Tarrant would want this for Moon, the five-star restaurant atop his Manhattan retail palace. It would be excellent with the chef’s famous osso buco, and with the boeuf en croute. “Are you not interested in selling?”
“Of course I’m interested. Selling wine is my business.” His expression suggested he found the whole subject vastly amusing.
“Then, why are you laughing at me?” She hated how defensive she sounded.
“You’re so serious.” He lifted the plate. “Try some of Rosa’s alfajores.”
She picked up one of the pastries. It was somewhere between a cookie and a sandwich. Two layers of pastry glued together with…
She bit in. Caramel. Or, more accurately, dulce de leche.
Yum.
She flicked her tongue out to catch stray crumbs of pastry.
Amado’s dark gaze rested on her mouth. “Rosa is the finest cook in all of Mendoza.”
“I won’t argue with you. How many cases of these can I buy?”
He laughed, and she was relieved that at least now she had him laughing with her and not at her. But it was time to get back to her real business here. “Your parents seemed upset.”
He frowned. “Yes.”
Susannah took a deep breath. “As if they know something.” She hesitated, waiting for him to draw his own conclusions.
He looked out at the bright mountain peaks silhouetted against the clear blue sky. And didn’t say a word.
“They wanted to get rid of me because they don’t want you to hear what I have to say.” She stared right at him. “You know that, don’t you?”
He blinked. “I agree that their behavior was odd.”
Susannah sensed that confusion was a rare and difficult emotion for Amado Alvarez. He didn’t know quite how to deal with it. He wanted to say No, you’re wrong.
But he couldn’t.
Amado watched the summer breeze play in her long, dark hair and pull at the loose skirt of her dress. Slender and nervous, the lovely Susannah seemed embarrassed by her invasion of his privacy.
As well she might be.
What kind of mad story was this? Of course, he should dismiss it out of hand. He had in his office a birth certificate naming Clara and Ignacio as his parents. Ignacio had made a point of presenting it to him and telling him to keep it safe.
But why had his mother and father reacted so strangely to her arrival? They’d had some obnoxious visitors in the past, folks who’d enjoyed the wine too much, but he’d never seen his parents be less than civil.
What was going on?
He stepped closer, until he could smell her scent. Subtle, floral, in keeping with her demure, businesslike persona. “Why did you come here on this strange errand?”
“Tarrant Hardcastle is my boss. I travel for the company sourcing wines. I’m pretty sure I was chosen because I’m fluent in seven languages, including Spanish. Tarrant’s daughter Fiona offered to come, but they weren’t sure you’d speak English.”
“I do, you know,” he replied, in English.
“So I see.” She smiled, which revealed a row of delicate teeth. “Then they needn’t have sent me at all, but here I am.” She shrugged. “I do love my job and I’d like to keep it.”
“And for that you require a few ounces of my life’s blood.” He had no intention of complying with her request, but she was so serious that he couldn’t resist the urge to tease her.
“As I said before, a swab from the inside of your mouth…”
Amado winced, then an entertaining idea occurred to him. “Could you perhaps obtain it with a kiss?”
Her eyes widened, and he saw a flush of color deepen the smooth skin of her cheeks. Lovely.
She regained control of herself and lifted an eyebrow. “You mean take a cheek cell culture with my tongue?”
The thought of that quick pink tongue in his mouth made a predatory smile creep across his lips. “That, I might be able to subject myself to. If you were willing, of course.”
“I don’t think that would be very scientific. My DNA would be mixed in with yours.”
“All the better.” He stared at her mouth until her lips parted.
“Ha ha ha.” Her laugh sounded tinny and false. Good. He was making her nervous.
He cocked his head. “I’m ready and willing. You can take your sample right now, if you like.”
She narrowed her lovely dark eyes. “My best friend warned me about Argentine men.”
“Oh?” He let his gaze drift over her face and neck. Enjoyed the sensual curve of her mouth and the proud tilt of her chin.
She put her hands on her hips. “She said they’re very arrogant. Full of themselves.”
He fought the urge to say Yeah, and?
But he didn’t resist letting his eyes wander lower, to where her stance pulled her jacket taut over her firm, high breasts, then down to where her propped hands defined her waist all too sharply.
Her hips twitched slightly under his gaze. Desire crept through him. He couldn’t help staring as a sudden breeze pressed her gauzy skirt to her long, slim legs.
Susannah took her hands off her hips and crossed her arms defensively over her chest.
“I’ve never had a beautiful woman ask for my DNA before. I’m just considering all my options.” Amado raised his eyes again and confronted her with his open admiration.
Her prim and proper demeanor triggered an urge to see her unbuttoned and breathless. He’d like to take her to his bed and pleasure her. Make her forget all about DNA and someone’s child and the whole crazy idea.
“Why does your boss think that I, out of all the people in the world, am his son?”
“He hired a researcher a few months ago. I think he told her all he knew about the mothers, and when they’d had the children.”
Revulsion rose in his gut. “This man thinks he has several children he’s never met?”
She nodded. “It’s awkward. I haven’t met the researcher, but I was told they’d located you here. Maybe they’re just fishing in the hope that you’re the right person.”
“I can’t be, you know.” It simply wasn’t possible.
She shrugged and a half smile tilted her mouth. Tickled his urge to kiss it. “It does seem unlikely. I’m only here because I was asked to come.”
