Usually he’d be out on a night like tonight. Making nice with people he did business with, or whose business he was trying to acquire. He’d have a beautiful woman on his arm and he’d be the envy of the room. The idea of being tied down to one woman, of having a child, was an anathema to him.
He’d told himself Gabby had broken his trust in everything. But everything she’d said had been the truth. She was no thief, no cheat, no liar. All she was, was the mother of his son, a mother struggling against mounting odds to get by. A mother and a miraculous woman. One he loved. One he was in love with.
He looked in on Fraser as he walked back to his bedroom. In the haze of his nightlight, the boy slept so peacefully he could have been on the front of a Christmas card.
Was this what he wanted? Some sort of domesticated bliss?
Yes. He decided. He wanted it all. The whole gift wrapped Christmas Catalogue Family Package.
Chapter Twelve
Gabby stretched luxuriously and rolled over to snuggle into Nicolas. Cold. Nothing. Smoothing the thick cotton sheets she rolled over to inhale his scent. Soapy with a little bit of citrus and outdoor pine. Yum. He must have got up to make breakfast. She smiled as she thought of him in the kitchen, whistling while he scrambled eggs. Get a grip, you’ll be imagining him in an apron soon.
Pulling the covers back up to her chin she stared at the ceiling, just a couple more minutes, Fraser knew to play in his room for a little while on Sunday mornings. Her hands slid down over her naked body. It seemed impossible, but her skin still hummed from Nicolas’s ministrations last night. There was no denying it, the man had some sort of hold over her. Every time they touched, her resolve just melted and she wanted to drag him close and keep him there.
“Maybe that might not be such a bad thing,” she whispered to the empty bedroom. Looking around, Gabby still couldn’t quite believe what had happened these past few weeks. The space, quiet and sheer opulence of the apartment was a far cry from any place she thought she’d be living, well, ever. She hadn’t meant to end up in this bed again last night, but perhaps their connection was something they both needed to own up to now.
It’s not just a hold over your body though is it? Gabby put her hands over her heart. No, it was not just her body that hummed. She let a small smile steal over her lips.
Nicolas Morganti had stalked back into her life, stamped his foot, and demanded to stay. He was better with children than she could possibly have imagined, and had taken the news that he was Fraser’s father pretty well considering. Rather than throw them out on the streets and take out a restraining order against her he’d done what she hadn’t dared dream of. “He wants us to stay. Here.” Sure the austerity of all the white was a bit much for anything other than a hotel, but Fraser would soon put paid to that with a few drawings and the general detritus that came with being almost six.
Almost six years old. How time flew. Surely it was worth giving their relationship another go. At least if she got her heart broken again, she couldn’t say she hadn’t tried. Better than spending another six years wondering what if. But she was under no illusions this time, if Nicolas was the one to end it this time, her heart would be broken. “I love you.” Her voice wavered as she tried saying those three words out loud in the empty room. It didn’t sound so bad. “I love you.” A little bit stronger, less hesitation. Better.
She let her imagination stray, pictured Nicolas sitting at the kitchen table, smiling at her as she spoke, then repeating those three little words back to her. Fraser would jump up and climb onto his knee and the three of them would live happily ever after. Good one. “I’ll be wanting a fairy wand next.” She laughed at herself. But he couldn’t hate her anymore if he wanted them to stay, and the way her looked at her when they were in bed together...maybe? Maybe what? Maybe his feelings ran deeper than even he wanted to admit?
She didn’t want to scare him off, but soon, soon, she was going to admit to him just how deep her feelings ran.
Taking a deep breath, Gabby threw back the covers and padded to the guest bedroom for her bathrobe. Popping her head into Fraser’s room, she found the place empty. Wandering down to the kitchen she found two eggy plates, but no Fraser or Nicolas. “Hello? Fraser? Nicolas?” Going from room to room, Gabby found a media suite she hadn’t known existed, a formal dining room, a small fitness space, and a coat cupboard. But no Nicolas. And no Fraser.
Opening the fridge she did a quick scan. Milk, check. Eggs, check. Ha, no bread. They must have gone out to get some more.
Time for a shower then. She looked down at her the clothes she had to choose from and picked at the frayed sleeve of her best dress-coat. She would insist they pay rent while they were here, but maybe it wouldn’t be too much. Perhaps she’d actually be able to afford a few new clothes, there’d be sales on soon. It wouldn’t hurt to make sure Nicolas knew there was a beautiful woman under all her old mommy clothes.
The shower was wonderfully hot, of course, and Gabby used a dollop of every fabulous product on the shelf, obviously all bought by Tessa. Smelling like jojoba and vanilla, Gabby wrapped herself in a plump towel and got to work preening her eyebrows.
Primed, polished and prepared she wandered back down to the kitchen and poured a bowl of granola while she waited.
That finished, she looked around again, perhaps they’d left a note. She looked everywhere for the piece of paper.
Nothing.
