Part 1 (2/2)

Before I can head in any other direction my feet start taking me towards him. He hasn't taken his eyes from me, which makes me nervous and also sends tingles to places I shouldn't have tingles considering I'm with his brother.

When I'm a few feet away from Lily, Michael and the delicious guy, I force my gaze on Lily. ”Hi Lily. Do you know where Ramon is?”

”I haven't seen him for a while.”

Lily looks to her husband then back to me. The entire time, I can feel Michael's brother staring at me, his gaze burning right through me.

”Let me introduce you to Sebastian, Michael's brother. Sebastian, this is Carla.”

I turn towards him and freeze. Never in a million years have I ever reacted to anyone the way I'm reacting to him. His dark eyes hold mine in some sort of trance. I'm unable to look away.

He leans forward and takes my hand into his. ”Carla, it's a pleasure to meet you,” he practically purrs and his voice melts my insides. ”Are you really with Ramon?”

His question jerks me back to my senses and I take a small step back. What the h.e.l.l am I doing being drawn in by Ramon's brother? My life is too d.a.m.n complicated as it is without Sebastian adding to it. ”It's great to meet you, but I better go and find Ramon,” I murmur before turning quickly on my heels and das.h.i.+ng away.

What are you doing? I chide myself, but I can't stop the quickness of my steps as I flee from Sebastian and from the feelings he draws from me. I pray he doesn't follow me because I'm not sure if I have the strength not to throw myself at him. He has me turned inside out.

Back inside the marquee, I grab a gla.s.s of champagne and quickly gulp it down before grabbing another one. Towards the back left of the marquee, I spot a vacant table, which I make my way to, and hope to hide for a while. Maybe I'll even spot Ramon from my perch.

The ceremony had been beautiful, and Lily had looked amazing in her wedding gown. She really was a glowing bride. When Michael had seen Lily walking down the aisle in her wedding dress, I'd noticed his eyes filled with unshed tears.

I wanted that one-day, someone to love me unconditionally. Someone I can love with my entire being. Someone who'll look at me the way Michael always looks at Lily. Sebastian.

I shake my head of his image. It won't do me any good to keep thinking about him. Instead, I smile to myself, at the memory of being in the ranch house with Ramon as the wedding cake arrived, much to Michael's embarra.s.sment. I'd spent about an hour trying to work out why a wedding cake would embarra.s.s the groom. The cake had four layers with scarves made out of confectioners' sugar around the base of each one. Nothing embarra.s.sing and even Ramon wasn't sure of the reason for Michael's discomfort. I finally found out there was something more about the cake...or rather about the scarves. Lily had snickered when she told me, her only words, 'it was the scarves and you should use your imagination'.

I feel my cheeks heat as I think of all the things I could do with a set of scarves and the heat intensifies as my imagination casts Sebastian as my willing accomplice.

”Carla, I've been looking for you. I'm just going to help Ruben finish getting his car sorted, and then we'll leave. Is that, okay?” Ramon quickly asks making me jump, my fantasy disappearing on wisps of guilt.

”Yes, that's fine,” I manage to say to his already retreating back.

The band that's been hired for the day is very good, and has certainly entertained the guests; young and old alike. They have now started to entertain the more amorous guests, by playing the slower, romantic songs.

Michael is leading Lily onto the dance floor, and then he takes her into his arms as the singer announces it's the last dance of the evening. He starts to sing, 'I Don't Want to Miss A Thing', the original having been sung by Aerosmith.

I smile, standing up to leave, and practically walk into Sebastian. I lift my eyes to his, not able to look away. I stay frozen to the spot.

”Dance with me Carla. I know you're with my brother. I don't like it, but I'll respect it. Please, just one dance.”

Without waiting for a response, he steps close and places one hand on my hip before caressing my face with the other.

I inhale, rubbing my cheek against his palm as a s.h.i.+ver wracks my body. I need to leave, and quickly because all I want is to stay here with this man, but I won't break my promise to Ramon. After everything he's done for me, I just can't let him down. He's counting on me...

Five Months Later.

Chapter 1.

Carla.

What the h.e.l.l is wrong with me? I curse. Here I am hiding like a naughty child in the pantry wis.h.i.+ng I could disappear. Better yet, wis.h.i.+ng I hadn't agreed to come today, but then I'd have upset Lily.

It isn't fair! I stamp my foot and do an abrupt turn before I begin pacing back and forth trying to remember what I've come into the pantry for to begin with. I take a deep calming breath, and lean against the pantry shelf. Get it together Carla, you're here for Lily!

