Page 10 of Her Spanish Scandal

“Tell me.”

She became flustered and unsure of what to say to him. She really didn’t want to be one of the faceless masses of women who flocked around him, but at the same time, she was leery of saying the wrong thing and driving him away.

Oh, man. She had it bad. A little masculine attention, and she was turning into one of those silly airheads that she and her friends usually disdained.

“Kara, I’m waiting.”

God, he was arrogant and bossy. She wanted to pretend it bothered her, but a part of her liked the way he demanded things from her. Demanded that she tell him what she felt as if he really cared about what was going on inside her head. Even his caresses felt like demands, and not in a bad way at all.

“As I said before, I don’t like being called by a generic endearment. Something you call every woman.”

His eyes blazed into hers. “Then I won’t call you that anymore.”

“Count de Cuaron, I’d like a word with you.”

Gui stiffened and Kara looked over his shoulder to see a man of Spanish descent coming toward them. Gui cursed under his breath and turned.

“Not now, Juan.”

“Yes, now.” Juan’s accent was much heavier than Gui’s, and Kara could almost feel the animosity coming off of him in waves.

Gui blocked her body with his own. He said something in Spanish in a very low voice. She couldn’t make out all the words, but she did hear the name Elvira. All the good feelings she’d had in his arms evaporated.

She’d never really paid much attention to the European social set apart from whatever affected Rina. But now she wished she had. Because it was clear that whatever was between Gui and Elvira hadn’t sprung up yesterday but had been lingering for a long time.

Juan, whoever he was, was clearly in the middle between Gui and the other woman.

She could handle the humiliation of telling her sister she wasn’t really engaged to Gui. But she couldn’t handle being used. And it was clear to her that, whatever was going on with Gui, he’d had entirely selfish reasons for making that ridiculous comment about them being engaged.

No matter what she looked like or what she’d always believed about herself, Kara had always had one thing that was hers and hers alone. And that was confidence that she deserved better than to be used either for her money or her station, or, in this case, because she was convenient.

While his attention was on the other man, she ducked under Gui’s arm and started to walk away.

Chapter Three

The last thing that Gui wanted to deal with at this moment was Juan. He no longer could tolerate his cousin by marriage. The man had been a friend when they’d been children. But as an adult he’d turned into Elvira’s lapdog.

He knew that she’d married Juan in part because Gui and Juan had at one time been friends. That was the kind of woman Elvira was. Preying on a man’s weakness.

“Excuse me, Count. I really should be returning to the reception,” Kara said, ducking under his arm.

He snagged her wrist and held her in place by his side. “We both should. Juan, whatever you need will have to wait.”

“I’m not⁠—”

“I’m afraid you are,” Gui said, talking over Juan’s protest. “Call my assistant and schedule an appointment if we need to meet.”

Juan narrowed his eyes and for a moment Gui wondered if his old friend was finally finding his backbone. He drew Kara back to his side and positioned himself slightly in front of her body in case Juan decided to do something stupid.

“I will do that. We really need to talk.”

Juan stalked away and Kara tugged on her hand. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back of it gently. “I’m sorry, mi dulce.”

“Sorry? Sorry doesn’t work in this case, Guillermo. You can’t keep me by your side when I want to leave.”

He lifted her shackled wrist and arched one eyebrow at her. He knew he was being arrogant, but no one told him what to do. And when it came to women he’d always gotten his way. Why should Kara be any different?

She tugged again on her wrist. And he held her in a loose but secure grip.