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I mean, Brazil is far away, but you’ll be back and
forth now, won’t you?”
    He nodded. “When I come back, I want to see
you. Every day.” He kissed her. “Every night.” He kissed her again.
“I want to spend every moment I can with you when we’re not
working.”
    “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Sabrina
said. She felt light-headed and drunk with happiness.
    “Let’s not go out. Let’s stay here. I leave
tomorrow, and I want to spend as much time alone with you as
possible.”
    Sabrina nodded her agreement. She rose from
the sofa. She took Renaldo’s hand and led him into her bedroom.
     
     

Chapter Eleven
     
    The next morning, Renaldo reluctantly dragged
himself from Sabrina’s warm bed and soft arms. He dressed in
silence and declined the steaming cup of coffee she offered. He had
no appetite for drink or food.
    At the door, they kissed one last time. He
crushed her to him, running his hands up and down her body through
the silk robe, trying to imprint her shape in his mind until he
could see her again. As if he could forget anything about her. He
couldn’t. Not her long legs, the flair of her hips, nor the
cushiony feel of her backside. Not her soft lips, her wild kinky
hair, nor the scent of pink lilies clinging to his clothes.
    She represented everything a man could want.
Smart and funny. Strong yet vulnerable. Sexy, and she even laughed
at his jokes. She was curious about his culture and wanted to learn
his language. For the first time in his life, he didn’t look
forward to returning home.
    Once he left, he moved on leaden feet down
the hallway, the tightness in his chest expanding the farther he
walked from her door. At the elevator, he punched the button and
stepped into the open cabin. As the doors closed, he thought back
to their conversation. They’d agreed to continue seeing each other
when he came back to the States. It seemed like a good idea, but in
the bright light of day, he realized it wouldn’t be enough.
    The elevator stopped and two women entered,
smiled at him, and then resumed their conversation with each
other.
    Worry seeped into his bones as the doors
closed. What would she do when he wasn’t here? Would she date other
men? Would she restart her friendship with her “friend” who had
stood her up the night they met?
    He thought about his parents’ loving
relationship, which served as a blueprint for the type of marriage
he wanted. In the short time since he’d met Sabrina, he’d felt they
could have the same type of relationship.
    There was one more characteristic he admired
in her. She had a strong work ethic, like he did. With her
intelligence and knowledge, she should be making strides at the
firm where she worked. Instead, she continued to be overlooked and
remained unhappy.
    An idea popped into Renaldo’s head. It made
perfect sense. He pushed the button for the next floor and exited
the elevator when it stopped. With a newfound burst of energy, he
sprinted up the stairs, back to Sabrina’s apartment.
    ****
    A loud knock on the door startled Sabrina
from her moping. She stood at the kitchen counter, staring down
into a cup of coffee that had grown cold. Frowning, she went to the
door, and for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she
opened it to let Renaldo in.
    “Did you forget something?”
    “You.” He walked in and shut the door.
    “What do you mean?” Sabrina asked, her heart
rate picking up speed. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions about
what he’d just implied, but he looked so intense.
    “On the way down in the elevator, I realized
I don’t want to see you every few months or whenever I can get away
and come back. It’s not enough. The past few days have taught me
that.” He cupped her face in his hands, his dark eyes staring
intently down into hers. “Marry me. Come to Brazil and become my
partner, in my personal life as well as in business. Help me build
my company.”
    Sabrina’s mouth fell open. “Marry