Eduardo’s hand lingered on the stopper to the whisky bottle. He was very aware of the slippery slope that could start with even one drink. He imbibed socially, but whenever he felt he needed a drink, he walked away.
He needed one now. But no way in hell would he allow Anna to be the catalyst that led him down the same destructive path his father had taken following his mother’s abandonment. He poured himself a large glass of water instead and drank it all. Every muscle in his body ached, having spent hours in the gym earlier, pounding out his frustrations. It hadn’t worked. He was still wound tighter than a tourniquet.
How could one tiny woman he’d known a decade ago wreak such havoc on his peace of mind? It had been a youthful infatuation. He should be over her.
Instead, he was pacing his sitting room floor at two in the morning, deliberately keeping his eyes from the window, knowing he could see her hotel from his apartment. Would the lights be on in her suite? Was she too restless to sleep as well? Or had today been nothing more to her than a minor adventure where she’d run into a shadow from the past?
The disappointment in her eyes as he’d dropped her at the back door of her hotel seemed to indicate otherwise.
Did she regret the way she’d ended things between them? He’d been tempted to ask but had been afraid of the answer. It was easier to hold onto the anger and the pain. That’s what had galvanized him to become successful. Without that, he was just another guy who worked too much.
Well, he was awake, so he might as well use the time wisely. He powered up his laptop. But before he could put his finger on the ID scanner, his cell phone rang. Unknown caller. He was tempted to let it go to voicemail, but it could be his business partner, Tiago, calling from France.
“Eduardo, ayúdame!”
What the hell had happened to Anna now? Alarms blared in the background, making it difficult to hear her.
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and he was pulling on his shoes before he’d even ascertained the reason for her call.
“Slow down, Anna. Tell me again. Why do you need my help?”
“The hotel room below mine is on fire. I have to evacuate. I don’t have security in place—”
He should have asked her what all this had to do with him. Why, of all the people she knew in BA, had she called him? But he didn’t. “I’ll meet you where I dropped you off this afternoon.”
It seemed the past wasn’t finished messing with him yet. Perhaps he could seize this opportunity for closure and ask her the questions that tormented his soul. Maybe then he could find a woman who made him smile like Vivi did Tiago.
No.
He wasn’t ready to risk another mauling to his heart just yet. He’d settle for a semi-casual relationship that lasted more than two months.
Emergency vehicles surrounded the hotel. Hundreds of people loitered across the street behind caution tape. Many were wearing the hotel-supplied bathrobes. He parked two blocks away and made his way around to the staff entrance at the back of the hotel. Uniformed employees leaned nonchalantly against the dumpsters, several taking the opportunity to have a smoke or level up on some game on their phones.
Standing alone with a guitar slung over the back, a hoodie-clad figure had arms crossed over their chest—to keep warm or warn people away, he wasn’t sure. His body knew exactly who was attempting a disguise.
Anna was safe. So why did his stupid pulse accelerate? He didn’t even want to see her.
Yet here he was.
She raised her face as he approached. The years melted away. Muscle memory was to blame when he wrapped his arms around her as he’d done too often to forget anytime this century. Her whole body trembled. “It’s okay. I’ve got you,” he said against the top of her head, where his lips had no business being. He released her before he did something stupid. Like kiss her.
Dios, he wanted to kiss her. More than he’d wanted that drink.
He ushered her towards his vehicle, not saying another word. In addition to her hair, which he was glad she’d hidden, her speaking voice was distinctive. Hundreds of people had been drawn to the fire. If they knew a celebrity was in their midst, he could only imagine the stampede. He did not need to add a mobbing to his day.
They made it safely to his BMW, but taking her back to his place was the last resort. It’d been bad enough when she’d been there earlier. He did not need his sanctuary destroyed by insidious memories of her.
Did she still have family here who could take her in?
He unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for her. “I was sorry to hear about your abuela,” he said. Of all the people he would never see again after Anna’s departure, her grandmother was the one he missed the most. She’d been a grand lady in every sense of the word.
