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“There are silver mines in the hillsides surrounding the city.” With ease, Cruz commandeered the streets and eventually found a parking spot. “We can walk to the restaurant from here. Come on.”
A tall pink structure that she was certain was baroque in style soared above them. A church, maybe? With turrets and a dome.
“This is the cathedral,” Cruz said, again, reading her mind.
It was definitely cooler than she thought it would be, and she wrapped her sweater around her a little tighter. Unlike the ugly concrete on most U.S. streets, the streets here were paved with stone, giving it a charm she wouldn’t have expected.
Okay, walking around in this somehow magical city where she could feel the history and mystery surrounding her, with a well-versed and incredibly hot guide had a charm all its own as well.
The savory smell of spices and roasting meat reached her, and her mouth watered as her stomach wrenched inward in hunger. They turned the corner and she blinked at the marketplace that spread before her. Like eye candy, she took in the colors and variety of objects available to buy, from silver jewelry and Panchos, to leather, wine, and all variety of sweet confections.
As if sensing her yearning to stop and ogle a display of silver jewelry, Cruz laughed and tugged at her hand—which instantly drew her attention at the feel of his hand on hers, even if momentarily. Her hand tingled where he’d touched it. “I thought you were hungry. It’s just over here.”
Cruz led her inside a brightly colored and crowded restaurant and grabbed them a table, obviously familiar with the place and the protocol. The server came over and Cruz broke into his melodic Spanish, keeping her spellbound even if, for all she knew, he was ordering pig intestines and cow brains as their entrees. At least it sounded romantic.
She studied him, so clearly at home and comfortable in this place, something she hadn’t seen before. Gone was the all-business, no-smiles man she was used to, replaced with someone who actually looked like he was on vacation—and enjoying himself.
He stopped a moment to look at her, a smile lighting his eyes, and her belly twisted again. Okay, maybe lower than her stomach, definitely lower. Especially when he rubbed the dark stubble of his chin as if he was considering something before turning back to the server.
“Gracias,” he said as the guy walked away, and returned his attention to her. Cruz asked her something.
“What?”
>
He gave her a bemused smile. “I said I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you.”
“Oh. Not at all.” Not when you talk like that.
“Don’t worry, nothing too exotic. Just a sampling of the local specialty.”
A few minutes later, their server brought them each a plate filled with steaming tortillas filled with some savory goodness that had her mouth watering.
“They’re gorditas,” he told her.
She looked at the thicker than usual tortillas on plates before them. “Okay. I know I’ve heard of those on the menu at Taco Bell, but can you remind me what they are exactly?’
“I thought you might want to sample a few. One is filled with rajas—that’s a mild green pepper—another with a mole sauce and rice, and some with various cuts of meat and sauces and cheese.”
Each one had to have at least four hundred calories. Maybe five. “Good thing I’m no longer dieting. Give me three.”
“Seriously? What on earth would you be dieting for?” he asked and pulled a stack of the stuffed round gorditas onto a plate.
“My mother’s idea. Which was why when she ordered my one-of-a-kind designer wedding dress, she ordered it one size too small. I barely managed to squeeze into it at my last fitting. But…” she paused in chewing, remembering the soft, silky fabric that caressed her skin. “It did look gorgeous.”
What would she do with it now?
“I won’t even try to understand what goes into the mind of a woman who thought you needed to lose weight.”
“I doubt after this adventure I’m going to be able to squeeze into it. These are really good, but my mouth…” she waved her hand in front of it, as if she could cool the rising temperature.
He pushed another gordita toward her. “Here. This is milder. Might lower the heat in your mouth.”
She bit into it, aware of his gaze still on her. The milder cheese was helping ease her discomfort. “Thanks.”
They were silent for a minute, each focused on their meal. Cruz had put away the three gorditas on his plate and picked up a soda. His dark eyes were watching her carefully now. Almost warily. His relaxed casual demeanor from earlier replaced with a ramrod straight back and tense shoulders.
Curious. Maybe he was thinking about his call with Dick?
