The Unexpected Honeymoon by Barbara Wallace Read Free Book Online

joking,” she added at his continued glare. “Nothing would be worth having five or six of those suckers crawling on my walls. One was bad enough.”
    â€œYou do realize you were never in any real danger. There was no need to tell housekeeping you had an emergency.”
    â€œI didn’t.” Was that why he was angry? Okay, so her voice might have been high-pitched and panicked-sounding, and she might have asked that they get to her room “right away,” but she never used the word
emergency.
“It’s not my fault your housekeeping staff takes panicked tarantula calls seriously. Is that why you came back? Because you thought I was in danger?”
    â€œI was told it was an emergency.”
    A point he seemed incredibly intent on repeating. “
Emergency
could mean anything. It could mean a broken water faucet. What made you think something happened to me?”
    He didn’t answer. Rather he strode to the large window on the far end of the bathroom. Hands clasped behind his back, he looked out the large window at the mangrove trees waving in the breeze. For a moment, Larissa thought he’d pulled inward again. “How’s your headache?” he asked.
    â€œBetter. Manageable.” What did that have to do with anything?
    â€œAnd your mood?”
    â€œWell, until Hairy the Spider showed up, I was planning on soaking myself into a better one. Why?”
    â€œYou were pretty upset when I left.”
    â€œI was annoyed because I’m stuck paying for a wedding I’m not going actually have. Wouldn’t you be? I still don’t get what that has to do with—” Seeing him wash a hand over his features, a horrible thought hit her. “Don’t tell me you thought I—”
    â€œTo be honest, I wasn’t sure what to think,” he said, turning from the window. “When I left you were shaky, upset, stumbling around. Any number of things could have happened. You could have slipped and fallen, cut yourself on a broken glass....”
    â€œThrown myself off the balcony.”
    â€œIt’s not funny,” he snapped. “Distressed people behave unpredictably.”
    So they did. But, considering his over the top reaction, Larissa had also managed to touch a nerve. She regretted the remark. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œI am the one who should be sorry, Señorita Boyd. I overreacted. Hotel managers never like hearing there’s an emergency situation. The word is somewhat of a hot button, I’m afraid.”
    Something about his expression, the way he avoided looking in her direction, said Larissa wasn’t getting the complete answer. “Have you ever had a guest...you know?”
    â€œA guest? No.”
    But someone. He’d avoided her gaze again. Larissa suddenly felt very, very bad about giving him a hard time. “I thought we decided you were going to call me Larissa.”
    â€œSo we did. And you should call me Carlos.”
    â€œFair deal. Thank you for saving me from the big mean spider, Carlos.”
    â€œHousekeeping saved you, but you’re welcome anyway,” he replied with a smile. Finally. While he didn’t look completely relaxed, the shadows had receded from his features. Larissa was surprised to feel her own spine loosening as well.
    Suddenly, it dawned on her that she’d held this entire conversation while curled up on the bathroom vanity. Slowly, she straightened one leg at a time, wincing at the stiffness in her kneecaps.
    â€œHow long have you been sitting there?” Carlos asked.
    â€œAwhile. I was afraid to move past the spider, so I climbed up here to call housekeeping.”
    â€œTarantulas don’t jump.”
    â€œI didn’t want to take any chances.” She swung her legs, trying to get back her circulation. Her joints clicked with the movement, sending sharp jolts across her kneecap. “Looks like I’m going to need that soak more than ever