surface. Then he did it again ... harder this time.
Guilt swamped her. She started to rise and go to him but decided against it. Esteban was quick to anger but even quicker to cool off. She knew his moods and tempers as if they were her own. If she left him alone for a few moments, he would be okay.
But what had driven her to say such a thing? Had she been hurt by his comment about having a family and had mentioned Hector to bolster her shaky self-confidence?
No, it was simpler than that. His comments about having a family had made her nervous. Was he trying to make her jealous? But for what reason? They weren't even dating.
She watched Esteban from the corner of her eye and saw the tenseness in his shoulders, the rigidity of his back. He was taking longer to cool off than she'd expected. Because her mistake had been innocent, she began to resent his reaction. Guilt drained away to be replaced by a feeling of defensiveness.
This was what came from Pura's meddling, from throwing them together. And from her own desire to change her serious approach to life. She'd known better, should have known better. If she was dreary, there was a good reason for it. Her serious mindedness had kept her from being involved in situations like this.
With a sinking heart, she realized her and Esteban's relationship would never be the same again. By kissing her and asking her for a date, he'd doomed their friendship. Gone was the easy camaraderie of their childhood days to be replaced by this sticky, sexual thing between them. They couldn't even have a simple conversation without pointed questions and double meanings. If Esteban was angry, so was she. Angry to lose him as a friend.
He turned from the water and faced her, his fingers hooked in his jeans and his hips thrust forward in that cock-sure attitude of his. "You didn't bring him here, did you?" The tone of his voice made his question into an accusation.
She started to put him off, asking what if she had. But something in the look on his face stopped her. Had she detected a note of hurt? Of the ultimate betrayal?
Even if they could no longer be friends, she didn't want him as her enemy.
"No, I didn't bring Hector here. I wouldn't do that. This is our ..." Her voice caught. She couldn't say it.
His face cleared, and his shoulders relaxed. His hands dropped to his sides. "Thank you for that."
"¿Por qué?" She shot back, her anger surging to the forefront now. "The harm's done. If I know Hector, he'll move heaven and earth to close the deal."
Despite her angry bravado, she cringed, expecting Esteban to strike back. After all, it was Hector's visit to Pura's farm that had given him the idea for a ski resort, even if Natalia hadn't committed the ultimate betrayal and shown Hector the waterfall.
But Esteban surprised her. He said nothing and closed the distance between them in two strides. His strong hand reached out and cupped her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze and asking, "He hurt you, didn't he?"
If she'd been uncomfortable before, that couldn't begin to compare with the way she felt now. If the earth were to quake, opening a chasm beneath her feet, she would have gladly jumped in. She wanted to run and hide, to cover herself, to conceal her shame. For Esteban to pity her was too much. Handsome and self-assured, he'd had every woman he wanted. But she couldn't even keep one fiancé.
Bitter bile rose to her throat, and she thought she might be physically sick. Shrugging off his hand, she turned her face and backed up a step. But he followed her. And this time, he caught her chin and turned her face toward him.
"Natalia, I know he hurt you. Why won't you tell me? Aren't we best friends? I don't like seeing you hurt."
She pulled away from him, her fury finally finding voice. "But we're not best friends anymore. Don't you see?" She bit her lip. "You ruined it, Esteban, when you asked me out. We can never be friends again."
"If not friends, Natalia, then
Guilt swamped her. She started to rise and go to him but decided against it. Esteban was quick to anger but even quicker to cool off. She knew his moods and tempers as if they were her own. If she left him alone for a few moments, he would be okay.
But what had driven her to say such a thing? Had she been hurt by his comment about having a family and had mentioned Hector to bolster her shaky self-confidence?
No, it was simpler than that. His comments about having a family had made her nervous. Was he trying to make her jealous? But for what reason? They weren't even dating.
She watched Esteban from the corner of her eye and saw the tenseness in his shoulders, the rigidity of his back. He was taking longer to cool off than she'd expected. Because her mistake had been innocent, she began to resent his reaction. Guilt drained away to be replaced by a feeling of defensiveness.
This was what came from Pura's meddling, from throwing them together. And from her own desire to change her serious approach to life. She'd known better, should have known better. If she was dreary, there was a good reason for it. Her serious mindedness had kept her from being involved in situations like this.
With a sinking heart, she realized her and Esteban's relationship would never be the same again. By kissing her and asking her for a date, he'd doomed their friendship. Gone was the easy camaraderie of their childhood days to be replaced by this sticky, sexual thing between them. They couldn't even have a simple conversation without pointed questions and double meanings. If Esteban was angry, so was she. Angry to lose him as a friend.
He turned from the water and faced her, his fingers hooked in his jeans and his hips thrust forward in that cock-sure attitude of his. "You didn't bring him here, did you?" The tone of his voice made his question into an accusation.
She started to put him off, asking what if she had. But something in the look on his face stopped her. Had she detected a note of hurt? Of the ultimate betrayal?
Even if they could no longer be friends, she didn't want him as her enemy.
"No, I didn't bring Hector here. I wouldn't do that. This is our ..." Her voice caught. She couldn't say it.
His face cleared, and his shoulders relaxed. His hands dropped to his sides. "Thank you for that."
"¿Por qué?" She shot back, her anger surging to the forefront now. "The harm's done. If I know Hector, he'll move heaven and earth to close the deal."
Despite her angry bravado, she cringed, expecting Esteban to strike back. After all, it was Hector's visit to Pura's farm that had given him the idea for a ski resort, even if Natalia hadn't committed the ultimate betrayal and shown Hector the waterfall.
But Esteban surprised her. He said nothing and closed the distance between them in two strides. His strong hand reached out and cupped her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze and asking, "He hurt you, didn't he?"
If she'd been uncomfortable before, that couldn't begin to compare with the way she felt now. If the earth were to quake, opening a chasm beneath her feet, she would have gladly jumped in. She wanted to run and hide, to cover herself, to conceal her shame. For Esteban to pity her was too much. Handsome and self-assured, he'd had every woman he wanted. But she couldn't even keep one fiancé.
Bitter bile rose to her throat, and she thought she might be physically sick. Shrugging off his hand, she turned her face and backed up a step. But he followed her. And this time, he caught her chin and turned her face toward him.
"Natalia, I know he hurt you. Why won't you tell me? Aren't we best friends? I don't like seeing you hurt."
She pulled away from him, her fury finally finding voice. "But we're not best friends anymore. Don't you see?" She bit her lip. "You ruined it, Esteban, when you asked me out. We can never be friends again."
"If not friends, Natalia, then
Similar Books