“Thank you. How did you know?” she asked after he’d taken up his position behind the steering wheel.
“You aren’t scheduled for a concert, and I seriously doubt the community center was inducement enough for you to visit. I asked my assistant to check for any notices regarding your family. She found the obituary in Wednesday’s paper. It made no mention of you.”
“Because it was a tribute to Abuela. She was always my biggest fan, but I didn’t want to make her passing about me.”
He nodded. If others made the connection, the funeral would turn into a circus. “You have my sympathy. She was an amazing lady. She was…” He didn’t want to open up to Anna. But he also knew the pain of having no one to share grief with. Despite the past, he couldn’t let her go through that alone. “Your abuela was the first person to show me what real love looked like.”
“Excuse me?”
“The way she cared for you. It was real love. I didn’t have that at home. My father loved me, but he loved a drink more. My grandmother loved being right above everything. But your abuela… Like I said, she was amazing. When I would come over for dinner, sometimes I’d just listen to the two of you talk about nothing. I promised myself that one day I’d have that too.”
“Someone to talk about nothing with?”
“Someone who cared about even the little things in my life, like a funny sign I saw or an odd occurrence. Your dinners, they were the conversational equivalent of a hug—warm and loving. I envied your relationship with her. To me, with my miserable home life, she was the embodiment of family.”
“She liked you too.”
Well, she’d been the only one of Anna’s family who had. The rest thought he was a no-good loser who would just bring her heartache. How wrong they’d been about that.
A chill slithered down his spine. “Is your mother here as well?”
“No.” Her curt tone indicated the end of the discussion.
He hadn’t started the car, not sure yet where he would take her. “Where’s your security team? Your entourage? I thought you pop stars traveled with a supporting army.”
“They’re all back in LA. I’m here alone. I haven’t had a new song out in more than three years. I haven’t toured in almost two. My record label is telling me I’m in danger of being forgotten. Just for two weeks I wanted to be … me. The me I was before I became her.”
She spoke like Angel was another person. And not one she particularly cared for at the moment. Fame clearly came at a price—it cost more than just their love.
Of more immediate concern, however, was what to do with her. “Anna, fifty years could pass after you released your last song and the people of Argentina would still remember you. You’re the girl who made good on your dreams. You’re an inspiration.”
“I don’t feel like one right now.”
He wiped a hand across his eyes. “It’s late. It’s been an eventful day. You’re probably exhausted. A good sleep, and tomorrow you’ll be ready to take on the world again.”
“Undoubtedly.” There was hesitation in her tone.
But she’d bounce back. She always had after a disappointment. As a teenager, her cheery nature had brought sunshine into the lives of everyone she came across. Tomorrow she’d return to being a diva and he’d be relegated once more to the past.
His finger hovered over the engine start button.
“Do you have any family or friends left here who could put you up for the night?”
“Not really.” A bitter laugh escaped her. “Eighteen-year-old me was very good at burning bridges. I could ask one of my grandmother’s friends…”
They wouldn’t be able to keep her safe. But sitting in these bucket seats all night wasn’t an option either. He pulled in a deep breath then started the car. It looked like he wouldn’t be eradicating her from his soul just yet. He could always move if the memories got too intense.
Within minutes, they were ensconced in his apartment. This time he didn’t hesitate at the whisky bottle. He poured them both a generous drink.
What now?
He should usher her to a guest room, say good night, and leave for work in the morning before she got up.
Instead he handed her the glass, careful to avoid touching her.
Where was his pride? Where was his logic?
“You’ve had quite the day,” he said.
She sipped the whisky, a frown marring her brow. “You don’t think the two incidences are related, do you?”
He studied her face. Could they be connected? He’d check with a police officer friend tomorrow. But for tonight he needed her reassured … and out of his sight. “I don’t see how. The community center thing was just some stupid kid trying to scare a bunch of adults and maybe get close to you. And we don’t know what caused the fire. It could have been a careless person smoking in bed and falling asleep.”
