belied his age. Though he had already turned fifty, he could pass for a man a decade younger. Did he harbor resentment over being bypassed for the throne?
His oldest son, Rafael IV—known as Rafe—was charming and affable and extremely self-possessed, though he had yet to hit thirty. Except for his age, it was not a stretch to see him as king of Alma. Rafe’s sister, Bella, was much like her dad, the center of attention and a vivacious extrovert. But she was very young, only twenty-three if Maria remembered correctly.
Then there was Gabriel, who was another story. And also a close cousin, Juan Carlos, who had been raised with the Montoro siblings after his parents’ deaths. Neither Gabriel nor Juan Carlos would be likely to play much of a role in the upcoming transition, except for supporting Rafael IV.
The others present were of little interest at this point. It would be Maria’s job to craft the image of a royal family that was strong and moral and charismatic. The only person who might make her job difficult was Gabriel. Who knew what skeletons were hidden in his closet. It would be up to her to excavate them and make sure they didn’t embarrass the Montoro family in the midst of this sea change.
Gabriel, despite his reputation, was not so bad, as far as she could tell. Perhaps a bit cynical, almost definitely a player. Women were always drawn to that kind of fallen-angel mystique.
“I don’t know how this is going to go.”
She jumped when Alex spoke. She’d been so deep in her thoughts he had startled her. She searched his face. “I’ve never heard you give voice to the possibility that we might not prevail.”
His lips twisted. “Well, look at them. Why do they need Alma or royal titles? The whole family is practically royalty here in the States. If you or I were in their shoes, would we give up all this?”
“Maybe. It’s hard to say.” Maria pursed her lips. “Everyone likes knowing where he or she comes from. The Montoros’ family history goes back hundreds of years. I imagine that once they have some time to think about it they’ll be excited about renewing those ties.”
“I hope you’re right.”
At the opposite end of the room, a small orchestra began tuning up. When the musicians launched into their first song, Alex stood and held out his hand. “Do you feel like dancing?”
Her heart fluttered and lifted. “I always feel like dancing.”
As he led her out onto the floor, she tried not to stiffen up. That would be a dead giveaway that she was nervous.
Alex held her firmly with masculine confidence that was appealing. She was a strong, capable woman, but to move like this... Well, that was another thing entirely. Here she could give in to the mastery of the dance. Alex was in charge, and she was able to let go and let him steer their course.
He smelled of crisp, starched cotton and warm male skin. She was almost certain she caught a whiff of the hotel’s signature shower gel. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her knees trembled. This was the first time they had ever been so close.
In Alma, she couldn’t think of a single social occasion when she and Alex had interacted so personally. And for such a length of time. Perhaps that was why she felt a change in him.
The first song ended and a second began. Alex made no move to release her. Since she had no real desire to be released, she followed where he led. A less pragmatic woman might have called the moment romantic. Maria was neither a romantic nor a wishful thinker. But even a realist could choose to live in the moment once in a while.
Life was serious business most of the time. A woman could be excused for indulging herself on occasion. And Alex Ramon was definitely an indulgence worth savoring.
Alex had made a tactical error. He knew it as soon as he took Maria in his arms. Given the situation, he’d assumed that dancing was a socially acceptable convention...a polite way to pass the time.
He was wrong. Dead wrong. No matter the public venue nor the circumspect way in which he held her, nothing could erase the fact that she was soft and warm in his embrace. The slick fabric of her dress did nothing to disguise the feminine skin beneath.
He found his breath caught in his throat, lodged there by a sharp stab of hunger that caught him off guard. He’d worked so hard these past weeks that he’d let his personal needs slide. Celibacy was neither smart nor sustainable for a man his age. Certainly not when faced with such a deliciously carnal temptation.
How had he never noticed that Maria was such a tall woman...or that her cheek reached his shoulder at exactly the right spot? When he couldn’t think of a good reason to let her go, one dance turned into three. Inevitably, his body responded to her nearness.
He was in heaven and hell, shuddering with arousal and unable to do a thing about it.
When Gabriel brushed past them, his petite sister in his arms, Alex remembered what he had meant to say earlier. “Maria...”
“Hmm?”
Her voice had the warm, honeyed sound of a woman pleasured by her lover. Alex cleared his throat. “You need to be careful around Gabriel Montoro.”
Maria’s reaction was unmistakable. She went rigid in Alex’s arms and pulled away. “Excuse me?” Beautiful eyes glared at him.
He tried to continue the dance, but Maria was having none of it. So Alex soldiered on. “He’s a mature, experienced man, and you’re not accustomed to running in these circles. I’d hate to see him take advantage of you.”
Maria went pale but for two spots of hectic color on her cheekbones. “Your concern is duly noted,” she said, the words icy. “But you’ll have to trust my judgment, I’m afraid. Because I don’t plan to avoid him. My job is actually to get close to him, to learn his secrets, to do damage control. And I’m not a child, Alex. I’m insulted by your insinuation.”
“I’m not insinuating anything,” he said. “But I saw the way he looked at you.”
“The man would flirt with a block of wood. I get that. But I certainly don’t need you or anyone else to protect me from the big bad wolf.”
“You’re angry.”
“Damn straight, I’m angry.” Her eyes snapped with the force of her displeasure. “I was invited to be part of this delegation, and I accepted. I’m here to do a job and to do it to the best of my ability. This assignment means as much to me as it does to you. So I’ll thank you to keep your advice to yourself.”
“I’m sorry,” he said stiffly.
Her posture erect, she gave him a stony stare. “Am I off the clock now, Mr. Ramon? May I go to my room?”
“Don’t push me, Maria,” he said, his teeth clenched. “It’s been a long day, and the ones to come won’t be much better.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist in a defensive posture. “Maybe it would be best if we avoid each other when we don’t have to be working together.”
“If that’s what you want.” How had they gone from dancing to dismay so quickly?
For a brief moment he saw sadness in her gaze. His gut twisted with the sure knowledge that he had put it there.
Her bearing and her expression were dignified. “I’ll see you at ten tomorrow,” she said.
As he watched her walk away from him, his enjoyment in the evening went flat. He tracked her progress as she spoke to various members of the delegation and said her good-nights. The Montoros were next. Both of the Rafaels. Bella. And of course, Gabriel.
As Alex watched, Gabriel leaned down and whispered something in Maria’s ear. Whatever it was, it made her laugh.
Seeing her face light