EPILOGUE
MOONLIGHT bathed the gardens with its usual magic at Quinta das Montanhas when Katherine joined the man leaning against a pillar to wait for her. Roberto de Sousa took her in his arms and kissed her with rather more reverence than she had expected in such circumstances.
‘Minha esposa,’ he said against her lips. ‘At last you are my wife.’
Katherine sighed happily. ‘We finally made it. Now all we need is a churrasco party at Estancia Grande when we get home, to celebrate the deed, and I’ll feel we’re well and truly married.’
Roberto laughed softly. ‘I know easier—and more delightful—ways to convince you of that!’
‘I bet you do, Roberto Rocha!’
‘I was not the one who gave that name to the photographers at our wedding, querida!’
She sighed. ‘I know. Who knew Hugh would be so sneaky? Sorry about that.’
‘On such a day, why would I mind?’ Roberto kissed her again, the reverence less in evidence this time. ‘But that was yesterday, and my bride was so tired last night I—saint that I am—let her sleep in peace. But now Lidia and Jorge have served us a sumptuous wedding supper and vanished to their quarters, come, minha mulher, let us do the same.’ He held out his hand. ‘I can carry you upstairs if you wish, but it is better I keep my energy for more important activities, nao e?’
‘Absolutely,’ she assured him as they went hand in hand up the familiar staircase. Roberto picked her up to carry her inside the bedroom she’d slept in before, and set her down to undress her with urgent hands before laying her on the bed.
‘Amada,’ he said huskily, as they lay naked together for the first time as man and wife. ‘I have so longed for this day—and this night. I need much consolation for all the nights we have spent apart.’
Katherine gladly provided it, putting all the pent up longing of their separation into her kisses as Roberto made passionate love to her with hungry lips and urgent hands until their bodies could no longer exist apart. As they came together as man and wife for the first time, tears hung on Katherine’s lashes as Roberto told her in two languages how much he adored and cherished her, and how happy she made him, until at last there was only the sound of their sobbing breaths as they surged together to a climax that left them speechless in each other’s arms.
Roberto raised his head at last, his eyes luminous in the moonlight streaming through the window. ‘Look at me, Katherine.’
She raised heavy eyelids to gaze up into the taut, handsome face, marvelling that she was really here, in her bridegroom’s arms at long last. ‘I’m looking,’ she whispered.
‘I swear I will make you happy, always.’
‘I am happy. A happily married woman,’ she added in wonder. ‘But I had to get through a surprising amount of work to achieve it, not least organising things with the house.’
‘It is good your friends are renting it from you,’ he agreed, and rolled on his back, pulling her close. ‘They wished to buy it, no?’
Katherine nodded. ‘But I could never sell it.’
‘It would cause pain to sever your link with your father,’ agreed Roberto.
She reached up and kissed him, grateful for his perception. ‘Yes. But I have the comfort of knowing it’s in good hands. Hugh is still renting the top flat, and I was happy to let Alastair and Rachel turn the two lower floors into one for their first home. Sam Napier will make sure the conversion is done well.’
‘I liked him very much, Charlotte, too. She is a most elegant lady.’
‘But your mother stole the show in that fabulous hat.’ Katherine chuckled drowsily. ‘I’m so pleased she braved the flight to see us married.’
‘I will tell her that when I ring the Estancia after they return home.’ Roberto smoothed the hair back from her face. ‘James Massey told me he is happy about the new arrangement with you.’
She nodded happily. ‘With the aid of my spanking new computer I can work for him from Estancia Grande as easily as I can at the gallery.’
‘Do not let the computer take up all your time, amada.’ He rolled onto his side to look into her eyes. ‘Save most of it for me.’
‘I will,’ she assured him.
‘Ah, querida, do you know how I felt when you made your vows to me?’
‘Pleased? Happy?’
‘De certeza. But it was more than that. When I was racing I believed that the only thing important was to be world champion.’ He drew her close. ‘I was wrong. To win you as my wife is the greatest achievement of my life. Why are you crying, amada?’
‘How can you expect me not to when you say things like that to me?’ She blinked the tears from her lashes and smiled into his eyes. ‘If it’s any consolation, Roberto Rocha, you’ll always be world champion as far as I’m concerned. If we had a bottle of champagne handy I’d spray it all over you to prove it.’
Roberto gave a delighted laugh and hugged her close. ‘There is something I would like more than champagne.’
‘What is it?’
‘This is our wedding night, querida, so make a guess!’
‘If you mean you want to make love to me again, take me, I’m yours!’ she assured him, smiling. Her smile faded. ‘I mean that, Roberto. I’ve been yours from the moment I first set eyes on you, whether you wanted me or not.’
His eyes lit with the smile which always made her heart beat faster. ‘Of course I wanted you, amada. While I breathe I always will. And now I have you, minha esposa, I will never let you go!’ A sneaky peek at next month…
All the 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 the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
First published in Great Britain 2011
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Catherine George 2011
ISBN: 978-1-408-92598-0
Table of Contents
Cover
Excerpt
About the Author
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Copyright
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Under the Brazilian Sun Page 16