Hearts Afire Read online

  Zak shook his head. “Put it in your purse. You might need it before the cruise is over.”

  She shook her head. “Really, Zakaria, I can’t—” she started.

  He hindered her comment with a tongue-entwined kiss. When he released her, she was panting, completely taken aback. “Keep the card, Maitlyn. Humor me. I want to spoil you. So let me.”

  When they locked eyes, Maitlyn nodded her head.

  Zak smiled. “Whenever you’re ready,” he said.

  Maitlyn kicked off the high heels, and Ana quickly moved into the space to take them from her hands. The girl placed them back into the box as Maitlyn stood up and slipped back into her own shoes.

  “I really don’t need them all,” Maitlyn said as she watched the young woman carry her favorites to the counter.

  Zak shrugged. “Maybe you don’t. But you like them and I want you to have everything you desire.”

  “Zak, really—”

  He held up his index finger, stalling her protests for the second time. Zak moved in front of her and kissed her lips. He then looked toward Javier, who was clapping his hands excitedly. “Handle those dinner reservations for me. Seven o’clock will be good,” he commanded.

  * * *

  They strolled the Barcelona streets, hand in hand, from store to store, and Zak acted as her personal tour guide. It was a leisurely walk. The duo just enjoyed their time together, and the conversation was easy. Zak was attentive, funny, and Maitlyn was having the best time. She pointed her camera at him, focused the lens and snapped a picture. Zak shook his head and held up a hand in front of his face.

  “You’re going to break your camera if you keep doing that!”

  She laughed. “You just don’t like to have your picture taken.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Well, you should. You’re too pretty not to be on the cover of every magazine in the world.”

  Zak laughed. “Pretty? Really?”

  “Handsomely so,” she said, her smile bright.

  He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and hugged her warmly as they continued their walk. He pointed at a large cathedral at the end of the block. “That beautiful building there is the Basílica de la Sagrada Família. It was the inspiration of a Catalan bookseller by the name of Josep Maria Bocabella. After a visit to Italy in 1872, he returned to Barcelona with the intention of building a church inspired by the Vatican.”

  “It’s stunning,” Maitlyn exclaimed.

  “Wait till you see the inside,” Zak said.

  “Is it open?”

  “When there is no mass scheduled, they sell tour tickets to help with the building expenses.”

  “I imagine it takes much money to maintain.”

  “It’s taking much money to finish. They anticipate that total construction will be completed near 2026.”

  “And they started construction in 1872?”

  “They actually broke ground in 1882. Then the Spanish Civil War stalled them for a few years when a good portion of it was destroyed.”

  Maitlyn tried to recall her history lessons. “The Spanish Civil War was in 1936, right?”

  Zak nodded. “Beautiful and intelligent.”

  They walked the exterior of the extraordinary structure as Zak continued to regale her with its history. Maitlyn found the art nouveau architecture fascinating. The structure had three facades: the Nativity, the Passion and the Glory, each ornately carved, the work having been completed by hand. Maitlyn declared the Passion facade her favorite. It was especially striking for its spare, gaunt, tormented characters, including the emaciated figures of Christ being scourged at the pillar and Christ nailed to the cross. The Glory facade was still under construction and represented one’s ascension to God. Zak pointed to where there would be scenes of hell, purgatory and the elements of the seven deadly sins and the seven heavenly virtues.

  She smiled. “It’s huge!” she said, focusing her camera skyward to capture the spire.

  “It was never built to be a cathedral. It was only supposed to be cathedral-sized,” he explained.

  She turned her eyes to look at him. “Who’s the sitting bishop?” she asked.

  Her question took him by surprise. “You’re Catholic?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “The basilica is under the leadership of Archbishop Lluís Martínez Sistach.”

  As they approached the doors to the basilica, Zak hesitated. Maitlyn didn’t miss the look of alarm that crossed his face just before he pulled open the entrance and gestured for her to enter. As they stepped through the doors, Maitlyn’s eyes widened in awe.

  The interior was even more spectacular than the outside. They eased their way inside, and a church employee gestured for them to go on through. There was no mistaking that the young man recognized Zak; he disappeared as they headed toward the sanctuary. As they approached the pews, Maitlyn dropped to one knee. With her right hand, she crossed herself, touching her forehead, the middle of her chest, her left shoulder and then her right. She whispered a quiet “amen” before rising and taking a seat on a rear bench.

  Minutes later a collared priest hurried to Zak’s side to eagerly shake his hand. He kissed one of Zak’s cheeks and then the other, and the two men conversed fluently in Spanish. Maitlyn stood politely with her hands clasped nervously together in front of her skirt, her ankles crossed where she sat. For a brief moment their conversation seemed intense, and concern was obvious in the priest’s tone. Zak seemed remorseful, his eyes downcast, his entire stance defeated. Nothing about his demeanor resembled the man she’d come to know, and it frightened her.

  Zak suddenly pressed a hand to the back of her elbow as he introduced her. His voice was low and even. “Father, this is my friend Maitlyn Boudreaux. Maitlyn, I’d like you to meet Father Bernardo.”

