadores were at home in America’s southwest.”
“You live in Arizona?”
“Yes, in Tucson.”
“It’s close to the border with Mexico, isn’t it? I could come visit you when I fight there.”
Her first thought was to invite him to speak on her high school’s career day. She was certain no matador had ever been part of the program. “Yes, I suppose you could. Do you have a crew who travels with you?”
“No, I have to carry my own luggage and hire men to work in the ring.”
“Are they difficult to find?”
“No, but good ones are. Have you ever been to a bullfight?”
“No, I’ve read a lot about them, but I’ve never wanted to go.”