She nodded. “I guess.”
He slung back the whisky, enjoying the sensation as it slid down his throat. It was nice for a different part of his body to burn. His chest had taken enough hits today.
“There’s a guest suite, first door on the right. It should have everything you need for the night.” He would not think about her sleeping meters from his bed. Especially naked. Nope, that would be stupid.
She moved towards the hallway then stopped. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“You’re safe here,” he said. His arms ached to hold her. Just one more time. But he was stronger than that desire. At least for now.
“It’s not that. I…” She pulled in a deep breath. “Edio…” His old nickname, one she’d only used when they kissed, sliced his heart to ribbons. “I made the biggest mistake of my life when I left you. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t regret it. I just … wanted you to know.”
Those were the words he’d needed to hear since forever. Too bad they didn’t bring the relief he expected. His fingers tightened on the glass in his hand. If it wasn’t lead crystal, it probably would have shattered. “Well, the sacrifice paid off for you. You’re famous. Millions of people adore you. You’re Angel.”
“I only wanted to be your angel. Do you remember? You used to call me that: mi ángel.”
Yes, he remembered. Dios, he wished he didn’t.
“Use any room. I’m going to stay at a friend’s place.”
He left while he still could.
***
Anna straightened her legs on the sofa, dislodging a pile of crumpled manuscript paper covered with scratched-out lyrics and music notes. If she didn’t write some songs soon, she would be forgotten. Perhaps not in Argentina, but in the rest of the world.
She’d considered putting out an album of covers or maybe doing a collaboration with up-and-coming artists. But she’d floated those ideas to her record label’s management to only a lukewarm response. They wanted Angel originals. The stuff that put the ching in cha-ching.
They’d made allowances for her disappearance from the public eye for the six months following her husband’s death. But now the monthly calls were weekly calls, asking when she’d be returning to work. She had one more album on her contract, and it was already late. They wouldn’t wait much longer. There were a thousand potential Angels, all vying for their shot at the stars.
She was on the verge of irrelevancy.
Everything she’d given up would be for naught.
Unless she tried to get it back? And by it, she meant him. Eduardo.
But what had really changed in ten years? She couldn’t go back to being the adoring teenager who’d had to wrestle her career from the hands of the man who claimed to love her and know what was best for her. He’d had their future all mapped out but hadn’t been willing to alter those plans when his dreams had come crashing to the floor. He hadn’t been willing to set aside his pride to follow her.
Maybe it had been for the best. She wasn’t even leaving a trail of breadcrumbs to follow right now.
Her beloved abuela, who’d been her greatest support, had just died. Her manager-slash-best-friend-slash-husband was gone as well. Her mother no longer spoke to her. Angel’s career was sinking out of sight. She was a lukewarm train wreck that would be lucky to get a guest appearance on a singing competition if she didn’t get her act together soon.
She snatched her manuscript pad off the sofa and willed her muse out of retirement. But all that came to mind was the anger in Eduardo’s eyes when he’d first spotted her yesterday. And his determination not to let her back into his life, even temporarily, as he’d walked out the door last night. She’d left too much devastation in her wake to restore even their friendship.
It wasn’t his friendship she needed.
For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Anna’s heart raced as the lock on Eduardo’s apartment door whirled open. Her hands shook, her knees shook… She was doing a good imitation of a willow tree in a hurricane.
For goodness’ sake, she performed live in front of tens of thousands of people and didn’t get this anxious. But there was so much more than her career riding on this next conversation.
In the long, lonely hours of the night, it had come to her: Eduardo was the only one she could trust with her dilemma. Everyone else she’d known pre-Angel had sold their stories about her to the media. Only Eduardo had kept silent. She could trust him. But whether he’d agree to her request was an entirely different matter. Her one hope that she wasn’t about to go down in flames was that his body still reacted to hers.
