The Acostas Box Set: The Shameless Life of Ruiz Acosta / The Argentinian's Solace / A Taste of the Untamed / The Man From her Wayward Past / Taming the Last Acosta / Christmas Nights with the Polo Player. Susan Stephens

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      ‘Don’t say becoming boring. Please don’t say that,’ Holly cut in.

      ‘I was about to say, you’re in danger of burning out,’ Freya told her with concern.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ Holly admitted. ‘Truly, I am.’ And when Freya smiled encouragement, she added in a very different voice, ‘Okay, so whose bright idea was it to hold the Christmas party at the samba club?’

      Freya’s face brightened immediately. ‘The guys in marketing. Does that mean you’re coming?’

      ‘If you’ll have me,’ Holly said wryly.

      Freya’s answer was to switch off her screen. ‘Go and get ready,’ she insisted. ‘We’ll wait for you.’

      She had made some good friends in London, Holly reflected as the girls bustled her out of the office. She should make more time for them, but somehow there didn’t seem to be time for anything these days.

      Having tested every part of his body at the gym and found it all in good working order, Ruiz took a long, cold shower and tucked a towel around his waist. He was just opening his locker when the call came through on his phone. ‘Gabe? To what do I owe this honour?’

      ‘That pretty little thing you brought to the club that time?’

      ‘Do you mean Holly?’ Ruiz was instantly alert, all thoughts of cutting Holly out of his life forgotten.

      ‘ROCK! is having its Christmas party at the club and the guys are well into the party spirit. I’m not sure your friend is too happy about them trying to get her to dance. Would you like me to intervene?’

      A muscle in Ruiz’s jaw flexed. ‘I’m only across the road at the gym. Can you keep an eye on things until I get there?’

      ‘Count on it.’

      He didn’t pause to dry his hair. Throwing on the same running clothes he had arrived in, he collected Bouncer from the girls on Reception and headed off.

      * * *

      How was she going to do this nicely without causing offence to people she had to work with? How was she going to get out of dancing with men who’d had too much to drink, and who should have learned by now that no meant no? She couldn’t help but remember Ruiz, and how safe she’d felt with him.

      ‘Ow! You’re hurting me,’ Holly protested, freeing her arm from one man’s grasp. ‘Please don’t touch me,’ she exclaimed, whirling round to try and catch another culprit. But the more Holly resisted, the more the men seemed to think it was a game. Where was Freya? Where were all the other girls she worked with? Holly frantically scanned the dance floor, but it was so packed she couldn’t see anyone she knew.

      And then her heart rolled over. ‘Ruiz?’ Dressed in running shoes and gym clothes, his hair still damp from the shower, Ruiz was framed in the entrance to the club with Bouncer sitting patiently at his feet. With his dark eyes narrowed Ruiz was also searching the dance floor, every fibre of his pumped and muscular body poised for action. The moment he caught sight of her he strode purposefully forward. A path cleared in front of him. No wonder, Holly thought. The expression in Ruiz’s eyes was murderous. With their reflexes dulled by drink, the men around her took a little longer to realise what was happening, but thankfully some primal warning mechanism must have kicked in and they peeled away just in time.

      ‘Are you all right?’ Ruiz demanded tersely.

      She was now, Holly realised, feeling massive relief.

      ‘I heard you were having trouble.’ Before she could question this, Ruiz added, ‘Let’s get your coat.’ And putting a protective arm around her shoulders, he led her towards the reception area.

      ‘You’ve come straight from the gym,’ she said as they collected Bouncer.

      ‘No, I always dress like this for a night out.’

      ‘Ruiz, I—’

      ‘Don’t say it.’

      ‘I will say it. I always seem to be such a bother. So, thank you.’

      Ruiz grunted and held the door for her.

      They walked home at a brisk pace through the park, icy air billowing in silent clouds from their mouths. They both had plenty to think about, but neither of them voiced those thoughts, and Holly could feel Ruiz’s tension. Only Bouncer seemed perfectly at ease as he trotted along between them. She was grateful to the big dog’s softening influence on a situation that showed no sign of easing any time soon. Ruiz didn’t speak until they reached the penthouse and then he turned at the door of the elevator. ‘What will you do when I’m not here, Holly?’

      ‘Work,’ she said as the doors slid open and they stepped inside.

      Ruiz firmed his jaw, staring straight ahead as they waited for the elevator to reach the penthouse floor. While she knew she had done nothing wrong Holly felt as if something light and good had died inside her and she didn’t know how to get it back. ‘I suppose you can forgive the people at the Christmas party. Thank goodness it only comes round once a year.’

      Ruiz remained resolutely unimpressed by her attempt to make light of something that could so easily have turned nasty without his intervention. When the lift doors opened he stood aside to let her pass. She wasn’t even sure he was going to get out with her. ‘Thank you for coming to the club. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t been there.’

      He indicated that she should move and he would follow. ‘If you will excuse me, Holly,’ Ruiz said, holding the door for her, ‘I’m going back home to bed.’

      ‘You’re taking Bouncer? Of course you are,’ she said quickly, remembering Bouncer was living at the town house now. ‘I’m really sorry to have put you to all this trouble, Ruiz. The silly thing is I didn’t even want to go out. I’m so bogged down with work I can’t spare the time.’ She stopped when she saw his expression.

      ‘I think you have some decisions to make about how you live your life, Holly. Success is great, but—’

      Ruiz’s shrug said it all.

      ‘I need to get some sleep,’ he said, turning. Before he made the long journey back to Argentina, Holly guessed, as the man she loved and his dog left her life without a backward glance.

      * * *

      He didn’t sleep. Luckily for him he’d packed for the trip ahead of time. He tossed and turned, thinking about life and what he wanted out of it, and he came up with the same answer every time: Holly. She was all he wanted. He couldn’t make sense of his longing for her, or come up with anything more concrete than the fact that his life was empty without her. He wanted her, not just for a fling, but for longer—for ever, maybe. He’d started to get to know her and he wanted to know more. A lot more. He wanted to give them a chance. He wanted to run with the crazy redhead and see where it led. Almost certainly nowhere, Ruiz concluded, since Holly seemed completely wrapped up in her career. But was that because she really didn’t care about anything apart from her job. Or did Holly’s lack of confidence in her personal life mean she only felt safe when living vicariously through her column? There was only one way to find out.

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