Dynasties: The Montoros

Two

Alex had made a tactical error. He knew it as soon as he took Maria in his arms. Given the situation, he’d assumed that dancing was a socially acceptable convention…a polite way to pass the time.

He was wrong. Dead wrong. No matter the public venue nor the circumspect way in which he held her, nothing could erase the fact that she was soft and warm in his embrace. The slick fabric of her dress did nothing to disguise the feminine skin beneath.

He found his breath caught in his throat, lodged there by a sharp stab of hunger that caught him off guard. He’d worked so hard these past weeks that he’d let his personal needs slide. Celibacy was neither smart nor sustainable for a man his age. Certainly not when faced with such a deliciously carnal temptation.

How had he never noticed that Maria was such a tall woman…or that her cheek reached his shoulder at exactly the right spot? When he couldn’t think of a good reason to let her go, one dance turned into three. Inevitably, his body responded to her nearness.

He was in heaven and hell, shuddering with arousal and unable to do a thing about it.

When Gabriel brushed past them, his petite sister in his arms, Alex remembered what he had meant to say earlier. “Maria…”

“Hmm?”

Her voice had the warm, honeyed sound of a woman pleasured by her lover. Alex cleared his throat. “You need to be careful around Gabriel Montoro.”

Maria’s reaction was unmistakable. She went rigid in Alex’s arms and pulled away. “Excuse me?” Beautiful eyes glared at him.

He tried to continue the dance, but Maria was having none of it. So Alex soldiered on. “He’s a mature, experienced man, and you’re not accustomed to running in these circles. I’d hate to see him take advantage of you.”

Maria went pale but for two spots of hectic color on her cheekbones. “Your concern is duly noted,” she said, the words icy. “But you’ll have to trust my judgment, I’m afraid. Because I don’t plan to avoid him. My job is actually to get close to him, to learn his secrets, to do damage control. And I’m not a child, Alex. I’m insulted by your insinuation.”

“I’m not insinuating anything,” he said. “But I saw the way he looked at you.”

“The man would flirt with a block of wood. I get that. But I certainly don’t need you or anyone else to protect me from the big bad wolf.”

“You’re angry.”

“Damn straight, I’m angry.” Her eyes snapped with the force of her displeasure. “I was invited to be part of this delegation, and I accepted. I’m here to do a job and to do it to the best of my ability. This assignment means as much to me as it does to you. So I’ll thank you to keep your advice to yourself.”

“I’m sorry,” he said stiffly.

Her posture erect, she gave him a stony stare. “Am I off the clock now, Mr. Ramon? May I go to my room?”

“Don’t push me, Maria,” he said, his teeth clenched. “It’s been a long day, and the ones to come won’t be much better.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist in a defensive posture. “Maybe it would be best if we avoid each other when we don’t have to be working together.”

“If that’s what you want.” How had they gone from dancing to dismay so quickly?

For a brief moment he saw sadness in her gaze. His gut twisted with the sure knowledge that he had put it there.

Her bearing and her expression were dignified. “I’ll see you at ten tomorrow,” she said.

As he watched her walk away from him, his enjoyment in the evening went flat. He tracked her progress as she spoke to various members of the delegation and said her good-nights. The Montoros were next. Both of the Rafaels. Bella. And of course, Gabriel.

As Alex watched, Gabriel leaned down and whispered something in Maria’s ear. Whatever it was, it made her laugh.

Seeing her face light up reminded Alex of how hard she worked. In Alma, he’d never had any problem with their professional relationship. But something about Miami’s heat and hedonistic ways blurred the lines between business and pleasure.

Maria was right. Part of her job was to deal with Gabriel Montoro so that he didn’t embarrass his family and/or derail the plans to reinstate the monarchy.

Alex understood her priorities. But he didn’t have to like them.

Maria slept poorly and woke early. Her dreams had been a jumble of Alma and Miami and Alex. Gabriel hadn’t figured in those sequences at all. Which was really no surprise. Because as handsome and charismatic as the second-born Montero was, he didn’t make her heart beat faster.

He amused her. He made her laugh. And she liked him a lot.

But he wasn’t Alex.

After fifteen minutes of tossing and turning, it became clear she wasn’t going to be able to go back to sleep. Climbing out of bed, she slipped into her swimsuit, brushed her teeth and twisted her hair into a messy knot on top of her head. This was her best chance to get in some sunbathing before the sun became blistering.

Draped from neck to midcalf in a conservative cover-up made of ecru lace, she made her way downstairs. Miami might have different standards, but Maria was a citizen of Alma and as such, subject to a certain code of dress and conduct. She would never do anything to embarrass the delegation.

