Page 17 of His Innocent for One Spanish Night

‘Oh.’

It wasn’t a problem he’d come across on the Romero private jet, or when he travelled first class, but the roll of her eyes as she told him her tale made him smile.

‘Your business is new?’ he asked.

‘Yes. I’ve always been into photography, and when I was studying at university, there was a “How to develop a website” module. But...’ She glanced up, aware she wasn’t being very coherent. ‘I didn’t finish my degree.’

He nodded.

‘Just so you know...’

‘I didn’t go through your CV, Emily. Sophia recommended you. We want the new website to be fresh and different...to better bring our product to the world,’ Alejandro said. ‘I suggested we get an outsider in and Sebastián agreed. Sophia showed us your work. I saw how you managed to make that dump of a cottage look quaint.’

Emily bristled at the put-down and wondered what to say—if anything. ‘That was my home,’ she said.

‘Was?’ he checked, not appearing even remotely embarrassed.

Possibly he didn’t know that the word ‘dump’ was so offensive? she decided, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

‘Yes.’ She gave him a tight smile, wishing his question wasn’t so pertinent.

This morning she’d left her home of five years, and she’d done so with barely a backward glance. Oh, she’d have to return and properly collect her things, but shouldn’t it at least have hurt a little more?

For the first time the conversation stalled and, glancing around, she saw that thetabernawas starting to empty.

A couple of the waiters were looking over at them.

Some of the patrons too.

Perhaps he noticed the same. ‘I’m going to head off,’ Alejandro said.

‘And me,’ Emily responded without thinking, and in rusty Spanish she asked the waitress for the bill for her tapas and wine.

‘It’s taken care of,’ Alejandro told her. ‘Dine here whenever you please. The staff will know who you are now. If there’s someone new on, just let them know you work here.’

‘Thank you.’

It was only as she stood that she felt a little awkward, realising they would be walking out together.

She put her camera over her shoulder and picked up her bag. And it really was awkward, because everyone seemed to want to farewell him as he walked out. As he stopped to talk to a couple, Emily felt it better that she leave him to it rather than stand there.

She left thetabernaand made her way to the courtyard. She’d been too nervous to really notice it on her way to thetaberna, but now, with most of the diners gone, she saw its beauty. To one side there were the cellars, but the courtyard itself was entrancing. Trees were delicately lit with fairy lights and laden with ripe oranges, their fragrance sweet as she passed. There was a rustic, elegant beauty to the place, and the lightly sanded ground softened her footsteps as she approached the arched gates—only to find them locked.

‘Damn,’ she muttered, wondering if she should go back and ask one of the bar staff for assistance, and feeling stupid for getting locked out on her first night.

‘You have to go around to the back and sign in with Security after midnight.’

Alejandro had almost caught her up and called to her from across the courtyard.

‘I see.’

‘Unless,’ he added, ‘you’re me.’

‘Fine,’ she said, and clipped off in shoes that were starting to hurt.

‘Emily, wait.’

Her awkwardness seemed to mildly amuse him.

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