A Touch of Notoriety(58)

‘It’s nice to see Rodney again.’ Grace gave a wry chuckle. ‘I still remember the incredulous look on Cesar’s face the day I suggested he might like to have Rodney shoot me and have me buried in the grounds of the estate in Hampshire!’

‘I believe Cesar mentioned that incident to me.’ Raphael gave a throaty chuckle.

‘Laughing while he did it, no doubt!’ She grimaced.

‘I believe he was slightly amused by the notion, yes,’ Raphael acknowledged dryly.

Grace nodded, her eyes glowing as she glanced across at Cesar. ‘It seems incredible that the two of us are now in love and going to be married next month.’

‘I have never seen Cesar happier than he has been since you agreed to become his wife,’ Raphael assured her huskily.

Grace gave him a glowing smile. ‘Thank you.’

Raphael only stated the truth; his own close friendship with Cesar had existed since their schooldays together, making it easy for him to see that Grace’s love had completed Cesar, filling the voids of loneliness that had existed inside him for so long, at the same time as she had rubbed away all the hard edges that had kept Cesar removed and so distant from the world around him.

In the same way that Beth had rubbed those same edges of detachment from Raphael?

* * *

Beth, glancing across at Raphael and Grace as they stood quietly talking together further down the hallway, couldn’t help but frown as she saw how easily the two of them were laughing together. The sort of companionable ease that Beth wished she and Raphael had together, but knew they never would.

She not only wanted him physically but had fallen in love with him, and although the night at the inn had proved that Raphael returned that physical attraction, his every action since had shown her that he certainly wasn’t in love with her.

Just looking at him now, and knowing how much she loved him, made Beth’s heart ache. Almost enough to take her mind off the nagging, insistent ache in her side!

A nagging and insistent ache that made her feel physically sick, and which she knew owed nothing, absolutely nothing, to the pain of the unrequited love she felt for Raphael.

She kept her arm about Esther’s waist as she pulled back slightly.

‘Would anyone mind if I went to my room to lie down for a while? This past couple of days have been a bit...emotional, and I’m feeling a little tired,’ she added ruefully.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Grace offered huskily.

‘I would like that.’ Beth turned to smile at her sister as she joined them, a quick glance behind Grace showing her that Raphael was nowhere in sight. ‘Has Raphael gone?’ she prompted with as much lightness as she could muster—and instantly knowing she hadn’t fooled Grace for a moment as her sister’s gaze narrowed on her speculatively. Beth never had been able to hide anything from Grace for very long!

Including the way she now felt about Raphael, apparently.

‘He said there were a couple of things he had to do,’ Grace answered her slowly.

Of course he did. Raphael might have transferred her personal security to Rodney, but he was still Head of Security worldwide for Cesar, with all of the responsibilities that went along with that job description.

‘You go and rest now and we’ll see you later, honey.’ Esther touched Beth’s cheek gently as she smiled at her.

‘Querida.’ Carlos kissed her warmly on her other cheek.

‘Brela.’ Cesar lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.

Making the emotion catch in the back of Beth’s throat all over again. Not only would she always have Grace as her sister, but she now had this wonderful family as her own, too. Her cup wasn’t just half full, it was overflowing.

Apart, of course, from the fact that she was in love with a man who was never going to fall in love with her...

* * *

‘Okay, what’s going on?’ Grace prompted shrewdly once the two sisters were alone together in the same bedroom they had shared the last time Beth had visited Buenos Aires and stayed at Cesar’s apartment.

Just days ago, and yet those days had been life changing for Beth. In more ways than one! ‘Going on?’ she prompted with that same attempt at lightness as earlier as she lay down on one of the single beds in the room—and with just as much success if the look of scepticism on Grace’s face was any indication!

‘Between you and Raphael.’ Grace nodded as she dropped down onto the other bed. ‘He’s walking around with a face like thunder and trying not to look at you too often, and you have a permanent false smile fixed on your face—while also trying to give the appearance of not looking at him, either!’