I've become friends with Lily over the past five months as well as her friend Sylvia. The last thing I want to do is let Lily down, especially while she's so emotional, more so because of her pregnancy hormones.

I've witnessed a few emotional times for Lily, which have been amusing in part; watching Michael, Lucien and on occasion Ramon try to hug her and mop her up. There was no way I could have missed today, even if I'd had prior warning that he was going to be here.

It is, after all Lily's baby shower and Pippa is holding the event at the McKenzie ranch for Lily. Baby showers are supposed to be for the women, right? The men folk are supposed to go and do something else, pat Michael on the back and tell him what a good job he did of knocking Lily up. But oh no, not the McKenzie men. Michael is standing guard over Lily, while he has everyone else fussing around her, waiting for his brothers to arrive.

Thanks to Ramon, I have about ten minutes before the McKenzie men arrive, which is why I'm hiding in the pantry. If I'm honest with myself it wasn't the McKenzie men I'm hiding from, but one in particular. Sebastian.

Ever since Lily and Michael's wedding, I've been unable to get him out of my head, and when I think about him, I always end up hot and bothered with a longing so strong I don't know what to do about it.

Once every two weeks, Ramon takes me out to his parents' place for Sunday lunch to spend a relaxing afternoon with his family. Except it isn't relaxing for me. What it means is that every two weeks, I have to endure being so close to Sebastian without touching him. He always keeps his distance from me, which I know is for the best. But it doesn't stop the flare of jealousy or the twinge of pain in my heart when his smile slips as he looks at me and he turns cold and aloof. A few times I've excused myself, and disappeared into the bathroom to try and pull myself together and to dab at my eyes.

A couple of times, I've caught Lily watching me and know she realizes there's something strange between Ramon and me. I'm just surprised Lily hasn't asked anything because it's unlike her to stay quiet.

I sigh and glance around at the shelves, hoping for an answer, or at least the item I'm looking for to come forward. Despite all the feelings for Sebastian, I love Ramon. He is my best friend and has been for a few years. I met him when he'd been working up in Canada on a McKenzie project, or rather my brother had met him, introducing him to me, all three of us. .h.i.tting it off straightaway. Despite having known Ramon for years, I only recently met his family leading up to Lily and Michael's wedding.

It had been a surprise for me when I first met Ramon's family because not one of them knew who I was. When Ramon told them he'd known me for a few years, they'd all looked skeptical and I couldn't blame them really. I suspected he hadn't mentioned me to them previously because of his connection to my brother, Noah. That would have been awkward, considering what I suspect.

Neither, Ramon or I know where my brother has disappeared to. One minute everything seemed to be going really well then the next he'd up and left Lexington without a word to Ramon or a message to me. I'd still been in Canada at the time, but he hadn't come home or even called me to let me know he was okay.

I shudder at the thought. My life in Canada hadn't been that great. After being knocked around by an ex-boyfriend looking for my brother, I'd fled the country and arrived in Lexington two weeks later with multiple bruises and st.i.tches above an eyebrow. I'd hoped that my brother was in Lexington to help me, but I turned up at Ramon's door and my brother had been nowhere in sight.

Ramon had taken me in and we'd come to a twelve-month agreement.

I would live with him for twelve months and pretend to be his girlfriend. Why he needs a pretend girlfriend, I can't figure out. Both my brother and Ramon had shared enough women when they were together in Canada so that couldn't be the problem.

Idly running my fingers over a can of peas, I ponder the relations.h.i.+p between Ramon and my brother. I know, without a doubt, that Ramon misses my brother and I sometimes wonder if there had been something more between them because Ramon seems too p.i.s.sed that Noah has disappeared than that of a concerned friend.

Noah is a whole other problem. He might not be around, but I worry about him daily. All I can do is hope that he's all right because I refuse to think anything else.

Ramon has been supportive and it's clear that he's worried about Noah. He even hired a private investigate about eight months ago, but as yet there hasn't been any trace of my brother.

Sighing, I look out of the window to my right and catch my reflection. Reaching up, I touch a dark curl, which has come loose from the clips holding the majority on the top of my head. I haven't bothered with make-up, apart from the pink lip-gloss I've slathered over my plump lips. Ramon told me I look sultry. Whatever that means.

I slide my hand down the fine silk of my wraparound dress. The dress caresses my curves and the high heels on my feet make me look good. Unfortunately, I haven't dressed for Sebastian. If I'd known he was going to be here, I would have worn more clothes. The first chance he gets, Sebastian will probably find something cutting to say about my appearance, sending a dagger of pain straight through me.

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