w.
‘Please forgive me…’
Her mouth quivered, and he knew that if she spoke, or touched him, he would change his mind. He’d surrender to the desire beating in his blood whatever the consequences.
But she didn’t say anything. Instead she backed away from him and then, turning, she ran lightly across the rocks.
He watched her head towards the pine trees, waiting until she’d disappeared before he breathed out.
It was the only choice, he told himself firmly. And the right choice. So why, then, he wondered as he started to walk slowly back towards the forest, did it feel as if he was making a mistake? And why did it hurt so damn much?
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘TO SOFIA, MY beautiful wife, mi corazón.’ Lifting his glass of champagne, Agusto gazed at his wife, his dark grey eyes tender. ‘Feliz cumpleaños.’
Across the table, Cristina raised her glass and echoed his words.
‘Happy Birthday, Mamá,’ Luis said softly. ‘Are you enjoying yourself?’
Sofia nodded, her eyes dropping to the beautiful sapphire necklace that had been her husband’s birthday present to her. ‘How could I not be, cariño?’
She ran her fingers lightly over the gleaming blue stones.
‘This is one of my most favourite places in the world, and I’ve had the most wonderful day of being spoiled with all these beautiful gifts. But having you back, Lucho, is the best present of all. I’m so glad you could be here.’
Cristina felt her heart bump against her ribs. It was the first time she’d seen Luis properly since their encounter by the tidal pool the night before, so that was no doubt one reason why her nerves were humming. But it was also the first time she had heard Sofia call her son by that particular name, and the shock made swallowing the mouthful of champagne difficult.
For so long it had been easier to imagine that Lucho didn’t exist except in her memory, but now her cheeks tingled as she realised that he was real. Real and sitting next to her.
Luis smiled. ‘It’s lovely to be here.’
Watching his face soften, Cristina held her breath. His smile was spectacular, but it was lucky that he didn’t smile often, she thought. It was hard enough trying to keep control of herself under normal circumstances, but when he smiled—
She shivered, remembering the kiss they’d shared at the pool last night, and how simply and carelessly she had responded to the hard press of his body. How it had been Luis who had pulled away.
Her pulse quickened. Stumbling back over the rocks and through the pine trees, her self-control in shreds, she had tried telling herself that she’d had a lucky escape. That he shouldn’t matter more to her than any man ever had or should.
Her fingers tightened around her glass.
In other words, too much.
He might have ended the kiss, but she had seen his face—seen that he was torn, barely controlling himself. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him, and suddenly, with an intensity that hurt, she wished that she could turn back time. Go back to that shabby little hotel room in Segovia when it had been just him and her and a bed, and no past or doubt or confusion.
Her heart gave a jump. Except that she still wouldn’t trust herself not to try and make that chemistry between them into something more.
Her breathing stilled and, suddenly aware that the swell of conversation around her had stopped, she looked up and found three pairs of eyes watching her.
She blinked. ‘Sorry—I was miles away.’
‘It must have somewhere you were very happy.’ Sofia smiled at her.
Glancing over at Luis, she found him watching her meditatively his dark gaze reaching inside of her. ‘It was.’ Meeting Sofia’s gaze, she smiled. ‘But I’m very happy to be here too.’
How could she not be?
La Almazara was not just a restaurant, it was a gastronomic legend. Despite its rural location on a tiny Balearic island, the converted olive mill attracted visitors from all over the world—she’d read somewhere that every year several hundred thousand people tried to reserve a table there but only a lucky few managed to get one.
Glancing down at her starter of bean soup and jamón jabugo, Cristina felt her pulse accelerate. It wasn’t the exclusivity of the restaurant, or even the incredible food that made her feel like one of the lucky ones. It was the fact that Sofia, and Agusto had included her in their private family celebrations.