Page 42 of Chris

Chris didn’t call it out.

Shrugging, she was quick to add, “She loves wine, and likes to try new ones. I indulge her. This one isn’t so bad.”

Chris noted the color of the remaining liquid in her glass. “A white wine is good for a hot night under the stars, but hell, so is vodka.”

Valeria laughed.

Freely.

She tossed her head back with a laugh, surprised by his frank statement. To be fair, the way the woman looked in the moonlight as she laughed equally shocked him. The russet tones in her golden skin were more clear, her dimmed gaze brightened, and those pretty lips of hers curved in the most beautiful way in her easy joy.

He wondered if she didn’t get to do that enough.

Laugh, that was.

Not wanting to make her uncomfortable with his staring when she quieted, Chris cleared his throat, and glanced up at the inky sky. “I don’t think I can appreciate the size of this place at night, but by the time I settled in after arriving, it was already dark.”

“They haven’t given you a proper tour yet?”

“Tomorrow.”

“I’m sure you’ll appreciate what they’ve done here. Men who visit typically do.”

He didn’t miss the edge to her tone.

“And that’s what you assume I am, then? A man like them?”

Valeria’s gaze darted to his.

Chris arched a brow, challenging her to say whatever was on her mind instead of alluding to it. Absolutes, he could work with. Hints, not so much.

“You know what my husband is—what he does,” Valeria said quietly, “and because I know why you’re here, to make a deal with him, there’s only one thing for me to assume about you, too.”

“Shame you think that, then.”

Valeria’s throat jumped when she swallowed. “Why is that?”

“Appearances are deceiving. And bad men don’t always do bad things. Sometimes, they do good things, too.”

“Don’t they?”

How simple that question seemed.

The answer was anything but.

Unfortunately, Chris’s life had taught him that no matter what he said here, she would find it most difficult to believe him. Because her experiences were not the same as his. Her life taught her one thing, and that’s what she understood.

It was his duty to show her differently.

That was the thing, right?

Actions spoke louder than words.

“We’ll see,” he said.

Valeria opened her mouth as though she would reply, but all it took was Abril coming back out from the rear of the house for her to quiet. Abril came down the stairs, a glass of water for Chris in one hand, and a refill of wine in the other for her.

“Thank you,” he said.