Chapter Seven #2
The housekeeper straightened, but her eyes were still filled with a deference which made Cerys even more uncomfortable. Had Santiago said something to them? Surely this couldn’t be a reaction to their disappearance from last night’s fiesta.
María spoke to her in Spanish in hushed tones, something about el Duque waiting for her and how she had no need to enter the house through the kitchens any more.
Why not?
Before she could ask the question though, María was directing her past the genuflecting housemaids, who wouldn’t meet her eye, and up the stairs to the castillo ’s entrance hall.
She was still trying to figure out what was going on when María knocked firmly on Santiago’s study door and ushered her inside, before disappearing again.
Cerys stood dumbly in the entrance to the elegantly furnished room.
She’d never been invited to Santiago’s office before, but it wasn’t the ornate antique furniture—or the shelves filled with textbooks and legal tomes—or even the huge mullioned window which offered a spectacular view of the castillo ’s vineyards that intimidated her the most. That would be the six other people—who were seated around the main desk—staring back at her, all dressed in business attire, especially when they all stood up abruptly.
Cerys’s discomfort sky-rocketed, but it was nothing compared to the giddy rush when Santiago stood up from behind his desk and crossed the silk carpeting to greet her.
Could he look any more dashing in the tailored pants and shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal the tanned forearms which had held her so securely last night?
‘Cerys, you are awake, finally,’ he announced in English, the slight reprimand in his tone more amused than censorious.
But the telltale blush still surged into her face when he tucked a knuckle under her chin and tilted her head up.
His lips captured hers in a firm, demanding kiss, intensifying the adrenaline rush, and the weird feeling of unreality.
She sucked in a shocked breath—because he was basically announcing their relationship to all these people.
Why would he do that? She tried to make sense of his behaviour, while also controlling the foolish feeling of validation.
He placed a proprietary hand on her hip to lean down and whisper confidentially in her ear, ‘We will take that kiss to its logical conclusion later, but first we have something important to discuss.’
We do?
Hot arousal tangled with the confusion in her belly—which had kicked off ever since she’d walked into the kitchens and the staff had stared at her as if she had just flown in from Pluto.
The people in the study—who were making her feel woefully underdressed—had the exact same look on their faces: part fascination, part awe.
Santiago ordered them all to be seated again.
Taking her trembling fingers in a firm grip, he led her back across the office—introducing her to each person in turn.
She instantly forgot most of the names, but did gather—from her not entirely fluent Spanish—they consisted of his legal team from Madrid, a private detective from Barcelona and representatives from both the British consulate and the Barcelona police.
An elegant Spanish man, who had been introduced as the British ambassador’s representative, jumped up to offer her his seat beside Santiago’s desk, then bowed and retreated to stand at the back of the room.
‘Santiago…’ she whispered, trying not to feel intimidated as he let go of her hand to retake his seat beside her.
Why was everyone staring at her? And why had Santiago asked her to come to his study during what was some kind of business meeting, when she knew nothing whatsoever about any of his businesses?
‘I… I really don’t think I should be here,’ she added when he simply sent her the charming smile she remembered from the previous evening.
It had enchanted her then, and made her feel cherished and seen, so she clung to it now.
Whatever was going on, he seemed pleased to see her—and he didn’t seem to regret last night—which was good, right?
‘I have a proposition for you, Cerys, which I believe will suit us both very well, but there is work to do first. We must discover your identity as a matter of urgency—which is why I have hired Senor Pérez, who has an exceptional reputation for investigating missing person cases,’ he continued, indicating the detective, who was busy tapping out something on his phone.
The older man looked up and sent her a friendly smile, which had her anxiety downgrading a notch.
‘He will need to question you and take photos before he returns to Barcelona today to begin an in-depth investigation and track down your stolen ID documents.’
‘That… That would be amazing,’ she said, moved that he was so keen to help her.
Recovering her memory was something she had struggled with, because she now suspected that, on a subconscious level, there were things in her past she didn’t want to discover.
But with his support, surely it would be easier to face those truths?
And to rebuild her life once their fling was over.
