She laughed. It was that or commit murder with a bagel basket. “Of course. I should have anticipated—what didVarietycall you? ‘Every commitment-minded woman’s worst nightmare’—to hire a professional to manage an event that his entire dream rests on and then interfere whenever he feels like it.”
He set the bagel down, stood and in three seconds was standing less than a foot away.
“Everyone thinks they know me from those articles.” No hint of a smile. His voice was low and dangerous. “Keep in mind, the public sees what I want them to see.”
“Ah. So you put on a show?”
“Yes.” His eyes narrowed before his gaze dipped down to her lips, then back up. “I’m not the only one in this villa who hides.”
The past ripped through her defenses and rendered her speechless. She stared at him, fighting back the retort that she wanted to deliver, that explained why she hid. Hiding had saved her in the past, saved Johanna.
Slowly, she eased herself back into her chair. The irritation slipped from Alejandro’s face as he watched her.
“What’s wrong?”
She held up a hand, gathering strength before she spoke. Alejandro sat across from her, face serious and eyes searching for answers. She resisted turning away. To do so would only invite more scrutiny. But as she lifted her mug to her lips, she glanced at him from beneath her lashes.
It wasn’t just that the depth of her feelings for Alejandro and her lack of control over them terrified the hell out of her, that made her hide and push him away. It wasn’t just the possibility of him breaking her heart. It was what would happen to her child when Alejandro left that drove her to keep him at arm’s length. She’d had years of being her mother’s caregiver to build up her walls, to cocoon herself in apathy and coldness, reserving her emotions only for Mother and Johanna.
It was the one thing that had saved her from suffering the same anguish her mother had when her father had lost interest in her, had abandoned her to living in a lakeside mansion bursting at the seams with everything a little girl could want.
Everything except love.
Love.When Alejandro had helped her in New York, when he’d treated not just her body butherwith such tenderness, she’d wondered if she’d fallen a little in love. Definitely lust. But his interest in the baby, his dedication to his company...she’d gotten glimpses over the years of the real man he hid away, but she’d never anticipated a leader, a caregiver, a provider.
A lover.
She refocused on her tea. She was not in a position to evaluate him accurately.
“Morning sickness,” she finally said as he continued to stare at her.
“Bullshit.”
She arched a brow. “You might want to work on that mouth of yours before the baby arrives.”
“Don’t distract me. It’s not just the pregnancy that’s bothering you.”
A quick shrug of her shoulders. “It’s not important.”
“It is to me.”
Her hands tightened on the mug as her heart swooned. It was scary how much she wanted to believe him, to curl up in his arms and confide every dark event, every secret, surrender to being cared for.
“I appreciate that, Alejandro. I do,” she insisted when his eyes narrowed. “However, as kind as that sentiment is, I believe you’re using it to distract me from the fact that you messed up my evening.”
Her phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up and frowned as she read the text.
Confirming the change of venue for tonight’s tasting. Excited to see the yacht!
She had to read it twice before it sank in.
“Your yacht?”
Alejandro frowned. “I wanted to tell you.”
“Why?”
“So I could see a glimmer of excitement in those normally staid eyes. That or daggers.” He squinted. “Guess I got my wish. If looks could kill—”