her that his father was a farmer, owning huge areas of land where he grew bananas and tomatoes, and that it was his ambition to follow in his footsteps. Was this from where his wealth came?
Matilde began to make introductions, but Alejandro stopped her and presumably announced that they were already acquainted. Certainly there was surprise in the woman’s eyes as she looked briefly at Tanya and back to Alejandro.
But his attention was now on Tanya, and her heart began to panic as she looked at him—as she discovered that the attraction was still there! She had never expected to feel this kind of emotion; she had been filled with hate and disillusionment for so long that she had thought all other feelings dead. It was a shock to discover that he still had some sort of power over her.
‘So we meet again, Tanya.’ There was no warmth in his voice, no hint of pleasure. He was aloof, distancing himself from her, which was odd, considering that at the airport he had insisted that he wanted to talk to her.
She looked into the coldness of his eyes, matching the chill with her own. ‘Unfortunately, yes, and if you’ll excuse me I was just about to return to my room.’
A frown appeared. ‘You’re staying here—with Matilde?’
‘That’s right,’ she answered sharply, ‘And so is Charlene.’
‘For how long?’ It was almost an accusation.
‘I’m here for a month—it’s my holiday. Charlene lives here permanently.’
A slight pause. ‘I didn’t know. Matilde’s never mentioned it.’
‘There’s no reason why she should.’ Tanya lifted her hand to remove a stray strand of hair from her face, and as she did so Alejandro’s eyes went to the wedding-ring that she still wore. There was a sudden narrowing, a start of surprise, though why he should be astonished she did not know. Nine years was a long time to remain single, to hold a torch for the man she had once loved. ‘Goodbye, Alejandro,’ she said quietly, coolly, and with a nod to his wife and to Matilde she left the room.
To her amazement he followed. ‘I think after all there is much to be said, Tanya.’
She lifted her brows. ‘Really?’
His snort of anger shocked her. ‘I know you no longer have any feelings for me, but—’
‘But nothing,’ she cut in swiftly. ‘It’s the whole point, isn’t it? Neither of us have any feelings; it was all over a long time ago, so what is there to say? I’m not the sort of person who harbours feelings about the past, at least not when we parted on such bad terms. I’d rather leave things as they are.’
‘I’d like to know what you’ve been doing.’
‘Really?’ Her fine, well-shaped brows rose.
‘You’re married!’ It was a statement rather than a question, almost an accusation.
Tanya was tempted to let him go on thinking it, but an innate sense of honesty made her say quietly, ‘I was.’
A quick frown. ‘You’re divorced?’
‘I’m a widow.’ she replied flatly.
‘Oh—I’m sorry.’ His face shadowed. ‘You have my condolences.’
Tanya was not sure that he meant it, and she looked at him coldly. ‘Thank you.’
‘And I’d still like to talk to you.’
She shook her head firmly. ‘There’s no point. It would be a complete waste of time. Goodbye, Alejandro.’
She did not expect him to let her go, but he did, though she was conscious of him watching her as she moved down the narrow enclosed corridor to her room.
Not until she closed the door behind her did Tanya realise that she was holding her breath, and now she dragged a deep gulp of air into her tortured lungs. It was worse than she had imagined. Over the years her anger had faded. Peter had restored her sanity, made her see that she couldn’t dwell on the past forever. But what she hadn’t remembered was the physical attraction. None of that had faded—he still had the power to turn her limbs to jelly whether she liked it or not.
It really would be disastrous if she saw him again. Notwithstanding the fact that he was married and unavailable, it would be torture; her body wouldn’t be able to cope. Not even with Peter had she reached the heights she had scaled with Alejandro—could again if she dared let it happen. Oh, no, she must never, ever let herself be coerced into any sort of one-to-one situation.
It actually amazed her that she still felt this magnetism, this strong pull towards him. It was unreal. Everything had been killed stone-dead nine years ago—or so she had thought!
She stood at the window, and less than five minutes later saw him opening the car door for his wife, pausing a moment before he got in himself, looking back at the house, almost as though he was aware of her there behind the shutters. Tanya knew he could not see her, but instinctively stepped back, and when he had gone she gave a sigh of relief and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Later, when Charlene came home, Tanya told her all about her meeting with Alejandro. ‘I could not believe it when I saw him.’
‘A cruel twist of fate, I agree,’ said her sister. ‘And what a nerve, wanting to see you again after the way he behaved. I hope you told him where to get off.’
Tanya nodded. ‘I think I made myself clear.’
‘And you say the dress isn’t quite ready. Dò you think he’ll come again?’
‘Goodness, I hope not,’ said Tanya. ‘I’m hoping his wife will pick it up herself.’
‘Perhaps she doesn’t drive.’
Tanya closed her eyes. ‘Whatever happens, I’m going to keep well out of his way.’
But it didn’t turn out like that. A few days later Matilde’s daughter-in-law went into labour, complications set in, and Matilde was off like a shot to be with her family. And the very same afternoon Alejandro arrived to pick up his wife’s dress.
Tanya opened the door without even thinking that it might be him, and when their eyes met her jaw sagged. ‘I’m sorry; Señora Guerra’s not at home.’ She looked at him coldly, her tone distant. ‘You’ll have to come back some other time; I don’t know whether the dress is ready or not.’
‘Fate moves in mysterious ways.’
Her brows rose characteristically. ‘You think it’s fate that’s throwing us together?’
‘It would seem that way.’
She let out a little cry of fury. ‘It seems more like a curse to me. I’ll tell Matilde you called.’
But his foot was inside the door before she could stop him. ‘Matilde wouldn’t be very pleased if she knew you were shutting me out of her house.’ His jaw was taut, his eyes glacial.
‘Matilde doesn’t know the circumstances.’
‘I
