‘But everything will be booked up at this short notice.’
Urging her into the helicopter that bore the logo of his company, he greeted that comment with a glance of shimmering amusement. ‘Then my staff will just have to unbook it.’
And no doubt some ordinary mortal was about to be booted out of the room they’d booked months ago, Faith thought weakly as she sank into her seat and ruefully contemplated the benefits of being in love with a sexy billionaire. His money wasn’t what had attracted her, but she was intelligent enough to recognise that the aspects of his character that she found so compelling were the same qualities that drove his success. His astonishingly quick brain, his confidence, his insight and his hard, ruthless ability to outsmart the competition—all those things made him the man he was.
And she loved him.
Her heart skipped and danced as he sprawled in the seat next to her and took her hand in his.
‘My private jet is waiting for us at the airport.’ He stretched out his legs. ‘Get some rest, cariño, you’re going to need it.’
He took her to Iguazú Falls, on the border with Brazil, and she gazed in disbelief at the hundreds of cascades that stretched before her in a horseshoe shape.
‘I’ve only ever seen one waterfall at a time before,’ she said faintly and Raul settled himself behind her and pulled her against his hard body.
‘There are about two hundred and seventy-five different cascades,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘We share the falls with Brazil but two thirds are on the Argentine side.’
She could hear the pride in his voice and Faith laughed and twisted round so that she could look at him. ‘You always have to be the biggest and the best, don’t you?’
His answer was to kiss her and it was another few minutes before she was able to turn her attention back to the view.
For a moment she just watched, mesmerised by the sheer volume of water that thundered over the precipitous edge of the rocky plateau and plunged into the river below, causing huge clouds of spray.
‘It’s amazing. Breathtaking.’ The falls seemed to glow in the light and she felt Raul’s arms tighten around her.
‘Garganta del Diablo,’ he murmured against her cheek. ‘We call it the Devil’s Throat. It is the largest cascade. I have arranged for a boat to take us up the Iguazú River tomorrow. You will love it.’
And she did.
It seemed that everything had been planned for her enjoyment and she felt as though she spent the entire time staring in wonder. And even in their suite in the hotel, she couldn’t prise herself away from the balcony.
‘I feel as though I have competition,’ Raul drawled finally, hauling her back inside the suite and closing the door firmly. ‘You’re supposed to be looking at me, not the view.’
And the truth was, she couldn’t stop looking at him. They ate dinner on their private terrace, away from other people and the sheer intimacy of their situation made the nerves jump in her stomach.
‘Did you travel as a child?’ He waited for the food to be served and dismissed the staff with a single movement of his arrogant dark head. ‘Where did you go?’
‘Nowhere in particular. Europe.’ She selected a piece of fish and tried it. ‘This is delicious. We just went on normal family holidays. My parents would have loved it here,’ she murmured, her eyes on the view as they lingered over dinner.
‘You’ve told me virtually nothing about your childhood, but it was obviously very happy.’
‘Why do you say that?’
He lifted his wine glass, a faint hint of mockery in his eyes. ‘You have such a ridiculous faith in love and marriage that your parents must have been happy.’
And his hadn’t been? She wanted to ask but she was afraid of spoiling the moment so instead she talked about herself.
‘My parents met when they were teenagers and then Mum became pregnant with me.’ Faith pulled a face. ‘Terrible shock and scandal, because this was years ago and things were different then. My grandmother thought she was far too young but my father and mother were adamant that it didn’t matter. “We’re in love and we were always going to have a family at some point,” my dad always said.’
And that, of course had been another reason why she hadn’t questioned the motivations behind their own hasty marriage. She’d fallen in love with Raul. She couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.
At first she’d been panicked that he wouldn’t be pleased but when he’d immediately proposed she’d assumed that he’d adjusted to the idea as easily as she had.
‘What you’ve just told me explains a great deal about you.’ He sat across from her, his dark eyes fixed on her face, and she had the distinct impression that he was about to tell her something.
She sat still, willing him to offer up the confidence that she sensed hovered on his lips, but after a moment he rose to his feet and walked across to the rail that skirted the balcony.
Having learned not to press him to talk when he didn’t want to, Faith resisted the temptation to prompt him and instead folded her napkin neatly and joined him by the rail. ‘So where are we going tomorrow?’
He turned to face her, his dark eyes filled with secrets and shadows. Instead of answering her he took her face in his hands and kissed her with hungry, desperate urgency, his mouth hard and demanding on hers.
The kiss went from nothing to out of control in less time than it took him to back her into the suite and kick the door closed behind him. And after that there was no more talking.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AFTER four glorious days and nights, they flew back to the estancia and Faith was feeling more settled.
The pregnancy might have triggered the marriage, but they were happy together, she knew they were.
The only slight blot on the landscape for her was that there were still moments when she didn’t feel well physically, and that disappointed her because she could no longer attribute her lack of energy to the stress of their relationship or even lack of sleep. And it wasn’t just that she was tired. Occasionally she was overwhelmed by dizziness and sickness and even though the doctor had assured her that such a reaction was quite normal after a head injury, she still felt uneasy.
