Page 46 of His Innocent for One Spanish Night

‘It’s no longer a hobby, though,’ he pointed out, his slight frown remaining and his eyes steadfastly upon her, as if assessing her reaction as he spoke. ‘Eva says you’re enjoying the flamenco classes?’

‘She told you I’ve been taking them?’

‘Yes, she said you are very...’ He thought for a moment. ‘English.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Very formal, and not brilliant at being expressive.’

She gaped, feeling appalled. ‘She’s not allowed to tell you that!’

‘Hey, I didn’t know there was a flamenco code of confidentiality.’ He seemed to be laughing at her embarrassment. ‘Anyway, I’ve heard you practising.’

‘You can hear me? I thought those walls were thick enough to block any noise out.’

‘They are...’ He frowned again, probably at her embarrassment. ‘I just hear when I pass your door.’

‘So you know how out of time I am?’

‘Don’t be too hard on yourself.’

‘I know I’m not going to master it in six weeks—well, four weeks now. We’ve gotjaleotonight...’

‘Ole!’

‘I’m dreading it,’ she admitted. ‘I just can’t...’

‘What?’

‘I don’t know... I just feel so awkward.’ She told her one of Eva’s suggestions. ‘Eva says I’m to wear red lipstick for my next class.’

‘Why?’ He frowned again.

‘She thinks it might make me smile more.’

‘But you’re always smiling,’ he said. ‘You have a beautiful smile.’

‘I don’t...’ She shook her head, because she knew she wasn’t being self-effacing. ‘Eva’s right. I don’t readily smile.’

She stopped then. Her explanation was causing more questions as his words started to sink in. All her life she’d been told to smile more, that she was too serious—she’d even joked with Willow that she’d been born with a serious face. Yet with Alejandro she smiled easily. It was as if he’d freed her lips—not just to smile but to speak more easily.

‘I think you see a slightly more smiley version of me than everybody else,’ she told him.

‘Do I?’

She nodded. ‘I’d better get some lipstick, I guess.’

Alejandro said nothing. In truth, he was a little shaken by what she had just said.

Just a couple of days ago Eva had thanked him for recommending Señorita Seria to come and see her.

‘Who?’ Alejandro had asked.

‘The English girl...we call her Señorita Seria...’

Miss Serious.

And he remembered how, after one of their online meetings, when Emily had gone, Sebastián had rolled his eyes and spoken about their sullen new website designer...

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