The Montoros Dynasty

He felt her gaze boring into his back as he selected a disc and inserted it into the Blu-ray player and muted the volume. The movie didn’t really matter. He had other plans.

When he joined her, she wrapped her arms around her waist and tugged at the hem of her robe. “I’ve known you for a very long time, Alex...and even on your wildest days, I’d never call you a go-with-the-flow kind of guy.”

Her lips quirked, her teasing smile softening what might have been a criticism. But the gentle light in her eyes told him she understood what he was saying.

An attack of conscience struck him as he settled into the soft, plump couch cushions. “If you’d rather watch this alone, I’ll leave you. I’ve plenty of work to do in my room.”

One small hand landed on his thigh...not moving...just searing him with heat. “I want you to stay.”

He swallowed, for one brief second questioning his sanity. There was a better than even chance that Gabriel Montoro had plans for Maria. Could Alex risk offending a member of the royal family in the midst of delicate negotiations?

But when his hand closed over Maria’s, their fingers twining together, he sucked in a deep breath as he realized that for once in his life he was prepared to put his personal wishes and feelings before his obligations.

Gently, giving her every chance to protest, he scooped her into his lap. Her head settled against his collarbone as if he had been holding her like this for a lifetime. “How do you feel?” he asked.

She stroked his jaw with a single finger. “Well enough for whatever you have in mind.”

“I seriously doubt that.” If she knew what he was thinking, what he wanted, she might run for the hills. “We’ll take this slow,” he promised. “Tonight and always. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’m a grown woman, Alex. You may have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m not one of them.”

The spark of temper reminded him that his Maria was a female of strength and purpose. “I can’t apologize for wanting to take care of you. You bring out the gentleman in me.”

She curled a hand behind his neck, dragging his head lower to press her lips to his. “Maybe I don’t want the gentleman,” she muttered. “Kiss me, Alex.”

Whatever measure of control he’d maintained up until that second finally snapped. Easing her down onto her back, he parted the lapels of her robe. Lust was a kick to his chest. But it was wrapped in wonder and tenderness. He touched a tight, rosy nipple. “You’re so damned beautiful.” The words stuck in his throat. He felt he could barely breathe.

“I look like a clown.”

He heard the feminine pique in her words and had to smile. “You may be a trifle the worse for wear, dear Maria, but it only makes me want you more.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Is that how you win over your conquests? With outright lies?”

He put his hand, palm flat over her heart, cupping the curves of her breast. “I work too hard to have much of a personal life,” he said, willing to be brutally honest if it meant relieving her misgivings. “And when I do spend time with a woman, I am always honest.”

“Somehow, I believe you.” Her chest rose and fell with her quickened breathing. Despite her poor face, all he could see was the arousal darkening her gaze.

The sofa was oversize and perfectly designed for the things he had in mind. Easing down beside her on one elbow, he separated the robe completely, taking in the minuscule pair of satiny black undies she wore. He traced the tiny elastic edging, feeling the soft skin of her flat stomach.

Reluctantly, he gave her the truth he had promised. “We’re not going to be reckless, Maria. I draw the line at making love to an injured woman.”

“That’s not fair. I get a vote, don’t I?”

He shook his head. “Not tonight.” Though it would cost him dearly, he decided he could play with fire. Moving carefully so as not to cause her any distress, he sucked in a sharp breath when touching her hardened his sex to the point of pain. “God, you make me crazy,” he groaned.

Kissing her was like diving into a pool of quicksand. But aligning their bodies so that warm, feminine flesh nestled against him was far worse. Shaking, he slid a hand between her legs, noting the warmth and dampness that told him she was ready for his possession.

The foreplay tormented them both. Though he would have liked to pleasure her until she came apart in his arms, he feared her poor head would suffer for the orgasm. Reluctantly, he moved his fingers to less volatile territory.

She smelled of exotic shower gel and honeysuckle shampoo. Unable to resist a taste, he caught one nipple between his teeth and tugged gently. Maria cried out, her face now flushed with wild color. “Alex, please,” she begged, panting.

