A Debt Paid in Passion

Ali’s wiry embrace crushed her. The physical contact was so deeply moving, Sirena thought she’d break into pieces.

The women held on to each other a long time, making Raoul’s throat close. Ali, as she had said she liked to be called, had chattered excitedly in the limo, her gestures and tone oddly Sirena-like despite the faint accent and fair coloring. She had a measure of Sirena’s steely core, too. When he’d asked why her parents hadn’t come, she’d only said, “Mum can be funny sometimes,” and lifted her chin. He had the impression this trip was a bit of rebellion and wondered if it would have repercussions for Sirena.

He’d found Faye oddly obstructive, considering he was offering an all-expenses-paid trip to America. It had been hard to sidestep her demand to speak to Sirena, which he suspected might have called off Ali’s visit.

Navigating future altercations with Sirena’s family was a concern for another time, he decided. This moment, seeing how happy he’d made Sirena, was worth any trouble down the road.

The women pulled back to stare at one another, glowing in an aura of happiness.

Ali’s gaze dragged toward him. “Can I meet Lucy? I’ve been dying to hold her.” She took her niece and sighed with adoration. “Oh, Sin, she’s beautiful.”

Sin, he silently repeated, liking the nickname immediately.

“Isn’t she?” she agreed shamelessly. Eyes damp and lips trembling, she cupped her flushed cheeks in her hands.

She looked so taken aback and overwhelmed Raoul couldn’t help moving toward her, but he was almost afraid to touch her. She seemed to be struggling to contain her emotions. Gently he smoothed her hair back from the side of her face. “I didn’t realize this would be such a shock. Are you all right?”

She flashed him one glimpse of the naked emotions brimming in her, then threw herself at him.

He took the hit of her soft weight with a surprised “Oof,” then closed his arms around her.

She buried her face in the middle of his chest, clinging tightly, barely audible as she said, “You have no idea what this means to me. I can’t ever thank you enough.”

All the sexual heat of last night’s embrace came back as he felt the press of her breasts and was surrounded in her feminine scent of green tea and pineapple. An incredible wash of tenderness accompanied it. He had wanted to do something nice, but had never suspected such a small thing would have such magnificent impact.

Governed by instinct, he enfolded her and stroked her hair. His chin caressed her silky locks and he had to swallow the emotion from his throat. He’d forgotten this perk in letting yourself feel for another person. When they were happy, you were happy. He should have done this sooner. He’d healed a crack in her heart, filled it with joy, and it had taken nothing. A couple of phone calls and a plane ticket. What did that say about how lonely she’d been?

“You two,” Ali trilled. “You’re so cute.”

Sirena realized she was all over Raoul like a coat of paint. After last night she didn’t know where they stood. She always felt this pull around him and at this moment felt positively anchored to him, heart to heart. Misreading their connection had gotten her where she was today, though.

Pulling away, she swiped her fingertips under her eyes, trying to get a grip. Her overwhelmed emotions weren’t just shock and joy over seeing her sister. There was a huge part shaken to the core that Raoul had done this for her. She tried to remind herself that the cost was nothing to him, but to think of it and make it happen...

Did he feel something for her after all?

She was afraid to look at him, fearful of seeing nothing and being disappointed. She was also terrified that her shields were so far gone he’d see right into her soul and the special place she reserved for him beside it.

“This is like Christmas,” she said, clearing her throat and searching for a stronger voice. “It really puts to shame that tie I haven’t even bought Raoul.”

They all laughed and the day became a celebration, California-style. Raoul ordered brunch and mimosas and joined them on and off as they sat by the pool, taking turns holding Lucy and catching up.

By evening, the excitement and time change had caught up to all of them and they had an early night. The next morning, she met Raoul in the kitchen.

“Can’t sleep?” she said with an attack of nerves, feeling defenseless without Lucy or Ali to still the sexual vibrations that immediately flared between them. “Me, either.”

