The Vasquez Baby

by Sarah Morgan

  Then she collapsed against him and he closed his arms around her, feeling the softness of her hair brushing against his jaw.

  He was the first to break the silence. ‘You’ve never done that before.’

  ‘You’ve never given me a chance,’ she said huskily. ‘You just take the initiative every single time. I used to think I was quite a strong woman, and then I met you.’

  ‘That’s just because I can’t look at you and not want to be inside you,’ he groaned, his impossibly frank confession drawing a soft laugh from her.

  ‘You’re very dominating, do you know that?’

  ‘Never again,’ Raul vowed, stroking her soft hair with a reverential hand. ‘It was amazing. You were amazing. From now on I’ll just lie there and let you do all the work. I’ll be passive.’

  ‘Passive?’ She lifted her head and her eyes sparkled into his. ‘You couldn’t be passive if you tried. You and passive are like oil and water, you just don’t mix.’

  ‘So why did you choose tonight?’

  Her smile faded and there was a sudden shyness in her eyes. ‘We had a problem. I didn’t know how to get through to you.’

  ‘I thought you said that sex doesn’t solve problems.’

  ‘It’s always worked for you,’ she muttered. ‘I thought it was worth a try.’

  ‘It worked.’ He gave a groan and cupped her face in his hands, drawing her mouth to his. ‘Dios mío, it definitely worked. Any time you want to be dominating again, just go ahead.’

  Faith woke to find Raul sprawled in a chair, a brooding expression on his handsome face as he watched her yawn and stretch.

  ‘It’s lunchtime,’ he informed her smoothly and her eyes widened in surprise.

  ‘It can’t possibly be that late!’

  ‘You just crashed out and you haven’t moved since.’ His eyes scanned her features with disturbing intensity. ‘You are as pale as marble. I am going to ask the doctor to see you.’

  ‘No.’ She sat up and rubbed her eyes, embarrassed that she’d just slept for so long. ‘There’s no need. I’m fine, really. I was just tired. The last few weeks have been stressful.’ The moment the words left her mouth she regretted them because she felt the immediate increase in his tension.

  ‘I know, and since this is clearly the time for apologies, I’m willing to accept that some of this is my fault.’

  Rendered speechless by that uncharacteristic declaration, Faith stared at him and he frowned.

  ‘Don’t look at me like that. Believe it or not, I am capable of apology when the need arises.’ His eyes darkened and he looked at her for a moment and a faint smile of self-mockery touched his firm mouth. ‘It’s just that the need doesn’t usually arise.’

  She gave a wobbly smile. ‘You don’t have to apologise. I can see now why you were so upset.’

  ‘You are very forgiving, but I shouldn’t have made that comment at the wedding,’ he breathed. ‘It was insensitive of me and in a way I can understand why you ran away. I gave you no reason to believe our relationship could work, but it can, cariño. I do care about your feelings and just to prove that I’ve arranged a very special trip for us.’

  ‘You have?’ She sensed the change in him but didn’t understand it. Was this to do with last night? Whatever had caused it, she wasn’t about to question it and risk ruining it in any way.

  ‘You missed out on a honeymoon,’ he drawled softly. ‘So that’s what I’ve arranged. I’m very aware that when you first came to Argentina you planned to travel around the country and meeting me stopped all that.’

  Faith curled up on the bed, butterflies in her stomach as she watched him. He was so confident and handsome, so utterly sure of himself, how could any woman ever resist him? Looking at him now, she wasn’t surprised that she’d made the decision that she had. ‘I don’t regret anything, Raul.’

  ‘I’m taking you somewhere really special. You deserve it.’

  ‘When will we go?’

  ‘How soon can you dress?’ Raul’s glance was faintly mocking. ‘My pilot is waiting for us.’

  Faith gasped and slipped out of bed. ‘Right now?’

  ‘Of course. Why not?’

  His response made her smile. With Raul everything had to be right now. His capacity for waiting for anything was severely limited. ‘I can be dressed in two minutes,’ she assured him, reaching into her wardrobe for something comfortable to wear. ‘But I need to pack.’

  ‘That’s all been dealt with.’ Raul flipped his phone out of his pocket and spoke briefly to his pilot. ‘Just bring yourself.’

  Faith selected a pair of shoes from the dozens of pairs he’d given her. ‘But where exactly are we going?’

  ‘We’re going to play tourist.’ Taking her hand in a firm grasp, he led her out of the Beach House towards the helipad that was positioned just behind the polo fields.

  ‘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?�
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  ‘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.