Temptation beckoned. The prospect of burying himself inside her and satisfying the craving that had built for weeks was almost irresistible. He could almost feel the warm clasp of her sex on his.

But when her fingers went to the buttons of his shirt, he stopped her, shuddering and dragging in great lungfuls of air as he struggled for control. “We can’t. We can’t. Not tonight.”

Had she been a hundred percent, she would have done everything in her power to change his mind. He knew that. But she was weak and hurting, her energy at a low ebb.

Tears glistened on her eyelashes, making him feel like the world’s biggest cad. “Go away,” she cried.

That was one request he couldn’t honor. He sat up, moving so that she rested her full length on her side with her head in his lap, her cheek on his thigh. Reaching for the remote, he backed to the opening scene and raised the volume. The film was a black-and-white classic.

He touched her forehead. “Rest, sweetheart. Please.”

Though her eyes were open, he couldn’t see her expression. For a little while, her body was tense, but gradually he felt her relax. When he thought she was half-asleep, he began to stroke her hair.

The experience changed him. He recognized the seismic shift and marveled at it. Work and pleasing his father had driven his life for so long he scarcely remembered any other way. But tonight...with Maria...he found himself yearning for something he couldn’t even identify.

He had never considered himself a jealous man. The truth was, he had never cared enough before for such an emotion to be an issue.

Maria responded to him physically. There was no question of that. But she guarded her feelings and emotions. Did she want anything more from him than physical release?

The thing that bothered him the most was the notion that she might be eventually won over by the bad-boy prince, Gabriel. The other man was apparently irresistible to women. His exploits were the fodder of international gossip rags, even without a royal role.

Worse still was the inescapable truth that Gabriel liked and admired Maria, and vice versa. If such a relationship softened Gabriel to the notion of the Montoros reclaiming the monarchy, could Alex in all good conscience stand in the way? He had devoted weeks and months of his life and his career to affecting this change for the good of Alma.

If a match between Gabriel and Maria made the Montoros more receptive to the proposal, the smartest thing for Alex to do was step aside. But every cell in his body rejected the idea. He’d perfected the art of being a politician first and a man second. Now, integrity be damned, the idea was repugnant to him.

He was not here in Florida, however, to pursue his own agenda. He had been sent as deputy prime minister of commerce to solidify an ancient bond that would take Alma with confidence into the twenty-first century as a world player.

How could he betray the trust of his people for his own selfish ends?

At last, Maria’s steady breathing told him she was asleep. Her eyelashes, a shade darker than her hair, fanned out on her cheeks. He knew he probably should have made sure she iced her face, but in his urge to find intimacy with her, the thought had escaped him.

Now, he couldn’t bear to wake her.

The medicine had done its work. When he eased out from under her and stood, she barely stirred. Unfortunately, her robe was still unbelted, her breasts bared to his hungry gaze.

Looking at her without her knowledge seemed wrong. Carefully, he tucked the garment around her and knotted the sash. Leaving her for a moment, he went into her bedroom and turned down the covers of her bed. He flipped on a small light in the bathroom and closed the door except for a narrow crack. She might awaken confused in the night.

When he returned to the living room, his heart contracted in his chest. She was smiling in her sleep. He would give a hell of a lot to know if he figured in that pleasant dream.

Gritting his teeth against the rush of need that assaulted him, he bent and lifted her carefully into his arms. Though her robe sheltered her now, he had a very good memory.

Maria was limp in his arms. He worried about that, but he had to trust that the doctor knew his business. Tucking her into bed, he adjusted the sheet and the light, summer-weight comforter. He doubted he would sleep much. Unappeased sexual arousal and a very real concern about Maria’s injury guaranteed a wakeful night.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he set the alarm. He would check on her every hour. She would never know, but it would give him peace of mind.

* * *

Maria stretched and winced as her head throbbed. Oh, Lordy. All of the events of yesterday came flooding back in living color...including the memory of Alex’s big warm hands on her body.

She flushed from head to toe. And as she did, she grimaced when she realized she had no clue how she had made it from the sofa to the bed. Alex seemed to have a thing for carrying her, so that was a good guess.

