From then on the conversation remained light and flowed throughout the meal. With her nausea gone and the tension dissipated, Emily was able to enjoy the fabulous food served over three courses to the table by a trio of discreet, efficient waiting staff. As the evening grew late, however, she found herself stifling a series of yawns.
‘I believe my fiancée needs to retire.’
Ramon’s statement elicited a small start of surprise from Emily. Was he really so attuned to the subtleties of her body language? And there she’d been, thinking her efforts to hide her tiredness had been rather stellar.
‘Of course.’ Elena cast her a sympathetic look. ‘You must go and rest. We will have plenty of time over the weekend to talk.’
Upstairs, the suite she and Ramon had been allocated was enormous and just as resplendent as the rest of the villa. Emily dropped onto the end of the majestic four-poster bed, sighed and kicked off her low-heeled sandals. ‘Your parents are lovely, Ramon.’
He stripped off his shirt and she admired the impressive expanse of hard muscle and smooth skin. She didn’t think she’d ever tire of gazing at his magnificent body. He was truly breathtaking. He toed off his shoes and unbuckled his belt. ‘They’re good people.’
Emily dragged her gaze away from his taut, flat stomach and that tantalising downward arrow of dark hair. ‘But...?’ she said softly.
He paused. ‘But what?’
She hesitated. ‘Did I just imagine the tension earlier?’
He shrugged. ‘No family is perfect, Emily.’
Brows tugging together, she opened her mouth to ask why he was being cryptic, but he turned away, shed the rest of his clothing and then straightened to face her.
Emily’s mouth dried.
Not only was he standing naked before her...he was erect. Proudly, gloriously erect. Liquid heat pooled between her legs.
Struggling to remember the gist of their conversation, she forced her gaze up. ‘Is this your best attempt to avoid talking?’
One corner of his sinful mouth curled. He tipped her chin up. ‘Sleep or sex, Emily?’
If she said sleep, he would leave her alone. Respect her need for rest. But suddenly rest seemed very overrated. And her nausea hadn’t recurred in several hours. What was the expression? Make hay while the sun shines? She arched an eyebrow. ‘Conversation isn’t an option?’
‘No.’
‘Well, in that case...’
She reached out, curled her fingers around his hot, rigid length and took him into her mouth.
* * *
Showing Emily the sights of Barcelona proved a more pleasurable experience than Ramon had anticipated.
Rising early on Saturday, he borrowed one of his father’s cars and took her on a scenic coastal drive before heading into the centre of the city. They parked up and strolled along grand boulevards and winding cobblestone streets, and he realised it’d been many years since he’d allowed himself to enjoy the energy and vibrancy of the city he’d loved as a boy. Whenever he returned for business he kept his visits as short as possible. Now, as he pointed out iconic landmarks and showed her some of the city’s greatest architectural gems, he realised his designer’s eye had missed the unrivalled beauty of Barcelona with its mix of contemporary, Gothic and mediaeval design.
Barri Gòtic, the Gothic quarter, was still a tangle of old, narrow stone alleyways and unique, interesting storefronts. Emily loved it and insisted they explore. When their stomachs growled for sustenance, he chose a traditional tapas bar with art nouveau murals on the walls, lively jazz music and a reputation for outstanding food.
Whether from pregnancy or the excitement of discovering a new city, Emily glowed. She was beautiful—and she had charmed his parents, as he hadn’t doubted she would. His mother already adored her. More than that, her presence had been a balm of sorts, gradually easing the tension in him. The burning shame and brutal guilt he relived every time he saw his parents and which, even after twelve years, made looking his mother in the eye almost impossible.
He reached across the table and tucked a curl behind her ear as she bit into another savoury croquette. So far today, no nausea. In fact, her appetite was exceptionally healthy, not unlike her appetite in bed last night...
‘Ramon?’
Jerked from the memory of her lush mouth on him, he smiled at her, but her attention was elsewhere.
She frowned, looking over his shoulder. ‘There’s a young man over there staring at you.’
Twisting round, he followed the line of her gaze.
And felt his stomach muscles clench into a sudden, violent spasm.