Page 63 of Raul
Through an archway, she glimpsed a fountain surrounded with beds of bright flowers. Behind it rose a boldly contemporary structure of steel girders, polished basalt stone, and huge sheets of glass.
“Wow! That’s just as dramatic as Castillo Draconago but in a different century.” As the house disappeared behind them, she asked, “The House in the Clouds?”
“You know how the fog rolls into the North Harbor in San Ignacio? It does the same here,” he said. “In fact, you can seeLa Sorpresa de los Piratas from both our houses. You know the legend about Ricardo el Rojo, I’m sure.”
“We all learned that in Calevan history,” she scoffed. “He led the enemy ships through the fog to the entrance of La Sorpresa, where they ran aground. And he offered the enemy sailors the choice of joining his crew or drowning. Your ancestors were a pretty ruthless bunch.”
“They did what they had to do in a less civilized time,” Raul said, unperturbed.
She was struck by a terrifying thought. “Is your father here today?”
“He might be.” Raul shrugged. “Our houses are completely separate. We don’t even share a beach.”
Relief loosened her tense muscles. She went back to gawking at the glimpses she could catch of the king’s spectacular retreat, but they were winding downhill now, and the trees were taller and more numerous, so she sat back. “Does your house have a name?”
He made a face. “The billionaire named it El Camarón Dormido.”
“The Sleeping Shrimp?” Then it dawned on her. “Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. You snooze, you lose. Very appropriate for a crypto trader, I guess.”
“I’ve always meant to rename it, but the original seems to have stuck. Perhaps you can think of a better one.”
They rounded a corner to drive under an arch similar to the one leading to the king’s house. The three SUVs circled around an abstract metal sculpture rising out of a round pool before stopping under a portico constructed of the same steel and basalt as La Casa de las Nubes. Erica and Raul waited while guards poured out of the vehicles and dispersed before Pascal opened Raul’s door.
“Bienvenue áEl Camerón Dormido,” the bodyguard said.
“Merci beaucoup,”Erica said as she climbed out behind Raul and gazed around the enclosed courtyard. Gracefully twisted specimen trees rose above beds of brilliant red flowers. Huge pots of the same flowers stood on either side of the steel front door, which one of the bodyguards held open.
Raul swept one hand toward the door to tell her to precede him. She could hear the rubber tips of his crutches squeaking on the paving stones as he followed her.
Inside, a set of floating stairs climbed to a second-floor gallery while the large entrance hall opened into a living room. The wall of windows showcasing a view of the ocean in all its gradations of blue drew her eye. As she walked farther in, she could see a swimming pool between the house and the sea.
“Not too shabby,” she said, a vast understatement.
“Would you like a tour, lunch, or a swim first?” Raul asked as he came up beside her.
She eyed his crutches and ruled out a tour, although she would love to see the rest of the spectacular house.
“Lunch.” She had been too nervous about the meeting with Bertucci to eat breakfast.
“Muy bien. We will eat by the pool.” Raul pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen with one thumb.“Vamonos!”
He led her across the sitting area filled with chairs and sofas upholstered in varying shades of taupe leather with bright woven accent pillows. Jute area rugs created seating groups, and stone-topped tables added different textures. She could almost imagine lounging around here in her bathing suit cover-up and bare feet. Almost.
Raul touched a steel square in the glass, and a panel slid open. Stepping onto the stone patio, she realized no one would choose to stay indoors when they could sit outside. Wooden lounge chairs with thick teal cushions lined one side of the infinity pool. The other side held no distractions from the viewof the sea and, rising in the distance, the volcanic cone of La Sorpresa de los Piratas. Even though the thought of swimming in the ocean sent a shiver of fear through her, she appreciated the glorious view of the sparkling water meeting an azure sky filled with scudding white clouds.
She turned to find Raul watching her. “This place is okay,” she said to tease him.
He didn’t laugh. “Would you rather be away from the ocean? We can move to the sideterraza.”
“I was joking. The view is gorgeous.” But her heart melted into goo at his thoughtfulness.
Her feelings for this man were getting very dangerous.
He waved her to a table in the shade of a large green-and-white-striped umbrella. Sweating glasses of water already sat on the table, which was set with pale gray linens and teal stoneware.
As they settled on the cushioned wooden chairs, a young man in green shorts and a white polo shirt appeared with a bow to Raul and a smile for Erica. “What may I bring you to drink?”
Based on Raul’s bar at the palace, she supposed she could have almost anything. “Er, coconut water, please?”
