Page 70 of Midnight Surrender to the Spaniard

It took for ever for Carmen to leave, and even when she had, he sat on deck alone for several moments.

He didn’t trust himself with Anna’s blossoming heart.

Nor her with his.

Was Anna dipping her toes back in the water, reclaiming her confidence,with him?

She had to be—he had explicitly told her it was going nowhere and that he never wanted a partner or children. Let alone someone else’s.

He was watching her change, right before his eyes, like a butterfly coming out of a chrysalis, and on Sunday morning that butterfly would fly away... Back to her family, who loved her, whether she believed it or not. Back to her daughter and her future plans...

The thought hurt more than it should.

But they were an impossible match and already getting too close.

No more.

He went down to Anna in the cabin...

‘She’s gone,’ he said, then gave her a smile and sat with her on the bed. ‘I’m not usually berthed in the same port as my family. Mostly I sail away.’

‘It’s fine.’ She looked up. ‘I think it’s nice that you’re close to your family.’

‘Carmen’s about to stop by the villa and ask to take you out.’

Anna smiled at the irony. ‘Is she okay?’

‘Of course.’

‘You look serious...’

‘No.’

‘I’m sorry for being pathetic,’ Anna said. ‘I just...’

‘You don’t want anyone finding out about us.’

‘Not if we’re not going anywhere.’

‘Anna, you know we’re not. You fly back on Sunday.’

‘Yes, but—’

‘I think,’ Sebastián interrupted, ‘we ought to let the crew in to service the cabin. And you need to visit Emily.’

‘Sebastián—’

‘Anna,’ he cut in again. ‘It’s a holiday. It’s not for ever.’

He would not let either of them forget that fact.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

PUERTOBANÚSMIGHTbe the perfect place for a holiday romance, but there was a wedge between them now and Anna couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

They made love, they laughed... He gave her everything—except any further piece of that black heart.

There had been hospital visits, and trips back to the villa, but it wasn’t the just the prospect of time with Sebastián that had her shaking as she trimmed the final thread of silk. It wasn’t even the lure of the luxurious yacht that had her a little impatient as she carefully restitched the backing. It was the fact that their time was running out.

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