The Playboy's Touch (Book 2)

Chapter 14

Enrique

I couldn’t lie, I had spent all day looking forward to my lesson with Rachel after dinner.

I couldn’t think straight during meetings because I was so excited. I had never met a woman who openly asked for lessons of seduction. Well, that was a lie. Rose was one of many women who asked me to teach them how to make love. But I knew that in return they wanted something from me-attention, care and maybe in their wildest dreams, love. But that wasn’t the case with Rachel.

She didn’t want me to court her, or to make her feel loved and desired. She just wanted to learn, and most importantly, she wanted to learn so that she could enjoy herself with other men. And who else would be better to help me find a wife who was focused purely on carnal pleasure than her? If she herself was just focused on physical intimacy, then she could help me find a woman who was too. And a wife who would be satisfied in only being with me in bed and providing me with an heir, would in return be granted a life of wealth and comfort. There clearly could be no better deal.

When it was time for dinner I was looking forward to sitting back in my chair and eating in silence. I had been talking all day trying to appear more charming, excited and ambitious than I actually felt. I still hadn’t found the reason for our lands to be failing our families and knowing that fathers, mothers, and children were depending on me was stressful and overwhelming.

When I arrived Lady Thompson was there as well. She smiled at me warmly.

“Long day I presume.” She said.

“Oh very much,” I responded sitting down.

She only nodded and turned away as she sat as well. She must have known that I didn’t want to talk because she began to chat with one of the maids. Just before the food was brought out Rachel was escorted in by Mrs. Abarca, the old nurse maid my father had hired when Celeste and I were kids.

I immediately stood out of respect, but I also was shocked to see what Rachel was wearing.

Instead of her usual dark dress colors she was wearing a pale yellow dress made of velvet. Her dark blonde hair was in a braid as usual but small ringlets fell around her ears and the braid fell over her shoulder. She smiled at her mother and I and she seemed to.. shine.

Mrs. Abarca stood behind Rachel as she walked to her seat and then went into the kitchen once the food was brought out . I leaned over to Rachel and decided to tease her.

“You look lovely this evening Miss Thompson.” I raised my eyebrows in pretend shock. “Don’t say this delightful change of attire is for my sake.”

Rachel stuck her tongue out at me but when she turned away I could see a light blush on her cheeks. As I looked away I noticed Lady Thompson smiling at her soup.

Once dinner was over I headed to my office to finish some paperwork. Rachel and her mother had headed to the back porch to talk and enjoy the warm night air. I had realized that in Spain they were outside so much more often than I had noticed in London. I couldn’t blame them, the weather here was perfect.

I was finishing some numbers as I heard Lady Thompson bid her daughter loudly goodnight from the top of the stairs. I was going to make my way to the tea room when I saw a letter from Diane.

Come and see me soon-husband will be gone for a month. We have much fun waiting.

-D

I tucked the letter away in my desk. I’d get back to her soon, I desperately wanted to see her for our usual fun but had a lot of things to tend to. One which was waiting downstairs and would be furious if I kept her waiting.

I made my way to the tea room and Rachel was there sitting reading a book on Spanish cuisine.

“Are you taking up cooking Rachel?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Goodness no. I just wanted to know why your dishes have so many tomatoes.”

I clutched my heart. “Have we bored you with our meals? I will speak to the cook as soon as possible. I do apologize.”

She rolled her eyes and put the book down. She waved me over next to her. “Come on, let’s get started.”

I sat by her and I noticed she smelled differently.

“Is that your perfume?”

Her eyes bulged. “Is it too much?”

“No, just different. I didn’t even know you owned perfume.” I laughed when she rolled her eyes again. “Lillies?”

“Daisies.” She corrected me. “But let’s not waste time.”

“Fine. What do you want to know first?”

“Well what comes first? What is the first thing that catches a man’s attention?”

“It can be many things. The sound of her laughter, her voice, and we never fail to notice how a woman walks or dances.”

Rachel frowned a bit but nodded. I then remembered that Rachel wasn’t the most outgoing of people at an event. She mostly stuck to the shadows and I never recalled seeing her on the dance floor or laughing and talking with strangers. I had to help her work with what she had.

“But-I think a woman’s smile is far more captivating than all of that.” I said smiling at her reassuringly. “A beautiful smile can bring a man to his knees.”

“So, just smile at them? Does that mean I have to constantly be smiling?” She asked.

“Well no.. but you do have to smile once in a while so people know your capable of smiling. And said man will have noticed you smiling-but when you see him and want to lure him in, your smile has to outshine the rest of your smiles.”

“I have to..outsmile myself?” She asked confused.

I sighed, “no but, think about it this way. Your smile when you see your brother or mother after being apart is much different to the smile you’d give them if you saw them for the 12th time that day. It has more life-more shine.”

She nodded her head deep in thought.

“Now, show me a smile,” I told her nudging her. “Show me your regular smile.”

She then gave me a small tight smile. One that was.. courteous enough to pass as nice. Her cheeks barley lifted and her lips barley stretched out.

“Um..Ok.. now give me a bright smile..”

She then tried to smile more but she seemed to be in either pain or confusion..or both.

Her face twisted into a weird shape as half of her face lifted and the other tried to but failed.

“Rachel what was that??” I asked in shock.

She frowned at me and narrowed her eyes. Before I could joke further she shoved me. “It’s not funny!! I’m trying my best!”

“That’s your best??”

She shoved me again-hard enough to almost push me off my seat. “It’s not funny Enrique!!” She snapped.

Her face was getting red from anger and her eyes were a bit sad. I then composed myself and remembered that this was all new to her. She had been the sulky overseen woman in the shadows for 10 years. This was an immense step forward.

I got out of my seat and went to her and knelt before her. I turned her face so she was looking at me.

“I’m sorry Rachel-I overstepped. I shouldn’t have laughed.”

Her blue eyes looked both angry and tired. She shrugged. “I guess this is going to be harder than I thought.” She looked away again. “I did ask you for brutal honesty though.. and you delivered.”

I shrugged. “I’m a man of my word. I always deliver. Ask any woman in Spain.”

I laughed and she shook her head. “You’re despicable.” She said.

I was about to look away when I saw the corners of her lips rise and a small dimple appeared on her left cheek. Her perfect white teeth showed, her cheeks lifted and her eyes crinkled.. but only for a minute.

There it was.

There was her smile.