Escape to Paradise Read online

  “Not that I know of, and besides, you’re an employee now. There are no rules.”

  Claudia licked the dryness from her lips. Is it just me, or is the room spinning?

  “Have you given any thought to the menu? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Mexican people take their food very seriously. Guests might not remember who performed at the bash, but they’ll certainly remember whether or not the crab was fresh!”

  “I know, that’s why creating the menu with Chaz is on the top of my to-do list. We’ve already met twice this week, and we’re meeting again on Saturday afternoon.”

  A waiter arrived with two ice cream sundaes then sped back to the cash register.

  “Is that who you were with last night?” Santiago cleared his throat and all thoughts of killing the flamboyant head chef from his mind. “I called your suite but there was no answer.”

  “I met Chaz after his shift ended to hammer out the details.”

  “At ten o’clock? Don’t you think that’s too late?”

  “No, not at all. I do my best work after dark.”

  Santiago parted his lips and pushed the question on the tip of his tongue out of his mouth. “Is Chaz my stiffest competition or just one of your many admirers?”

  At first, Claudia thought Santiago was joking, but when she saw the hard, unyielding set of his jaw she knew that he was serious. What makes Santiago think that I would ever be interested in a freewheeling playboy like Chaz? she wondered, mentally scratching her head. The culinary heavyweight was a riot, but he certainly wasn’t her Mr. Right. There was only one man who fit that bill, and she was staring into his dreamy, deep brown eyes. “Chaz isn’t my type. He’s obsessed with money and fame, and I’m not interested in those things in the slightest. If I was going to date someone it would be…”

  “Go on,” he prompted, leaning forward. “It would be…”

  “You.” Claudia touched a hand to her mouth. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

  “I’m glad you did. Now I know my feelings aren’t one-sided.”

  His gaze torched her, made her cheeks burn, her mouth dry. Claudia picked up her spoon and scooped ice cream into her mouth. It tasted delicious, but the cold, sweet treat did nothing to cool her sweltering body temperature.

  “I know you’re dealing with some personal issues right now, and I don’t want to add to your stress, but I’d like to see where things go between us.”

  At the back of her mind, she remembered Maxine’s warning: Stay away from him, Claudia. He’s only going to use you and end up breaking your heart. Claudia shook her head, refusing to entertain the lies her sister had spewed about a man who’d done nothing but help her. Santiago had a certain something she found appealing, and with all the craziness in her life right now, she appreciated his calm nature and boundless optimism. “I’d like that very much.”

  “Really?” He wore an exaggerated frown. “You’re not just saying that because I bought you ice cream, are you?”

  “You’re an honest, hardworking guy who derives great pleasure from his work, and I think that’s admirable. And you’ve been a perfect gentleman from day one. You don’t drink or smoke or curse, and that speaks volumes about your character.”

  “Claudia, I’m not as great as you think. I’ve made a lot of mistakes—”

  “I can’t believe you returned to Cabo without giving your favorite aunt and uncle a call!” a female voice said. “Now get over here, boy, and give us some sugar!”

  Chuckling, Santiago pushed himself up from his chair and wrapped his arms around the full-figured woman with the wild, curly hair. “It’s great to see you guys.”

  “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” the older gentleman said, clapping Santiago on the shoulder. “When did you get back from Washington?”

  Claudia sat there, watching Santiago, and wondered why he was so nervous. He was smiling, but his voice was strained and his shoulders were as stiff as a surfboard. She was so busy watching him, she didn’t notice the conversation had stopped until Santiago touched her arm and said, “Claudia, this is my aunt Zabrine and my uncle Estevez.”

  She smiled and shook hands with the couple.

  “We’re having a few friends over tomorrow to celebrate Estevez’s sixtieth birthday,” Zabrine said, when the conversation turned to their plans for the weekend, “and if you’re not too busy, Tiago, we’d love for you to join us.”

