Free Seducing His Opposition by Katherine Garbera

clear that she hadn’t relearned how to trust him.
    “I’m calling a cab,” Selena said.
    “No, don’t,” Jorge said. “We will take you home. I’m ready to be alone with my woman.”
    Carina closed her eyes as Jorge hugged her close and it was almost painful to watch them together now that Selena knew their secret. She wondered if all couples had a secret. Something that bound them together and made them stronger. And she did believe her cousin and his wife would be stronger once Carina knew that Jorge was sincere. But that would take some time.
    Jorge went in to tell the rest of her cousins that they were leaving.
    “Tonight was fun,” Selena said.
    “Yes, it was. It’s not really my scene—I like to stayat home, but Jorge likes to hit the clubs and we have worked out a compromise where we will do it once a month,” Carina said.
    “Does that work?” Selena asked.
    “It does. I actually like going out with him. It’s not the way I thought it would be. And Jorge has agreed to take ballroom dancing classes with me.”
    Selena couldn’t see her cousin doing ballroom dancing, but if it made Carina happy, she guessed that he would do it. “Where do you take lessons?”
    “At Luna Azul. Jen Miller, who teaches their Latin dance classes, also knows ballroom and she is showing us a few moves.”
    “Do you think Luna Azul has been good for the neighborhood?” Selena asked her, her head clearing from the mojitos she’d been drinking all night.
    “I do. They have captured the feel of old Havana in the club. My papa won’t admit it to his friends but he likes going there because it reminds him of the stories his abuelito used to tell of pre-Castro Havana.”
    “I need to check it out and learn a bit about the enemy.”
    “I think you will be surprised by how much it fits given that they are outsiders.”
    Jorge came out of the club and they left. During the ride, Selena sat quietly in the backseat of the Dodge Charger. She thought about Justin Stern and dancing with him. She had a feeling that he’d claim to be an awkward dancer, but prove to be very efficient at it.
    She closed her eyes and thought about the night and what she’d learned. She’d almost made a costly emotional mistake when she’d asked Justin up to her room. But living at the hotel was giving her the distance she neededfrom her family and tomorrow she’d figure out how to start a fling with Justin. Flirting with him earlier and dancing tonight had stirred her blood. She wanted Justin Stern and she wasn’t going to deny herself.
     
    Justin checked in and got settled in his hotel room. He’d left a voice mail for Selena. He was surprised she was out so late. It was almost midnight. Where was she?
    He didn’t like the tight feeling in his chest or the anger he felt at not knowing where she was. They were nothing but business rivals to each other. Nothing more than that. He’d have to remember that fact.
    He paced around his room like a caged tiger. She was probably with another man. Why shouldn’t she be? There wasn’t another man in this city who was bringing as many complications to the table as he was. Not one. And he knew it.
    She was the last woman he should be this obsessed with but the truth was he did want her. And he should never have let her go when he’d had her in his arms earlier.
    The only time they were going to be this unaware of the complications of hooking up was right now. Before they got to know each other better. That was how things like this worked.
    He didn’t think about it anymore but just walked out of his room. He needed a walk to clear his head.
    The elevator opened as he was standing there and Selena got off the car.
    “What are you doing here?” they said at the same time.
    “I’m staying here,” she said.
    “So am I.”
    “Why?” she asked. “And how did you get on my floor. That is almost stalkerish.”
    “I’m not stalking you. I had no idea this was the floor you were on. I asked for a