When he’d taken her to bed, all she’d wanted was a steamy diversion. Something to forget the pain and the humiliation of the past. But he’d given her so much more. His gentle touch and soft words of affection had melted her heart.
Now, he nuzzled her hair. “I hate to say it, but we still have four cocktails left to try.”
“Do we have to? It’s so warm and cozy in bed.” She placed soft kisses along his collarbone, feeling pleased when he groaned in response.
“You’re distracting me,” he said.
“Really? I hadn’t intended to.” She burrowed under the covers, trailing her lips further down his body.
He pulled back the covers, letting in the chilly air. “Focus. How many drinks do we have on the shortlist? The cranberry mojito. The cinnamon rosemary old-fashioned, because it showcases Valois Brandy.”
“The candy cane martini makes three. We did it.”
“Our bartender might flip his shit if he has to make candy cane martinis all night.”
“All right, fine.” She sat up in bed with a huff. “Let’s try a few more cocktails. You’re spending the night, right?”
“You promise your father won’t be back until Wednesday? I don’t want him catching us in bed and threatening to throw me through a plate glass window.”
“Hmm. Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“Maybe? But I’d rather not risk it.”
She kissed his cheek. “You’re safe, I promise. Just to be sure, I changed the password at the entry gate. I’ll change it back right before he arrives. But this way, I’ll have plenty of warning if he shows up unexpectedly.”
He grinned at her. “How very devious of you.”
Devious? Yes. But she couldn’t be too careful.
* * *
By Wednesday morning,Victoria was running on fumes. Rafael had slept over at her place on Monday and Tuesday night, and they’d barely gotten any sleep. Even her daily cup of French roast had little effect on her foggy brain. By eleven, she was reduced to closing her office door and stealing a catnap on her desk.
Not that she had any regrets. Spending the past two nights with Rafael had been well worth the sacrifice, and not just for the amazing sex. She loved drifting off to sleep in his arms, cocooned in his embrace. Or talking with him while they lay together in the darkness. Now that they’d opened up to each other, she no longer had to hide anything from him. She’d had a hard time heading off to work this morning, not knowing when they’d get another chance at intimacy.
But after they said their goodbyes, a nagging feeling settled in. That—like it or not—she’d fallen back in love with Rafael.
She’d fallen for him in Baja, but she’d chalked her feelings up to a lot of factors—her fragile emotional state, the exotic location, the thrill of escaping her home life. But this time, their fling wasn’t just about wild sex on a beach or drunken nights of passion. They were both responsible adults, trying to balance work, family, and romance. Because of this, their fling had the potential to turn into something real.
But how could she consider a relationship with Rafael? Her father would never approve. She’d worked so hard to win back his respect that she dreaded the thought of losing it again.
A knock on the door roused her from her stupor. She grabbed a compact from her purse and checked her appearance.Ugh. Even her strongest concealer was no match for the bags under her eyes. After touching up her lipstick, she called out, “Come in.”
The door opened to reveal her brother’s girlfriend, Jess, dressed in jeans and an embroidered peasant blouse, with a messenger bag hanging from her shoulders. “Hey, Victoria. You busy?”
Victoria straightened up. “Jess? What are you doing here?”
“I’m drafting a write-up on holiday events for the Temecula Valley Wine Growers Association, and my boss asked me to showcase your open house. I just finished talking to June.”
Victoria grimaced. “I’m so glad she’s in charge this year. The whole thing is a giant pain.”
Jess laughed. “That’s what she told me. She said you got off easy because of the Cavendish-Macalister wedding.” She rolled her eyes. “Like you haven’t been busting your ass, trying to please the world’s nastiest bridezilla.”
“No kidding. On top of that, I have to spend SaturdayandSunday at the Holiday Open House, helping out.” She was still irked that she’d given in so easily to her father’s demands. When would she ever have the courage to stand up to him?
“Need a break?” Jess asked. “It’s so nice out. That’s why I’m doing my research in person instead of making a bunch of phone calls.”
Victoria had a slew of emails to deal with, but the fresh air might revive her. She grabbed her blazer from the back of her chair and tucked her phone in the pocket. “Sure. Let’s grab some coffee first.”
