Stand-In Bride's Seduction

“Thank you, that would be lovely.”

Their waiter chose that moment to return to their table with a selection of the local tapas the restaurant specialized in. Reynard chose several of them and after the waiter set the dishes out, and explained each one in turn, he took their order for another glass of Cava for Sarina and a Tempranillo for Reynard.

He nodded his acceptance to the waiter before leaning forward to select a crisp golden croquette and hold it to Sarina’s lips.

“Here, try this. I think you’ll like it.”

She obediently opened her mouth and he popped the tiny croquette inside, allowing her lips to close over his fingers before he withdrew them. He saw the surprise on her face at his lingering touch on her lips before the flavors of the morsel of food exploded in her mouth. An expression of sheer pleasure crossed her face, an expression not unlike that of a woman deep in the throes of lovemaking. Despite his simmering anger, passion pooled deep in his gut, sending blood to one particular extremity where it pulsed with demanding need. He’d been a fool to be taken in by her pretense for so long. He should have known from the first moment he had touched her that she wasn’t Sara. While the twins were uncannily identical, his response to the two of them couldn’t be more different. The woman he’d proposed to had never fired his blood the way the woman sitting before him now did with every gesture, every touch.

“That is divine,” she said after a few moments. “What was it, again?”

“Croquetas de gambas, translated, prawn croquettes.”

He was relieved she’d finished the morsel. Watching her eat it, watching the cascade of delight pass across her features, had been a torture all in itself.

“I think I like the Spanish term best. Hmm, croquetas de gambas. Yes, I like the way it rolls off the tongue almost as much as it rolls onto it.”

Rey helped himself to one of the minicroquettes and let his teeth sink into the crispy coating before the soft filling spilled across his taste buds. Yes, he could understand why she’d gone into such raptures over the snack. It was truly delicious.

“You’ve got a crumb, just there.”

Sarina reached across the table and wiped the bottom edge of his lip with her thumb, her touch leaving a flame of heat against his skin. She sat back suddenly, her eyes a little glazed. Had she felt that same burn along her skin as he had? He hoped so. She deserved as much torment as he could possibly put her through.

“Thanks,” he said, with a slow smile calculated to both put her at ease with the intimacy of her touch and her reaction to it.

He steered the conversation into more desultory topics as they enjoyed the rest of the tapas selection. She had one more glass of wine, while he nursed his single glass, mindful of the dinner he had planned back at the apartment, the necessity to keep a clear head. Aside from the importance of keeping his wits about him while he figured out her angle, he also had to be sober enough to drive her home to the cottage again tonight.

Unless, of course, he could persuade her to stay the night at his apartment.

The thought of luring secrets from her while between his Egyptian cotton sheets had merit, he thought, but would she play along? Sara had kept him at arm’s length, flirting with him but never letting it go too far. For some reason he’d never felt the urge to press the issue with her, especially as he’d never held the intention of following through on the engagement. With Sarina, however, there was an inexplicable difference. Almost a yearning. From the minute she’d appeared outside his offices, he’d felt a physical connection between the two of them, and it would be all too tempting to explore it further.

The idea took a firmer hold in his mind. How hard could it be to seduce the truth from her? he wondered. She had no idea he was onto whatever cunning plan the sisters had hatched between them.

The sun was low on the water and a new crowd of people had entered the bar. Noisier, more flamboyant and with an edge of careless fun he had no mood to indulge in.

He downed the last of his wine and stood, taking Sarina’s hand and encouraging her to her feet.

“Come, it is time we went to my apartment. I have a special evening planned for us both.”