Page 22 of Spanish Marriage Solution

‘I...uh...yes, please.’

He poured some milk into the cup from a small jug on the counter. ‘Sugar?’

The electricity in the air was building again, the tension making her want to tear her skin off or scream, or do something equally inappropriate.

‘What is this all about?’ she asked instead, struggling to keep her voice even. ‘And no, I don’t take sugar.’

He came over to where she stood and held out the cup, and her mouth went even drier at his nearness. She could feel his warmth, smell his delicious scent—soap and that musky, masculine spice.

Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for the cup, the way he was watching her not helping. There was something intent in his eyes, something she didn’t understand.

She took a desperate sip of the coffee, the hot, strong hit of caffeine settling her nerves a little. ‘Well?’ she asked after a moment. ‘Stop being so irritatingly mysterious and tell me what things you want to discuss.’

He folded his arms across his chest, seeming somehow even taller and broader than he had a second ago. The intensity in his eyes didn’t falter.

He seemed...changed. Not angry the way he’d been before, more as if he’d made a decision that he was very, very certain about.

Her heart began to beat even faster.

‘There is the matter of Diego, of course,’ he said. ‘But there is also the matter of you and me.’

Instantly her face heated, which was annoying in the extreme. ‘Oh?’ She hoped her voice sounded as cool as she wanted it to be. ‘Weren’t we going to pretend that didn’t happen?’

‘No. You were going to pretend it didn’t happen.’

A strange panic filled her. ‘But we both agreed that it was a mistake and we were—’

‘I’ve changed my mind.’ His eyes glinted in a way that made everything inside her contract.

‘What do you mean you’ve changed your mind?’

The sharply carved lines of his face shifted, his hard mouth almost curving, as if he knew a secret she didn’t. ‘Drink your coffee. You’re going to need it.’

The strange panic inside her began to gather momentum, though she didn’t understand what she was panicking about. He was being deliberately vague and it was as annoying as hell.

‘What are you talking about, Sebastián?’ she demanded. ‘Don’t be so bloody aggravating.’

‘I thought you’d prefer to be fully caffeinated before we have this discussion.’ His voice was mild but that glint in his eye was anything but. ‘You look like you haven’t slept a wink.’

Alice gritted her teeth, trying to hang onto what little poise she had left. ‘I slept fine,’ she said shortly. ‘Just tell me, for God’s sake.’

‘Drink your coffee.’

She wanted to refuse and perhaps throw his stupid coffee back in his face, but that would be to admit he was getting to her, and she didn’t want to do that. He already had far too much power as it was. Besides, she was also desperate for the caffeine. So she downed the small cup in one go then held it up. ‘There. I’ve had my coffee. Happy?’

His mouth curved again for reasons she couldn’t guess at. He took the cup from her hand and placed it back on the counter. ‘Emily always told me you were stubborn,’ he said. ‘That will make things...interesting.’

‘What things?’ Alice glared at him. ‘Explain, please.’

‘Very well.’ He was all calm. ‘You remember I told you yesterday that I wished to remarry, that Diego needs a mother?’

‘Yes. What’s that got to do with anything?’

He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms, his gaze very direct. ‘How would you feel about becoming my wife?’

Shock rippled through her, and it was a good thing she wasn’t still holding onto her coffee cup otherwise she would have dropped it. ‘Be your wife? What?’

‘As I said, Diego needs a mother and I need a wife. You want to keep Diego. Getting married would seem a logical solution to both our issues.’

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