And heaven knew, she wasn’t immune to him. He was still the personification of temptation. In the past, he’d always been the one to stop before things went too far. Could she overcome that monumental self-control now?
One thing she had learned in the past decade was that people were more likely to do what you wanted if they saw the benefit to themselves. Was there any way she could spin her request so it sounded like a win for him?
She unfurled herself from where she sat on the sofa. Sleep had never been on the agenda. And she knew instinctively that Eduardo would try to slip in and out again without seeing her. So she’d stationed herself in the living room and waited. This was the only chance she was going to get. She had to seize it.
Damn the man. Did he have to look so utterly impeccable and gorgeous? It was barely six in the morning. He clearly hadn’t spent the night in discomfort on a friend’s too-short and lumpy sofa.
Had he stayed with some woman? Bile rose in her throat, and she reached for the glass of water she’d left on the coffee table.
He halted the second he saw her.
She cleared her throat before she could speak. “I’ll go as soon as—”
“Your grandmother’s funeral is tomorrow, isn’t it?”
He had done his homework. The obituary hadn’t given the time or location of the memorial service, as she’d wanted to keep it private. There were only a dozen people she knew her abuela would want there, and she’d contacted them personally. “Yes. At St. Felicitas at two o’clock. Do you want to attend?”
He dropped his phone and keys on the sideboard before stepping farther into the room. But he maintained his distance from her.
“And how long after the service will you be staying in Argentina?”
“I haven’t booked my return flight. I have some … unfinished business I’d like to wrap up. Maybe a couple of days. A week at most.”
He glanced at her, but his gaze skittered away just as quick. Maybe she wasn’t playing fair, wearing one of his shirts. And only his shirt. But she was desperate.
“Then you might as well stay here. My friends are away in France. I can crash at their place. I’ll just pack a few things.” He moved towards his bedroom.
She followed.
“I don’t mean to kick you out of your home. I can get another hotel room.”
“I checked. Everything decent is booked solid. And I’d rather not have to go out in the middle of the night and rescue you again. I trust my neighbors; they’re not going to set the building on fire.”
“You weren’t even in bed when I called you.” She’d checked his room after he’d left last night. His bed had still been made up. Curiosity had always been her greatest weakness. “Had you just got in from a date?”
“No.”
She just managed to stop herself from fist-pumping the air. “Why can’t you stay here? The place is big enough. I promise to stay out of your way.” Damn, she was sounding desperate even to her own ears.
He grabbed a bag from his closet and haphazardly threw items inside. If she didn’t get his attention soon, he’d be gone and her future would be left in limbo. “My clothes smelled like smoke. I didn’t think you’d mind, so I put them in your washer. I took this shirt out of the dirty laundry to wear in the meantime.”
He paused. “You could have used a fresh one. Do you really think that I’d worry about you creating one more item for my housekeeper to clean?”
The one in the basket still smelled of him. Being surrounded by his scent was the only thing that had kept her from finishing off the whisky last night.
“Are you still a lawyer?” she asked.
He moved into the adjoining bathroom. “My license is current. But I’m not practicing anymore. If you need legal advice, I can recommend someone.”
“I want you.”
He tossed a shaving kit in the bag on his bed and then put his hands on his hips. “I just told you, I’m not practicing.”
“Yes. But if I hired you, what I have to tell you would be in confidence, and you wouldn’t be able to divulge it to anyone.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m a lawyer. Not a priest. Try the building down the road.”
“It’s not a confession. Well, it is, sort of. But a cleric can’t help me. Only you can.”
He moved back into his walk-in closet and called over his shoulder, “For the third time, I’m not practicing. As soon as I finish helping Raul with his custody case, I’ll let my license lapse. I’m a property developer now.”
“If you’re making an exception for Raul, surely you can make one for me too,” she said when he reentered the bedroom. She ran her finger along the open neckline of the shirt she wore.
