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CHAPTER FIVE
REMI’S PULSE RACED WHEN he saw a golden-haired figure enter the room. Some American women carried themselves with a certain confidence that made them stand out. She would have anyway, he mused to himself.
The short-sleeved khaki blouse gave definition to the slenderly rounded body he’d held close to him last night. Her imprint had left an indelible impression, causing him a restless night.
Up to now he’d only seen her in a dress or a skirt and blouse. This morning she’d put on matching khaki pants that outlined her long, shapely legs. Judging by the way the officer couldn’t take his eyes off her, he, too, was mesmerized by her femininity. There ought to be a law…
“Senora Gray?”
As she looked at him, her eye glowed green fire in a room of dark, heavy furniture. Gone were last night’s tears. Their presence had revealed unexpected vulnerabilities that squeezed his heart.
“This is Captain Perez. He wants to ask you a few questions about the accident.”
She turned her attention to the other man. “How do you, Captain.” They shook hands.
“It won’t take long, Senora. If you’d prefer to sit—”
“I’m fine.”
Remi watched him study her the way any man would when confronted by exceptional beauty. For a reason he didn’t wish to examine, it bothered him much more than it should have.
“I’m sorry your eye was injured, but I must confess I’m relieved to see you are looking so well.”
“Thank you. Senor Goyo is responsible for my quick recovery. My own family couldn’t have taken better care of me, had they been able to be here.”
The furrow deepened between Remi’s brows. Did Jillian know about her sister-in-law’s precarious condition?
“You are most fortunate, Senora. For the record, what I need from you is an account of how the accident happened.”
Remi listened as she told her version. It didn’t vary from his own except that she took full blame for it by explaining her bad judgment in trying to swerve her car.
The officer nodded and wrote a few words in his notebook. Then he lifted his head. “I understand you work for EuropaUltimate Tours. Why is it that you were alone in a rental car that day?”
“Between bus tours I do research to plan new tours for the company.”
“You were planning a tour here in Castile-La Mancha?”
“Yes.”
He smiled. “In this time of drought, tourism is good for our country.”
Jillian’s gaze flicked to Remi before she said, “In my opinion this part of Spain is one of the true wonders of the world.”
While Remi felt a rush of adrenaline infiltrate his system, the captain flashed a white smile. “I will pass your sentiment along, Senora. Thank you for your time.”
“I’d like to thank you and all the people who came to my rescue so fast.”
“Let us hope your eye heals completely.”
She nodded, not allowing her smile to fade even though Dr. Filartigua had indicated that such a miracle wasn’t going to happen.
“I’ll see you out, Captain.” Remi was anxious for the officer to leave before he said anything more damaging. Jillian didn’t need to dwell on the negative, and he wanted to get to the bottom of a certain comment she’d made a few moments ago.
She joined him in the foyer to see the officer out the door. When he’d gone, Remi turned to her. “You look like you slept well.”
“I did.” Her gaze took in the foyer’s accoutrements. “This is the lap of luxury for me. Breakfast brought in before I even asked for it. You’ve spoiled me.”
If he hadn’t been there when she’d broken down last evening, he could be forgiven for thinking she was invincible.
“But you still miss your brother,” he inserted. Not to mention her deceased husband, whom he tried hard not to think about at all.
“Naturally I’d love to see him, but he couldn’t come.”
“Is that what he told you?”
“Dave didn’t have to say anything. With Angela this close to her delivery date, he needs to be with her. If she weren’t expecting, he would have flown over with her and the children.” Her delicately arched brows formed a frown. “Why are you so concerned about that?”
Maybe she didn’t know about the toxemia. Relieved by her explanation he said, “Probably because I haven’t had a sister to worry about before.” Just keep thinking of her in those terms, Goyo.
“She’d be a lucky woman,” Jillian whispered.
While he digested that remark she asked, “What about brothers?”
He’d known this moment would come. “I have one,” he muttered.
She looked away. “I’m sorry if my question was off-limits.”
Remi inhaled sharply. “It was a perfectly normal question.”
“But you’d prefer not to talk about him.”
“Did I say that?” he challenged.
“You didn’t have to.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “What would you like to know?”
She hunched her feminine shoulders. “Only what you’re willing to tell me.”
His guest said and did everything right. “Let’s take a walk outside before the heat becomes too intense. I have something important to discuss with you. Do you need to go back to your room first?”
“No. I’m ready.”
A woman who didn’t fuss. She was a rarity in too many disturbing ways.
He opened the door for her, unable to avoid breathing her fragrance as she moved past him to step outside. His eyes took in the exciting mold of her body before he caught up to her.
“Where are we going?” she asked without looking at him.
“If you’re up for it, I’d like to go as far as the mill house I showed you yesterday.”
