Page 7 of Dina's Favorite Mistake

Chapter Two

Enedina Farias.

Finally.

In the flesh.

So close he could smell her intoxicating perfume. Those swirling hints of almond, violet, rose and lily of the valley had driven him nearly insane until he’d tracked down the exact blend through some serious detective work. Krigler 12. A blend that had been a favorite of Grace Kelly.

Of course, she would want to smell like a princess. Shewasa princess, the eldest daughter of one of Mexico’s grandest and oldest families. She emanated an aura of power and nobility, and hell, if it didn’t make him want to fall to his knees and worship every soft inch of her.

“Dina, this is Chief Inspector Ismael Morales of the PFM. This is Agent James Carson of the DEA,” Rafael Farias said. “And this Captain Steve Morgan of the Texas Rangers.”

He watched Dina’s face to see how she would acknowledge him. Would she admit they had met before? Or would she play it close to the chest and pretend they were strangers?

“Chief Inspector Morales. Agent Carson.” Dina held out her hand to the older men now standing to properly greet her. “Nice to meet you.”

“Mrs. Farias.”

“Senora.”

As she shook their hands, Dina glanced at him, her face a mask of indifference. She confidently approached him, her short heels tapping on the tile floor. Like everyone else attending the party, she was wearing an outfit that fit the zoo theme. The khaki-colored dress reminded him of a safari guide’s shirt with its pockets and buttons. The belt accentuating her waist practically begged him to tug on it, to use it to haul her close so he could finally claim that luscious mouth again.

“Captain Morgan?” She pretended she hadn’t caught his name as she held out her hand.

“Yes, ma’am.” He clasped her elegant hand in his, marveling at the silky softness of her skin beneath his. “But you can call me Steve.”

Her mouth twitched with a barely-there smile. “We’ll see.”

Left with only flashbacks of their torrid night together, Steve watched her join her brother Rafael behind his desk. He remained calm and collected on the outside, but inside, he was a mess of nerves and desire. She wasn’t his first hookup, not by a long shot.

But she’d been his last.

He’d been gutted waking up alone in that hotel room. Yes, the sex had been incredible, but there was something else he craved even more. The two had shared an instant connection in that hotel bar. It was like a spark from a romantic movie.

He’d wanted to explore that, to see if she was the one.

Of course, he’d never counted on his one being a billionaire tequila heiress with a murky past and connections to one of Mexico’s most feared cartel hitmen.

“There is a problem,” Rafael said, glancing sidelong at his sister.

“Really?” She deadpanned. “I never would have guessed. It’s perfectly normal for the DEA and Texas Rangers to show up at a first birthday party.”

Rafael scowled at his sister. “It’s Diego.”

The briefest glimmer of fear crossed her face. Recovering quickly, she asked, “What’s he done this time? Started another riot?”

“He’s escaped,” Steve stated bluntly.

Dina’s gaze jumped to his. “What?” She glanced at her brothers. “When?”

“This morning,” Agent Carson clarified. “He was on transport from a Mexican prison facility to the Texas border for handover as part of a deal with the DEA. There was an attack on the convoy and—.”

“And you lost him?” Dina asked angrily.

“The transport was attacked a few miles before reaching Texas,” Carson said. “We weren’t in control of that portion of the handover.”

Morales had the decency to look chagrined. “There were mistakes made on our end.”

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