‘And so helpful… But…’ She hesitated, forced to state the obvious.
‘But I’m not sure how I’ll pay for that. ’
Would they have to rethink their arrangement? He’d been adamant last night she couldn’t work here any more if they were sleeping together. But she would need a salary to cover the cost of Senor Pérez’s services, because she doubted they would be cheap.
His brows rose, and then he chuckled. ‘I will pay Senor Pérez, of course,’ he said.
‘But I can’t let you do that, Santiago,’ she said, her cheeks on fire again. ‘It’s really kind, but you’re not responsible for…’
‘Let me explain, Cerys,’ he interrupted. Then he pressed his hand to her shoulder, the way he had done all those weeks ago. The gesture had the same effect now as it had then, the warm weight making her insides clench and her pulse thunder in her ears.
‘I am not a kind man, Cerys. But I have always strived to be an honourable one…’ he added. ‘Which is why it is very important to me that you do not feel exploited.’
Exploited? What? Her heart smacked against her chest wall.
She’d always known Santiago had a strong moral code, ever since he had come to her rescue in Barcelona—even if she still couldn’t recall the details of that encounter.
And now she knew why he felt that way. Because, from what Ana had told her, his father’s dishonourable behaviour had done so much damage to his family and their reputation.
But she didn’t want him to feel he’d taken advantage of her last night. Because he hadn’t.
This had to be to do with her virginity. She had convinced herself it hadn’t bothered him after all, but now she recalled the stricken look on his face when he’d realised.
She was still trying to figure out a way to explain to him she had been more than willing, without embarrassing them both in front of their audience, when he continued.
‘That said, I also have an ulterior motive because, without proper ID documents, it will not be possible for us to be legally wed…’
‘For us to be…? Wh-what? ’ she croaked, her throat constricting with shock.
She leapt out of her chair, not caring about their audience any more, as her anxiety went from a confused ten to a nerve-jangling ninety in a single heartbeat.
‘Wh-what did you just say?’ she asked, her voice raw.
He let out a low chuckle, apparently completely unfazed by the fact she was freaking out. Turning to their audience, he asked that the two of them be given some time alone, adding that María had prepared lunch in the main dining salón next door for everyone.
The men and women all filed dutifully out of the room. But as soon as the door closed behind them, Cerys’s stomach pitched and rolled over.
‘Did… D-Did you just say wed ?’ she managed, sure now she must have been hallucinating.
He stepped towards her and grasped her hand. ‘Cerys, breathe,’ he said, the same way he had the night before.
She sucked in several precious lungfuls of air, trying to put a stranglehold on the panic. But it wasn’t as easy this time, especially with those chocolate-brown eyes searching her face, the approval in his expression only freaking her out more.
It had meant so much to her. His tenderness, his care with her… But this couldn’t actually be happening… Could it? Why would a man like Santiago want to marry her, and after only one night?
‘I should thank you,’ she began, her whole body racked by tremors she couldn’t control.
‘You were amazing last night. You made me feel so s-special. And I loved every minute of it, even the uncomfortable bits…’ She started to babble.
God, was she actually making any sense at this point?
She dragged in a few more breaths, trying to calm her rampaging heart before it could burst right out of her chest. ‘But you don’t have to marry me.
I don’t expect it. You didn’t exploit me.
Not at all. I’m not vulnerable or anything. ’
His brows drew together.
‘Of course you are,’ he said, but then he took her other wrist to draw her back into the circle of his arms. His forehead rested on hers and her breathing hitched, the painful yearning in her abdomen becoming unbearable.
She wanted his proposal to be real, but why?
When it felt like too much, on so many levels.
‘You have no memory of who you are,’ he said gently. ‘And yet I made love to you anyway. Can you not see this makes you very vulnerable?’
‘But it doesn’t…’ She gulped in air, still struggling to breathe, the desire to belong to him so overwhelming it felt wrong too. Hadn’t she always been independent? Why would she want this? Need this to be true? ‘I don’t want you to feel like you have to marry me—that’s mad.’
‘Shh, Cerys. I do not feel I have to marry you. I wish to marry you.’