Other than the occasional hotel employee, she met no one. These early-morning hours were ones she enjoyed. Filled with the promise of a new day. Peaceful.

Only when she stepped outside into the heat and humidity did things change. Not because of the weather. But because she ran headlong into a hard male body.

Catching herself and grabbing for her tote, which threatened to spill everywhere, she looked up in consternation. “Alex.”

He wore a gray T-shirt and navy running shorts. With some alarm, she realized that she had never seen his legs bare. If that weren’t enough to make her gawk and stutter, she also had to take note of his broad chest and the dark patterns where sweat marked his shirt.

“Hello, Maria. You’re up early.”

He spoke calmly, as though their last encounter hadn’t ended acrimoniously.

She nodded. “I burn easily. I thought it might be nice to spend time at the beach now. I won’t be late for our meeting.”

He cocked his head. “Am I such an ogre?”

The teasing glint in his eyes made her stomach clench with feelings that were definitely not professional. “Of course not.”

“Good.”

They both stood there waiting for the other to speak.

“You’ve been running,” she said, as if it weren’t obvious.

“Yes.” When he removed his aviator sunglasses, his gaze was stormy. “It’s a stress reliever.”

“You have a lot on your plate.”

“The Montoros aren’t the only problem I’m juggling at the moment.”

“What else is there?” She was genuinely curious.

“This and that.” The words were flat. Without inflection. But the dark-eyed gaze held an intensity that made her nipples bead beneath two layers of fabric.

She swallowed hard. “I won’t keep you then.”

He took a step in her direction but stopped short. “I’d better hit the shower,” he muttered. “I’m having breakfast with Rafael Montero.”

“Father or son?”

“Father. He’s one generation closer to the past. I’m hoping he’ll help us sway the younger ones.”

“He may be bitter about his own missed opportunity.”

“Somehow, I doubt it. He seems to have a very casual approach to life.”

“You sound as if you don’t approve.”

Alex shrugged, the fabric of his T-shirt clinging to a broad, muscular chest. “I’m not sure how the American personality will translate in Alma. The older people still remember days of pomp and circumstance. A laid-back monarchy may be hard to swallow.”

“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?”

“No.” He grimaced. “But it’s the assignment we’ve been given. If we’re in pursuit of the ‘good old days,’ then the monarchy is necessary for our people to feel as if life has finally returned to normal.”

“Better the devil you know?”

Alex chuckled, his face lightening. “Something like that. I’d better get moving. See you at ten.”

As he walked away, Maria allowed herself to track his progress. He moved with a rangy masculine gait that encompassed determination and impatience. She wondered if he ever truly relaxed.

Down on the sand, she selected a lounger and spread her towel. At this hour, the sun worshippers were few and far between. A handful of joggers. Several people walking their dogs.

She had just picked up her paperback novel when a shadow fell over her left arm. Shading her eyes with one hand, she looked up. “Gabriel. What are you doing here? I wouldn’t have pegged you for an early riser.”

He waited for her to move her legs to one side and then settled on the end of the chaise. “I’m not,” he said, yawning. “Just now going to bed.”

“Ah.”

He shook his head with a wry grin. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I have a weekly poker game with some buddies.”

“Did you win?”

“I always win.”

Despite his reputation, she couldn’t help liking the black sheep Montoro. He seemed very comfortable in his own skin, and that was a trait she admired. “Where do you live?” she asked.

“I have a condo here on the beach. But our family has a compound at Coral Gables. You should let me take you there. It’s quite fabulous. You’d like it, I think…”

“I’m here to work,” she said, smiling to soften the blow. “But thank you.”

“If it’s your stick-up-his-butt boss you’re worried about, I’ll invite him along, as well.”

“That’s not a very nice thing to say. Alex is a wonderful man. And he cares deeply about his country. I admire him very much.”

“Does he know about your…devotion?”

The pause before the last word was pointed. She felt her face flush. “We’re colleagues, nothing more.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“I’m uncomfortable with this subject,” she said, wincing inwardly at how prissy she sounded.

Gabriel waved a hand. “Fine. My apologies.” He yawned again. “I need some shut-eye. Don’t stay out too long and get burned, pretty Maria.”

“Why are people so interested in giving me advice? I’m a grown woman, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Gabriel stood and stretched, his shoulders blocking out the sun. “I noticed,” he said, the grin turning roguish. “But I know a lost cause when I see one. You’re too nice a woman for the likes of me.”

“I think I’ve been insulted.”