Somehow, the thought of him looking after her when she was asleep made her uneasy. Vulnerability was dangerous. She needed to be on her guard, because it would be a mistake to let Alex get too close until she knew what he had in mind.

A business-trip fling was one thing. His position was secure. She had the most to lose.

But what if he wanted more? Back in Alma life would revert to the status quo. Alex would continue to be wealthy and powerful and influential while Maria would go back to being the bastard daughter of a laundress.

That wasn’t self-pity talking. It was simply the cold, hard truth.

When she climbed out of bed and stood upright, her head throbbed, but not too badly. The worst part was looking in the bathroom mirror. Holy cow. It was a good thing she had makeup with her. It was going to take a deft hand to ensure her face was presentable for a day with the Montoros.

A day with the Montoros. She chuckled out loud. That sounded like a television series. The trouble was, Maria didn’t have the luxury of changing the channel. She had to dress and play her part. Even if today’s agenda was ostensibly relaxation and recreation, she and Alex were still officially on the clock. Everything they said or did could have implications for the new regime. That responsibility was never far from her mind.

It took her a half hour to dress and cover up the worst of the bruising around her eye socket. By parting her hair differently and leaving one side loose to fall across her cheek, she managed to improve her appearance significantly.

The headache was bearable this morning, so she decided to skip the prescription stuff in favor of simple ibuprofen. Only then did she notice the small folded slip of paper on the bedside table.

Picking up the note with fingers that trembled, she opened it and studied the bold, masculine scrawl...

Gone up for breakfast at the main house. We all thought you needed to sleep more than eat. When you’re hungry, the housekeeper has something fixed for you in the kitchen.

A

If she’d been expecting a tender missive, she was way off base. Not by any stretch of the imagination could the words be construed as personal. And the “we all” was probably only Alex making his usual sweeping judgments, thinking he knew what was best.

Well, darn him, in this case he was right. It was almost ten-thirty and she was only now feeling halfway human and presentable. Given the late hour and the fact that lunch was not far off, she only nibbled at the beautifully prepared tray of food set out in the kitchen beneath a layer of thin linen napkins.

The kiwi and grapefruit and mangoes tempted her the most. And the pitcher of freshly squeezed juice. She did allow herself one of the small perfect cinnamon rolls, as well.

By the time she had eaten and brushed her teeth, there was still no sign of anyone coming to fetch her. Not willing to sit cooling her heels, she went outside and found that a golf cart sat waiting, key in the ignition. Mindful of Alex’s alligator warnings, she eyed the open side of the low-slung vehicle with reservation.

But boredom and curiosity won out. She only took one wrong turn and recognized it immediately, so she was justifiably proud when she made it to the Montoro house without incident. The same dignified man from yesterday answered the door when she rang the bell.

Feeling unaccountably nervous, she followed him down the hall to the salon where she and Alex had met the family. Gabriel was the first to spot her hovering in the doorway. He jumped to his feet and met her halfway as she entered the room.

His hands on her shoulders, he cocked his head and studied her face, his own gaze anxious. “How do you feel, Maria?” Gently, he brushed aside a swath of hair to see the bruises she had tried so hard to disguise.

Even his gentle fingertip on her brow made her wince. “Much better,” she said. “It’s not so bad...honestly.”

He kissed her on both cheeks in the European way and released her. “I believe you are a really bad liar.”

Bella hovered, as well, surprising Maria with a quick hug. “I worried about you last night. I know the doctor said you didn’t have a concussion, but they do make mistakes sometimes.”

Being the center of attention was not a comfortable position, particularly with the entire Montoro clan in attendance. “I’m fine, really. But I appreciate your concern.”

Rafael Montoro, the older, offered her a seat at his side. “We’ve been talking business. Alex wanted more information about our company’s plans for expansion.”

She glanced at Alex, perturbed to find his expression curiously blank. “I thought this was a social visit,” she said, smiling.