  “Do you have to keep telling people how old I am? Isn’t it bad enough that I have a head full of gray hair?” Estevez gave a hearty chuckle. “Come by, son, and make sure you bring this gorgeous young woman with you.”

  Claudia averted her gaze and stared so hard at a portrait on the wall her vision blurred.

  “Estevez, stop. You’re embarrassing her.” A sympathetic smile sat on Zabrine’s plump, pink lips. “Please forgive my husband. He loses his head every time he’s around a beautiful woman, and all those tequila shots he had at lunch certainly didn’t help!”

  After another round of hugs and kisses, the couple left the ice cream parlor.

  “I’d love if you could come with me tomorrow,” Santiago said, once they returned to their seats. “Like my aunt Zabrine said, it’s just a small get-together.”

  Claudia spooned a chunk of ice cream into her mouth. Meeting Santiago’s friends and family was a big step, one that Claudia didn’t think she was ready for, but she liked what she’d seen of his relatives immensely. “I’ll think about it.”

  Santiago drew his fingertips so seductively over her wrist she shivered.

  “And I know just what to do to convince you to be my date.”

  Chapter 15

  “Exotic animals at the celebration bash?”

  “Why not?” Claudia demanded, raising her brows. “I think it’s a great idea.”

  A grin tickled the corners of his lips and humor glimmered in his eyes. “Of course you do. You think all of your ideas are golden!”

  Frustrated that he’d vetoed her last three suggestions, but determined to fulfill the vision she had in her mind for the event, Claudia searched for the right words to win him over. They were sitting in the living room of his sparsely decorated suite and there was a wealth of paperwork and junk food on the circular coffee table.

  “I can’t believe how poorly these guys are playing.”

  Santiago had one eye on his file folder, and the other on the soccer game playing on the plasma screen TV. Every few seconds he released a groan of despair, and when he surged to his feet, knocking over the bowl of popcorn on his lap and sending kernels flying in the air, Claudia wondered what had happened to the calm, mild-mannered guy she’d come to know and like.

  “Are you okay? You look like you’re about to blow.”

  “I’ll be fine once Toluca starts playing some defense and quits turning the ball over.”

  “Back to the entertainment for the celebration bash,” she said, clapping her hands to reclaim his attention. “Having exotic animals at the party would be a definite crowd-pleaser. Guests could pet them, hold them and even take pictures.”

  “Okay, that’s it, no more watching Animal Planet for you!” Santiago chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but we just don’t have any room for it in the budget.”

  Claudia was disappointed, but nodded and said, “I understand.”

  Santiago cleaned up the popcorn, collected their empty dinner plates and strode into the gourmet kitchen. Done in neutral brown tones, the sprawling five-room suite had high ceilings, suede couches and a soaring wall of windows that offered a spectacular ocean view.

  “Do you need anything?”

  “Some water would be great—”

  A phone rang, drowning out the rest of her sentence.

  Santiag
o dug into his pocket and took out his cell phone. “I have to take this call. It’s my mom.” He grabbed the remote control and lowered the volume on the television. “Hola, mamá. ¿Cómo esta usted?”

  Claudia could tell by the warmth of his tone that his family meant the world to him. Maybe one day, when her mom, Aubrey, was clean and sober, they’d have the relationship she had always dreamed of. Until then, she had Max and Aunt Hattie and Ana to fill the void. At the thought of the spunky older woman, a smile curled her lips. Claudia could do without Ana’s religious talk, but her good humor was infectious and she gave sound advice.

  Santiago ended his call and tossed his cell phone on the granite counter.

  “Is everything all right?” Claudia rested her pen on her notebook. “You look upset.”

  “My dad’s back from Acapulco.”

  “And you’re not happy about it.”

  “I wasn’t expecting to see him until the celebration bash.” A scowl crimped his lips. “We don’t get along, and every time we see each other we butt heads.”

  “Will he be at your uncle’s house tomorrow?”