Perhaps Nicolas didn’t know where bread came from. She had a little laugh, then sobered up. It could almost be possible. Tessa did all the shopping, he’d probably never run out of anything before. What if he was out roaming the streets with Fraser, and they got mugged, and someone took Fraser hostage and…
“Calm down. Make a coffee.”
After she’d pushed every button she could and then finally found the remote tucked into the wall behind a sofa, she watched TV for a little while to distract herself.
Nothing.
With shaking fingers she dialed Nicolas’s number. Straight to message service.
Leaving the TV on in case there was a news broadcast about a wealthy business man being kidnapped, she paced the media suite. A bulletin about a custody case came on and she stopped dead.
Dear. God.
He wouldn’t? Gabby ran through last night’s conversation and it felt like her blood ceased pumping. All her happy thoughts drained from her, all the hopes, the plans, the life seemed to drip away as the judge awarded custody of two small children to the wealthy father on the screen in front of her.
Nicolas had said he could still apply for custody. He could, not that he would. Surely taking Fraser before he’d even seen a lawyer wasn’t Nicolas’s style. It would count against him in court. But Nicolas was rich, more than rich, completely loaded and totally influential. Didn’t men like him always get what they wanted?
She should have known. If things seemed too good to be true, they always were. There was no such thing as fairytales. Not in New York City. And especially not with men like Nicolas Morganti.
Not this time. Gabby almost ran back into the kitchen and grabbed the phone from its cradle. She dialed the number for the New York City police.
“Mommy!”
“Fraser!” Gabby hung up the phone and ran to sweep Fraser up in her arms. “Where have you been? I was so worried.” She covered his face with kisses and he batted her off. Setting him down, she spotted his outfit. “What’s that you’re wearing?”
“My elf suit. Nicolas said I could keep it. I’m going to wear it to school tomorrow.”
“We’ll have to see about that.” Gabby couldn’t bring herself to look at Nicolas. In the space of an hour she’d been living happily ever after with the man, seen him mugged and killed, before swiftly moving on to accuse him of kidnapping. If he said anything, anything kind or brutal, she might just crack in a way Fraser wouldn’t understand.
In. Out. In. Out. Remember to breathe. Still not looking at Nicolas she let Fraser lead her to the so
fa and sit her down. Finally it felt like she was stable enough to chance a glance at Nicolas. Dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, Nicolas was every inch the international business tycoon, but the Christmas antlers on his head and goofy grin spoiled the effect. “They were Fraser’s idea,” he said, pulling them off.
“I, I was worried.”
His face fell. “Oh no. Oh, I’m sorry. Didn’t you get our note?”
“What note? I searched the whole place.”
“That note.” Fraser pointed at the Christmas tree and Gabby realized GONE SHOPPING was spelt out on the floor below it in Fraser’s toy cars and building blocks.
“Oh. You have no idea the scenarios I’ve been…”
“Hush.” Nicolas sat next to her. “It’s okay. We’re back now.”
Looking up into his dark eyes, Gabby didn’t see the kidnapper she’d imagined only moments ago. But was there any prince charming?
“Hey. Hey, you guys. Can we give it to her now?” Fraser was almost bouncing up and down, Gabby registered.
“Give me what?”
Nicolas frowned. “I’d thought about putting it under the tree. But it looks like that cat is well and truly out of the Santa sack.”
Fraser giggled.
Nicolas nodded at Fraser and the boy pulled a small Tiffany’s box out of his pocket.
Gabby turned to Nicolas, her eyes bulging. “You’re getting my son to give me that?”
“It’s not…no, it’s not from Tiffany’s.”
“It’s not from Tiffany’s? Then why is in…”
“It was the only box they had at the antique store. Fraser, buddy, quick, you better open it.”
Fraser shuffled forward and pushed an exquisite gold charm bracelet towards Gabby.
“We chose it together,” Nicolas said.
“It’s us,” Fraser said happily and pulled it out of the tissue. “See, this is you.” His small fingers held a gold woman charm. “And this is me.” He pointed next to a young boy with a dog. “This is our house.” A child’s version of a house, with four windows a door and a chimney came next. “And this is daddy.” Fraser looked over at Nicolas.
Gabby darted a look at Nicolas.
“He asked. I wasn’t about to lie.”
“So it’s true? He is my daddy?” Fraser climbed up into Gabby’s lap like he had when he was younger and pulled her face down to look into his eyes.
“Yes, baby. He’s your daddy. But that doesn’t mean…”
“Cool.”
Gabby started and Nicolas laughed. “Is that it? Cool?”
Fraser shrugged. Then an idea struck him. “Hey, my daddy is friends with Santa. Wait till I tell Michael Fitzpatrick!” he clambered down from Gabby’s lap and ran over to his toys, scrambling the message Gabby had missed earlier.
“So can I have a dog?” he asked.
Gabby laughed. “I don’t think a dog is really a good idea baby. There’d be no one to look after it during the day.”
“Maybe a giant toy dog,” Nicolas said, in a loud stage whisper.
Fraser smiled and turned his back on the two of them.
“Do you like it?” Nicolas asked, as he shuffled a little closer along the sofa.
