A Spanish Awakening. Kim Lawrence

‘

      A look of consternation crossed the older woman’s face. ‘I, well—’

      Emilio cut across her. ‘I hate to interrupt, ladies, but—’ he tapped the face of the watch on his wrist and angled a significant look at Megan ‘—this is why we are running late. You talk too much.’ Grabbing her arm, he dropped a kiss on Rosanna’s cheek and headed for the exit, virtually dragging Megan along with him.

      She angled an angry look up at his lean face. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

      ‘I am rescuing you from an awkward situation.’

      Megan loosed an incredulous hoot as they emerged in the fresh air. She pulled away from him and stood, hands on hips, glaring at him.

      ‘An awkward situation of your making.’

      He flashed a grin and held out an arm towards her. ‘The car is this way.’

      Megan didn’t move. ‘Goodbye.’

      He studied her face for a moment before sighing. ‘Look, we can—’

      ‘Do this the hard way or the easy way,’ she slotted in.

      ‘Tempting, but no, I was going to say we can stand here debating this, but in the end you will accept a lift because the alternative is a very long wait.’ He nodded towards the long queues beside the empty taxi ranks. ‘And you are, I am led to believe, a practical woman not given to cutting off her very pretty nose to spite her beautiful face.

      ‘Besides, I promised your father I would take care of you.’

      ‘And you are a man of your word?’

      ‘It hurts me you doubt it.’ The silence stretched as he watched her struggle. ‘Of course, if for some reason you are afraid to get in a car with me …?’

      Her chin went up. ‘Of course I’m not afraid,’ she scoffed.