Rafael nodded. “Bella just called us out on that very subject right before you arrived. I promised her no more boring talk today. I believe you young people are in for a treat. Gabriel has arranged for an airboat tour of the Everglades.”

Maria clenched the arm of the love seat. “That’s very kind, but I’m sure all of you have been there often. No need to play tourist for us.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. He was standing near the window, one hand in his pocket. His posture was relaxed, but she knew him well enough to see the traces of tension in the way he held his mouth. “What Maria isn’t saying,” he drawled, “is that she is not fond of alligators.”

Everyone looked at her, including Isabella. The older woman seemed taken aback. “It’s entirely safe,” she said in her quavering voice. “I used to love those trips when I was younger.”

Even Rafe, Gabriel’s brother, nodded. “It’s a gorgeous day. You’ll love it. I promise.”

Juan Carlos chimed in. “Ordinarily, I’d be joining you, too, Miss Ferro. The trip will be delightful. Unfortunately, I have another commitment today. But you really have nothing to worry about.”

Maria swallowed her misgivings, realizing she had no choice in the matter. “Sounds like fun.”

Seven

Two hours later, after a sumptuous lunch of roasted pork and summer squash, Maria found herself with Bella in the backseat of a large, luxuriously outfitted van. Up front, Gabriel sat at the wheel with his brother in the passenger seat. Alex occupied the middle row, flanked by two large coolers filled with beverages and snacks.

Maria eyed the coolers with misgivings. Exactly how long was this trip? Eventually, they pulled into a nondescript gas station and met up with their guide, who then led them in his ancient pickup truck out to the docks where the boats were tethered.

On the upside, the airboats appeared to be modern and well maintained. The padded seats, three and three, were elevated to provide the best vantage point for viewing wildlife. But there was no railing of any kind.

Bella took her arm. “We’ll give you the seat in the middle.”

That was some small comfort. Maria had assumed Alex might want to sit beside her, but he joined Rafael in the other row. Leaving Gabriel to flank her opposite Bella.

When the guide handed out headphones to block the noise of the motor, Maria eyed her set askance, deciding that she’d rather be deaf than have that thing pressing on her injured head. Gabriel fished out a plastic-wrapped pair of earbuds from his pocket. “You may not need any of this. It’s up to you. But I brought you these, just in case.”

“That was sweet of you.”

He shook his head ruefully. “Merely my guilty conscience at work.”

As it turned out, the airboat was noisy, but not incredibly so. The pilot scudded rapidly through the waterways until they reached the Everglades proper. Now he slowed the pace, sliding over the surface of the water as they entered the grasslands. Birds flew everywhere. One of the first varieties of wildlife they spotted in the water was not an alligator at all, but actually a banded snake that turned out to be very rare.

In the midst of the beauty and wonder of it all, Maria forgot to be afraid. Almost. The vegetation was lush and the heat oppressive. Before starting out, she had pulled her hair into a high ponytail and donned a hat and dark sunglasses. Even so, the saunalike atmosphere was sweltering. Soon they were deep in a mangrove swamp. The creek they traversed narrowed in spots until there was barely room for the boat.

All the while she was conscious of Alex sitting behind her. What was he thinking? Maybe not about her at all. Perhaps last night meant nothing more to him than a bit of fooling around. The thought left a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. And the taste of shame.

It was one thing to initiate something that might be serious, but another entirely to think that Alex saw her as an easy mark.

When Gabriel touched her arm, pointing out a bald eagle, she forced herself to ignore Alex completely. The Everglades were fascinating, 4,300 square miles, a river of grass...unlike anything she had ever seen.

Again, she asked herself why the Montoros would choose to go home to Alma. For the generation sitting in the boat today, Alma was no more home than it was to Maria. She had chosen to move there so she could keep her job when the Ramons relocated their oil business. But for Bella and Rafael and Gabriel, there was nothing but the history in dry books to tie them to the island nation. Who could expect them to tear up roots and make a new home four thousand miles away?

After they had been touring for an hour and a half, the captain steered the boat to a halt and tied it to an outcropping of bushes. Maria looked around with a frown. “Why are we stopping?”

