The Boss's Nine-Month Negotiation

The reminder of how her day had gone brought a smile. His breath seemed to catch as her smile widened. ‘It was wonderful, Emiliano. I’m not sure how you planned everything without my knowledge but I loved every second of it. Thank you so much for these...’ She caressed her necklace and earrings. ‘I should be angry with you for forcing me to field questions, though.’ She deliberately infused lightness into her tone, but her reluctance to incite another row didn’t mean she was damping down what was important to her.

‘No doubt you found your usual diplomatic way to deny my existence despite it being an open secret,’ he returned with a distinct edge to his tone.

Sienna’s breath snagged in her lungs. Yes, the subject was definitely still a sore one. But one she intended to tackle soon. Maybe tonight...

‘I’ve never denied your existence. Merely not fuelled workplace gossip. There’s a difference.’

His upper lip curled slightly, his jaw flexing a touch. ‘If you say so.’

She floundered for a moment, the ground beneath her feet shaking a little. Was her continued denial of their relationship outside the privacy of their penthouse causing more damage than she realised?

Inhaling deeply, she widened her smile.

‘I do say so. And it would’ve been perfect if you’d been here, regardless of who knows about us.’ Sienna knew she was offering a tentative olive branch, while subtly digging for answers to questions she wasn’t completely certain were wise to pursue, but the worry that had taken root between her ribs was growing by the second.

‘I’m sorry. The situation couldn’t be helped.’

She wasn’t surprised at the slightly cryptic answer. The enigma that was Emiliano Castillo operated at optimum capacity, always. She’d learned the hard way that to gain his attention she had to meet her lover and boss toe to toe. It was what had brought her to his attention in the boardroom. It was why their chemistry remained sizzling hot in the bedroom. A chemistry that had stunned and bewildered her in the beginning and continued to overawe her even now. It was the reason she checked herself now from leaving the safety of the mantel to close the seemingly yawning distance between them, even though every muscle strained to be in his arms.

Denying herself the pleasure, she remained where she was, sensing the deep, puzzling tension within him as a muscle jumped in his shadowed cheek. But even from a distance she experienced the jolt of electricity that lanced through her when his eyes remained fixed on hers. ‘You didn’t elaborate on what was going on. Is it Matias?’ she asked.

A shadow drifted over his face. ‘In a way, yes.’

‘Is he okay? Has there been any improve—’

‘His condition remains unchanged,’ he interrupted.

Her gaze dropped, drifting over his lower lip. He inhaled sharply, gratifying her with his reaction. But his hands remained in his pockets.

‘So you spent all six days with your parents?’

Another clench of his jaw. ‘Sí.’ The word was chillingly grave.

Her heart dropped. ‘Emiliano... I... Is everything okay?’

He finally breached the gap between them and grasped her hand in his. Lowering their linked hands, he stared at her upturned palm for several seconds before he released her. ‘No, everything is not okay, but it’s nothing that won’t resolve itself eventually.’

She opened her mouth and started to demand more information. But he’d turned away.

‘Come, the food will be getting cold.’

She followed him into the dining room and pinned the smile on her face as he held her chair and saw her seated. Again she anticipated his touch on her bare shoulders, a drift of his sensual mouth across her temple. She received neither.

She watched him take his own seat, the neutrality of his expression underlined with a grimness that lodged a cold stone in her stomach.

‘Emiliano...’

‘I belayed ordering oysters. I didn’t want them to be ruined in transit. We’ll have your second favourite.’

She waved him away as he opened the first of the specially packed gourmet dishes. ‘It’s fine. I don’t care about the food. We can have oysters some other time.’ Her blush at the mention of oysters and the special significance they held for them was suppressed beneath the blooming disquiet. Even then she couldn’t help but be disturbed that he’d made the order without speaking to her first. ‘Tell me what’s going on.’

His firm mouth thinned for a split second and the eyes that met hers were closed off, bordering on cold. ‘Querida, I don’t wish to upset your birthday celebration.’

She frowned. ‘Why would telling me how your trip went ruin my birthday? What happened?’ she pressed.

His gaze swept away from hers, back to the dish in his hand. Shutting her out. ‘My parents happened.’ He looked up, tawny-gold eyes piercing her. ‘And since they come under the numerous subjects we don’t discuss, perhaps we can drop it?’ he drawled.

The statement hurt a little, but Sienna couldn’t deny that it was accurate. There were swathes of their private lives they avoided, their common threads of familiarity were business and the bedroom. Again she experienced the ominous sense of shifting sands, prompting her to go against her better judgment.

‘Maybe...this one time we can make an exception? And, before you bite my head off, I only request it because I can see that whatever happened is affecting you, Emiliano.’

‘You are kind, querida, but I would also caution you against making those sorts of statements. There are some things you can’t take back. Besides, I believe you’re exaggerating things a little.’ He dished the seafood salad starter onto her plate, served himself and poured them both glasses of chilled white wine.

‘You think I’m exaggerating things?’ She hated herself for the tiny catch in her voice and the needy words that spilled in the bid to make her point. ‘Then why haven’t you kissed me since you walked in the door? Usually, you can’t keep your hands off me, yet you haven’t so much as touched me. And, if you clench your jaw any tighter, it’ll snap.’

‘I’ve told you, you look breathtaking. I’ve wished you happy birthday. I showered you with presents all day, even in my absence. Perhaps I’m saving the rest for later. I know how much you love the anticipation,’ he drawled before he raised his glass to her and took a large gulp.

Sienna caught a glimpse of the banked desire in his eyes. Her heart resumed its erratic thumping, but she couldn’t dismiss the other, more terrifying feeling residing beneath her breast. Because there was something else lurking in his eyes. Something cold, bracing and soul threatening.

‘Six days of anticipation is more than enough. “One day is too long.” Isn’t that what you said last month when you returned from that two-day business summit in Athens?’ That she had to remind him of that was even more shocking, the unusual recounting of gestures received but never spoken about making her reel.

‘Careful, Sienna, or you’ll have me thinking these declarations you’ve previously led me to believe are over the top are in fact secretly yearned for.’

A flush crept up her neck to stain her cheeks but she didn’t drop her gaze. ‘As I said, perhaps I wish to make an exception.’

His shrug was almost...bored. ‘There is no need. I’ve had a long and turbulent flight, amante. Right now, I want to relax and see you sated with food. Is that too much to ask?’ His voice held a definite bite. A warning to leave well enough alone.

She shook her head, convinced more than ever that something was seriously wrong. ‘Whatever it is that’s bothering you, I...I want to help.’ Throwing caution to the wind, she abandoned her glass and, in a first move that made her insides quake, she initiated touch by placing her hand over his.

He tensed, his nostrils flaring as he gazed down at her hand.

Then he removed his hand from under hers.

Her heart stopped as another thought sliced through her mind.

‘Emiliano? Is it me?’

The eyes that held hers were completely devoid of emotion. ‘Sienna, leave this alone...’

‘Oh, God, are you annoyed with me for finalising the Younger deal without you?’

‘What?’

‘You gave me carte blanche, remember? You said I should go ahead and offer whatever we needed to land the deal. And that’s what I did. I know it was another five million more than we initially agreed, but I did the figures and judged that it was worth it.’

His brow clamped in a frown as he yanked his tie loose with his free hand. ‘Santo cielo, not everything is about business—’ He ruthlessly checked himself and drew in a breath. ‘Rest assured, I’m not annoyed with you about the deal. Without your quick thinking and acting, we’d have lost it. I believe I had Denise send you an email commending you for it today.’

She’d seen the email from his executive assistant, and again wondered why Emiliano hadn’t contacted her himself. ‘Okay, but—’