More Than a Mistress (Latin Men Book 5)
Page 25
Esteban came out of his dressing room, smelling good and looking elegant in a tuxedo that hugged his muscular body. They were on their way to a political function, one that included the president of Argentina and other high-ranking government officials.
Their good friends Nadine and Cortez Alesini would be there. Before Deanna snatched her jewelry, Sonia had sent a quick text to Nadine and let her know they were leaving in a few minutes. Nadine had been a godsend during the difficult period after the miscarriage, when she struggled with the loss. Her friend had encouraged her to keep an open dialogue with Esteban. She advised that hiding their emotions from each other would cause the pain to fester and create problems in their relationship.
Esteban quickly assessed the situation and snatched up his daughter.
Deanna screamed and giggled as he hoisted her in the air and nuzzled her little neck.
“Give Mommy her bracelet,” he said in Spanish.
“No, Papa.”
Sonia laughed as she watched her husband hold Deanna on one arm while pretending to have a hard time wrestling the jewelry from her tiny fist.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Sonia called.
The nanny they used while in the country, Lucilla, came in holding a pink stuffed bear. “Good evening, señor, señora.” She waved the bear at Deanna, who stared at her with uncertainty because she understood if she took the bait of the stuffed toy, she’d be in the clutches of the nanny, and that meant her parents were leaving.
In typical Deanna form, she burst into tears, burying her face in Esteban’s neck and wailing her little eyes out to avoid the inevitable.
“Oh, Deanna, baby, we’ll only be gone for a couple of hours.” Even though she knew Deanna’s behavior was theatrical, it broke her heart to see her daughter so distressed. Sonia stroked the little girl’s hair. “Be a good girl and go with Lucilla.”
Esteban handed off their daughter to the nanny, and after one more outburst of “Mama, no,” Deanna comforted herself by clenching her arms around the bear’s neck in a wrestling-worthy chokehold.
“Bye, sweetheart.” Sonia kissed her tear-stained cheek. “Be good for Lucilla, okay?”
Deanna sniffled and gave her best pitiful face, but when Lucilla walked away with her, she didn’t utter another sound.
After they left, Sonia breathed a sigh of relief. “If our son is as rambunctious as she is, we’re in trouble.”
Esteban chuckled. “Here, let me put this on for you.” He fastened the bracelet on her right wrist and then stood back to take a good look. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “You look delicious.”
“Don’t you dare,” Sonia said, blushing. No wife could keep from blushing when her spouse looked at her like that.
She was wearing Esteban’s favorite color. The gown was made of chiffon in the palest of yellows. The maxi design exposed her arms but fully covered her breasts, which were heavier and fuller than when she was pregnant with Deanna. The sparkling beaded waistline fit right under her breasts and gave her belly plenty of room among the folds of the dress.
Esteban smiled a devilish grin. “At least let me sneak a kiss.”
“A little one,” Sonia said, holding her thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart.
He dropped a soft kiss on her lips, but that wasn’t enough for her. She lifted a hand to his neck and deepened the kiss, moaning when she had to reluctantly pull away.
She swiped remnants of lipstick from his mouth.
“Ready?” he asked, his smile affectionate.
“Yes.” Sonia fit her hand in his, and they exited the bedroom.
The past few years had passed by in a blur of happiness. She and Esteban were married a few months after their reconciliation. Their home base was Miami, but most of the time she traveled with him back and forth to Argentina, as well as to other countries on business, and oversaw the purchase of wine and spirits for all his restaurants.
Although she knew she hadn’t done anything to cause her first miscarriage, she slowed down considerably when she became pregnant with Deanna. She was careful not to overexert herself, engaging in moderate exercise, and carefully considered every morsel of food she put in her body. When her baby girl arrived, her joy was only equal in measure to the day she married her husband.
Sonia slid into the back of the limo and Esteban slid in beside her. He was on the phone, and her Spanish had improved enough that she understood every word he said. He was talking to Santiago about a burst pipe in their largest restaurant in California. They’d had to shut down for half a day, but from what she could hear of Esteban’s side of the conversation, they should be back in business tomorrow.
Esteban held her hand on his thigh as he wrapped up the phone call. When he finished, she took the phone and dropped it into her purse. She nestled against his side, and he placed an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.
As they rode in comfortable silence to the venue near Plaza de Mayo, the main square in central Buenos Aires, Sonia thought of all those other times, years ago, when they’d sat in the back of a limo or the Maybach, and he’d held her hand or she’d nestled against his side. Not much had changed. She still dressed the way he liked. Her hair was a little longer—long enough to cover her ears, but still short because that was the way he preferred it.
What had changed was her reason for doing those things. Before she’d fulfilled a role, one wrought with uncertainty and dictated by rules of engagement that didn’t leave room for openness and honest emotion.
Now she held a more prominent role in his life, Sonia still wanted to make Esteban happy. Not because she had to, as his mistress. But because she wanted to, as his wife.
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Latin Men series
Check out the entire Latin Men series with heroes from Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, and Argentina: The Arrangement, Fight for Love, Private Acts, The Ultimate Merger, Second Chances, and More Than a Mistress.
Still in Love
Although not part of the Latin Men series, you can read more about Cortez and Nadine Alesini, Sonia and Esteban’s friends in Argentina, in Still in Love.
Three years ago, Nadine Alesini divorced her husband and left Buenos Aires with her daughter in tow. Now she’s back and forced to spend time with the man she left behind.
Cortez Alesini long ago accepted that his music career aided in the demise of his marriage. So he didn’t expect that he and Nadine would spend passionate nights together while she’s back in his country, causing them to question if they gave up too soon. But the reappearance of someone from his past immediately causes friction, and may destroy any chance they have at a true reconciliation.
Also by Delaney Diamond
Love Unexpected series
The Blind Date
The Wrong Man
An Unexpected Attraction
The Right Time
One of the Guys
That Time in Venice (coming soon)
Johnson Family series
Unforgettable
Perfect
Just Friends
The Rules
Good Behavior
Latin Men series
The Arrangement
Fight for Love
Private Acts
The Ultimate Merger
Second Chances
More Than a Mistress
Hot Latin Men: Vol. I (print anthology)
Hot Latin Men: Vol. II (print anthology)
Hawthorne Family series
The Temptation of a Good Man
A Hard Man to Love
Here Comes Trouble
For Better or Worse
Hawthorne Family Series: Vol. I (print anthology)
Hawthorne Family Series: Vol. II (print anthology)
Bailar series (sweet/clean romance)
Worth Waiting For
A Passionate Love
Passion Rekindled
Still in Love
Subordinate Position
Heartbreak in Rio (part of Endless Summer Nights)
Free Stories: www.delaneydiamond.com
About the Author
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet, sensual, passionate romance novels. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. She speaks fluent conversational French and can get by in Spanish.
Enjoy free reads and the first chapter of all her novels on her website. Join her mailing list to get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases.
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www.delaneydiamond.com