“Why are you so quiet tonight?” he asked.
“I’m sorry. I should have prepared a list of conversation topics, but I was too busy today.”
He laughed and reached over to pinch her knee. “What were you doing?”
“Just Saturday stuff, nothing interesting. What about you?”
“I felt good enough to ride my bike, but I took it out of town so I didn’t have to worry about landing on a curb again.”
“I’ve never learned to ride a bike. Do they make adult bikes with training wheels?”
“I’ve never seen one. Let’s rent a tandem bike. I’ll do all the work, and you can ride.”
“I wouldn’t want to plan a tour of Europe, but for an afternoon, it sounds fun. It really does.” She’d done sportswear ads holding a bike, but growing up, she hadn’t done much of the physical stuff other kids had. “I don’t know how to play soccer either. Do you like it?”
“Sure, I played when I was a kid. I can teach you that too.”
She’d never missed soccer but would love to have him teach her. He’d obviously earned his lean, athletic build, but he didn’t sound as though he expected her to keep up with him. He took her to a quiet place where thei
r table overlooked the port. “There are so many lights, it looks like noon,” she exclaimed.
“The work goes on twenty-four hours a day. So there’s plenty to see day or night. They have an excellent Parrillada de Mariscos here. Do you ever eat seafood?”
“Sometimes.”
“Order whatever you like, Ana. I never talk about money, but I can afford to do whatever you like.”
She’d rather not think about money, especially where he was concerned. She chose the Amanida, a salad with shellfish, and reached across the table for his hand. “Your company is enough excitement for tonight.”
The woman at a nearby table kept glancing her way. People often asked for her autograph, and if this woman approached her, she’d have to deny who she was, or tell Alejandro the whole truth. Her appetite vanished with a soft thud.
The waiter approached, and she dipped her head to look out at the port until Alejandro had given their order and the man had turned away to bring their wine. “I’ve always wanted to go sailing on a clipper ship. There are a few left, aren’t there?”
“Yes, there are. But it must be backbreaking work, rather than as romantic as movies make it appear. Almost nothing is real in movies anymore—but you must know that.”
“I do.” The woman who’d been observing her so closely was talking with her companion and had apparently decided Ana wasn’t worth observing after all. Relieved, Ana talked easily about movies and music while they ate. They didn’t like all the same things, but nothing they differed on mattered.
“I’ve waited a long time to meet you,” he admitted. “I don’t want to frighten you. If you only want to see me once a week, I’ll have to manage.”
He was such an open man and obviously unfamiliar with romantic games. “It’s good not to overdose on someone new,” she offered. “But I’m sure we can work out something without having to block out days on a calendar. Is the crema catalana good here?”
He studied her expression a long moment. “We’re going to be sensible, is that it? Fine. The crema catalana is superb. Do you want some?”
She played with a strand that had escaped her bun. “Yes, please. Fatima makes it for me sometimes.”
He signaled the waiter and ordered two. “Will Fatima be there when I take you home?”
“She doesn’t work on weekends, and she’s never there at night, but I hope you’ll meet her soon. She’s a wonderful cook, and crema catalana is easy for her. I’ve tried to make it, but the custard is never rich enough, and I’ve yet to discover the secret to grilling the sugar topping perfectly.”
He leaned back as the waiter brought their desserts. “There’s a secret to everything.”
His seductive glance made it plain he wasn’t thinking of recipes, and she nodded. “Often multiple secrets, but it makes life exciting, don’t you think?”
“Definitely.”
Ana looked for the bald man as they left the restaurant, but didn’t see him, and they weren’t followed to her place. They parked on the street and held hands as they went through the main doors of her condo. Jacob was on the phone, speaking to a resident about a take-out delivery, and Ana waved and hurried Alejandro to the elevators. When they reached her floor, he took her key to unlock her door and opened it slowly.
“Where are the kittens?”