But she didn’t tell Raul because she knew that if she so much as mentioned that she didn’t feel well he would fly in an entire team of doctors from all over the world.
So she kept it to herself, hopeful that it would all fade in time.
They were happy together, and that was all that mattered.
‘Raul’s in a good mood because Pedro sold him the land!’ Mateo, a business associate of Raul’s, lifted his glass in a toast. ‘And Raul is always in a good mood when he wins.’
They were dining in the most elegant restaurant in Buenos Aires, surrounded by the city’s elite, their table giving them magnificent views over the vibrant city. Candles flickered on the tables and a jazz band played on the terrace outside.
‘Raul always wins.’ Julieta, Mateo’s wife, glanced up from her plate. ‘I thought you said he wanted to hang on to that land?’
‘Apparently he wanted my money more,’ Raul drawled, his long, strong fingers curled around the stem of his wine glass. ‘I think he was influenced by my wife. Apparently I’ve become more human since I married her.’
‘I wouldn’t say so.’ Mateo winked at Faith and Julieta chuckled and reached across the table to take her husband’s hand.
‘Marriage is good for a man. It teaches him to share.’ She frowned suddenly. ‘You’re quiet tonight, Faith. Are you all right? You’re very pale. Raul, do you think she’s pale?’
‘She’s English,’ Mateo said cheerfully, leaning back as the waiter removed their plates. ‘The English are always pale.’
‘I’m fine.’ Faith managed to smile, horribly aware of Raul’s disturbingly intent gaze. The truth was that she felt exhausted and she just didn’t understand the reason. Normally she was a very energetic person but at the moment she could have happily spent her life in
bed. She just wanted to sleep and sleep.
It was probably just living with Raul, she concluded wryly. Too much sex. And she was worrying, of course, about where their relationship was going. Physically he was generous and demonstrative, but emotionally …
Reaching for her water, Faith took a sip. Emotionally he still locked everything away.
Julieta lifted her glass in a toast. ‘To Emperor Raul, whose land now stretches across most of Argentina.’
Raul lifted an eyebrow. ‘You’re toasting me with water when there’s champagne on offer?’
‘Ah.’ Julieta’s eyes sparkled. ‘We have news too, don’t we Mateo?’
Mateo’s expression softened. ‘Julieta is pregnant. We found out yesterday.’
Faith felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. The noise and buzz of conversation around her faded to nothing and there was a rhythmic pounding in her ears.
For a moment she was enveloped in a blanket of panic and then she struggled free and realised that they were all looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak. ‘That’s fantastic,’ she managed, genuinely pleased for Julieta and horrified by the vicious stab of jealousy that tore through her insides. ‘We’re so pleased for you, aren’t we, Raul?’ She answered for him because she didn’t want him to say something tactless but deep down she wondered how he felt.
Of course, he wouldn’t be as affected as she was, would he?
He didn’t want children. She knew that. What she didn’t know was why. And she wasn’t likely ever to understand that because he didn’t talk to her.
Faith struggled against the sudden surge of desolation that threatened to swamp her.
She wasn’t going to think about her own situation. Not here. Not now in this public place in front of the man she loved and his friends.
But a thick, dangerous sludge of misery had been stirred inside her and refused to settle down.
She couldn’t stop thinking about her own baby. The baby she’d lost.
An incredible sadness oozed through her and the lightness inside her faded away leaving only exhaustion.
In contrast, Julieta’s face glowed with health and her eyes sparkled with excitement as she told them about her plans. Every now and then she touched Mateo’s hand as if she couldn’t quite believe that this was her life.
‘It will be your turn next, Raul. Given that you’ve overcome your phobia of marriage, children are a logical next step.’
Worried that Raul might be upset, Faith intervened swiftly. ‘It’s too soon for that,’ she said in a bright voice. ‘I’m still hoping to pursue my career and we’ve barely spent any time together since we married.’
Trying to switch off her emotions, Faith concentrated on smiling, hoping that she looked more convincing than she felt because suddenly she was terrified she was going to break down. Right here. In public. With everyone watching.
What was the matter with her?
Why was she so tearful?
Over the past few weeks, all she seemed to do was sleep and it was completely unlike her.
‘I’m delighted by your news, but you’ll have to excuse us because Faith is very tired.’ It was Raul who spoke and he rose to his feet in a decisive movement. ‘It’s time I took her home.’
For once Faith was relieved that he was so controlling and she shot the couple an apologetic smile. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever become used to your Argentine hours—dining at eleven o’clock would be considered really odd in London.’
Julieta chuckled. ‘That is a perfectly reasonable time in Buenos Aires. Are you seriously driving home? I thought you billionaires used a helicopter or a chauffeur.’
‘I’m not good at being driven.’ Raul strolled round the table, gently eased Faith to her feet and slid his arm round her waist. ‘Great evening. We must do it again soon.’
Impossibly grateful that he’d rescued her, Faith allowed him to guide her from the restaurant and into the low, sexy Ferrari that waited for them outside the door.
Determined not to cry, she slid into the passenger seat and closed her eyes. ‘Thank you,’ she muttered and heard the engine give a throaty roar as he pulled into the Buenos Aires traffic.
