A Convenient Marriage

by Maggie Cox

  ‘No!’ His shout almost made her fall off the chair. His handsome face enraged, he stalked towards her.

  ‘Your mother and your sister are right. You are independent to the point of stupidity! While I admire your undoubted ability to stand on your own two feet, I do not admire this stubbornness of yours to try and prove it at every turn.’

  ‘Well, I don’t care whether you admire it or not, it’s the way I am, so you’d better wake up and smell the coffee, Javier!’

  ‘Pardon?’

  Her bottom lip quivering, Sabrina pushed herself to her feet and swept past him. But she didn’t reckon on him reaching out and grabbing her. Nor did she reckon on the hard, hot, punishing kiss that followed. Her heart in her throat, she forgot all about being angry as her breasts were crushed against the warm, impenetrable wall of his chest. Forgot all about obligation and independence and stubbornness and concentrated instead on the feelings and sensations that drowned her limbs like a bath of slow, sweet honey as Javier’s mouth took possession of hers and his hands claimed intimate knowledge of her body. Anchoring his fingers in her hair, running them down her back, then cupping her bottom, he moulded her to him with a wild, crazy hunger that tore through them both like a forest fire.

  ‘Dios! How did I ever live without you?’ Gazing down at her, he proceeded to drop hungry little kisses all over her face, her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks, her mouth, her forehead, until Sabrina’s heart felt as if it would surely jump right out of her chest with joy.

  ‘Javier, we still have to talk. We have to—’

  ‘Uncle! What are you doing?’

  Startled, they sprang apart at the sight of that little puzzled face in the doorway.

  His heart slamming against his chest, Javier considered his niece with a sense of shock, cursing the fates for pre-empting his chance to talk to her about his feelings for Sabrina. Now she would most probably be frightened that Sabrina had replaced her in his affections. How to explain that there was more than enough room in his heart for both of them?

  ‘Angelina, I…’

  But the little girl had already turned tail and run, and Sabrina hugged her arms tightly around her middle and wondered if she’d lost the child’s trust for good. She prayed not.

  ‘I have to go to her.’ His expression undeniably torn, Javier hurried from the room.

  Back in the kitchen, Sabrina made coffee that she didn’t really feel like drinking then sat aimlessly flicking through the glossy magazine that Christina had left behind. But she didn’t really register anything more than a blur of shiny pages because her thoughts were anxious and distracted, and if her stomach churned one more time she’d have to go in search of the bathroom.

  ‘How did I ever live without you?’ he’d asked, not knowing that she could have posed the very same question. Now she wondered if she’d left it too late to tell him. If Angelina was too upset by the idea that her uncle had some affection for Sabrina, would he turn his back on his need for her? Would her hopes for the future now all come crashing down around her? And, worse—would she have to walk away from this marriage without telling Javier how much she loved him?

  ‘Sabrina.’

  Her heart knocking against her ribcage, she glanced up in surprise at Javier’s tall frame towering over her.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘I’ve spoken to Angelina.’

  ‘She’s very upset? Oh, God, Javier, I would do anything to stop that little girl from being hurt even more. If she hates the idea of me being with you in that—in that way, I’ll just give you both more space. I’ll only stay until your passport comes through; tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.’ Her hand trembling, she unconsciously smoothed the shiny pages of the magazine back and forth.

  Dropping his hands to his hips, Javier registered her agitation, feeling his stomach flare with warmth at the knowledge that Sabrina would sacrifice her own needs for Angelina. He wanted to hold on tight to this remarkable woman and never let go.

  ‘She’s not upset, Sabrina, just the opposite. She’s delighted with the idea that we have grown to care for each other.’

  ‘She is? We have?’ Swallowing down the lump that had lodged in her throat, Sabrina blinked hard, barely allowing herself to dream, to hope.

  ‘Te amo, Sabrina. I love you.’

  ‘Javier.’ Rising to her feet, Sabrina allowed him to take her hands in his, felt herself engulfed by his warmth and protection, his love, when he urged her head onto his chest. ‘Oh, God, I love you too. I don’t know what I would have done if you’d said Angelina was unhappy. It would have been so hard—impossible—to pretend I didn’t care as much as I did about you.’

  ‘So we are “real”, yes? Mi esposa hermosa.’

  Raising her head to gaze into his eyes, Sabrina smiled. ‘You said that the first time we made love. What does it mean?’

  ‘My beautiful wife.’

  ‘I like the sound of that.’

  ‘You do?’ He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then finally her mouth, his lips moving over hers with exquisite tenderness, leaving her in no doubt that he truly loved her. Releasing a shuddering breath, Sabrina pulled away, a frown puckering the smooth, clear skin of her brow. ‘You know what people will probably say?’

  ‘Tell me.’

  ‘That I’m too old for you; that I enticed you with my wicked womanly charms; that I married you for your money.’

  ‘Let them talk. They are all lies…except the part where you enticed me with your wicked womanly charms, sí?’ His hands on her hips, he was urging her against him, heat simmering in those amazing dark eyes of his. ‘And you will give me babies…at least two or three, yes? You can still run your precious business—Rosie will be our nanny. What do you think?’

  ‘What if I can’t, Javier? Have babies, I mean.’

  ‘Can’t is not in my vocabulary. Besides…’ he wound his fingers possessively through the soft strands of her pretty honey-brown hair ‘…we will practise hard. Night and day…whenever we can, sí?’

  ‘Sabrina?’ Framed in the doorway, her bright pink tracksuit emphasising her tanned skin, her eyes huge and soulful like her gorgeous uncle’s, Angelina glanced from her uncle to the woman he held in his arms and back again.

  ‘Yes, Angelina?’ Stepping away from Javier, Sabrina dropped down onto the nearest kitchen chair.

