‘You know it’s time,’ Catalina crooned. Then her head jerked towards the deck again. ‘So how lon
g will it take to finish this “unfinished business” of yours?’
He looked out to where Leah stood at the railing, the loose tendrils of her hair floating on the breeze, the long white folds of her gown shifting, revealing artful slits that gave tantalising glimpses of the perfect legs beneath—legs that had been slippery with soap and bubbles and wrapped around him so deliciously just hours ago.
He gave a wistful sigh. It was such a shame he didn’t have longer before he had to dump her. But it could not be helped. He would just have to make the best use of what time he had. Starting tonight.
‘Not long,’ he said. ‘I have a score to settle.’
Catalina smiled conspiratorially as she drained the glass and handed it back to him, her eyes once again hard. ‘Make sure you do.’
‘She doesn’t like me, does she?’
‘Who doesn’t?’ He’d traded the glasses he was holding for fresh ones and joined her at the railing. He had no doubt who she was referring to.
‘Catalina. I saw you talking together, and I saw the way she looked at me. She can’t bear the thought that a humble seamstress is somehow tangled up with her brother.’
He shrugged, not wanting to get into a discussion about who might be worthy of him when right now he just wanted to get her back into his bed while he still had the chance. The next few days would be full-on with meetings. He would have to make the most of the nights. ‘Catalina has always had a strong sense of family, especially since our mother died. She wants the best for me, naturally.’
‘And she makes it clear I’m not the best. That’s fine. Anyone would think I actually wanted to be here.’
He halted, his glass halfway to his lips, knowing something was wrong. ‘But you do want to be here,’ he said, moving from defending his sister to defending himself. ‘Aren’t you enjoying being with me?’
‘You know why I’m here, Alenjandro. Maybe you should let your sister know that I didn’t come crawling back to you—that I had no choice and that it was you who blackmailed me back into your bed!’
‘I saved your brother.’
‘And now you’re exacting payment! Why don’t you tell Catalina that? Tell her that I have no designs on you, no wish to upset her perfect plans for her baby brother and his perfect wedding and his perfect life.’
His teeth ground together. ‘Nobody makes plans for me.’
‘No? Well, maybe you should tell your sister that.’ She handed back the glass. ‘I’ve got a headache. I should go.’
‘I’ll take you.’
‘It’s only next door. I’ll be fine. You stay and do whatever it is billionaire businessmen do. I’ll go and play with the scullery maids.’
‘Then go! But when I come back you’d better be ready for me.’
‘Of course,’ she hissed. ‘You paid for it. You take what you want.’
He watched her leave, a goddess on a war footing, marching out of the restaurant as if she was somehow in the right.
Maybe Catalina was right after all. Maybe marrying Francesca wasn’t such a bad idea. Francesca would never stand up to him. She would be meek and mild and utterly obedient, and he would be able to concentrate on work without any distractions. It would make a pleasant change.
He turned to find somewhere to put down the glasses—right now he needed something stronger than champagne!—and caught a flash of red across the emptying room.
Catalina was smiling at him, a look of victory emblazoned across her bold features.
Mierda!
She shouldn’t have argued with him. Leah stood in the bathroom, a robe having replaced her gown, while she took off her make-up. What was the point of arguing with Alejandro? What could she possibly achieve? But Catalina had made her so angry—the poisoned looks, the heated discussion going on just a few feet behind her. Had his sister not realised that she could understand some of the exchange, enough to know that it was her they were discussing?
She slammed her hands down on the marble counter-top.
Dammit!
She didn’t know how long Alejandro expected to keep her around to pay off her debt to him, but she didn’t want to spend it fighting.