Raul glanced across at her but her eyes were closed and her face was pale.
Sleeping? Upset?
She definitely had been upset and he knew why, of course.
When Julieta had announced her pregnancy, the look on Faith’s face had been one of utter desolation before her naturally generous nature had reasserted itself and she’d masked that response.
With a fluent oath, he flattened his foot to the floor, wishing that he had chosen to use the helicopter for this particular evening out in the capital.
He didn’t like the fact that she was lying still and quiet next to him. He didn’t even know if she was really asleep or just pretending. And either activity was completely unlike her. Before their wedding she’d possessed boundless energy and she’d wanted to talk about everything.
To his surprise he was fast discovering that her sudden silence disturbed him more than her emotional insights and probing questions.
At least when she’d done that he’d known how to respond.
Now he felt out of his depth and that was an entirely new feeling for him.
He was also worried that she was so pale and tired. Had she been pale before Julieta had made her announcement? His mind scanned the past. She’d been tired since her head injury and he frowned suddenly as he recalled the number of times he’d seen her curl up on the bed and fall asleep.
What if there was something wrong with her? What if she was ill?
He felt a sudden flash of foreboding.
Increasing his speed, he arrived at the estancia in record time but when he pulled into the courtyard, Faith still didn’t wake. With a soft curse, Raul sprang from the car and threw his keys to a waiting member of staff. ‘Call the doctor. I want him at the Beach House in the next ten minutes.’
‘It’s two in the morning—’
‘I know what time it is.’ Unaccustomed to having his orders questioned, Raul threw the man a warning glare. ‘Just call him.’ Then he strode round to the passenger side and scooped Faith into his arms.
Her head flopped against his shoulder and she stirred for a moment but didn’t really wake up.
Trying not to think about how slender and impossibly fragile she was, Raul strode along the path into the Beach House and laid her on the bed.
Staring down at her, he hesitated for a moment and then bent down and gently pulled off her shoes. Deciding that the dress didn’t look too comfortable either, he slid it down her body with the ease of experience and then wished he hadn’t because she wasn’t wearing a bra and her pale, rose-tipped breasts seemed to be crying out for his attention.
Teeth gritted, Raul grabbed the cover and pulled it over her semi-naked form, the unfamiliar degree of self-sacrifice leaving his body aching with raw sexual frustration. If this was how it felt to commit an unselfish act, he brooded, then he certainly wouldn’t be making a habit of it.
As he tucked her in, Faith stirred and opened her eyes. ‘Did I sleep all the way home? Sorry,’ she murmured. ‘Not very exciting for you.’
‘I’m fine,’ Raul lied smoothly, relieved to see that her cheeks had a little more colour. Perhaps she wasn’t ill. She probably was just tired, he assured himself. After all, he wasn’t allowing her much sleep at night, was he? And they were indulging in an unusual degree of physical activity.
And her mind was obviously working along the same lines because she gave him a slow, sleepy smile. ‘Aren’t you coming to bed?’
For a moment he was sorely tempted and then he remembered that the doctor would be arriving soon. To reduce the temptation to slide under the cover and bring some colour to her cheeks by alternative means, Raul retreated to the chair in the farthest corner of the bedroom. ‘I’m not coming to bed yet.’
That statement was so out of character that it should
have roused at least a question from Faith, but she simply looked at him. ‘All right. Well, don’t get too tired.’
Raul looked at her in exasperation.
Was that all she was going to say? What had happened to the probing and the questions? What had happened to the talking?
Feeling as though the whole situation was sliding out of his control, Raul decided to just give her the answer she hadn’t asked for. ‘I’m waiting for the doctor to come.’
‘The doctor? Are you ill?’ Her eyes widened and she sat up suddenly, her expression anxious.
‘Not me,’ he ground out, hastily averting his eyes from her breasts. ‘You. I’ve called the doctor for you.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re always tired.’
‘I’m fine,’ she began and he interrupted her with an impatient glance.
‘You are not fine. You had a head injury and I want to know that these bouts of tiredness are a normal part of the recovery process.’
She looked at him with incredulity. ‘It’s the middle of the night, Raul!’
‘I don’t care,’ he responded in a driven tone. ‘I want a doctor to look at you.’
‘I’m fine—’
‘Stop saying you’re fine. You’re not fine. For a start you’re not behaving like yourself.’
She pulled the covers up to her chin. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
Did he have to spell it out? He rose to his feet and ran his fingers through his hair. ‘This evening—you were upset. About Julieta.’ He saw the sudden wariness in her eyes and his mouth tightened. ‘So why aren’t you trying to talk about it? You always talk if something is upsetting you.’
‘I thought I was supposed to phone a girlfriend for that.’ Her tone was light and Raul tolerated the gentle dig because he was well aware that he deserved it.
He wasn’t good at talking about things.
Even now he didn’t want to have this conversation, but he knew he couldn’t afford not to have it. ‘I had no idea Julieta was pregnant,’ he confessed in a raw tone. ‘Or I would never have invited them to join us.’
One Night In Collection Page 113