He braced his shoulders against the truth. The man who, on his last polo tour, had looked at his brothers and Acosta cousins with envy, as they’d played with their children and laughed with their partners. Good luck to them! They’d been lucky. He had more sense than to tempt fate to smile on him where love, luck and family were concerned.
Having thanked the wedding organisers for giving his sister a wonderful day, he headed back to the palace. He never went to bed without checking on the ponies first. The grooms travelling with him were more than capable of doing this, but there was always the possibility that they might need something, or one of the horses had refused to settle. The fact that Rose could be carrying out the same checks was irrelevant to him, except that nagging part of him that insisted they weren’t done yet—and not just in the professional sense.
When he reached the palace stables the grooms were changing shifts. One sleek, spotless, air-conditioned interior of a top-class polo stable was much like another, and Prince Cesar’s facility made him long for home. In that, he and Rose weren’t so dissimilar, he reflected as he entered the security code to gain entry. Rose might enjoy her job, but he suspected that part of her heart would always be in Ireland.
Once inside the stable block, he shed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.
‘Raffa!’
‘Lurking in the shadows again?’ he reprimanded, though Rose’s voice had caressed his senses like a welcome embrace.
‘Working, not lurking,’ she assured him.
Rose was smiling when he walked up to her, holding an armful of kittens. She’d changed out of her gown into an old pair of jeans and a shapeless top, with a pair of serviceable muckers on her feet. ‘You call that work?’ he challenged.
‘Tell that to the kittens,’ she said as she buried her face in soft fur.
Work lights illuminated her face, making Rose appear more radiant than ever.
‘Do you want to hold one?’
He declined. ‘Better put them back with their mother. She’ll be missing them.’
‘You’re right,’ Rose agreed reluctantly. ‘I found them in one of the stalls, making a break for freedom.’
Animals were a great leveller, and a great indicator of character too. ‘You don’t have to make up your time for attending the wedding by working late,’ he made clear as they went to find the mother cat’s nest.
‘You’re here,’ Rose pointed out. When he didn’t reply, she added, ‘And while you’re here, I should ask—did I go too far with the cheek tonight?’
He raised a brow. ‘Just put the kittens back in their nest.’
Rose seemed reluctant to part with them, and turned to give him an imploring glance. ‘If you even hint at the fact that rescuing kittens has been the best part of your night, I will take offence,’ he warned.
He received an amused glance. ‘I’m sure you won’t stop teasing me any time soon,’ Rose declared. ‘So, yes, if you must know, the best part of tonight was dancing with you.’
Her frankness disarmed him. ‘But you’re more comfortable with animals?’ he guessed.
‘It would be rude to admit that.’
‘But it’s true?’ he pressed.
‘They’re not as dangerous as some of the humans I’ve met,’ she admitted.
‘I hope you don’t count me amongst those threats?’
‘You’d better be one of the good guys, or I’m in trouble,’ Rose countered, humour brightening her eyes. ‘Although you certainly don’t look like one of the good guys to me.’
‘To prove my credentials, I’ll escort you to the door of the grooms’ quarters.’
‘That’s very good of you, but it doesn’t prove a thing,’ she pointed out. ‘Do I have cause to worry?’
‘Not tonight.’
‘Well, that’s honest enough. You have my permission to walk me to the door—but no further.’
‘Thank you,señorita,’ he mocked lightly. ‘I’m hugely honoured to end my evening with such a crushing blow to my ego.’
‘You’ll get over it,’ Rose assured him.