His fingers tightened on the ties he’d just taken from the wardrobe. “Raul is a friend.”
Direct hit. Well, they didn’t have to be friends for what she needed. “Please, Eduardo.” She called up all her performance experience. Men like Eduardo didn’t want desperate women. She tried again, injecting as much sultry temptress into her voice as she could. “I want you.”
He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he looked anywhere but at her. “I’m no longer a lawyer, Anna. And I definitely can’t be your lawyer. We have history. Painful history. I couldn’t offer you objective legal advice even if I wanted to.”
She hauled in a deep breath. “I don’t need advice. I need your body.”
***
Every muscle in Eduardo reacted separately to Anna’s statement. His cock swelled. His arms tensed, ready to sweep his suitcase to the floor and reclaim his shirt from her. His brain, however—which thankfully had control for now—froze.
Opening the door to find Anna waiting, wearing one of his shirts, had been like having a thousand hot needles pierce his eyeballs. It was everything he’d once dreamed of but now couldn’t have. If she’d stayed all those years ago, if she hadn’t ripped out his heart and trampled his soul, this is what he could have looked forward to every day. Now, it was just cruel to flaunt lost dreams in his face. Especially after he’d rescued her. Twice.
“Explain.” The word came out harsh.
“Are we covered under lawyer-client confidentiality?” Her voice wavered, but her gaze remained firm.
“For God’s sake, Anna—”
“Are we covered?”
“Yes, dammit!”
She nibbled her bottom lip, further tilting his see-sawing reactions towards lust. But even if she wanted him, it was only temporary. And if—no, when—she left, it would hurt all over again. Who was he kidding? It never stopped hurting. That had to end now.
He needed to ignore her plea. Pack his bag and head to Tiago’s until he was sure she was out of the country. He owed her nothing. Even letting her stay here was more than she deserved. But somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to ask her to leave or even take her up on her offer to go to another hotel. Maybe he was a masochist, enjoying the pain she inflicted on him. Maybe he enjoyed knowing she was in his space, touching his things, even if he couldn’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t touch her.
“I need help. Your help.” Her words were barely above a whisper, but when she raised her eyes to his, all he saw was determination.
He crossed his arms to stop from reaching for her. “What kind of help?”
She glanced around. “Can we talk in the sitting room?”
“You’re trying my patience, Anna. I’ve not slept or eaten or—”
She walked out of the bedroom! He was tempted to stay where he was and keep packing. But, like a lovesick puppy, he followed. He really should seek help for his Anna enchantment. Maybe he should be the one to visit the priest. Did they still do exorcisms?
“First, I need to tell you about my marriage,” she began as he joined her in the lounge.
He held his hands before him. No way. No how. Not ever. “I don’t want to hear it.” What kind of sadist was she? She had to know he’d never want to discuss her relationship with her sixty-five-year-old husband.
“I know what you’re thinking. It wasn’t like that. Simon was everything wonderful and nice.”
“I’m happy for you.” Add some soda to his bitter words and he’d have an aperitif.
She poured him a glass of whisky and pointed at the sofa. “Sit and listen.”
He placed the offering on the coffee table and stayed standing. He would not bow to her every command. “I’m not sure how your relationships with your other lawyers work, but this is not how I take instruction from my clients. If I still had clients. Which I don’t. Because I am no longer practicing.”
She shot him an exasperated look then began to pace the room. “Simon had three children by his first and second wives. They are each and every one of them parasites.”
And all are older than you.
She glared at him as though she’d read his thought. As much as he wanted to disavow any knowledge of her life in LA, her marriage to her much, much older manager had made headlines for weeks in both gossip magazines and the legitimate press. It’d been impossible to avoid.
“And Simon left the bulk of his estate to you with only minimal bequests to his children,” he said. “I can’t help you. Even if I practiced estate law, this whole drama is playing out in the United States. I can’t represent you there.”
