pounding.
“ Qué delicioso! Three years is a long time not to have you.”
She shivered. “That was your choice.”
“Si.”
His admittance hurt even though she’d known it was true. He chose to leave her. She tried getting out of his arms, but he refused to let go. “Stop this, Santi. You walked away, and you can’t come back here now like nothing happened.”
“ Si, I let you go. For you.”
“No, you didn’t say that!”
He stepped back, and she breathed a sigh of relief. When she would have put more distance between them, he took her hand and guided her over to the couch. Against her will, he made her sit down, and he occupied the spot next to her, his thigh brushing hers.
“ Cariño, you needed time to finish school and to work in your chosen field. I gave you that time.”
“So big of you.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand why you’re so angry.”
She shook her head. “Wow, we’re seriously from two different cultures. I get now that it would never have worked. Me in Spain? That’s crazy. I was living in a fantasy world.”
“I’m frustrated by your reaction.”
She burst out with a humorless laugh. “ You’re frustrated? That’s rich. First you say you came for me like I have no choice in the matter. Then you get confused because I’m not falling into your arms. I never saw how arrogant you are because I was so young, so in lo—um, I was stupid. Not now. Never again.”
He grasped her hands and peered deep into her eyes. “I was wrong to assume you felt the same for me as I still do feel for you, but I can tell the desire is there. I’m not giving up.”
Goose bumps popped out on her arms. “What are you saying?”
“I will win your heart again.”
“My heart?”
He started to answer, but the doorbell rang. Panic set in until she forced herself to calm down. Only she would have this kind of situation. Santi peered toward the door and stood when she did.
“Don’t say anything,” she told him and went to answer. This time she ignored the peephole and just yanked the door wide. Brent stepped in.
“Hey, baby.” He extended his hands to her waist and moved in as if to kiss her. Della ducked away. That’s when he noticed Santi, and rage transformed his face. “What the hell is he doing here?” Brent turned to Santi. “I thought you went home.”
Santi’s already bulky muscled form seemed to swell more. “ You’re the one?”
“That’s right.” Brent grabbed her wrist and jerked her to him. “Della’s with me, where she belonged all the time. You can go back home.”
Della yanked free of Brent’s hold. “Stop it, you two. I don’t appreciate being treated like I’m not in the room or that I don’t have a choice in who I’m with. Brent, get a grip. Santi, go back to your hotel or wherever you’re staying. I’m getting dressed.”
She started off, thinking she had handled it, but the men began arguing behind her. Brent growled. “Della should be with a man who won’t ever leave her, and her feet should stay on the ground. She needs reality, not some stupid fantasy world you set up with your money.”
Santi muttered something in Spanish, she assumed was a curse. “I want only happiness for her. She can find it with me.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Brent snapped back.
Della spun on her heel and ran over to them. She squeezed her way between the two men and shoved at both their chests. “Stop fighting!”
Santi thrust her arm away and grabbed her around the waist. The man had the nerve to hoist her straight up off her feet and set her to the side as if she weighed nothing. Then he went back to his argument with Brent. She looked back and forth between them, befuddled. If she were dressed, she’d be in a better position to get them under control, but if she left the room, would their argument come to blows? On top of that, she had another, bigger problem.
As she stood there watching them and half-listening to their words, she came to
“ Qué delicioso! Three years is a long time not to have you.”
She shivered. “That was your choice.”
“Si.”
His admittance hurt even though she’d known it was true. He chose to leave her. She tried getting out of his arms, but he refused to let go. “Stop this, Santi. You walked away, and you can’t come back here now like nothing happened.”
“ Si, I let you go. For you.”
“No, you didn’t say that!”
He stepped back, and she breathed a sigh of relief. When she would have put more distance between them, he took her hand and guided her over to the couch. Against her will, he made her sit down, and he occupied the spot next to her, his thigh brushing hers.
“ Cariño, you needed time to finish school and to work in your chosen field. I gave you that time.”
“So big of you.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand why you’re so angry.”
She shook her head. “Wow, we’re seriously from two different cultures. I get now that it would never have worked. Me in Spain? That’s crazy. I was living in a fantasy world.”
“I’m frustrated by your reaction.”
She burst out with a humorless laugh. “ You’re frustrated? That’s rich. First you say you came for me like I have no choice in the matter. Then you get confused because I’m not falling into your arms. I never saw how arrogant you are because I was so young, so in lo—um, I was stupid. Not now. Never again.”
He grasped her hands and peered deep into her eyes. “I was wrong to assume you felt the same for me as I still do feel for you, but I can tell the desire is there. I’m not giving up.”
Goose bumps popped out on her arms. “What are you saying?”
“I will win your heart again.”
“My heart?”
He started to answer, but the doorbell rang. Panic set in until she forced herself to calm down. Only she would have this kind of situation. Santi peered toward the door and stood when she did.
“Don’t say anything,” she told him and went to answer. This time she ignored the peephole and just yanked the door wide. Brent stepped in.
“Hey, baby.” He extended his hands to her waist and moved in as if to kiss her. Della ducked away. That’s when he noticed Santi, and rage transformed his face. “What the hell is he doing here?” Brent turned to Santi. “I thought you went home.”
Santi’s already bulky muscled form seemed to swell more. “ You’re the one?”
“That’s right.” Brent grabbed her wrist and jerked her to him. “Della’s with me, where she belonged all the time. You can go back home.”
Della yanked free of Brent’s hold. “Stop it, you two. I don’t appreciate being treated like I’m not in the room or that I don’t have a choice in who I’m with. Brent, get a grip. Santi, go back to your hotel or wherever you’re staying. I’m getting dressed.”
She started off, thinking she had handled it, but the men began arguing behind her. Brent growled. “Della should be with a man who won’t ever leave her, and her feet should stay on the ground. She needs reality, not some stupid fantasy world you set up with your money.”
Santi muttered something in Spanish, she assumed was a curse. “I want only happiness for her. She can find it with me.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Brent snapped back.
Della spun on her heel and ran over to them. She squeezed her way between the two men and shoved at both their chests. “Stop fighting!”
Santi thrust her arm away and grabbed her around the waist. The man had the nerve to hoist her straight up off her feet and set her to the side as if she weighed nothing. Then he went back to his argument with Brent. She looked back and forth between them, befuddled. If she were dressed, she’d be in a better position to get them under control, but if she left the room, would their argument come to blows? On top of that, she had another, bigger problem.
As she stood there watching them and half-listening to their words, she came to
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