“It’s beautiful,” Gabby replied.
“He missed off a few of the charms,” Nicolas said and took the bracelet from her. “Here’s your knight’s horse, in case you need to, I don’t know, escape from a dragon; a golden slipper, you know, to go to the ball, and—“
Gabby put her hand over the bracelet. “It’s lovely.”
“Let me finish.” Nicolas gently pulled her hand away. “Here’s a golden ring, for—”
Gabby looked up into the same dark grey eyes of her son and saw only warmth there.
“Hey, if he’s my daddy, does that mean you guys are going to get married?” Fraser piped up from across the room. “Can I wear my elf costume?”
“Fraser,” Gabby scolded. “Nicolas was talking.”
“I was going to say, for when we’re ready. But perhaps—“
“There’s no rush,” Gabby said quickly. “We’ve landed in your life overnight. Don’t go doing anything you’ll regret later. Fraser and I have managed by ourselves this long. Don’t feel obligated to ‘do the right thing’ or anything.” She said the words lightly, but it took every inch of her will power to not throw herself on Nicolas and confess everything her heart had kept hidden.
“I’ve been managing by myself for too long,” Nicolas said. “I thought that’s what I wanted. That the ache I felt when you left was because you ran out on me before I got a chance to break up with you.” He sighed. “But it’s obvious what’s wrong. I love you. I always have. You’re what’s missing in my life.”
Gabby bit her lip. “You do?” she took a deep shuddering breath. “Sometimes I thought you hated me.”
“I tried to tell myself that. But I guess it was just a defense mechanism.” He took her hand and looked up into her eyes. “Sorry to have not trusted you from the beginning.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
He dropped his gaze. “But I’ll understand if you don’t feel the same way. I mean, you have Fraser to think of.”
“What? No. Of course I do.”
“Do?”
“Love you. I mean, I love you too.”
“Well that’s lucky. Because that ring goes with another one. Lift out the tissue from the bottom of the box.”
Gabby shut her eyes. “No. I can’t. It’s too much. You do it.”
She heard Nicolas chuckle. “You’re sure you want me to? I can always save it for later.”
Her eyes snapped open and she pulled the tissue from the gift wrapped box. “Oh my goodness.” The antique ruby and diamond cluster, set in a band of rose gold was too perfect.
“So. Will you?” Nicolas asked and she realized he was down on one knee, holding her hand.
“Go on Mommy,” Fraser stage whispered from over by the Christmas tree.
Gabby laughed even while a cascade of tears made their way down her face. “Yes. Oh, of course yes. Yes!”
Nicolas’s eyes no longer seemed grey as they gazed up into hers. Gabby realized they held the glint and sparkle of precious metal and as he slipped the ring onto her finger, she couldn’t help feeling all her Christmases had come at once.
Michele’s Acknowledgements
All an author needs to work is quiet, a sharp pencil and chocolate. Right? If only it were that easy. I’d like to thank all the people who help get dreams onto paper. A big yeay goes to my writing buddy Carmen Falcone, who has turned from Critique Partner into Release Buddy Badass. Thanks for always being OMG are you kidding we should definitely do that – to All Of The Things. To my awesome writing pals, Talia Hunter, and Trudi Jaye who are constantly there with support, and sometimes wine. And in a similar vein, but perhaps with more chocolate, thanks to the women with eagle eyes for story and typos, Evelyn Berry, Bronwyn Evans and Shar Barrett. And thanks to our cover designer Carrie for putting up with our wondrous pontification! Thanks also to the Romance Writers of New Zealand who, by being around, have provided me with valuable insight and craft lessons. To all the writers who I have twitter-sprinted with, facebook-partied with, and generally have spurred on creative madness, thanks. What an amazing community.
I also need to put out a big thanks to my family, especially my husband, who takes the children to the park when deadlines approach. And to my two boys, for making me laugh and remember to not take life so seriously.
Finally, thanks to you the readers, I love it that you read our books, that’s what this is all about. May the perfect hero find you and bring you a glorious happy ending, ideally with chocolate for desert. Thanks for all the love and happy reading!
About Michele
Michele de Winton loves sunshine, chardonnay, (preferably together), beaches, trees, great vegetarian food, steamy writing and happy endings. She’s been known to be an all round arty type and it's no wonder that her first rom
ance had a little sparkle of the stage tucked into its pages. Being a writer was not was she was supposed to be when she ‘grew up' but then neither was being a dancer. Her poor parents. They thought that when she toddled off to law school they'd bred a responsible, useful adult and instead they got a performer and word junkie. Sometimes her performing past jumps into the dress up box and requires attention. But most of the time she’s content to stay in her PJs. All day. She writes surrounded by the whisper of trees from her home in New Zealand and with only intermittent interruptions from her two young sons and husband. (Okay more like regular interruptions, but dreaming is free.)
You can check out her other work or get in touch at www.micheledewinton.com
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Other titles by Michele de Winton
The Boss and Her Billionaire
Love Lost and Found
The Billionaire Bundle
A Talon at Her Throat
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