  Advancing into the room, the little girl planted herself in front of her. Her teeth chewing on her plump lower lip, for a moment she appeared ill-at-ease and uncertain. ‘My uncle told me that he is going to adopt me. He’s going to be like my daddy. Did he tell you?’

  ‘Yes, sweetheart, he told me.’ As she glanced up at the man she loved Sabrina’s expression grew even softer.

  ‘Does that mean that when he adopts me you’ll be like—like my mummy?’

  Oh, God. What was she supposed to say to that? Her gaze naturally gravitated to the tall, brooding man standing behind the child for guidance. She attempted a smile but barely even moved her lips.

  ‘Would you—would you like that, Angelina? I will never take the place of your real mother but I would love you like my own and never let you down, I promise.’

  ‘I think I would like that very much if it means you’ll stay with me and Uncle Javier for ever. Will you, Sabrina?’

  ‘Remember what I told you when you were ill? That when I care about someone I stick like glue? Well, when I love someone I stick even harder. You’ll never be able to get rid of me now!’

  ‘What do you say about that, querida?’ Sliding his hand across the child’s slender shoulder, he gave it a little squeeze.

  ‘I’m happy. I’m happy that we’re going to be a real family. Daddy would have liked that.’

  ‘I don’t care whether you think you know the ending or not, we don’t want to know it, do we, Angelina?’

  Sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the little girl, her back against the couch between Javier’s long legs, Sabrina glanced up at her husband, her blue eyes twin
kling with mischief as the television flickered in front of them, the film they were watching well under way. His hands resting lightly on her slender shoulders, he bent towards her head and planted a warm kiss at the side of her neck. A surge of delicious tingling flooded her body.

  ‘No, Uncle, don’t tell us the ending. You’ll spoil everything!’

  ‘OK, I won’t tell you. But only if you let me choose the movie tomorrow,’ Javier teased his niece. ‘This is one of those—how do you call them?—girly films. What I want to see is an action movie.’

  ‘Then I’m afraid you’re going to be outvoted,’ Sabrina warned him. ‘There are two of us girls now so you won’t find it so easy to get your own way in future, Señor D’Alessandro!’

  ‘Only in some things, sí?’ Whispering it for her ears only, he tightened the hands on her shoulders perceptibly. ‘When we are alone in our bedroom.’

  Sabrina melted.

  ‘Stop whispering all that lovey-dovey stuff to Aunt Sabrina,’ Angelina scolded, her face breaking into a delighted grin. ‘She’s trying to watch the film and you’re distracting her.’

  ‘Am I distracting you, beautiful Sabrina?’

  Reaching for a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the carpet between herself and Angelina, Sabrina couldn’t suppress a happy smile. ‘Stop fishing for compliments and watch the film. If your head gets any bigger you won’t be able to fit through the door!’

  At the sound of Angelina’s infectious giggle, Sabrina munched her popcorn and thought with a spurt of satisfaction that family life certainly had a lot to recommend it.

  Stepping out of the taxi, Sabrina stood for several moments staring up at the new shop-front while Javier paid the driver, excitement and pride rushing through her with equal intensity. In a few short weeks, East-West Travel had been transformed from a slightly shabby, fading exterior to a smart, up-to-the-minute business that wouldn’t look out of place in any modern city centre in the world. Inside, Robbie and Jill were already hard at work and, peering through the window, Sabrina saw that several of the smart easy chairs lined up against the pale cream walls were already taken by waiting customers. It didn’t matter that at least one or two had merely come in out of curiosity or to ask for brochures—the point was, East-West Travel had been noticed, and, what with the new equipment and the first-class service both Sabrina and her staff knew how to give, things would soon be thriving. Of that she had no doubt. And none of it would have been possible without the unfailing guidance and support of her wonderful husband.

  ‘Aren’t we going to go inside?’ Smiling, Javier joined her, automatically enfolding her hand in his. The day was windy and cold but Sabrina was immediately charged with heat at his touch, an occurrence she was happily getting used to.

  ‘I just wanted to take a minute. It’s not every day you have your dream come true, you know.’ But she wasn’t looking at the shop-front when she said the words. Gazing up into the face of the man she loved, she felt a thrill of dizzying pleasure rush through her body, intoxicating her blood like wine.

  ‘Mi querido,’ she said softly.

  ‘My Spanish lessons are paying off, I see,’ Javier teased in reply. When Sabrina had told him and Angelina that she stuck like glue to those she loved, Javier believed her. He had lost his heart to this incredible, loving woman but he had no fear where she was concerned. Sabrina had taught him that love was as spontaneous as breathing, there was no limit to the amount you could give so therefore there was no danger that that love would diminish—no matter what happened. Love was infinite and they had the whole of the rest of their lives and beyond to prove it.

  ‘Yes, but I’ll definitely need lots more tuition.’ Dimpling, Sabrina touched his lips with her fingers and somehow Javier knew his beautiful wife was not just referring to his native language that he was teaching her.

  ‘You are an insatiable woman, Señora D’Alessandro.’ His voice husky, he squeezed her fingers and bestowed them with a loving kiss.

  Her lovely blue eyes wide, Sabrina laughed in delight. ‘You’re nearly eight years younger than me, Javier—don’t tell me you’re running out of stamina already?’

  ‘Never! I will never stop giving you pleasure. Usted salvo mi vida.’

  As she reached up for a kiss, Sabrina’s expression grew suddenly serious. ‘You saved my life too, Javier, and I’m going to spend the rest of our lives showing you how grateful I am. That’s a promise.’

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-1736-6

  A CONVENIENT MARRIAGE

  First North American Publication 2005.

  Copyright © 2003 by Maggie Cox.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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