“Not at all,” he protested. “It’s just that I don’t have a great track record with sweet young things. Someone always gets a heart broken.”

“Do you ever take life seriously?”

He glanced back at her as he prepared to walk away. “Not if I can help it, Maria. Not if I can help it.”

An hour later she gathered her things and prepared to return to the hotel. She had just enough time to clean up and make it to Alex’s suite for their meeting. They were being joined by Jean Claude, the attorney overseeing preparation of the legal documents for the restoration of the constitutional monarchy.

Maria was glad to see the lawyer for more reasons than one. He was good at what he did, but even more importantly, today he was a buffer between Alex and her. The growing awareness she had of Alex’s masculinity would have to be stamped out.

For two solid hours the three of them wrangled over language and legal points. Lunch was delivered from the hotel restaurant at noon. In forty-five minutes they were at it again. From the beginning, Maria had been awestruck by the historical importance of the documents they were drafting. Now, though she still recognized the critical nature of the work, being cooped up in a small room for hours on end meant she was more than ready to call it quits when Alex finally indicated they were done.

“We can’t finish everything in a day or even this week. But we’ve made a dent in it.”

Jean Claude nodded. “When will we show the Montoros a draft?”

“Not until we have some assurance they plan to accept the offer from Alma,” Alex said. “If they turn us down, we’ll have to scrap everything and come up with plan B.”

Maria groaned. “All this work for nothing? Please don’t even hint at it. It’s a dreadful thought.”

Jean Claude capped his expensive pen and tucked papers into his sleek briefcase. He was in his midthirties, good-looking in a quiet, unflashy way and utterly trustworthy. Which was why he had been chosen for his current position. “I believe we must think positively. The Montoros are surely aware of their family’s deep history with the country of their origin. Despite their love of the United States, blood ties will win out.”

Alex ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the thick dark strands. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

As the door closed behind Jean Claude, silence fell heavy and awkward. Maria stood, her knee bumping the leg of the table. Wincing, she picked up her things and sidled toward the exit. “Same time in the morning?” she asked, trying for a clean getaway.

Alex stopped her with nothing more than an upraised hand. “Tomorrow is Saturday. The entire delegation has been given instructions to enjoy some time off. We’ll reconvene on Monday.”

Maria raised an eyebrow. “Can we afford the delay?”

“Any deadlines we come up with are artificial at best. If we’re to convince the Montoros of our sincerity and our pragmatism, we can’t appear too desperate. It’s Miami, Maria. Sun, sand, shopping.”

“It’s like I don’t even recognize you,” she teased.

The twist of his lips was self-mocking. “I do understand how to have fun, you know.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Suddenly they were back to flirting again.

Alex fiddled with a stack of papers, not looking at her. “Did I ever tell you I had a brother? A twin?”

“No.” It wasn’t the kind of thing two business associates normally discussed. She wasn’t going to ignore the personal overture, though. “But I’d like to hear about him…”

Alex’s face was cast in shadow, the sun coming through the window at his back. Suddenly the harsh lighting made him seem a tragic figure. She shivered as if a ghost had walked over her grave.

“He died when we were ten years old,” Alex said. “Complications from the flu. My parents were completely crushed.”

“And what about you?”

He seemed surprised, as though no one had ever considered the grief of a sibling. “I lost a part of myself,” he said slowly. “As if I’d had a limb removed. It was agony.”

Maria stood frozen, her belongings clutched to her chest. “Why are you telling me this?” she asked, her voice little more than a whisper.

Alex straightened, his gaze meeting hers without hesitation. “I want us to be friends, Maria…to understand each other. You think of me as a workaholic, don’t you?”

She bit her lip, evaluating her answer. “I see you as a very conscientious man.”

His brooding expression touched something deep in her heart. “I wasn’t always such a stickler for the rules. But after my brother died, I felt as if I had to make up for my brother’s loss by being perfect,” he said. “That narrow path has become who I am now.”

“A difficult way to live.”

“Yes. Yes, it is.” He stopped, and she saw the muscles in his throat work. “If I push too hard, call me on it. With you and Jean…with the delegation.”

“It’s not my place.”

“It is. Because that’s what I need from you.”

They were separated by a space of several feet. Even so, she felt the pull of his magnetic personality. “Is that all you need?”

The words left her mouth as if someone else had spoken them. She saw his eyelashes flicker in shock and was appalled at her impulsive gaffe. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Do you not want to hear my answer?”

Every cell in her body trembled with uncertainty. “I think perhaps I should say no.”

“I never took you for a coward, Maria.”

