The door slammed shut, and the taxi sped off. He watched it until it was swallowed up in the sea of New York traffic.
He glanced up at the legendary city’s skyscrapers, despising the ache in his chest. The feeling that something wasn’t quite right had been building for the past few months, a dissatisfaction with the endless parties and, if he dared to be honest with himself, a longing for something more. Something permanent. The two upcoming new ships that would be added to Cabrera Shipping’s fleet had assuaged some of the emptiness. So had the tentative approval of the board to move forward on theLa Reinaproject, despite his father’s increasingly pointed comments about all the things that could go wrong. Not unexpected. He’d gotten used to Javier Cabrera’s disapproval a long time ago.
The future was bright. So why did this longing for something more persist? And why had his night with Calandra tilted his world even farther off its axis?
He didn’t know how long he stood there, staring at the spot where she’d disappeared, an uncomfortable ache tugging at his heart. But a sudden whoop, followed by a “Hey, sexy” from a bleary-eyed woman with smudged eyeliner hanging out the window of a passing cab, yanked him out of whatever nostalgic land he’d ventured to and back into reality.
One night. One night of mind-blowing sex. That’s all it was, and that’s all he wanted it to be.
With that final thought, he turned and walked back into the hotel. The clerk stood behind the desk, arms folded and eyes narrowed. Her black-and-gold name tag proclaimed her name to be Leia.
“Sir, we ask that all our guests wear a shirt, pants and shoes in the lobby.”
He grinned and leaned against the counter. Instead of swooning or eyeballing his chest, her eyes tapered into slits.
Two women who’d resisted him in one morning. Maybe he was losing his touch.
He held up a hand in surrender. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. It won’t happen again.”
She stared at him for another long moment, then nodded toward the door.
“I hope your friend enjoyed her stay with us.”
The smile disappeared from his face. “Yeah.” Why did it bother him that Calandra had fled? He’d left plenty of beds without even a goodbye. He didn’t care for being on the receiving end.
A flicker of compassion crossed Leia’s face. “It could work out.”
He returned Leia’s gaze before smiling slightly. “Thanks. And I am sorry.”
She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and nodded briskly. “Yes, well...just don’t do it again, Mr. Cabrera.”
He backed away with his hands held up in surrender, shot her another thousand-watt smile that did nothing more than make her roll her eyes and headed for the elevator. The door swished open and a beautiful blonde woman rushed out, head down, hand clutched tightly around her suitcase. She glanced up. Recognition flared. He’d seen her dance with Adrian last night, seen the way his normally uptight brother had looked at her.
He started to say hello, to at least glean her name, but she dashed by so quickly he didn’t even have a chance.
Oh, well. He had problems of his own. Like keeping his company moving forward and forgetting the woman who had run from his bed like the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels.
All while looking insanely sexy and deliciously rumpled.
Step one: cold shower. Step two: get dressed, grab breakfast. Step three: head to the airport. Step four: put Calandra Smythe and their incredible night together out of his mind.
CHAPTER TWO
Four months later
CALANDRASURVEYEDTHEcrowd gathered on the lawn of Adrian Cabrera’s Paris home, her fingers curled around her champagne flute like it was a lifeline. People moved in a sea of summer colors, mint-green gowns and pale blue dress shirts, as they sipped on champagne and snacked on mushroom tartlets.
To think, the crème de la crème of European society considered this an intimate gathering. She’d been a part of this crowd when she worked for Adrian, not to mention the first thirteen years of her life.
But that was the past. A problem demanded her immediate attention. She would prefer to be home in North Carolina curled up in bed with a book and a cup of tea, but her conscience demanded that she address it.
A quick conversation. Just a couple minutes, and then you can leave.
Slowly, she eased the death grip on her glass before she broke it. He had no reason to be upset. She had a plan and would take care of everything, just like she always did. Besides, how many times, during their verbal sparring at various Cabrera Wine events, had he said he was a no-strings kind of guy? He eschewed commitment of any kind.
When he’d walked her down to that cab, she’d seen him in the rearview mirror standing on the sidewalk, gazing after her. And in that moment, a terrifying emotion had taken root—want. Not the burning, physical attraction she’d experienced that night, but a desire for the safety she’d experienced curled up in his arms.
She’d given herself a stern talking-to about all the reasons why such an emotion was dangerous. It implied commitment, something Alejandro clearly wanted no part of. Commitment she didn’t want, either. Marriage had been crossed off her list long ago.