giving her face an odd, lopsided look.
Well, if she’d ever had any hope of luring Alex into her bed, all bets were off. He might be willing to kiss hot-and-sweaty Maria, but what guy would be attracted to a woman who looked like she’d gone three rounds with a boxing champ?
Dispirited and hurting, she gathered her clean undies and her short gown and robe. Their deep plum color should have boosted her spirits, but all she could think about was how her eye was probably going to be a perfect match.
It actually hurt for the water in the shower to hit her face, so she turned the faucet away and managed to wash the chlorine out of her hair without too much discomfort. After drying off and donning her sleepwear, she sat and dried her hair.
There were times—now being one of them—that she debated cutting her hair. Its length was pure vanity. But the thought of chopping it off made her wince. So she put up with the time it took to wash and dry it.
When she was done, her aches and pains had begun to make themselves felt in earnest. The doctor had left some painkillers. But she needed to take them with food. And, besides, she was starving.
Barefoot, she padded into the living room. Her robe was thigh length, but perfectly respectable, especially given the climate. She found Alex sprawled on the sofa, flipping channels. He was dressed in the casual shirt and slacks he had worn on arrival.
He jumped to his feet. “The food’s in the kitchen. Are you interested in eating?”
She nodded, a lump in her throat. The genuine concern on his face and in his dark eyes made her feel cared for and protected. It was a warm, fuzzy sensation. “I’m really hungry,” she said softly.
He insisted on seating her at the table and serving her plate from the variety of dishes on the counter.
Maria was barely conscious of what she ate. The food was hot and delicious, but she tasted little of it. She was far too aware of the tension in the room. She remembered their kiss earlier in the day, and it was a good bet Alex did, too.
Alex tried not to let Maria see how worried he was about her. Fatigue was visible in the curve of her shoulders and the pale cast of her skin. She seemed to be holding herself upright by sheer stubbornness.
The knot where the volleyball had made contact with her eye socket had already gone down some, but the bruise was blooming rapidly.
He joined her at the table to eat, though he had no real interest in food. “I was going to offer you a glass of wine,” he said. “But I thought better of it. Didn’t seem like a good idea if you’re taking pain pills.”
She pulled a prescription bottle from the pocket of her robe. “The doctor said I can take two at a time, but I’m going to start with one and see how I do.”
As he watched, she shook one tablet into her hand and washed it down with water. When her head tilted back, the silky fabric of her nightwear shifted and pulled, making it clear that she was bare underneath. Which made perfect sense, of course. But it also played havoc with his physical state.
He cleared his throat. “It’s not late, but you may want to go on to bed.”
She shook her head. “I’ve only now adjusted to the time change. I don’t want to start over again. Do you think we could watch a movie?”
He would have done anything she asked in that moment. “Of course,” he said, the words gruff.
When they finished their meal, he gathered the dishes and put them in the sink. Maria sat staring at him. “This is weird,” she said.
He turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“We have a working relationship. And a very important job to do. But suddenly you’re having to play nurse. I’m sorry.”
He couldn’t help himself. Wiping his hands on a dry cloth, he went to her and gathered her hair gently, tucking it over her shoulder so it covered one breast. “Nothing is weird unless we let it be. I kissed you today, Maria. And you kissed me back. Your bump on the head is unfortunate, but I don’t regret this time together.”
Taking her hand in his, he slowly pulled her to her feet.
When he scooped her into his arms, she protested as she had earlier. “I can walk into the living room.”
His arms tightened a fraction. He was a bit drunk on the smell and feel of her. “Humor me. I happen to like having you in my arms.”
When he set her gently on the sofa, she stared up at him, wide-eyed. “Are you sure about this?”
She wasn’t referring to the movie, of course. “I’m not sure about anything here in Florida,” he joked. “Least of all this. But I plan to go with the flow.”
He felt her gaze boring into his back as he selected a disc and inserted it into the Blu-ray player and muted the volume. The movie didn’t really matter. He had other plans.
When he joined her, she wrapped her arms around her waist and tugged at the hem of her robe. “I’ve known you for a very long time, Alex...and even on your wildest days, I’d never call you a go-with-the-flow kind of guy.”
Her lips quirked, her teasing smile softening what might have been a criticism. But the gentle light in her eyes told him she understood what he was saying.
An attack of conscience struck him as he settled into the soft, plump couch cushions. “If you’d rather watch this alone, I’ll leave you. I’ve plenty of work to do in my room.”
One small hand landed on his thigh...not moving...just searing him with heat. “I want you to stay.”
He swallowed, for one brief second questioning his sanity. There was a better than even chance that Gabriel Montoro had plans for Maria. Could Alex risk offending a member of the royal family in the midst of delicate negotiations?
But when his hand closed over Maria’s, their fingers twining together, he sucked in a deep breath as he realized that for once in his life he was prepared to put his personal wishes and feelings before his obligations.
Gently, giving her every chance to protest, he scooped her into his lap. Her head settled against his collarbone as if he had been holding her like this for a lifetime. “How do you feel?” he asked.
She stroked his jaw with a single finger. “Well enough for whatever you have in mind.”
“I seriously doubt that.” If she knew what he was thinking, what he wanted, she might run for the hills. “We’ll take this slow,” he promised. “Tonight and always. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m a grown woman, Alex. You may have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m not one of them.”
The spark of temper reminded him that his Maria was a female of strength and purpose. “I can’t apologize for wanting to take care of you. You bring out the gentleman in me.”
She curled a hand behind his neck, dragging his head lower to press her
