“Discussing my shift!I barely mentioned you. For not even two minutes, if that. We were bored. We had nothing else to talk about. You came up because…”
The sentence dwindles as I continue to wave my hand in aggressive circles, hoping the motion will awaken the intelligent part of my brain.
No such luck, so I change tactics.
“Whatareyou doing here?” I ask accusingly. “Do you keep this close a watch on all your employees?”
It’s like I think that if I keep talking long enough, he won’t have the window of opportunity to fire me for what he overheard. I doubt he allows his employees to talk that way about himin his own club. There’s no way I’m walking out of here with my job. In fact, I doubt I’ll have much of my dignity left, either.
Being this close to him is like an adrenaline rush. I was tired before, but now I’ve caught my second wind. I barely notice myracing heart as he takes me in with a mixture of amusement and intrigue.
“When your grandmother called me to inform me you were on Ibiza, she asked me to keep a careful eye on you.”
“MY GRANDMOTHER CALLED YOU?”
My jaw is on the floor. That’s it. It’s curtains for Lita. She had a good long run.
“You didn’t tell me that the other day.” I sound accusatory. “You just said you knew her.”
He briefly glances around us, then nods for me to follow him. Unlike the other night, he doesn’t shove me along, though I can tell he’d love to. It must be so annoying for him to deal with my obstinance when everyone else in his life is so eager to kiss his ring and beg to be in his presence. As I walk, his hand presses to my lower back, encompassing far too much of it as he leads me toward the side of the stage, away from prying eyes. He’s like an NFL quarterback with those hands of his. I file that tidbit away for another time and stay focused on the task.
My grandmother called Cristiano. There’s no shortage of possibilities as to what she could have said to this man, and every option makes me want to weep.
Tired of being gently led away by him, I whirl around and demand brutal honesty with my biting tone. “What did she tell you, and don’t leave anything out.”
I cross my arms to show I mean business, but with our size difference, it’s just plain silly. Still, I try for intimidation even if it won’t work.
He rubs his jaw to stifle his smile before he answers. “She called to let me know you were on the island.”
Yes, but I know that couldn’t have been the end of it. We’re talking about a loving butmeddlesomeSpanish grandmother here. “What else?”
“She had some concerns…”
Now we’re getting to the truth.
I steel my spine for the worst. “About?”
“You being young and naive. She asked if I would watch over you.”
Welp, the dignity I was worried about earlier has officially left the building.
“I’m notthatyoung. And I’m certainly not naive.”
His eyes narrow like he doesn’t quite buy the second part of my claim. “Sheltered little rich girl off on her own for the first time?” His smile is goading me into seeing the humor of my situation. “You can’t blame her for worrying.”
My molars clench. “I don’t need a babysitter if that’s what you think.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not applying for the job,” he says in a lazy drawl.
Why does he have to say it likethat, like he’s twisting this conversation into something silly and sexy and fun.
I shake my head trying to figure out some way to salvage this. “She’s very old, my Lita.Very old.And you know she probably didn’t even know who she was calling when she dialed your number. Sometimes she rings me thinking she’s speaking to her dog groomer. So don’t worry, you’re off the hook.”
I expect him to toss his hands up in relief. For a moment he does look away. Hope soars in my chest. Soon I’ll be done with this—with him—forever. No more provoking man. No moreheart-racing conversations. Then, his dark, romantic gaze settles back on me like a two-ton boulder. A slow, challenging grin spreads across his features.
“Too late. You’re already my problem.”
I gulp in disbelief. What is he saying? Hisproblem? What could that possibly entail?
