‘Go on,’ she encouraged softly.
He nodded. ‘I asked her to marry me. We were making plans for the wedding when she met someone else, someone wealthier, older, and decided that he was a much better prospect as a husband. The—the baby miraculously disappeared overnight.’
‘God...!’ Eva breathed softly.
‘I told you it wasn’t a particularly pretty story.’ Michael sighed at his naiveté all those years ago. ‘It’s the oldest trick in the book, I’m told.’
‘She was lying the whole time...’
‘Yes,’ he acknowledged grimly. ‘She tried the same trick on the new man she’d met, and was furious when I warned him what she was up to. None of which is important now—’ he straightened dismissively ‘—except I hope it might explain some of my behaviour this past week?’ He looked at her searchingly. ‘I was distrustful when you arrived with the twins, first claiming they were mine and then that they were Rafe’s, and I made accusations that I’m sincerely ashamed of—’
‘I understand the reason for that now.’ Eva understood so much of Michael’s previous behaviour now; was it any wonder he had been so suspicious of her motives after this girl Emma had tried to trick him into marriage with a false pregnancy all those years ago?
‘Yes. But I want you to know that has nothing to do with my worry over our not having used contraception the night we made love together,’ he continued decisively. ‘As I told you just now, we can have half a dozen sets of twins as far as I’m concerned. I just don’t want that for you right now.’
‘You said you had something else to tell me and something to ask me...?’ she reminded huskily, still too afraid to truly hope.
‘Yes.’
‘And?’ she prompted tensely when he remained silent.
‘And I’ve fallen in love with you!’ The words burst out of him, as if from lack of use. ‘I love you, Eva.’ It seemed easier for him to say the second time, the darkness of his eyes glowing with the emotion. ‘The last four days without you have been—they’ve been hell on earth!’ He gave a shake of his head, his expression bleak. ‘I can’t think, can’t sleep for thinking of you, wanting to be with you. As for the apartment—! I couldn’t stand spending another single day or night there when everywhere I look, every room I go into, reminds me of you, and your being there with the twins. With me.’
The hope Eva had been holding in check now blossomed, burst free, and she rose quickly to her feet to go to Michael, hating that look of desolation on his dear beloved face. ‘I love you too, Michael.’ She raised a tentative hand to his cheek. ‘I love you so much, and it hurts so much not being with you!’
‘Eva...!’ His eyes glowed down into hers like black onyx as he swept her up into his arms and kissed her.
Eva had no idea how much later it was when they finally surfaced long enough to be able to talk again, having been too lost in the wonder of loving Michael and knowing that he loved her in return to notice the passing of time.
‘Will you marry me, Eva?’
She looked up at Michael uncertainly as they lay together on the sofa. ‘The twins—’
‘Will be ours,’ Michael assured firmly.
Eva gave a pained frown. ‘Are you sure? It’s an awfully big responsibility to take on someone else’s children—’
‘As you should know, but they’ll be our children, Eva. That’s if you’ll agree to marry me...?’ he prompted uncertainly. ‘I don’t want some brief relationship with you, Eva, I want to know that you’ll be mine. For always.’
‘I am yours, for always.’ Eva had no doubt that the love she had for Michael, that he had for her, was a tried and tested love, the sort of love that would last and endure.
‘Then marry me,’ he urged huskily. ‘Eva, the only detail missing from the adoption papers is the names of the adoptive parents, and I would deem it a great privilege if you would allow my name to appear next to yours...’
‘Oh, Michael!’ Eva choked back the tears. ‘Yes,’ she cried. ‘Yes, yes, yes.’ She covered his face with happy kisses.
‘Is that a yes to marrying me or a yes to my adopting the twins with you?’
‘Both!’ She beamed up at him.
‘I was hoping you would say that!’ Michael’s arms tightened about her possessively. ‘I promise to love you for the rest of our lifetime, Eva Foster,’ he vowed fiercely.
‘And I promise to love you for the same lifetime, Michael D’Angelo—’ She broke off as one of the twins let out a cry. ‘Oops.’ Eva chuckled ruefully as she sat up. ‘This could be the story of our life, you know, baby interruptus!’
‘I’m looking forward to every moment of it!’ he assured as he stood up with her to go to Sam and Sophie.
So was Eva.
So was Eva...
EPILOGUE
Four weeks later, St Mary’s Church, London.
‘IT REALLY IS a case of how the mighty have fallen this time, isn’t it?’ Rafe remarked lightly to Gabriel as the two men sat beside each other on the front pew of the church.
‘More like the felling of a giant oak tree that’s been standing strong and unmoving for hundreds of years,’ Gabriel came back dryly. ‘Who would ever have thought that Michael would not only fall in love but also become the father of twins in just a few short weeks? And now he’s getting married too!’