  “For sure. My parents wouldn’t miss my aunt Zabrine’s party for the world.” He returned to the living room, placed a glass of water on the lacquered table, then sat down on the floor beside her.

  “Have you and your dad always been at odds?”

  “Yeah, pretty much. I got in with the wrong crowd as a teen and got arrested several times for underage drinking and drag racing with my friends. My dad was ashamed of me, but I wasn’t a bad kid. I wasn’t good in school and had no one to talk to, so I acted out.”

  “It’s hard to imagine you ever getting in trouble. You’re such a sweet, upstanding guy.”

  He stroked his jaw and stared absently outside the balcony window. “My father lashes out whenever he drinks, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve been his favorite target. My mom did the best she could to protect me, but there was only so much she could do.”

  Claudia opened her mouth, but didn’t speak. For several seconds, she struggled with her words, unsure of whether sharing a page of her story was the right thing to do. In the end, her heart won out. “I know how you feel, Santiago. My mother’s been an alcoholic my entire life, and after she showed up drunk at one of my client’s weddings, I cut off all contact with her. That was five years ago, and I don’t know if she’s dead or alive.”

  “It must have been hard growing up without a stable mom.”

  “I survived. I had my aunt and my sister.”

  He lowered his head and raked his fingers through his hair.

  “Try not to worry.” Claudia rested a hand on his back and rubbed gently. He was an angel of a guy, hands down the nicest man she’d ever met, and it killed her to see him in pain. “Everything will be fine, Santiago. I’m sure of it.”

  “You’re right, it will, because I’m not going to the party.”

  “But you told your aunt and uncle you would. Won’t they be upset?”

  “They’ll get over it.” He scratched at his cheek. “My father and I have always been at odds, but things really escalated when I dropped out of college and took up stock car racing. And over the years things have only gotten more volatile between us. I hate the strain our relationship is causing on my mom, and I don’t want her to have to play referee.”

  “Maybe I could go with you to your uncle’s party.”

  Shock wrinkled his facial features. “You?”

  “I’m dying to drive along the coast and going out will give me something to do other than stressing about all the things that could go wrong at the celebration bash.”

  “What about Chaz? I thought you guys were getting together to finalize the menu?”

  “I was planning on seeing him earlier in the day, but if you don’t want me to come I’ll—”

  “No.” Santiago fed her a smile. His eyes twinkled, lit up like a star. “I told you earlier I’d love for you to be my date, and I meant it.”

  “Great, and I can wear one of those snazzy new dresses you bought me.”

  He chuckled, shook his head.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You think you’re smart, don’t you?”

  Claudia pinched two fingers together. “Just a little.”

  “You tricked me, and I didn’t even see it coming!” he complained, draping an arm over her shoulder and hugging her to his chest. “You should work for the FBI. They could use someone with your clever tactics!”

  Her smile morphed from sweet to sultry. “And what do you need, Santiago?”

  Silence fell between them, and when he finally spoke, his voice was painfully quiet.

  “I need a woman in my life I can trust who loves me for me.”

  His words bewildered her, left her so rattled, so stunned by the intensity of his tone she couldn’t speak. Who said anything about love? Claudia thought, dodging his piercing gaze. Santiago was a hopeless romantic, a Prince Charming searching for his one true love, but Claudia wanted no part of it. Love hurt, and she had the emotional scars to prove it.

  “I’ve fallen under your spell, Claudia, and my feelings for you are so strong I can’t even put them into words,” he confessed. “I’ve been waiting my entire life to meet a woman like you, and now that I have, I don’t intend to ever let you go.”

  He spoke with such feeling, with such loving tenderness Claudia’s eyes watered. If he knew what the Richmond press was writing about me, he wouldn’t be saying these things, she thought, biting the inside of her cheek. Keep it together, girl. Keep it together.

  Santiago cupped her chin in his hands. “I don’t think I could survive losing another woman I love, so please don’t break my heart.”

