Page 54 of Surrender to the Ruthless Billionaire

Luis glanced over at her from where he was buckling his belt. ‘I’m sure Pilar will be happy to make you anything you wish, cariño.’

She shook her head. ‘I’m not hungry—well, I am, a little—but what about your parents? Won’t they wonder where you are? Where I am.’

‘No and maybe. I quite often don’t eat breakfast with them when I’m here, and they probably think you’re having a lie-in.’

She relaxed slightly, and then felt her heart give a jolt as he picked up his shirt.

‘But you’re wearing the same clo

thes as yesterday. They’re going to notice that, and then—’

Crossing the room, Luis sat down on the bed beside her. ‘Then what?’

Reaching forward, he pulled her onto his lap, his dark eyes resting on her face, his bare muscular chest brushing her breasts.

‘I’m thirty, cariño, not thirteen.’ He held her gaze. ‘I thought you were okay about all this?’

‘I am,’ she said quickly. ‘I just don’t want them to get the wrong idea.’

He smiled then—a slow smile that made her body surge back to life—and she wanted him again, so badly that she could hardly remember what they were talking about.

‘No, you don’t want them to get the right idea.’

He gazed down at her, eyes narrowing, and she felt her breath catch as his fingers began caressing her hipbone. Quickly, before her greedy body could override her brain, she wriggled out of his grip and stood up.

‘Luis, stop… I need to get some clothes on and go and do some work, and so do you.’

She dressed quickly, expecting him to do the same, but when she returned from cleaning her teeth he was still sitting there, his shirt dangling from his fingers.

Her heart seemed suddenly to be beating too fast. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

He was silent a moment, and then he said quietly, ‘I’ve decided to talk to my parents.’

She heard the tension in his voice before she registered the implication of his words. ‘You mean about Bas?’

He nodded. ‘I need to tell them what happened. What I did.’

Reaching out, she pressed her hand against his cheek and stroked it gently with her thumb. ‘I know you do. And this is the right time.’

‘Is it?’ He looked up at her, his grey eyes searching hers.

‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘Get dressed, and I’ll come with you.

*

Cristina watched Luis walk away, and then, turning, she walked quickly outside, towards the terraced gardens. Her heart was bumping against her ribs—but not because she was worried about what Agusto and Sofia would say.

Blinded by guilt and grief, Luis had been unable to see the obvious. But she knew that his parents loved him unconditionally and would forgive him anything.

Why, then, did she feel so hollowed out? So empty. So alone.

The heat of the flagstones was burning through the thin soles of her sandals and, ducking into the marble folly at the end of the path, she breathed out with relief. It was cool and still inside, but while she might have escaped the sun there was no escape from the turmoil of her thoughts.

Gazing out across the smooth blue Mediterranean, she felt her throat tighten.

Other men had wanted her. But just for a moment Luis had needed her. She had been in his life for more than just sex.

Only now that moment had passed and she would go back to being an outsider.

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