‘And after mocking our own recent demise.’ Rafe nodded.
‘I’m not taking any notice of either of you,’ Michael drawled unconcernedly as he sat closest to the aisle waiting for Eva to appear in the church, his two brothers beside him acting as his best men. ‘As long as I have Eva as my wife and the twins as our children I’m going to remain totally immune to your teasing in future!’ The three brothers were all settled into their respective galleries now, Gabriel in London, Rafe in New York, Michael in Paris, all of them determined that nothing like the Pierre episode should ever happen again in their name.
‘We aren’t teasing, Michael, not really. We’re just happy for you,’ Gabriel assured sincerely.
‘We truly are,’ Rafe echoed just as sincerely. ‘Eva is beautiful. And the two of you are perfect for each other.’
‘Thank you,’ Michael accepted softly.
‘And we aren’t just saying that because you managed to secure the second E J Foster exhibition as well as a wife!’ Rafe couldn’t resist adding teasingly.
‘Enjoy it while you can, Rafe, but I’m going to have the last laugh...’ Michael assured dryly.
‘How so?’ Gabriel prompted cautiously.
Michael grinned unabashedly. ‘It was my suggestion that Eva have Bryn and Nina as her bridesmaids, and it was a stroke of genius on her part to have Bryn carry Sophie as the third bridesmaid, and Nina carry Sam as the ring-bearer. The two of them fell instantly in love with the little darlings, and I have no doubt that the two of you are going to be in for some serious wheedling about having children of your own later this evening!’
‘Fine with me,’ Rafe murmured smugly.
‘Me too.’ Gabriel nodded happily.
‘God, we’re a sappy lot, aren’t we?’ Michael murmured ruefully. He thought about the house they were in the process of buying in Paris, with a garden for the twins to play in.
‘And happy to be so—’ Rafe broke off what he had been about to say as the organist began to play the wedding march, the three brothers rising quickly to their feet.
Michael turned proudly to watch as his bride, as his beloved Eva, walked down the aisle towards him, a vision in white satin and lace, their love shining brightly as they gazed into each other’s eyes.
The love of a lifetime.
And a lifetime to love...
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from SHEIKH'S SCANDAL by Lucy Monroe.
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Harlequin Presents welcomes you to the world of The Chatsfield, synonymous with style, spectacle...and scandal!
Read on for an exclusive extract from Lucy Monroe’s stunning story SHEIKH’S SCANDAL, the first in an exciting new 8-book series: THE CHATSFIELD.
* * *
THE GUEST ELEVATORS at The Chatsfield Hotel London were spacious by any definition, but the confined area felt small to Aaliyah Amari.
‘You’re not very western in your outlook,’ she said, trying to ignore the unfamiliar desires and emotions roiling through her.
‘I am the heart of Zeena Sahra, should my people and their ways not be the center of mine?’
She didn’t like how much his answer touched her. To cover her reaction she waved her hand between the two of them and said, ‘This isn’t the way of Zeena Sahra.’
‘You are so sure?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
He laughed, the honest sound of genuine amusement more compelling than even the uninterrupted regard of the extremely handsome man.
‘You are not like other women.’
‘You’re the emir.’
‘You are saying other women are awed by me.’
She gave him a wry look and said dryly, ‘You’re not conceited at all, are you?’
‘Is it conceit to recognize the truth?’
She shook her head. Even arrogant, she found this man irresistible and had the terrible suspicion he knew it, too.
Unsure how she got there, she felt the wall of the elevator at her back. Sayed’s body was so close his outer robes brushed her. Her breath came out on a shocked gasp.
He brushed her lower lip with his fingertip. ‘Your mouth is luscious.’
‘This is a bad idea.’
‘Is it?’ he asked, his head dipping towards hers.
‘Yes. I’m not part of the amenities.’
‘I know.’ His tone rang with sincerity.
‘I don’t do elevator romps,’ she clarified, just in case he didn’t get it.
Something flared in his dark gaze and Sayed stepped back, shaking his head. ‘I apologize, Miss Amari. I do not know what came over me.’
‘I’m sure you’re used to women falling all over you,’ she offered by way of an explanation.
He frowned. ‘Is that meant to be a sop to my ego or a slam against it?’
‘Neither?’
He shook his head again, as if trying to clear it.
She wondered if it worked.
She would be grateful for a technique that brought back her own usual way of thinking, unobscured by this unwelcome and unfamiliar desire.
* * *
Step into the gilded world of the Chatsfields!
Where secrets and scandals lurk behind every door...
Reserve your room in May 2014!
Copyright © 2014 by Lilles Slawik
ISBN-13: 9781460328767
A D’ANGELO LIKE NO OTHER
Copyright © 2014 by Carole Mortimer
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