  He lowered his head then, pressed his mouth so softly against hers, and she leaned closer to deepen the kiss. It was a sensuous kiss, one that instantly put her in the mood for slow, languorous lovemaking. Santiago glided his hands up, and down, across and over her body, whispering words of admiration in her ears.

  An insane rush of pleasure filled her, rendering her weak, powerless, unable to resist his caress. Claudia felt herself losing control, but fought to keep her wits about her. She couldn’t do this. Not after his heartfelt confession. Santiago wanted a lifelong commitment, and she wanted a night of passion. But Claudia would rather be sexually frustrated than break his heart. “I don’t want this,” she lied, abruptly ending the kiss and turning towards the window. “No good can come from this, Santiago. We want different things.”

  He stroked her inner arm and drew his fingers over her shoulders and along her back.

  “I stopped believing in happily-ever-after a long time ago…” Claudia struggled with her words, but pushed past the sexual haze clouding her mind and spoke from her heart. “I care deeply about you, Santiago, and the last thing I want to do is lead you on or end up hurting you when it’s all said and done.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m a big boy. I know what I’m getting myself into.” Santiago pressed his lips against the side of her neck and used his tongue to make soft circles along her collarbone. “Are you sure you want me to take you home?”

  A shiver tore through her. How did he know that was my sweet spot?

  He must have sensed her conflict, must have smelled the perfume of her desire because instead of backing off, he kissed her hard on the lips. Her nipples rose to attention, she felt warm down below, and she was tingling in all the right places. Santiago licked from her ears to her collarbone and back again, and each delicious flick of his tongue caused waves of pleasure to careen down her spine. The tantalizing mixture of sucking and teasing, caressing and stroking, pushed Claudia to the brink. And when he sucked her earlobe into his mouth, she fell over the edge. It was a direct hit. Her eyes rolled into the back
of her head, and for some inexplicable reason she felt the urge to cry.

  “Stay,” he whispered, lowering the straps of her sundress and pushing the fabric down her hips. “If it were up to me you’d stay here forever, but I’ll settle for just one night.”

  Claudia closed her eyes and inhaled his rich, intoxicating scent. This was the only place she wanted to be, and Santiago was the only man she wanted. His words gave her hope for tomorrow, made her believe he cared about her and would be there when she needed him. Claudia knew she was thinking irrationally, knew all those cocktails she’d had with dinner had gone to her head, but how could she think straight when Santiago was tweaking her nipples?

  “Your body is a masterpiece. The most exquisite work of art,” he praised, stretching out on top of her. “I’m addicted, Claudia. The more I kiss you the more I want…”

  They undressed slowly, as if they had all the time in the world and traded passionate kisses every time they lost another article of clothing. Santiago placed kisses on her shoulders, along the curve of her spine, in and around her navel. When he dipped his tongue into her navel, Claudia felt like she’d been struck by a thousand bolts of electricity. The moans and groans streaming from her lips drowned out the television, creating a sensuous, lovemaking soundtrack.

  Claudia hooked her arm around his neck and pulled him close. Being with Santiago made her feel connected, alive, bolder than ever. Gone were her fears and insecurities. She wanted to please and be pleased. Claudia pushed his shirt up over his shoulders, desperate to stroke his hard, chiseled physique. Faint scars marked his flesh, but they didn’t detract from his beauty; he still had the sexiest body Claudia had ever seen. She ran her hands up and down his chest, then replaced her fingers with her mouth. Grazing her teeth along Santiago’s nipple caused him to groan. She licked it, bit it, twirled her tongue around it, then sucked it hungrily into her mouth.

  Santiago grabbed a condom from his back pocket, put it on and positioned himself between her legs. He used his thumb to massage her clit, then rubbed his erection against it. Back and forth, up and down, in and out. Gripping her waist, he lifted her up off the couch, and entered her powerfully with a quick thrust of his hips.