sat up, not wanting to continue this topic. “Not sad, just fact. What about people who don’t have a happy life, do you think they want to remember that when they get old?”
She fell silent.
Rafael stood and looked around. It was dark with no ambient light but that from the stars overhead. He could make out the silhouette of the rim of hills behind them. No roads, but plenty of open land for Manuel to drive over. He hoped the GPS locator was functioning.
“Hungry?” he asked.
“A little.” She sat up, drawing the blanket over her shoulders. It was growing cooler.
“We have some snacks left. But dinner will have to wait on the crew.”
“And that could be six hours away,” she murmured.
“No, they’ll be here before long.”
“If not?”
“Then we bunk down here.”
“Just the two of us,” she said softly.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“Should I?”
“Depends on what you consider a problem.”
Amalia’s heart rate sped up. She imagined a lot of scenarios—none of which she’d classify as precisely a problem. Unless she considered being stranded with one of Barcelona’s more infamous bachelors a problem.
“Look on it as a great adventure.”
“I don’t think I’m the adventurous type.”
“Then it’s time you break out of your mold and see what you find,” he said. He sat beside her and nudged her slightly with his shoulder. “Live on the wild side for a while. Explore new things, push yourself. Find out who you really are.”
“And who are you, Rafael?” she asked.
“Someone hoping to go through life experiencing many different facets. Like sailing, soaring, kissing beautiful women.”
The low, sexy tone had her senses on full alert. What would it be like to be kissed by an adventurer?
She was about to find out, she thought, feeling giddy and breathless at the idea.
“Amalia?” he said softly, brushing back her hair from her face, turning toward her.
She saw his head blot the stars then felt his lips brush across hers.
Decision time. Should she scoot away and be outraged, or give in to rampant curiosity and indulge herself as he suggested?
He gathered her closer, blanket and all, and moved past the mere brush of lips for a full-fledged kiss that had her blood pounding through her veins, her head spinning and her own hands reaching out to grasp his jacket and hold on.
The hard ground was forgotten. He shifted slightly, bringing her even closer in his embrace as his tongue teased her lips, dancing with her own when she opened to him. Amalia felt like a top spinning. It was glorious. No wonder women vied to date the man. He set a new standard in kissing.
Too soon he pulled back a bit, his breath fanning her cheeks. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
Sorry! She pushed against that rock-solid chest and scooted back, suddenly feeling every pebble and rock beneath her. Disentangling herself from the blanket, she stood and moved even farther away.
“Try exercising more control next time you feel you can’t resist,” she snapped. She turned, tears of humiliation threatening.
“Hey, Amalia, it was only a kiss,” he said, coming up behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. “I didn’t mean anything,” he said.
That was the problem. It was the best kiss she’d ever had, and he didn’t mean anything.
He stepped up and leaned his head next to hers. She felt the warmth from his cheek next to hers.
“I’m sorry if you’re upset. I won’t do it again.”
Probably not. He was used to gorgeous sophisticated women, not some overworked PA who had to be forced to go on this race with him.
“I think we should keep this businesslike,” she said stiffly. She really wanted him to turn her into his arms again and say nothing was more important to him than her. She almost laughed at the expression he’d have if she voiced that crazy idea.
“I agree. Friends?”
“I doubt we can ever be friends. Just let it drop,” she said, shrugging out of his hold and stepping away. She dare not go too far, as she had no idea where anything was in the darkness.
Would they end up wrapped in the blankets, sleeping beneath the stars? At least the storms he mentioned hadn’t materialized. That would really be horrid.
The silence grew awkward and she knew she hadn’t handled things well. But she couldn’t risk getting too comfortable with him or she’d make an idiot of herself over the man, and then where would she be? She had her brother to get off to university and her own dreams to pursue.
It was almost thirty minutes later that the first glimpse of the headlights shone through the trees.
“Is that them?” she asked, jumping up and trying to see more than flashes of lights at ground level.
“Probably.” Rafael went to the basket and retrieved the radio. In seconds he was in contact with the crew and turned on both flashlights to show them where they were. In less than twenty minutes the truck arrived, lurching over the rough terrain, illuminating everything with its powerful headlights.
Amalia was so glad they’d arrived. She needed a buffer between her and Rafael.
Camping had never been high on her list of things to do, but with accomplished veterans, it turned out to be fun. The meal was cooked and shared by all. The crew and Rafael checked out the balloon, exchanged the propane tanks and made everything ready for the morning flight.
Then air mattresses were inflated, sleeping bags doled out and in less time than she’d expected, Amalia was warm and sleepy. She watched the sky for a few minutes, then closed her eyes and went to sleep—to dream about Rafael’s amazing kisses.
Rafael lay in his bag, watching the sky, thinking of the earlier kiss. He’d done it as a lark; only, it had backfired. Amalia hadn’t seemed to enjoy it, while he’d enjoyed it far too much. Who would have thought Vicente’s PA could kiss like that? He wanted another taste, another kiss to see if what he’d felt had just been a rebound from Teresa or if there was a special spark there.
Unlikely, he thought sardonically. Amalia just didn’t approve of his lifestyle. And to top it off, she wanted marriage and children and memories.
He was making his own memories. Doing things most men only dreamed about.
He thought about the various things he’d tried over the past few years. Turned out this balloon
