Her inner defenses reflexively ran through her mental house, bolting and locking all the doors and windows. It was a PTSD response, not because she feared men. She was more than capable of taking care of herself on a physical level, but she didn’t want to be used and betrayed again.
Even if he knew who she was, he didn’t look like someone who needed her connections, though.Didhe know who she was?
“You’re not single?” He misinterpreted her hesitation. The hint of warmth in his expression turned to cool dismissal. “Perhaps another time.”
“No, I am. I just…”Never hook up.
Not that she was thinking aboutthat. She barely dated or even went out with friends. Her mates at school had been her age, but infinitely less mature and jaded. They had partied as often as they studied while Siobhan had focused on keeping a low profile and finally completing her degree. Her social life was mostly confined to family and conducted out of the public eye. Her trust in strangers was very low.
This particular stranger was exceedingly compelling, however. And she didn’t want to drink her champagne in a hotel room while talking to her mother over the tablet. She wanted a few more minutes with him.
“I was just surprised,” she said with a smile that felt unsteady.
“That a man offered to buy you a drink?” His black brows lifted in skepticism.
“No.” A man at LaGuardia had offered to buy her a drink and there’d been a whole convention of men at the hotel in Miami trying to hit on her. “That I want to accept.”
“Ah.” His eyes narrowed slightly. She suspected that was as close as he got to a smile.
He was ringless, but she cocked her head to ask, “Areyousingle?”
“Sí. Joaquin.” He offered his hand.
“Siobhan.” She shook his hand and felt the tingle all the way up her arm.
Breathless, she walked into the empty lounge and excused herself to the powder room where she washed her hands and touched up her makeup, smoothing her brunette hair back into its chignon.
When she returned, Joaquin was at a table by the windows. He rose to help her with her chair. “The wind might break up the clouds and give us a sunset.”
“It’s a nice view either way.” It was overcast and spitting rain, but the Golden Gate Bridge stood reddish-orange against the mist.
“Have you been here before?” he asked.
“No. And I leave after my interview in the morning so I won’t have time to explore.” She was looking for a menu, but the server arrived with an ice bucket and showed Joaquin a bottle of Cristal. He nodded for it to be opened.
“You’re spoiling me,” Siobhan said. “I would have ordered a split of the California bubbly.”
“My family has vineyards. I’m a snob.”
“Is that what brings you here? Are they here?”
“No, I had meetings. I’m in tech, heading to Asia tomorrow.”
She suspected that was a deliberate detail to let her know this was a very casual encounter, barely a date, not the beginning of anything serious.
“Where do you live?” she asked curiously.
“These days? On my plane,” he said ironically.
The cork popped. Joaquin smelled and tasted, then nodded his approval.
The server poured into a crystal flute rimmed in gold and offered it to her.
The pale amber sparkled with fine bubbles. Siobhan lifted it and closed her eyes as she inhaled the aroma of sea air and lime zest.
When the server walked away away, Joaquin said,“Salud,”and offered his glass.
“Cheers. And thank you.” She touched her glass to his, then sipped. The delicate effervescence coated her tongue with a silky mousse-like texture. Buttery flavors of crushed nuts and yeasty sourdough melted in her mouth, followed by saline and citrus and a lengthy floral finish.
