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now!”
    Stephanie gaped, and Della felt her mouth fall wide open too. She had to admit she liked Santi’s defending her. She didn’t think he was exactly getting fresh with Stephanie. He was always kind to women. Period. If he had been with them both, Stephanie wouldn’t have appeared so put out. Della knew the woman thought she was the best looking thing in the office. She’d overheard her say as much in the ladies bathroom and dismissed it because she could care less about Stephanie’s vanity.
    “I would never hurt Della. I’ve known her a lot longer than you.” Brent stepped closer to Santi. “Get out of the way so I can talk to her for myself.”
    “You will not,” Santi snarled back.
    “Both of you!” Della grabbed Santi’s arm and tried to move him. She might as well have tried to shift a bulldozer. His thick arm didn’t give an inch. She leaned around him to look into his face. “Please, Santi.”
    Right away he backed off, and the anger in his visage a second ago disappeared. Della moved around him to press a hand in Brent’s chest. His eyes widened in surprise. “Della, I’m sorry.”
    “Go, okay?” she said. “I’ll call you later.”
    “What about the test?”
    “I’ll be fine.”
    “This isn’t like you!”
    She glared at him, and he hitched his shoulders. “Fine, I’ll go.” He glanced at Santi, disgust transforming his face. Della guessed jealousy ate him up, but he had no right to get an attitude because she had introduced him as a friend. That’s just what he was and nothing else.
    When Brent got on the elevator, she found her shoe, gathered the rest of her things, and practically dragged Santi onto another elevator. Relieved they were the only two occupying the space, she spun to face him. “Next time call first. I don’t appreciate being put into that kind of situation. You might be able to run around doing whatever pops into your head, but I can’t. I’m an employee here with no clout. I don’t want my job threatened. Got it?”
    Santi stood watching her in silence. She couldn’t tell by his expression what he was thinking, whether angry that she read him or what. After a moment, he reached out to take her hand. Unlike how Brent had manhandled her, Santi’s touch was gentle in its firmness. He drew her to him, one arm circled her waist to trap her there. She opened her mouth to protest, but he covered it with his own. Before she could stop it, a moan escaped her, and he used the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. When the bell dinged for the first floor, he released her, and Della fanned herself to come to her senses. A woman couldn’t stay mad at a man who kissed like Santi.
    He held the elevator door open while she passed by, and he walked at her side. A black limo stood at the curb outside, and she resisted jumping to conclusions, assuming it waited for Santi. However, Santi rested a hand at her lower back to guide her toward it. The driver snapped to attention and opened the door for them. Della’s belly did flip-flops.
    “Señor y señorita,” the driver said, “regreso al hotel?”
    Della could guess what the man said. Talk about jumping to conclusions. She frowned at Santi once he’d helped her inside the vehicle, but his smile remained in place. “No.” He said something rapid fire and folded into the limo beside her.
    “What happened to the Porsche?”
    “My friend needed it. This seemed more convenient.”
    “A limo is more convenient?”
    “I don’t have to waste time looking for parking,” he offered.
    She chuckled. “Yeah, okay, I’ll go for that. Where are you taking me?”
    “Your place to change, and then to dinner.”
    “Hold on there. I don’t know about us going to my house.” She wasn’t ready to deal with Santi and Uncle Leonard after Santi and Brent.
    Santi’s gaze swept her from head to foot, taking in the rumpled blouse and boring skirt, she imagined. The shoes she’d chosen that morning weren’t all that