  Father Bernardo shook her hand warmly, tilting his head in greeting. “Welcome to Barcelona,” he said in heavily accented English.

  “Thank you, Father,” Maitlyn replied.

  Father Bernardo spoke in Spanish again, directing his comments at Zak.

  Zak smiled as he translated. “Father Bernardo says you are very beautiful.”

  Maitlyn smiled. “Gracias, Father!”

  The elderly man nodded. He spoke again, and Zak responded in his native tongue.

  Zak laughed. “He also asked me when I planned to make an honest woman out of you.”

  Her eyes widened. “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him that if I have my way, then you will be my wife when we return next year.”

  “Zak!” Her stunned expression made both men laugh.

  Father Bernardo spoke again, his hands moving excitedly.

  Zak narrowed his eyes. “Father Bernardo said that he will pray for God to fulfill my wish.”

  Maitlyn was still stunned by the exchange; the surprise shown plainly on her face. The two men spoke briefly one last time; then Father Bernardo reached for her hands and took them both between his own. He tilted his head, his smile warm.

  “Safe travels, my child,” he said.

  “Thank you, Father.”

  She and Zak watched as he hurried away. When he was out of sight, Maitlyn sat back down and Zak dropped to the pew beside her. She had a host of questions and not a clue where she should begin.

  Minutes passed before she finally spoke. “How long have you known Father Bernardo?”

  “It’s been over ten years now. I met him through a friend. I was having a crisis of faith and she thought he might be of some assistance to me.”

  “Was he?”

  Zak tossed her a quick look. “He helped me put my doubts into perspective.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Not really.”

  Silence billowed between them
a second time. Zak’s low tone broke through the quiet.

  “Alexander told you to ask me about Debra. Well, Debra was my fiancée.”

  Maitlyn’s eyes widened at the mention of the woman’s name. “Your fiancée?”

  Zak nodded. “Debra’s family was from Madrid. She and I met at Oxford. She was a chemist and she specialized in cancer research. She was hoping to discover the chemical compound that would eliminate the disease forever. We were young and we were in love.”

  “What happened to her? Why didn’t you marry?”

  “The week before our wedding, she was murdered by a man who had a vendetta against me. There are people I’ve done business with who are a little unsavory. He was not happy about our transaction, and he took it out on her. The lust for money and power will make some men do things the rest of us live to regret.”

  Tears misted Maitlyn’s eyes. “Zakaria, I am so sorry. But you can’t blame yourself for something someone else did.”

  Zak met her stare. “I don’t.”

  She took a breath. “What happened to the man that killed her?”

  Zak paused for a minute before responding. “I killed him.”

  Chapter 11

  Zak stared down at Maitlyn, who was sleeping soundly. He realized he could have stared at her forever. She was the most enchanting creature to ever bless his life. There was something about her spirit that had moved him exponentially. Pulled him from a very dark space into an amazingly hopeful abode. He liked where he was and knew, beyond any doubt, that he would do anything and everything to stay as long as Maitlyn was there by his side.

  He pulled the sheets up and over her naked body, then eased his own down the stairs. He paused at the bar and poured himself a shot of Scotch before moving out onto the deck and dropping down into the chaise lounge. He took the first sip of his drink and leaned back, his legs crossed in front of him. There was a sliver of moon in the midnight sky and a cool breeze blowing off the water. Zak inhaled deeply in an attempt to relax, wanting to will his body to sleep.

  Earlier in the day he’d been afraid that he had scared Maitlyn off. Sharing the details of his history had not been easy, something he’d bottled and stored away ages ago. Visiting the cathedral where he and Debra had planned to marry had been a turning point for him. Walking through that door with Maitlyn had moved that hurt from his heart; his memories of Debra and their time together were no longer a source of pain. For the first time since forever he was at peace, his memories a warm reminder that opening his heart to a woman could be a good thing. He took a second sip of his drink, then placed the tumbler onto the glass-topped table at his side.

  He had sworn to never fall in love again. He couldn’t imagine being vulnerable with any other woman, being protective of her, needing her, wanting her. But Maitlyn had managed to get under his skin and peel away every protective wall he’d put into place in a very short amount of time. She had made him comfortable from day one. Her own vulnerabilities had been written all over her, and she hadn’t been afraid to show them. He’d seen the hurt on her face and all he had wanted was to wipe it away. He never wanted to see that pain in her eyes again. Whether she realized it yet or not, he loved the woman with an emotion so deep and so hard that he couldn’t begin to imagine her not being in his life.

  Initially he’d struggled because of his relationship with her brother. He had great respect for Kendrick and what Maitlyn didn’t know was that Zak had her brother to thank for helping him after Debra’s death. But because Kendrick knew his past, he’d been concerned about what his friend would think about him and Maitlyn pursuing a relationship. It was important to him that Kendrick supported them both. He had wanted to call, to get his friend’s approval, but that hadn’t been an option.

  In spite of not being able to get her brother’s blessing, Zak had been excited about getting to know her better, to see just how compatible they really were together. Not once had he considered that he might be a rebound from her previous relationship. And even as the thought crossed his mind now, his instincts told him otherwise. He reached for his drink and tossed the last of it back, and the bitterness burned the back of his throat.

