Her father lurched away at her choking protest, still holding her by the shoulders, his feverish eyes roving over her.
“Where have you been? I drove back to your apartment when I kept getting your voice mail, hoping you’d just fallen asleep. I went out of my mind with worry, banging on the door, knowing how lightly you sleep, thinking you’d fallen and injured yourself...until I remembered you gave me a key. I rushed in to find the place empty and your phone dead and hurried back here hoping you arrived but...”
“I’m so sorry you got so worried.” She raised her voice over the cacophony of the ball and his frantic reproach, feeling terrible. He’d done over four hours worth of driving. The whole time she’d been with Rafael. “I just got...uh...lost...”
Which was sort of true. She had for a while on the way, initially. Then she had, totally, in Rafael’s arms.
Before her father launched into another tirade, she turned him toward Rafael, who was looking at him as if he was some revolting life-form. Probably because he didn’t realize who he was. Or found his over-the-top agitation off-putting. Or both.
Wincing at the whole mess, she touched Rafael’s arm, feeling a pang at how absolutely vital he’d become to her, how even this simple touch, in this situation, sent her heart scattering its beats at his feet.
“Rafael, this is my father, Teobaldo Ferreira.”
Rafael’s gaze panned to her and her heart clapped so hard her breath snagged in her throat. There was something in his eyes, something...weird. As if he’d forgotten who she was. Which she had to be imagining. This must be how he looked as his formidable mind processed new situations and variables.
Seeming to gather his wits at last, and even clearly unsure who Rafael was, or unable to believe he was the same man he was desperate to do business with, her father extended his hand to him.
Rafael stared down at her father’s hand.
She winced. She knew he hadn’t wanted to make any contact with his candidates tonight, and her father was one. But right now, this wasn’t about business, but about a simple salute between her overprotective father, and Rafael—the man who’d just demolished the foundations of her existence.
She rose on tiptoe so her words were for his ears only. “Just say hi and leave. I’ll catch up with you.”
She tried to capture his gaze, to exchange the delight of anticipation of the night to come. Her heart fluttered at the heavy-lidded look in his eyes then stumbled in confusion, as without a word or another look, ignoring her father’s hand as his partner had ignored hers, he turned and walked away.
“What was this all about? Who’s that man?”
Tearing her stunned gaze away from Rafael’s receding back, she looked dazedly at her father, her mind racing.
She didn’t want to validate his suspicion about Rafael’s identity. If her father realized she was suddenly on such personal terms with the man whose favor he was so fervently hoping to court, he’d subject her to endless interrogation, or ask to be introduced properly—or both. This didn’t only mean lost time, but more important a premature crop of those complications she’d predicted. And she didn’t want the real world to intervene now, didn’t want them to stop being the man and woman who’d found this pure passion for each other, and become the tycoon and the daughter of a hopeful business partner.
But...how could Rafael just leave like that? If he chose not to shake her father’s hand because he didn’t want any contact with business people tonight, she could understand. It was a bit excessive, stung a little, but she would never bring any issues with her father between them. But the way he’d looked at her, then walked away, even after she’d explained her father’s identity...
Stop. Her mind must be playing tricks on her after all the upheavals of the past hours. She must be beyond exhausted now, operating on pure adrenaline...and other hormones. And those weren’t conducive to rational observations.
Someone must have caught his eye, someone important he couldn’t postpone greeting. Then he’d be back.
“What’s going on with you tonight? Talk to me, querida.”
Blinking, she realized she’d been staring at her father vacantly as her mind churned.
Forcing herself out of her fugue, she gave him a hug, his beloved presence grounding her as it always did. “I’m really so sorry I caused you such worry.” Heat rushed to her face with memories of why she had. “I came as soon as I could to reassure you I’m fine. But I have to go now.”
“You called that man Rafael. Is he who I think he is?”
Her hungry gaze sought out Rafael, found him standing at the entrance of the ballroom. So he wasn’t coming back. He was waiting for her to join him. To begin their first night together.
She turned to her father, urgency coursing in her blood. “Please, Daddy—don’t ask me anything now, okay?” She kissed his lean cheek. “I’ll tell you everything later.”
Looking almost pained with curiosity and anxiety, he stared down at her. “As long as you are fine?”
At his worried question, she nodded as her gaze dragged back to Rafael—and her breath caught.
A woman was approaching Rafael—statuesque, flaming red tresses cascading down to her buttocks, dangerous curves in a strapless black dress. She looked as if she was in a trance. Ellie knew that she must have looked exactly the same as she’d gravitated toward him hours earlier.
Making a conscious effort to breathe again, Ellie absently answered her father’s further demands for assurance, no longer anxious to leave him. She’d better stay put until Rafael sent his admirer on her way.
The woman reached him. Rafael brooded down at her as she talked then he raised his eyes and looked straight at her.