“I have a heavy morning before everyone in Europe goes home, but I wanted to give you these.” He showed her some tickets. “I almost spilled the beans about Ali when you were talking about this the other night. I came this close to suggesting you take her.”

Sirena gasped as she caught sight of the iconic fairy circling the castle with dust. “Raoul!”

“For the record, these are not for her, although I hope she enjoys the day as much as you do. These aren’t for Lucy either.” The bright tickets came alongside her jaw as he crooked his finger under her chin, making her lift her eyes to his. “These are for you, because it’s something you’ve always wanted.”

He kissed her. The gesture was so sweet she couldn’t help clinging to his lips with her own. His taste made goose bumps lift all over her body.

She swallowed and tried to hide how touched she was by joking, “I really don’t know what to think of all this.” Her heart rate picked up, daring to conjecture there might be a hint of tenderness or affection driving him after all. “You’re going to a lot of trouble just to keep things in-house.”

“Sirena—” His quick, defensive blurt of her name made her wave a quick hand.

“I’m sorry. I’m being cheeky because I don’t know what else to say, not because I think you have ulterior motives,” she hurried to excuse.

He sighed. “I realize I’m not demonstrative.” Leaning near the sink, he studied her, his body language heavy. A range of emotions ran across his usually stoic face. They were intimate and, she suspected, indicative of deep scarring.

She instantly wanted to reach out with reassurance, but felt too shy and uncertain so she wound up standing there with her hands wringing, the silence thick and awkward. What could she say anyway? That a couple of kisses and nice gestures had won her over? They hadn’t. She had tons of misgivings.

He ran a hand over his face. “After my father, I pushed everyone to a safe distance. What he’d done was too cruel. He was a good man, a good father. We played catch, went fishing. It was a perfect childhood. I’ll never understand why he killed himself or how anyone could say they love someone and hurt them that badly. Letting down my guard with anyone since then...it’s not something that’s comfortable for me.”

Outwardly she handled what he was saying, taking it on the chin without flinching, even though she was screaming inside. Even though she was pretty sure she paled and her bones turned to powder. Somehow she stayed there, nodding circumspectly, saying, “I understand.”

Her words seemed to hurt him. He winced.

“No, I do,” she assured, being as honest as he was. “I have my own baggage that makes me worry you’ll pull up stakes without a moment’s notice. It makes me scared to let things move to...” She swallowed, trying to find a description that wouldn’t reveal too much. “To a level of deeper dependence.”

“I’m not going anywhere. This is everything I want, right here.” He pointed to the floor between them, suggesting the domesticity of waking every morning with her and their little family, which was nice, but it wasn’t the fairy tale on the tickets.

She had to let go of that. Better to keep her expectations realistic even if it hurt. And it hurt so much to know he would never love her. Not the way she loved him.

Oh. The knowledge of how deep her feelings had become went through her like a sweet, potent potion. This wasn’t infatuation with the boss. It wasn’t hormones raging for the wrong man. It was the evolution of feelings and attraction she’d always felt toward him. They had tumbled into deep devotion and longing to make a life with him.

Swallowing the lump that came into her throat, she hid her angst with a smile. “Even though you seem to do everything and I haven’t done one thing for you? How about breakfast, at least?” She turned her back on him as she peered into the refrigerator, defusing the charged moment.

The spoiling didn’t stop, however. After their day at the park, he appalled the upscale clientele of a rooftop restaurant by daring to bring a baby, of all things, into their exclusive establishment. They saw the fireworks from their table, of course. A trip to the beach was arranged the next day and a drive along the coastline the following. They lunched on fresh seafood and local wines and scouted art studios for bargains.

Then the preparations for the technology awards started. Raoul escorted them into a design house on Rodeo Drive and handed over his credit card to a stylist.

“Ali, find some things for yourself and if you see something your mother would like, put that on there too. I’m having a prototype of my new gadget flown in for your father. You can take that back for him, but if you see something for him...” He leaned to kiss Sirena’s cheek, trailing off as he prepared to take his leave.