  Something about Alexander Lloyd was still not sitting well with him. How he’d even known about him and Debra concerned him. Why he’d thrown Debra’s name in Maitlyn’s face infuriated him. Alexander needed to be dealt with. But he needed to figure out what the man was up to first. He took a deep breath, his mind racing. The glass doors sliding open interrupted his thoughts.

  “Hey,” Maitlyn said as she stepped out onto the deck. “Couldn’t you sleep?”

  He shook his head. “I didn’t want to wake you,” he said.

  “You could have,” she said as she moved to his side.

  His eyes rolled over her naked body, admiring her form shadowed against the darkness. He reached out his hand and guided her onto his lap. Maitlyn straddled his body, pressing her pelvis tight against his flaccid member. His skin was hot, as if he were on fire. The intensity of it ignited every one of his nerve endings, and he felt like he might combust. He was grateful for the cool breeze that suddenly washed over him.

  Zak’s hands skated across her back, lingering against her backside. He held her close as she nuzzled her mouth against his neck, leaving a trail of kisses against his skin. He lightly pressed his mouth to hers and let the tip of his tongue trace her lips. She tasted sweet, and he felt as if he were addicted, desperate to have her. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, delicately exploring the warm cavity. After a minute of soft, sensual kissing, he coaxed her tongue past his lips and gently sucked on it, bringing an immediate reaction from her beautiful body. Her breathing increased, and she moaned as she pulled away and looked into his eyes. The stare he gave her back was dreamy and lust-filled.

  He rested his hand on the inside of her bare leg as the other stroked her neck gently, pulling her face back to his. She parted her lips in invitation, and they kissed again. Maitlyn whimpered, her arousal swelling thick and full, rising to meet his.

  Their loving was easy and slow. He was buried deep in the center of her core before he realized it. Maitlyn rode him easily. It was a gentle back-and-forth, up-and-down gyration that synced sweetly with the natural push and pull of his body. Together they rocked with the side-to-side lull of the ship as the ocean breeze rained a salty spray against their naked bodies. He held her tight, and she hugged him close. And when the sheer beauty of their loving exploded, the clouds above parted and a sliver of moon smiled down on them.

  * * *

  Zak watched Maitlyn as she consumed her second lobster. Her love for food was abundant and her appetite was voracious. Her enthusiasm at mealtimes was engaging. He smiled widely.

  “How do you eat so much food and not gain a pound?” Zak asked. “I’ve never known a woman who enjoys food as much as you do.”

  Maitlyn laughed. “I do like food, and thankfully I have a very high metabolism. If I didn’t eat, I’d be insanely thin.”

  “Well, we can’t have that. I love your curves.”

  Maitlyn smiled brightly. “That’s good because I don’t need you teasing me when I order dessert.”

  “And what sweets are you eating tonight?”

  “I’m torn between the butterscotch cheesecake and that chocolate mousse raspberry cake thing. Oh, Oh, Oh!” she exclaimed. “Why don’t I order one and you order the other?” Maitlyn proposed.

  Zak shook his head. “I was planning to order the carrot cake.”

  “Well, you can order the carrot cake and the cheesecake. If you do it, they won’t raise an eye.”

  He laughed. “Oh, so you want to make it look like I’m the greedy one!”

  “Yes!” She laughed with him.

  He shook his head and gestured for the waiter.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Ms. Boud
reaux and I will share one of every dessert on tonight’s menu, please.”

  “All of them, sir?”

  Zak’s head nodded up and down. “Yes.”

  “Right away, Mr. Sayed.”

  “Thank you.”

  “All of them?”

  He shrugged. “I would only do that for you, my darling,” he said.

  “I don’t think you know just how much you have done for me,” Maitlyn said, meeting the look he was giving her. “I was a real mess when I boarded. You’ve renewed my spirit more than you realize. I feel like myself again, and I have you to thank for that.”

  Zak reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Do you believe in fate, Maitlyn?”

  “I do,” she said with an easy nod.

  “Well, I think fate put us here together, and I think it’s destiny that our paths have crossed when we were both in need.”

  “I like that,” she said.

  They laughed over dessert, sharing each decadent plate. When they were down to one piece of pecan rum pie, there was a struggle for it. Their two forks dueled like swords.

  Maitlyn giggled loudly as Zak hesitated just long enough for her to swoop in for the victory. She slid the last piece of caramel, nuts and crust into her mouth and smacked her lips.

  “No fair,” Zak proclaimed.

  “Stick to cards, Mr. Sayed. You can’t win in a dessert battle,” she teased.

  He dropped his fork on the table and leaned back in his seat. “I’m stuffed. I don’t know how I’m going to play tonight.”

  “You’ve got this game won, remember?”

  Zak nodded. “I remember.”

  “Did you change your mind about that?”

  “Not at all. I just don’t know how I’m going to play comfortably tonight. I’ve overeaten.”

  “We could go back to the room and work it off,” Maitlyn mused as she sucked her index finger into her mouth and withdrew it slowly.

  Zak chuckled. “We could, if I had a few extra hours. Unfortunately, my darling, I have to head to the casino.”