Page 21 of My Spanish Love Affair

We cross the road together, and for a moment, everything feels almost magical.

Then, I hear it.

I turn my head over my shoulder and spot the source of the noise.

A sleek black sports car glides up to the curb, its polished exterior practically gleaming under the glow of the streetlights. The faint purr of the engine hums before the driver’s side window rolls down, smooth as silk.

I don’t process what I’m seeing at first, but when my eyes finally land on the figure behind the wheel, my heart skips a beat.

I’d recognize that face anywhere.

Santi.

He’s even more handsome than I remember. The crisp white shirt he’s wearing clings to his broad shoulders, the top two buttons undone, revealing a sliver of his collarbone and the smooth olive skin beneath. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, showcasing his strong forearms, and his muscles flex slightly from where he rests one arm casually against the open window.

Then there are his eyes. My goodness, hiseyes.

Those beautiful piercing green eyes lock onto mine from across the street, holding me captive. They’re just as magnetic, just as disarming as the night we met, and I feel as though everything is moving in slow-motion around me as I just… well,stare.

A slow, confident smile tugs at his lips - the kind that seems to say he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.

It throws me completely off balance.

For a long moment, nothing happens. Santi doesn’t move, doesn’t say anything. Instead, he just watches me out of his car window with that amused expression, his gaze steady and unrelenting.

I know it sounds crazy, but I swear that it’s almost as though he’s daring me to come closer, to break the silence first.

Beside me, Sarah nudges my arm, snapping me out of whatever trance I’d fallen into.

“Who’s that?” she asks, her voice laced with curiosity as her eyes dart between me and the sports car.

The sound of her voice jolts me back to reality, and I tear my gaze away from his, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as my heart races.

“Oh,” I say, fumbling over my words, my mind scrambling for an explanation. “Just... someone I met last week,” I mumble, tugging at her arm in a desperate attempt to keep moving.

Sarah, however, is rooted to the spot, her gaze still fixed on Santi.

“He looks familiar,” she muses, her brow furrowing as she studies him more closely. “Like...reallyfamiliar. Where do you know him from?”

“I really don’t know him,” I say, lowering my voice as the sound of the car engine cuts off. My pulse quickens as I hear the faint click of the car door opening.Shit.“We just bumped into each other at a bar. Briefly. That’s it.”

Sarah gives me a sideways glance, her smile widening.

“Well, he’s cute,” she says matter-of-factly. “And from the way he’s staring at you, it’s pretty obvious he’s interested. You should go talk to him.”

“No!” I say sharply, my voice a little too high-pitched. I grab her arm again, my grip tightening. “I mean - not tonight. Let’s just go.”

But Sarah’s gaze is locked on Santi, who is now standing beside the car. He’s taller than I had remembered, his broad frame cutting an imposing figure under the streetlights.

Not that I’ve been thinking about him, or anything. Nope. Absolutely not.

Another man steps out from the passenger side. He’s shorter, with sandy hair and paler skin. They exchange a few words before Santi glances back at me, his eyes lingering.

“Seriously,” Sarah says, her grin turning teasing. “Why don’t you just go and say hi?! I can wait for a few minutes.”

“No, Sarah, I’m serious. Let’sgo,” I say firmly, tugging her arm hard enough that she finally moves, though I’m careful not to jostle her precious cargo.

She must sense my awkwardness because, mercifully, she drops the subject. But as we continue down the street, she can’t help but glance back over her shoulder.

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