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I gave Ramón a brief hug, breathing in the citrusy cologne clinging to his silky black dress shirt, while Leo snarled behind me.
Used to it, we both ignored him.
“It’s good to see you. I love this house, it’s amazing. Like something you’d see in a movie.”
He winked at me then held out his arm, the darkness of his dress shirt complimenting his bronzed skin and charming white smile.
Before I could move, Leo was between us, looping a possessive arm around my waist. “Where is everyone?”
“In the kitchen.” His hazel-brown eyes moved between me and Leo, an amused glint lighting their normally chilly depths. “Come on.”
My anxiety returned as we traveled through the massive, but empty house. It was odd to see so many beautiful, interesting rooms completely devoid of people. Even a little eerie, like we were walking through the empty set of some movie, just waiting for the cast and crew to bring it to life.
Any unease I’d felt disappeared when I walked into one of the biggest kitchen/dining areas I’d ever seen. The pocket doors across the room were opened to a fabulous garden and patio enclosure, making it feel like we were outside. Glazed bricks made up the floor and the dark wood cabinets created a U-shape with a massive slab of bronze, blue, and white marble in the center. A tall, comfortably rounded, silver-haired woman with cinnamon brown skin stood next to another lady dressed in what appeared to be a maid’s uniform. Their voices were lowered as they spoke in Spanish and pointed to whatever was cooking on the stove in various copper pots and pans, which smelled amazing.
Ramón cleared his throat then said, “Hey, Mom, this is the girl that’s stolen Leo’s heart. Hannah. Pretty, isn’t she? Hannah, this is my mother, Judith.”
I smacked his biceps, but Ramón remained unrepentant as I blushed while Leo grinned down at me.
The elegant woman with the kind smile and silvery hair was dressed in a sharp teal blouse and black slacks that complimented her coloring perfectly. She crossed the room towards me with her hand held out, a big sapphire ring sparkling like the deep ocean on her right ring finger, a dazzling marquise-shaped massive diamond on her left. She had plump cheeks and a motherly smile, but I wasn’t fooled in the least. According to Leo, Judith was the power behind the throne of the company he worked for, and shouldn’t be underestimated. But she was also Ramón’s mother, and the look she gave him was one hundred percent exasperated parent.
“Hannah,” she said as she gave me a brief hug, the scent of her chic perfume momentarily enveloping me. “Welcome to our home. Can I get you anything to drink? Some wine perhaps?”
“Yes, please.”
“It’s such a pleasant evening, I thought it would be nice to eat outside tonight.”
Leo kissed Judith on the cheek, and I didn’t miss the way her smile softened. “Good to see you again, Judith.”
“I’ve barely seen you at all these past few weeks.” She took a bottle of wine from a wine refrigerator beneath one of the cabinets after giving Leo a fond but scolding look.
Leo smiled at me and I couldn’t help but smile back, the affection and pride in his gaze fizzing through me like champagne bubbles. “I’ve been a bit preoccupied.”
“Ahh, young love,” she said as she led us out the open doorway and to an elegant black wrought iron outdoor seating area. The dining table was surrounded on two sides by mature palm trees before opening to a luxurious grass lawn that flowed down the side of the mountain. “I remember when I first met Jose, we were inseparable.”
“How did you meet?”
The surface of the large table was made out of what looked like polished granite, and I took a moment to admire all the effort Judith had put into making everything look nice. During my time with Leo, I’d learned about all the crap involved with throwing a dinner party, and I had to hand it to Judith, she had quite a spread going on. A black Native American style vase filled with fresh orange and purple flowers stood in the middle of the table and it complemented the colors of the cushions covering the chairs perfectly. Gas lights flickered around us and dozens of tea lights in crystal votive holders threw a golden light over our faces. To my delight, tortilla chips were laid out in big black stone bowls, surrounded by smaller matching bowls filled with what I assumed was salsa.
My stomach faintly growled. I’d been too nervous to eat earlier and now I was starving. Thankfully Leo didn’t hear it, or he’d have been at my side with a cheeseburger in an instant. I couldn’t help but smile as warmth filled me over the thought of how much Leo enjoyed taking care of me, and how much I enjoyed his endless attention.
