hot chocolate for me? Like my father did whenever I was worried or upset?’
‘If that is what you wish.’ He gave an abrupt inclination of his head.
‘What I wish for I can’t have,’ she said dully.
Gregorio didn’t need her to say that her wish was to have her father returned to her, because he could already see the truth of that in the devastation of her expression: the shadowed grey eyes, those pale cheeks, her lips trembling as she held back the tears.
‘Is there anyone I can call to come and sit with you?’
‘Such as...?’
Not her ex-fiancé, certainly. David Richardson could not have truly loved Lia, otherwise he would have remained at her side and helped her to weather the storm that had followed her father’s death. Instead he had distanced himself from any scandal that might ensue once the investigation into Jacob Fairbanks’s finances was complete.
Gregorio had no such qualms. He had no interest in the outcome of that investigation, nor in what other people might or might not choose to say about Lia or himself. His private life was most definitely off limits. He might not be in love with Lia but he certainly wanted her, and he would be pursuing that desire.
Lia appeared to be swaying now, and there was not a tinge of colour left in her face. She looked so fragile that a puff of wind might knock her off her bare feet.
What had she been doing when he’d arrived? She was obviously naked beneath the towel wrapped about her, but she claimed she was alone so she obviously wasn’t entertaining a lover. The obvious explanation was that Lia had been taking a shower or a bath in order to wash away the dust of having moved in to her apartment today.
The loosely secured hair and the droplets of water that had now dried on the bareness of her shoulders would certainly seem to indicate as much.
‘Take off the safety catch and let me in, Lia,’ Gregorio instructed in his most dominating voice. It was a voice that defied anyone to disobey him.
She attempted a shake of her head, but even that looked as if it was too much effort. Her head seemed too heavy to be supported by the slenderness of her neck.
‘I’m not sure I can,’ she admitted weakly.
‘Why not?’
‘I... My fingers don’t seem to be working.’
Gregorio stepped up close against the partially open door. ‘Move your right hand slowly, then slide the catch along until it releases.’ He held his breath as he waited to see if she would do as he asked.
‘I don’t want to.’
‘But you will,’ he encouraged firmly.
‘I... It’s... You...’
‘Move your hand, Lia. That’s it,’ he encouraged gruffly as she hesitantly moved her hand towards the safety chain. ‘Now, slide the lock along. Yes, just like that,’ he approved softly. ‘A little more—yes.’
Gregorio breathed softly as the safety chain fell free and he was able to push the door open. Not quickly or forcefully, but just enough to allow him to enter the apartment.
To be alone with Lia at last.
THE APARTMENT LOOKED to be in absolute chaos to Gregorio’s gaze. There were boxes everywhere, and furniture stacked haphazardly in the tiny sitting room. The kitchen looked as if there had been an explosion of cooking utensils in its midst, and not a single surface was visible beneath pots and pans and cutlery.
Gregorio had never seen this side of moving to a new home before. The vineyard in Spain had belonged to his family for years, and the three de la Cruz brothers had grown up there. The rambling ranch-style house was full of family heirlooms as well as memories. And he had hired an interior designer to decorate and furnish the apartments he had acquired in New York and Hong Kong, as well as his houses in Paris and the Bahamas.
No wonder Lia was exhausted.
Lia managed to rouse herself slightly as she heard the finality of the closing of the door to her apartment. She wasn’t completely sure how, but Gregorio de la Cruz was now standing inside her apartment, rather than outside in the hallway.
She remembered now... She had opened the door and let him in. Not because she’d wanted to but because she had felt compelled to. His voice, deep and mesmerising, had ordered her to unlatch the safety chain, and because she had been consumed by that black exhaustion she had done as he’d instructed.
He seemed taller and larger than ever in the confines of her untidy apartment. Taller, darker, and just plain dangerous. Like a huge jungle cat preparing to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.
The almost-black hair was in that tousled style again, and his face was set in harsh lines. His shoulders looked huge beneath the tailored suit, his chest defined and muscular, waist slender, hips and thighs powerfully muscular.
Lia could smell the aftershave he wore, easily recognising it as one that cost thousands of pounds an ounce. Even so there was a fine stubble on his chin, as if he was in need of his second shave of the day.
Her gaze moved quickly upwards and was instantly ensnared by glitteringly intense almost black eyes. ‘I—’
‘You need to sit down before you fall down.’ Gregorio stepped across the room to remove several items from one of the armchairs before lightly grasping Lia’s arm to support her until she was seated. ‘Do you have any brandy?’
She somehow looked more fragile than ever seated in the chair.
‘Wine,’ she answered with a vague wave of her hand in the direction of the kitchen area.
Wine would not revive her as well as brandy, but it was still alcohol and better than nothing. Gregorio found a half full bottle of red wine on the breakfast bar, a used glass beside it. Predictably, it wasn’t one of the de la Cruz vintages.
‘Here.’ Gregorio held the glass of wine in front of her until she took it from him with slender fingers that shook slightly. ‘Have you eaten anything today?’
‘Um...’ Her forehead creased as she gave the matter some thought. ‘A bowl of cereal this morning and some toast this evening. I think...’ she added doubtfully.
He scowled his displeasure before turning on his heel to stride through to the kitchen area. There was a loaf of bread on one of the units, a tub of butter and a carton of milk—and nothing else when he pulled open the fridge door and looked inside.
‘You do not have any food.’ He closed the fridge door in disgust.
‘Maybe that’s because I only moved in a few hours ago.’
Gregorio held back a smile at the return of her sarcasm. Evidence that Lia was feeling slightly better? He hoped so.
‘Which begs the question—how did you know I’d moved in here today?’ She eyed him suspiciously.
