Page 45 of His Innocent for One Spanish Night

‘Look!’ she squealed as a face popped up. ‘There’s one in there. Oh, I wish I’d brought my camera.’

‘They’re everywhere.’ He smiled. ‘In most church spires. They come from Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar. It means spring is here...’

Alejandro looked for a moment at Emily rather than up at the spire. She was squinting into the bright midday sun, and looking rushed and breathless, yet still she’d stopped to admire the nest.

‘He’s waiting for his mate, getting the nest ready.’

‘They’re monogamous, aren’t they?’

‘No.’ Alejandro was quick to break any fantasy she held. ‘That’s just a myth.’

‘Surely not? I’m sure I read that they mate for life.’

‘Then you read wrong—or it was a fairy tale.’ He thought for a moment. ‘I believe they stay faithful while their mate is alive...’

‘Oh...’

‘They’re good while it lasts,’ Alejandro said, and poured some of his crisps on his palm.

He offered her one, but Emily declined and watched him as he chose the biggest one for himself.

‘Why are you out here eating crisps?’ she asked.

‘I love them. But if I call down to the kitchen for crisps they put them in a dish and all the salt falls off.’

‘What are you talking about...the salt falls off?’

‘They don’t taste as good.’ He looked back up at the nest. ‘Also, these storks you think are so cute kill the weakest of their chicks.’

‘No!’ She put her hands over her ears. ‘That’s horrible.’ Though he had made her laugh. ‘Why would you tell me that?’

‘To see you cringe.’ He smiled, and then looked back up at the nest. ‘Though I stand corrected...both are there.’

‘Which one’s the female?’

‘I have no clue,’ he admitted. ‘How are you doing?’

‘Well—I hope. The website’s coming on, and everyone’s being really helpful.’

‘I meant how areyoudoing?’

‘Fine!’ She bristled, wishing she could say it with more conviction...wishing her hurt wasn’t so raw and visible.

Gordon’s breaking up with her had hurt way less than Alejandro’s rejection.

His eyes moved to her latest purchase. ‘That’s a nice bag.’

‘It’s not for me,’ Emily said quickly, embarrassed by the extravagance of her purchase. ‘I bought it for my friend.’

‘Well, it would suit you.’ He looked at her face and she knew she was blushing. ‘You deserve nice things.’

‘I have nice things,’ Emily said. ‘Actually, I’ve seen a tripod...’ He stared back at her with unblinking velvet-brown eyes. ‘It’s so light, and it folds up to practically nothing.’

He frowned—not a frown as such, but the skin around his eyes crinkled a little.

‘That’s for business,’ he said. ‘I meant something nice foryou.’

‘I love my work.’

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