Page 3 (1/2)

Swear to nant, Louisa, he’d said to her that breathless night I cannot get pregnant, she’d said

If it turned out she’d lied to him…

I’nant, she repeated to herself furiously It’s impossible!

And yet, she was afraid to take the test that would tell her for sure She told herself she was just late Very late

Leaving her wet shoes at the front door, she carried the basket of roses into a little e modern kitchen She filled an expensive crystal vase ater, then arranged the roses carefully inside it She cleaned the pruning shears and put the up to her roo theray skirt suit as plain and serviceable as the first She tidied her brown hair back into a severe bun, dried the rain off her glasses with a towel, then gave a single glance at herself in the mirror as she passed She looked plain and orderly and invisible—just as she wished

She’d never wanted Rafael to notice her She’d prayed he wouldn’t After what had happened at her last job, invisibility felt like her only protection But somehow, it had failed her Somehow, he’d noticed her anyway Why had he taken her to his bed? Pity? Convenience?

She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders Then she carried the vase of roses into the kitchen

Al with the rest of the ed quite a bit in the month since Louisa had arrived here Her constant attention, working eighteen-hour days to hire staff and oversee cleaning and re of the once-faded house, had turned it into a well-run hoently touched the polished wood of the door frathis e areat deal of pleasure

Once, it had been neglected Noas loved Treasured

Louisa set her jaw stubbornly So

she wouldn’t allow one moment of weakness to force her out of this job she’d loved with such passion for five years She’d been a convenient wo more She loved him, but she would try her best to kill that love

She would do her job Keep her distance Try to forget how he’d taken her virginity

She’d forget the way his lips had pressed against hers, so hot and hard and deet the sensation of his powerful body pressing her to the wall Forget his strength and the dark hunger in his eyes as he’d lifted her up in his strong arms, and carried her without a word to his bed…

Louisa stood for a moment, alone in the kitchen Then she started What had she been doing here? Right Making his dinner The cook had gone home sick She only hoped he had the sao, so he’d be right as rain in three days, in time for Rafael’s birthday dinner She couldskills tendedchi a piquant cazuela de mariscos, a seafood stew in tomato broth, for a party of twelve!

But like the captain of a ship, she had learned to do nearly every task that running a vast hoether a si sliced ham and her own freshly homemade bread from the well-stocked pantry She looked down at the tray and carefully smoothed the linen napkin beneath the silver utensils She hesitated, then added a s red rose