“I know. I have a team of lawyers already countering their lawsuits claiming I trapped Simon into marriage and unduly influenced him regarding the distribution of his assets. His children are trying to have the will dismissed.”
“Then what do you want me for?”
She wrung her hands, and he felt the twist in his chest.
“My marriage was based on friendship and mutual need. I have my own money and have never needed, or wanted, his. Simon trusted me to ensure that his vision for the future succeeded. His wealth is to be used to further his dreams, not the whims of his freeloading children.”
Eduardo nodded. He still couldn’t see where he was involved.
She turned away and stared out the window. “My stepchildren will seize every avenue to discredit my relationship with their father. If they find out my secret, not only will it give them the firepower they need, but it will also bring scandal and gossip to my life and Simon’s legacy.”
“What’s your secret?”
She moved to stand straight in front of him. Her warm scent of vanilla and cinnamon enveloped him. Her blue eyes stared into his, searching, seeking. For what, he didn’t know. But she must have found it.
“I’m still a virgin.”
He blinked. What the hell? She was an international singing sensation, not a nun. She’d been living in LA for almost ten years. Mierda, she’d been married for three. How was this even possible? Because if there was one thing Anna did not lack, it was passion. Or sexiness, for that matter. He’d been in a near-constant state of arousal since walking through the door twenty minutes ago.
Hold on. Hadn’t she said she needed his body? He reached around her and grabbed the whisky off the table, slinging it down his throat as though the liquid would illuminate the path to enlightenment.
Instead, it brought the unwelcome realization that Anna had waited for him.
He hadn’t done the same.
A hesitant smile played around her lips. “Are you going to say something?”
The whisky made his voice husky. “Are you asking me to take your virginity?”
“Yes.”
“Why? And why me? Seems you’d have a lot of men to choose from.”
She moved away, and he drew in a deep breath of Anna-free air. It didn’t help.
“I want to have relationships. Normal relationships that involve physical intimacy. But I can’t trust anyone with my secret. If word got out that Simon and I never consummated our marriage…”
“Anna, if you’re going to be intimate with a man, you need to be able to trust him. If you can’t trust, you shouldn’t be climbing into bed with him.” He ruthlessly shut down the image of Anna naked in another man’s arms.
“Why risk it when I know I can trust you? Plus, we have lawyer-client privilege.”
“I can’t sleep with a client. It’s unethical. I could be disbarred.”
She sauntered over to him, and he steeled himself. She didn’t disappoint. Resting one hand over his chest before sliding it up and around his neck, her fingers burrowing into the short hair at his nape, urging his head down towards hers. Her other hand slid around his waist, pulling herself flush against him. Every single cell in his body reacted as if he’d never been with a woman before. Well, not a woman like Anna, anyway.
“But we’ve already established that your days as a lawyer are at an end. What do you say, Edio?” Dammit, she didn’t play fair. She caressed his name, whispered it full of longing and passion. “Will you take me to bed? Be my first lover?”
Once, he’d wanted to be her first. And her last. Her only.
He pulled away before she lured him deeper under her spell—before he lost what little remained of his heart and his pride. She’d left him. Now she wanted to use him.
“I’ll think about it,” he said.
Her eyes widened at his reply but then narrowed again. “You’ll think about it? What’s to think about? You wanted me in the past.” She stared pointedly at his groin. “You want me now. This would be a way to close the chapter of us. Give it a good ending.”
Or it could ruin the rest of his story. “Unlike you, I make rational, well-thought-out decisions. I don’t sell my soul for the promise of fame and fortune.”
She turned away, but not before he saw a flash of hurt in her eyes. Dammit, he would not feel like a bastard for stating the obvious. She’d rescind her request now, and he’d be spared the agony of imagining the two of them together at last.
She turned back to him, however, and he saw determination in her face. “Think fast, then,” she said. “You’ve got two days to give me your answer.”
No matter how much he still desired her, he would not be manipulated.
But Dios, the temptation…