The Spanish Love Deception Elena Armas (free ebook reader for ipad .TXT) 📖

of the features I knew so well. The hard jaw, the way both brows met, that intent and confidence about them. It was all there, although faded and worn.

“You are still here,” Aaron’s dad said. And I could hear the surprise in his tone.

“Dad,” I heard Aaron answer, and the grip of his hand on mine tightened. “Of course I’m still here. And there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

Blue eyes that looked in our direction from the bed trailed behind Aaron with curiosity.

“Hi, Mr. Blackford.” I smiled at him, feeling Aaron’s hand leave mine and fall on my shoulders. “I’m Catalina, and I’m happy to finally meet you.”

Aaron’s dad didn’t return the smile, not completely. But his eyes told a different story. Just like I had seen his son do so many times. All under lock and key. “Call me Richard, please.” His gaze searched my face, something akin to wonder slowly seeping in. “Is this her, son?”

The question caught me by surprise, and so I glanced back at Aaron. I found him staring at his dad with a mirroring expression. Then, his profile softened.

“I wasn’t sure you were listening,” he said almost absently. Then, his arm brought me closer to him, as if tucking me into him were nothing more than a reflex. “Yes, this is her,” he answered louder, and my breath hitched in my chest. “The woman I told you all about.”

Aaron looked down at me, his eyes shining under the fluorescent light of the room.

“Your Thea,” I heard Richard say, emotion coating his voice.

Thea. That had been his wife’s name. Aaron’s mom.

I peered in his direction, finding that smile he had hidden earlier. It was small and weak, but it was enough to make mine break free in return.

“Hold on to her, son. For as long as time lets you.”

“I will.” Aaron’s words brushed the skin on my temple.

I looked up at him, finding those blue eyes smiling down at me with a devotion I had never experienced or imagined being on the receiving end of. With a warmth that I could feel right in the middle of my chest, pounding and expanding with every passing second I spent under his gaze, by his side. Aaron looked at me with a world of possibilities shining bright and dazzling in his eyes. A promise.

“This is the woman I plan on spending the rest of my life with. I’m not letting go of her anytime soon.”

Epilogue

One Year Later

“Catalina.” The deep voice that had lured me to sleep and ignited every cell in my body countless times in the last twelve months reached my ears.

My pen dropped from my mouth, smacking the glossy surface of the oak conference table.

“Catalina, I’m going to need an answer.”

My back straightened in my chair, my gaze meeting a pair of blue eyes as I cleared my throat. Shit. I totally spaced out. “Yes, yes—ahem. An answer. Coming right up, Mr. Blackford,” I rushed out. “Just mentally recapping.”

I watched the corner of his lips tip up, his eyes simmering with an emotion I was more than familiar with. My heart skipped a beat. Because, apparently, I’d never not react to this man’s smile. No matter how small it was.

“Rosie, if you could maybe assist Catalina as she mentally recaps,” he said, cocking a brow. “We all have places to be, and I’d appreciate being through with this meeting in the next five minutes.”

“Of course,” my best friend and new team leader of our division agreed from my right. “I’m sure Lina was being very thorough with the notes she was taking.”

“Yep, I was doing exactly that,” I confirmed, looking over at her and finding her cheeks flushed.

We both still sucked at lying.

I sent her a wobbly smile and mouthed, Thanks.

I heard Aaron’s deep exhale.

Impatient and sexy blue-eyed grump. He was lucky I was head over heels in love with him.

“Aaron was suggesting that perhaps now that Linda and Patricia are back from their maternity leaves, someone from your team could transfer to Héctor’s,” Rosie explained, her fingers fumbling on top of her open planner. “Just to temporarily cover the vacancy I left now that I’m leading Gerald’s team after his … departure.”

After the tedious and lengthy HR investigation Sharon had pushed for unearthed more than a few sexual misconduct instances, Gerald had been finally laid off. Aaron, our division leader and owner of my heart, hadn’t hesitated, and the moment Gerald had walked out of InTech, Rosie’s name had already been on the table for that position. Before we knew it, we had been celebrating her promotion.

“Do you think we can make that work, Catalina?” my future husband asked. Not that he had proposed, not yet.

As much as I had the suspicion he would soon, perhaps I’d be the one putting a ring on him before he ever did. I was impatient like that.

“One hundred percent,” I answered, scribbling a note on my pad. This time for real. “I’ll make sure to move around a few people and see who can support Héctor’s team.”

The old man sighed. “Thanks, Lina. No one will be able to fill Rosie’s shoes, not really.” His shoulders bunched as he smiled sadly. “But I knew for a while that I’d lose her soon anyway.” He shrugged, his smile turning brighter as he looked at my friend and his former team integrant. “I’m so proud of you, Rosie.”

“Thank you,” Rosie said, emotion coating her words. She cleared her throat. “Now, stop it. Crying on my first division meeting would be highly unprofessional.”

A notepad was snapped closed briskly. “All right, I’ll consider that done,” Mr. Grumps concluded. I looked at him just in time to see him checking the clock behind me. “Meeting wrapped up. Have—”

“But, Aaron,” Kabir called, his voice dancing with trepidation, “what about—”

“Sorry, but I’m officially on vacation.” Aaron sliced his hand through the air.

Yep, we both were. Just half a day, but it had taken me some convincing, so I called that a success