Valentina Mendoza had spent most of her life knowing exactly what to say. It did not matter who stood in front of her. Men twice her age folded under one sharp look, women who had spent years perfecting backhanded compliments never managed to catch her off guard, and every carefully chosen boy her father had placed in front of her had walked away far more flustered than she ever had. Valentina always had a response, always had the last word, and usually enjoyed making sure people remembered it. Which was why Ethan nearly laughed when she suddenly had none. The ballroom glowed gold around her, full of soft music, crystal chandeliers, and people dressed in enough money to buy the building twice over, but Valentina barely noticed any of it when she turned from her brother and found herself face to face with Cesar Santos. She knew who he was. Ethan’s best friend. A familiar presence in their home for years. Quiet where Ethan was loud. Calm where everyone else seemed desperate to be noticed. She had seen him a hundred times before in passing, standing beside Ethan, sitting at their dining table, leaning against doorframes like he belonged there as much as her brother did. But she had never stood this close to him before. Close enough to notice how unfairly handsome he was. Close enough to notice the way his dark eyes settled on her like they had nowhere else they wanted to be. Close enough to realize Cesar Santos had been noticing her far longer than she had ever noticed him. For the first time in her life, Valentina forgot every clever thing she had ever said. Cesar’s mouth lifted slightly as his gaze stayed on hers. “You’re quiet tonight,” he said. And somehow that was worse. Because his voice was low, smooth, and far too amused, like he had already noticed exactly what no one else in the room had. Valentina stared at him. Actually stared. No sharp reply. No dramatic eye roll. No perfectly delivered comment. Nothing. Across the ballroom, Ethan slowly leaned closer to their father, unable to hide the smug grin pulling at his mouth. “I told you,” he muttered quietly. Papi’s eyes remained on her, unreadable as always, though the slight raise of his brow gave him away. “You did,” he answered. Ethan had always insisted she and Cesar would work. He had expected arguments. He had expected tension. He had expected his stubborn little sister to drive his best friend insane. What he had not expected was for Cesar to be the one person in the world who could leave her completely speechless. Cesar tilted his head slightly, still watching her. Then, as if he was not singlehandedly destroying her entire sense of control, he asked softly, “Did I make you nervous, princesa?” Valentina hated that her brain chose that exact moment to stop working.