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He would…in his own good time.
“Let’s not argue.” He twirled her toward the punch table, not far from where Shanna sat alone. As he looked at the gorgeous dancer again, he had to fight the rise of his erection. Not here, not now…but soon.
His mother followed the line of his sight. “Dios mío, can you not look at one other woman tonight?”
No. He’d come tonight specifically to cozy up to Shanna York. What a happy coincidence that making his mother’s night would help him to make his own.
“Mamá, did you sign up to dance with your favorites tonight?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Alejandro, it is too much money. You paid for me to be here, and that is enough. I will watch.”
And send a disapproving stare every time he rumbaed Shanna into a dark corner? Not truly enjoy herself? No.
“You will dance.”
He stopped her before the punch table and handed her a drink. While she sipped, he eased over to the table that held the dancers’ cards. There were still a few empty slots available to foxtrot or tango with some of her favorites. And Shanna’s card was completely empty. He wrote his mother’s name onto the empty spaces of the male dancers’ cards, then he wrote his own on Shanna’s in every space. With a smile, he called the attendant over.
After settling dances for his mother, he handed the volunteer, a perky brunette, Shanna’s card. “I would like to purchase all these dances, as well.”
The brunette looked at it and frowned. “Hers? All of them?”
“Sí.”
“That’s three thousand dollars.” She pointed out with a hint of incredulity.
He handed her his credit card. “Then I will have the pleasure of knowing more children will have full bellies and be attending school, while I dance with a beautiful woman.”
The woman sent him a look that plainly said she thought he was unhinged. “She isn’t known for keeping her partners long. You may not last the whole night.”
For what he had in mind, a night was all he needed.
With a smile, he finished paying, then found his mother.
“The charity dances start in five minutes, and you will be busy.” He handed her a schedule of her partners.
“Alejandro! You spend too much money on an old woman. I cannot dance so much.”
“Mamá, you are barely fifty. It’s only money, and I can afford it. Enjoy yourself.”
He certainly planned to.
2
The event’s emcee announced the beginning of the charity dances, and Shanna poised herself in a chair, plastic smile in place, at the edge of the ballroom floor.
People around her were beginning to pair up for the first of the dances, names and smiles being exchanged. She tossed her hair off her shoulders. That twisting of her stomach was not a pang of hurt. She didn’t care if no one bid on her dances. Sitting back would give her an opportunity to observe her competition, since most of the other dancers were here…just in case she and Kristoff still had a chance to win, in spite of his indiscreet sex life.
Tomorrow, she’d get to the bottom of that shocking video. She wasn’t giving up on years of hard work and her dreams of being a champion without a fight.
“I believe this dance is mine.”
Shanna followed the deep voice and looked up into an incredibly handsome face. Strong features, burning hazel eyes, heavy five-o’clock shadow, perfectly tailored gray suit with a vavoom red tie. Her heart lurched; this one had sin written all over him.
He also looked familiar. She stared, hesitating, but the more she thought about it, the more certain she became. Somewhere, somehow, they’d crossed paths before.
“Have we met?”
He smiled, all dazzling charm, oozing Latin charisma and hot sex. “Yes. Three months ago. The Bartolino Foundation thing.”
That night rushed back to her with overwhelming clarity. This sexy man with his killer smile, flirting outrageously and whispering shocking, hot suggestions as he tangoed her around the dance floor. At the end of the night, he’d asked her out…while trying to kiss her. She’d refused every would-be swain for the past two years without a single regret. But he sorely tempted her. The man might as well have the word Distraction tattooed on his forehead. Dating him was impossible. That night, she’d refused him and disappeared into the crowd. She assumed she’d seen the last of him.
Now she suspected she’d underestimated his resolve.
“Ah, I think you recall that night.” A smile lifted the edges of his lips.
“Alejandro, isn’t it?”
“Alejandro Diaz, yes.”
Shanna drew in a deep breath. Just like their first meeting, he caused an unwelcome dizzying effect, complete with revving heartbeat. Warning! When she had to bring a date to a social occasion—the only time she went out—she chose safe men who were too busy with their own work to be demanding and too dull to keep her interest for more than an evening. She just didn’t have time for a relationship when she had a dance career that needed all her attention.
