Rina checked herself for the umpteenth time in the mirror before Rey arrived to pick her up for their dinner at the castillo tonight. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. Everyone had been as warm and welcoming as you could expect from a family presented with a fiancée no one had met before. More so, if Aston del Castillo’s pleasure in his grandson’s engagement was any indicator.
Besides, based on Sara’s call last week, she only had to keep this up for another day, two tops. The sense of relief she felt was almost overwhelming. Keeping up appearances at the office and controlling the magnetic attraction she had for Rey had taken its toll.
She eyed herself critically in the mirror again. No amount of makeup could hide the ravages of the sleepless nights she’d endured. Even when she had slept, her dreams had been peppered with replays of the night in Rey’s office as well as other more adventurous forays where they melded into one another again and again.
She’d woken several times, on the point of orgasm. It wouldn’t have taken much, she knew, to give herself the relief her body longed for, but she’d held back, refusing herself even that release because in her heart of hearts she knew it was still all wrong. Reynard was Sara’s, not hers. She was merely a fill in. Using him, even in fantasy, to fulfill her physical yearnings was too close to infidelity, even for her.
Rina had already made up her mind to leave Isla Sagrado the second Sara returned. She’d go visit extended family in the United Kingdom for a while, then return home and begin rebuilding a life for herself back in Christchurch. She couldn’t bear to remain here and see her twin with Rey. She could only hope that time and distance would make it easier for her to pretend she hadn’t done the unforgiveable thing and fallen in love with him. Maybe then this aching need would begin to fade and eventually burn out.
It was probably just a rebound thing anyway. Forced into close proximity with a handsome man she was bound to accept his attentions hard on the heels of being dumped by her own fiancé.
Outside the cottage she heard the roar of Rey’s car, followed by silence as he cut the engine. Instantly, her heart leaped uncontrollably in her chest. In the mirror she saw her eyes dilate, a wild flush of warmth spread suddenly across her cheeks. Who was she kidding? This was no rebound reaction. Her feelings for Rey were real. Painfully, intolerably real.
Rina closed her eyes for a second, hiding from the truth reflected in her image. She could do this, she reminded herself for what felt like the thousandth time since she’d embarked on this whole disaster. She’d made it this far. Another day or two was not going to destroy her.
She went to the door and opened it.
“Good evening,” Rey responded as she pulled the door wide.
Her heart caught in her throat as she allowed herself to drink in his presence. He was dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit with a pale cream-colored silk shirt beneath it. His hair was still damp and slicked back from his face, exposing the broad, intelligent forehead and high cheekbones that lent a severe magnificence to his features.
She was female enough to be hugely relieved she’d dressed up for tonight. She knew the del Castillos tended to observe the old traditions like dressing for dinner, which was served late—Spanish fashion. Luckily, Sara’d had just the thing in her wardrobe—an off-the-shoulder deep plum-colored satin cocktail dress. Artful pleating both above and below the sash at the waist gave a feminine fullness to the fabric without creating too revealing a silhouette. It was tasteful while still being sexy, and was just the sort of thing she knew her sister would have chosen for a night like this.
Rina had done her hair in an auburn river of curls down her back, and she’d pulled the side sections up—securing them with a cluster of small diamante clips on top of her head—which exposed the chandelier-style diamante earrings she’d chosen from Sara’s stash of jewelry. Rey’s look of approval as his eyes coasted from top to toe and back again spoke more vehemently than words.
As the dress was fully boned, but cut quite low in back, she’d gone without a bra and beneath the soft silky fabric of the bodice she felt her nipples tighten and peak in response to the flare of desire in his gaze. She fought back a soft moan as he leaned forward and a hint of his cologne filled her nostrils. His lips were cool, impersonal upon her cheek but the look in his eyes was anything but.