She shook her head instinctively. “We’re away from home…in an unusual environment. We’re not ourselves.”

“Or maybe we’re more ourselves than we’re allowed to be in Alma.”

His words left her breathless…literally. Until it occurred to her that she had for the moment forgotten how to breathe. Exhaling slowly, she weighed her response. Alex was an attractive, appealing man. Sharing his bed would be memorable. Of that she had no doubt.

But in the end, the two of them came from different classes. The United States might pride itself on the ability of a person with nothing to rise to the top, but Maria knew her limitations. “My mother worked in an industrial laundry ten hours a day in order to put me through school in London. And I had two jobs on top of that.”

“I’m familiar with your background.”

“The Ramons are aristocracy…on a par with the Montoros as far as Alma is concerned. I don’t think it would be wise for you and I to do anything we might regret.”

“You’re throwing up barriers where none exist. The delegation was handpicked. You’re here because of your skills and competence. No one looks down on you for not being a native.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“It’s the twenty-first century, Maria.”

“Maybe so. But Alma values the past. Otherwise, none of us would be here trying to reinstate the monarchy. I am proud of who I am, but I’m a realist. You and I walk different paths. Let’s not forget that.”

He stared at her long and hard as if he could imprint his will on her by mind control. “You asked me what I need from you.”

“I shouldn’t have.” Her heart fluttered in her throat like a butterfly trapped.

He smiled, a totally unfair act of war. “I’ll wait until you ask me again. But next time, I’ll answer, Maria.”

Three

She fled to her room after that, her legs spaghetti and her mouth dry. It was one thing to know she was attracted to Alex but another entirely to realize that he might be feeling the same pull.

After changing into a set of comfy knit casual wear, she pulled out her phone and initiated a FaceTime call with her mother, who was getting ready for bed. The older woman’s image was clear and dear. “Hello, sweetheart. How are things going?”

“Good, Mama. I wish you could be here to see Miami. It’s gorgeous.”

“I’m so proud of you, Maria.”

“None of this would be happening if it weren’t for all the sacrifices you’ve made for me.” Her throat was tight suddenly.

Her mother’s smile held a quiet joy. “That’s a mother’s job…and one I did gladly. How is Mr. Ramon?”

“Why would you ask me that?” Did her red cheeks show up on the other end?

“I’m not blind, Maria. I know you have a little crush on him.”

She was too startled at her mother’s perception to prevaricate. “Well, that’s all there is to it. We’re business associates, nothing more.”

“He could do worse for a wife.”

“I think you may be a tiny bit prejudiced.”

They talked for five more minutes on less sensitive topics and then Maria said her good-nights. Her body was still on Alma time. The temptation to climb into bed was strong. But she knew she needed to resist if she was going to get past the jet lag.

She wasn’t quite brave enough to strike out on her own in a strange city, but she had noticed a charming café in the hotel lobby as well as a series of shops with eye-catching merchandise. That would be exploration enough for one day.

Grabbing her billfold with its modest stash of American dollars, she tucked her room key and cosmetic case in a small tote and went in search of the elevator. She’d feared feeling out of place, but the hotel staff was exceptionally kind and friendly. Because she was on the early end of the dinner hour, she was escorted to a table near the window, perfectly situated to gaze out at the ocean.

After that, it was a toss-up as to whether she enjoyed the food or the view more. Though Alma supported a thriving fishing industry, the variety of seafood here in Miami was out of the ordinary. She ordered baby shrimp in a béchamel sauce with spring vegetables over angel-hair pasta. Every bite was a treat.

Afterward, she browsed the shops, trying not to let her shock show at some of the prices. Clearly the patrons of this hotel were upscale consumers with plenty of disposable income. A designer swimsuit and cover-up for twelve hundred dollars. Seventy-five-dollar rhinestone-studded beach sandals. A rattan tote that cost more that Maria earned in a month.

Fortunately, she had never needed such things to be happy. Her mother had taught her to hunt for bargains and to stretch a euro. Though Maria admired the merchandise, it was more in the nature of appreciating exhibits at a museum. She didn’t covet any of it.

When she had worked her way around the main floor of the hotel, it was still too early for bedtime. On a whim, she returned to the restaurant and decided to order dessert. Her table was not as ideally situated this go-round, but the watermelon sorbet and caramel-drizzled shortbread cookie more than made up for it.

She was sipping coffee when a familiar figure surrounded by three or four other men entered the room. Gabriel Montoro stood out no matter where she spotted him. After paying her check, she was preparing to leave when he surprised her by showing up at her table and sitting down in the empty chair.