“I’d love it. I’m a tour guide who’s not used to such inactivity. It’ll feel good to stretch my legs.”
Remi immediately pushed the thought of her legs away.
They walked around the side of the main house. “His name is Javier.”
“Older or younger?” she asked without missing her stride.
“Younger by thirteen months.”
They kept on going. He paced his steps so she could keep up with him.
“I take it he’s not on the estate. Where does he live?”
“That’s a good question.”
She slowed down and turned toward him with a stunned expression. “You really don’t know?”
They’d reached the shade near the old olive press. He stared down at the woman looking so intently at him with her uncovered eye. He rubbed the back of his neck absently.
“Aside from two chance encounters, I haven’t seen him since the day my wife ran off with him two years ago.”
Jillian felt like someone had just run her through with a Toledo sword, the kind tourists paid a great deal of money to possess.
How did anyone recover from such a profound betrayal?
Much as she wanted to comfort him the way he’d comforted her over the last few days, she knew he would see it as a gesture of pity. Since she despised being the object of that horrid emotion, she kept her hands and arms to herself.
“You did ask,” sounded a voice, so dark and hollow, it could have come from an underground cavern.
“That’s me,” she muttered in self-deprecation. “Fearless.”
Without waiting for him she began walking again. He followed at a short distance until they reached the barn. She wished she were alone. Right now she was bleeding all over the place and there was nowhere to hide.
“I’ve had a year longer than you to deal with my emotions, Jillian.”
That was meant to reassure her? If she’d had a sister who decided to run off with Kyle…
She swung around to face him, trying to imagine his anguish. “The difference is, up to the minute I lost my husband we were very happy, and I still have my brother w-while your bro—”
Jillian couldn’t go on. She couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of his pain. How did anyone handle that kind of hurt? Without conscious thought she moved inside the spacious barn where she attempted to recover her composure. He was pacing.
“Were you married a long time?”
He stopped. “Ten months.”
Such a short time…What woman in her right mind would leave Remi? As far as Jillian was concerned, neither his brother or his wife were worthy to breathe the same air he did.
“Were you and Javier in business together?” she asked before she could stop herself.
“Si, Senora.”
In that case it wasn’t the drought problem alone. Remi had been forced to recoup his father’s losses without Javier’s help while at the same time dealing with the bitterness and heartache of losing the woman he’d married. She’d gone away with his own flesh and blood—It was too awful.
Jillian sucked in her breath, wishing she hadn’t asked him if he had brothers. The answer had torn her apart. To delve any deeper into his personal life could only bring him more grief. It was time to change the subject.
She hugged her arms to her waist. “Now that we’re out here, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
In the semidarkness she could feel his eyes scrutinizing her. “Much as I dislike the idea of doing anything other than what I know, I need to safeguard the future of the estate with another source of income.” After a pause, he said, “Needless to say it won’t be crops.” He was talking as if she weren’t there.
Jillian had already gathered that. She lifted her head and waited.
“It’s strange that on the same day my accountant again brought up the subject of my diversifying, you happened along with your request. I’ve been mulling it over in my mind ever since.” His hands slid to his back hip pockets. “Tell me something. How many people are on your tour buses at a time?”
“Twenty-eight including the driver and two tour guides.”
One dark brow quirked. “I thought they were double that size.”
“Most of them are, but our company believes a luxury tour must begin with less people to give them more one-on-one attention. A group of twenty-four, twenty-five tourists is much more manageable.”
He nodded, then looked around the interior. “This mill house, the barn and olive press house were built to last, but they’ve been standing vacant and unused for years. I’ve been thinking…”
So had she!
From the moment he’d given her the tour yesterday her mind had leaped with ideas that had prevented her from falling asleep.
“They would be perfect,” she whispered without realizing she’d spoken.
Remi folded his arms. Maybe it was a trick of light but she thought she saw his lips twitch. “I haven’t said anything yet.”
She chuckled. “Forgive me if I’m several leaps ahead of you.”
“I’d like to hear what goes on in that mind of yours during one of those leaps.”
She shook her head, embarrassed. “Please finish what you were about to say.”
“Muy bien. I was going to ask a question. How many times during the summer would you anticipate one of your tour groups stopping here?”
“That would be entirely up to you. There’s such a huge call for Spanish tourism all year round, I can conceive of as many tours as you could handle.”
“Give me a number.”
“Using Madrid or Toledo as the hub, I can envision hundreds within a year.”
“That many?” He sounded surprised.
“It’s easily possible if you did four a week. EuropaUltimate is one of the biggest on the continent. Tourists want everything from a grand tour of five weeks down to an overnight excursion. The lure of visiting the Soleado Goyo olive groves would be one of those unforgettable highlights.”
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