above her. "I refuse to be in an awful song. Make it a good one."
"I won't write lyrics, just music we can dance to."
"That's better." He tickled her ear with his tongue. "I didn't know you wrote music."
"I never had an inspiration before you."
He kissed her to renew the magic, and she wished it might never end.
Saturday morning, Maggie could barely keep her eyes open when she joined her father for breakfast. He caught her hiding her third yawn and laughed.
"Is Rafael that good in bed?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered before realizing it was an inappropriate question from her father.
"I hope you haven't become too fond of him."
She couldn't deny it. "How would it be a problem?"
He nodded thoughtfully. "I may have been overly generous in my assessment of his talents."
Instantly wide awake, she nearly ripped her napkin in half. "You mean Santos was right, and he isn't ready?"
Miguel shrugged. "He may give an inspired performance tomorrow. We'll have to wait and see. I told him not to come by today. Bullfighting is as much mental as physical, and he needs the time to himself."
Rafael had told her the same thing, only he'd been confident things would go well for him. "Is Santos here?"
"Probably, but don't ask him to watch out for Rafael. The men all naturally rush to each other's aid, and it isn't necessary. Plus, it would infuriate Rafael if he learned you'd had such little faith in him, and Santos would be sure to tell him."
"That's true." She felt sick, and when Dr. Moreno came to the door, she was relieved to leave. She made it back to her room and into the bathroom to puke in the toilet, then, exhausted in mind and spirit, lay down on her bed and slept until afternoon. Once awake, she remained seated on her bed and hugged herself tightly. She'd already been horribly apprehensive, but her father's off-hand remark about Rafael's ability had disintegrated what little strength she'd had.
Rafael was no fool, but it was difficult to believe in him when her father's opinion wavered. He was ill, so perhaps his judgment wasn't what it should be. She got up to walk as far as the chair on her balcony, and feeling lost, stared out at the sea. When Fox came to her door, she didn't know where the hours had gone.
"Aren't you coming to dinner?" he asked. He looked pained by the ghastly possibility he might be forced to dine with his grandmother and aunt without an ally.
"I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling up to it."
He pressed his head against the doorjamb briefly, and then brightened. "I'll tell them you're ill and offer to bring you a tray and stay with you. Grandmother won't care, and it'll be a good excuse."
"Thank you, Fox. I'd love to have dinner with you, but don't expect me to eat."
"Thanks, you've saved my life."
Half an hour passed before Tomas's helper, Julian, carried in a tray. Fox followed. "Tomas says soup is best for you. He sent crackers and ginger ale. Will the aroma of the food on my plate upset you?"
"No, come sit here with me." She thanked Julian and waited for him to leave before she questioned Fox. "Isn't Santos here?"
"No. He's gone to his apartment where he keeps all his gear. I could get his number if you want to call him."
"No, thank you. I won't bother him, but I wish he'd stopped to tell me he was going home."
"He did. You were asleep. He knew where you'd been last night and laughed about it. You'll see him tomorrow."
She bit into a cracker. It tasted like cardboard, and she washed it down with a sip of ginger ale. The bubbles tickled her nose. "You saw Rafael out at the ranch. Did he look weak to you?"
"What do you mean? Not up to the challenge of a bullfight?"
"Yes."
"No." He took a large forkful of baked chicken. "Why didn't you watch the video if you're so curious?"
She gave up on the cracker and tasted the cream of chicken soup. It was smooth and delicious. "I can't bear to watch him face a bull. If he were gored, I'd never forget it."
He nodded as he chewed another mouthful. "What, the sight of it or losing him?"
She gulped her ginger ale. "Both."
"Guys get tossed in the air all the time. Sometimes all the bull caught was the seat of their pants and they get up and come right back at the bull. Check the bullfighting