Taken the Spaniard's Virgin

“I thought all Spanish noblemen were Castilian.”

“I am not of the nobility. My family is as old as any in Spain, but we are Catalan.”

“Are you one of the ones who still hopes that Catalonia will one day be an independent nation?”

“All Catalans dream, but I am content with my circumstances.”

“Considering what those circumstances are, I’d think you should be.”

“It is as difficult to be rich as to be poor.”

“Tell that to me when you’re having a hard time paying the rent and you’ve lost your car because you couldn’t make the payments.”

He spared her a sideways glance. “You have never been in such a circumstance.”

“No, I haven’t, but I can’t help thinking about people who have.”

“You are a bleeding heart.”

“Better it bleed than to be made of stone.”

“On this, I think I can agree. Menendez Industries gives more charitable contributions in dollar amounts and as a percentage of net income than any other privately held company in my country.”

“Oh, that’s really wonderful.” The man was too perfect for her own good. She was falling hard and fast.

She suddenly had a deep desire to call her mom for a little womanly advice and mother-daughter encouragement.

Unaware of the panic flowing through her, Miguel said, “It is imperative to manage our resources both effectively and with a certain amount of compassion for those less fortunate.”

“I would not have guessed you would take that stand.” But the fact he did impressed her to death.

“So, you learn something the business journals do not tell.”

“Why don’t they?”

“To make such a thing an object of public propaganda diminishes the thought behind doing it. My family is private about many things,pequeña .”

“I know what that means and I’m hardly little.”

“You are taller than the average woman, yes, but hardly a giant and your figure is so tiny a strong wind would tumble you.”

“Hardly.”

“It is true.”

She bit her lip. Did her thinness bother him? Did he find it unappealing? Then she reminded herself of his reaction to their kissing and shoved the doubts away. “A model has to be thin. The camera can be cruel.”

“I had heard this was so, but your body is not merely thin, it is very toned. As close to perfect as it is possible to get without plastic surgery I think.”

“Is that a compliment?” She never felt this uncertainty around men, particularly when it came to her looks. They were something she worked hard for and took for granted in the process.

But everything with him was different.

“Definitely.”

“Then thank you. I put a lot of effort into staying in shape.”

“It shows.”