Rafael spoke up. “We like to explore the island. You can get a feel for what it was like before humans came.”

“Um, no thanks. I’ll wait for you here.”

The other four and the grizzled captain stared at her.

She shrugged. “I looked up fatal alligator attacks on humans on the internet yesterday afternoon. I’ll be fine right here. I promise.”

The captain chewed a toothpick in the side of his mouth. “Reckon you’ll be safer on land. No gator’s gonna go after six adults together. But one might take a notion to climb into an empty airboat.”

Maria scrambled onto shore without another word, enduring the laughter that followed her. The men set up a folding table and some deck chairs. Their guide started opening the coolers and pulling out packets of boiled shrimp and French bread.

The meal had a surreal feel to it. Though Alex still avoided her, she found a quiet pleasure in the day. This trip to the States might be her last chance to travel for many years. Her position paid well as such jobs went, but if she planned to help her mother retire early, there would be little extra money, certainly not for worldwide jaunts.

The negatives facing her had piled up; the negotiations in particular were not going well. Alex was giving her the cold shoulder. She had a bruise the size of a small country around her eye, with a headache to match. But even so, she couldn’t be sorry about today. The Montoros were fun and interesting people. She was seeing an ecosystem that was both fragile and starkly beautiful.

When the meal was finished, the Montoro siblings squabbled about how to pack up the leftovers. The guide headed back to the boat. For a moment, Maria and Alex were isolated in a bubble of silence a few yards away from the others. She summoned her courage and spoke her mind. “Are you angry with me, Alex?”

She saw a muscle in his throat work. “No. Of course not.”

“You’ve barely looked at me all day. I can’t help thinking the change in you is about last night.”

Beneath his tan he was pale. He glanced around, perhaps hoping for rescue, but the Montoros were oblivious. “I don’t know what you mean,” he said.

Her temper flared. “Oh, please, Alex. Don’t lie to me. Surely I deserve better than that.”

He clenched his jaw, perspiration beading on his forehead from the thick, heavy air. “It isn’t the time or place to talk about this.”

“This what?” she asked, her gaze curious, though she knew exactly what he meant.

“We made a mistake,” he said through clenched teeth. His voice was low, barely audible. “We’re here in Miami to do a job. We have to finish writing the proposal and we have to convince them to sign it. We don’t have the luxury of...” He trailed off, but his meaning was clear.

“I see.” Hurt made her breathless. Emotion stung the backs of her eyes, but she wouldn’t cry. Her injury and her restless night had left her defenses at low ebb. “I won’t mention it again. It was nothing anyway.”

* * *

Alex watched her walk away from him and wanted to curse long and loud. The very thing he’d hoped to avoid had happened. He had hurt Maria, and all because he hadn’t been able to resist touching her.

She joined the Montoro siblings, pitching in to clean up the last of the picnic debris. When Gabriel suggested a short walk, Maria nodded. That told Alex more than anything about the state of her mind. She would rather venture into a cypress swamp rife with alligators than remain in his presence one second longer.

He let them go, unable to stomach the sight of Maria’s arm tucked in Gabriel’s. As the foursome wandered off, Rafael and Bella joked about “lions and tigers and bears, oh my.” Gabriel merely kept Maria close to his side, promising to defend her to the death. His dramatic vow made Maria laugh. Alex kicked a root at the happy sound, his thoughts grim.

It was becoming clearer every day that Gabriel Montoro liked Maria. A lot. In a romantic way? Who knew...? But Alex needed to back off or risk damaging the relationships that were integral to the success of his mission for Alma.

As he sat on the airboat and listened to the old captain tell stories of the Florida that existed before Disney and the interstate highway system, only half of Alex’s attention was engaged. He was debating his options. He could send Maria back to Alma on some pretext. That would put an end to his temptation, and she would also be out of Gabriel’s reach.

But the idea lasted only a nanosecond. Maria was a gifted, hardworking member of the delegation, and she deserved this chance to shine. Alex had no right to kick her off the team; nor did he have the moral imperative to step in between her and Gabriel.