she’d ever seen. Too sensational. Too perfect. Unlike her.
If those black eyes were ever to see what cancer had done to her body … She couldn’t face that. She’d needed to get away from him. Which was why she’d jumped up and offered to go get his things from the hotel. Anything to keep her distance.
Not that he’d shown any sign of romantic interest. Though she knew he was grateful for her help, she was under no illusions that his attraction to her was as powerful as hers was for him. And even though he had to be feeling terrible right now, he was awake and probably itching to get out of the hospital.
A dynamic man like him who ran a multibillion-dollar hotel business and went ice climbing to relax was probably a horrible patient and couldn’t take advantage of the rest.
When she drove back to the posada, she found Inez at the front desk and filled her in. “I know the children were hoping I could eat dinner with them, but Señor Pastrana needs a little waiting on. Tell them I’ll be back tonight and I can read a story to them before they go to sleep. I bought them some Christmas books. Tonight we can read one of my favorites—How the Grinch Stole Christmas. They’ll love it.”
“I’m sure I will, too!” Inez smiled. “But don’t worry about anything else right now. Des’s health is more important.”
“He’s doing amazingly well. The doctor said he only had a light concussion.”
Inez crossed herself. “I’ll tell Miguel. We’ve both been anxious. We visited him twice, but both times he was still asleep.”
“Thankfully he’s awake now. I better go and get his things. See you later, Inez.”
After a shower in her room and a change of clothes into jeans and a kelly-green crewneck sweater, Ally dashed out the front doors of the inn and around the side. She felt strange walking into Des’s private hotel room, but he had given her permission.
Once she stepped over the threshold, she was delighted by the way the room felt and looked like a window into the past. But she didn’t have time to examine everything; Des needed his things.
Later, when she entered his room at the clinic, his black eyes darted from her to the suitcase.
“I didn’t know what you’d want so I just brought everything,” she explained.
For the second time in the past few hours he burst into laughter. The sound thrilled her.
“Why don’t you put the bag down and pull up a chair so we can talk.” As she did his bidding, he rolled onto his side toward her, taking care with the IV in his arm. “What did you think of my room?”
She glanced at him. “It felt as if I’d just stepped into a seventeenth-century priest’s inner sanctum. To be honest, I loved it so much I wish I’d known about it so I could have reserved it before I arrived.”
“You can’t reserve it. When the corporation bought the monastery, I had it all remodeled except that room. It’s mine.”
“Well, lucky you.” She paused. “I felt kind of naughty, letting myself in like that and then leaving with the suitcase.”
“If anyone had seen you, they would think I was a very fortunate man,” he said, his gaze fixed on her mouth. A curling warmth traveled through her body. Followed immediately by a burst of panic. If she let the attraction between them go any further, he’d see her scars and be repulsed by them. He wouldn’t want her then.
“Thank you, but if they knew my secrets, they would think nothing of the sort.” She’d said it to jar him, and it looked as if she’d succeeded because a puzzled expression entered his eyes.
“Should I bite?”
Ally shook her head. “It’s not worth the trouble of an explanation.”
“I disagree,” he responded. “You just intentionally threw up a wall to shut me out.” To her astonishment he reached for her arm with his free hand, capturing it with surprising strength. “Why would you do that when I only want to get closer to you?”
CHAPTER SIX
ALLY tried to ease away from the grip he had on her arm, but he refused to let her go yet.
“Des … please listen. We may have just met, but you and I shared a life-and-death experience, which puts our relationship on a different level. I believe in being honest and assume you do, too. Wouldn’t you have preferred to learn the truth about your fiancée at the beginning, instead of the eleventh hour?”
He grimaced. “Ah, I see. So you’ve decided to kill whatever relationship might develop between us right now. But why? What truth are you so afraid of?”
“I have my reasons. I’m sorry.” She removed her arm and got up, putting the chair back against the wall, ready to leave.
His brows furrowed. “No, you’re not.”
“Please don’t be angry with me.”
“That’s the last emotion I’m feeling.”
“Then I’m glad.”
“You’re not making sense. Help me understand.”
She breathed deeply. Get out of here, Ally. “I’d rather not talk about this, especially after your harrowing ordeal.”
“Come over here. Por favor.”
Even though her mind was screaming at her to run, she wasn’t immune to his throbbing entreaty. She hesitantly walked over to the side rail. “Is there something else I can do for you? Open your suitcase and get things out, maybe?”
“No. The nurse will do it.” Once more he reached for the hand closest to him. Turning it over, he kissed the palm then looked up at her. “I forgot to thank you for saving my life.”
The touch of Des’s lips against the skin of her hand sent a sizzle through Ally’s body, setting her on fire. Earlier his thumb had made lazy circles over the pulse at her wrist, shooting an erotic warmth through her body, causing sensations she was afraid to acknowledge.
“No woman of my acquaintance could or would have done what you did for me. If there’s anything I can do for you, all you have to do is ask.”
She could ask that if he ever saw her mastectomy scars, he wouldn’t reject her and turn away, but that was a pipe dream.
Ally took a fortifying breath. “It’s because of me that you had the accident. The only favor I ask is that you get well soon. That means no winter sports for a little while.”
He kissed her fingertips before letting her go. “If I’m going to deny myself, then I’m going to need someone to help me get through the withdrawal period.”
Ally broke down laughing. She couldn’t help it. “I believe you’d go into withdrawal.”
He shot her devilish glance. “There are certain indoor sports I enjoy even more than climbing.”
That came as no surprise.
