“I know you did not give the story to the press,” he said gravely.
If he hoped that news would make her leap up and throw herself in his arms, he was mistaken. “And? Did you hire someone to tell you this? Find the real culprit so you could no longer blame me?”
“No, I did none of these things. I just know.”
She did laugh this time—and it was as bitter as acid. “How can you suddenly just know? It’s not like you, Alejandro! You’ve done something and you’re lying to me about it.”
He moved with a speed that startled her. When she would have scrambled away, he dropped to his knees in front of her, gripped her hands. “I know because of many things, amor. I know you are not capable of this kind of deception. It’s too calculated, too cold—”
She tried to wrench her hands away, but he wouldn’t let go. “But this is exactly what you’ve been accusing me of all along! I’m cold, calculating. I’ll sleep with anyone for anything, I make bargains on my back and—”
“Stop,” he ordered. “I was wrong.”
She searched his eyes, looking for deceit. “I don’t understand you,” she whispered.
“Can you forgive me for the things I’ve said? The things I’ve done?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. She stared at their clenched hands. His dark ones gripping her paler ones. “You’ve hurt me too many times. I’m not sure I can take that risk again. Or that I want to.”
He let her go and she pulled away, stood up and moved out of his reach, while he remained kneeling by the bed. He dropped his forehead on the edge of the mattress, stayed that way for several moments.
Her heart slammed her ribs at seeing him like that. She didn’t understand it, didn’t know why he would go to such lengths. Had she missed some sort of Spanish law about mothers getting full custody of children in divorces? About foreigners married to Spaniards for less than a month? Did he need her to come back so he could take their baby away?
She pressed a hand to her abdomen protectively.
“I blamed you,” he said. “That’s why I did it.”
“What?”
He looked up. “For Anya. I blamed you.”
Horror coated her in iciness. “That makes no sense, Alejandro. How could it be my fault?”
He got to his feet, began to pace. “My father arranged for my brother to marry the daughter of one of his friends—a man he owed money to. When my brother died, my father wished me to honor the agreement. I have told you this, sí?”
She nodded, not quite sure where he was going with this.
“But I did not want to marry her. I wanted to choose my own wife, in my own time. So I refused. And then you ran because you thought I was engaged. I tried to explain this to you, but you did not believe me. Nor did I believe that you ever really loved me once Cahill pulled my deal. So I agreed to marry Caridad. She had all the right qualifications: bloodline, wealth, beauty. It was a marriage of convenience, and I was satisfied. She would be the perfect wife for me.”
He blew out a breath, raked his hand through his hair. “I was wrong. When Anya was born Caridad didn’t seem to care. She was always distant and cold. This did not bother me until she was the same with our child. I knew I had made a mistake.”
He stopped and faced her. “The night Anya died, Caridad was in Milan. She was unreachable for many hours. And when I did track her down she refused to come home until the next afternoon, because there was nothing she could do for Anya.”
Rebecca’s heart squeezed. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but she was frozen in place. “And you blamed me for this? Why?”
“I chose to marry her because you left me, Rebecca. Everything that happened to me and to Anya happened because you left.”
Resentment and sorrow mingled, burned deep. Her throat hurt as she forced the words to come. “You had a choice, Alejandro. There is always a choice. Just like my father had when he chose to pursue the Thailand acquisition. It is not your fault he was there, or that he got on that plane. He made his own choice. Just as you did. And had you not married Caridad you would have never had the joy of Anya. You wouldn’t have suffered the pain, but you wouldn’t have had the beauty either.”
“I know this now. You have made me see it. You have made me see many things about myself I do not like,” he finished quietly.
“Why are you saying this to me now? How do I know you won’t blame me for something else, or accuse me of betraying you again?” She shook her head. “I don’t want to take a chance and have it blow up in my face.”
He drew in a sharp breath, let it out in a rush. “Dios, I must learn to let go, yes? You said the world will still move without me forcing it, so I have to take this leap. With you, Rebecca. I cannot do it alone.”
Her lungs felt tight, but it wasn’t panic closing in on her. Did she dare to hope? Or was he simply saying he would try better at their marriage? “Tell me what you mean, Alejandro. You have to say the words so I can be sure I understand you clearly.”
“I am saying I wanted to marry you five years ago, Rebecca. I cared for you. It has taken me much thinking to realize the truth. And the truth is that I would not have been so angry you left had I not loved you.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “You’re saying you loved me when we were together before?” She could scarcely believe it. It was what she’d wanted then, more than anything. To be loved in return by the only man she had ever lost her heart to. But did he truly mean it? Could they get past all the hurt and anger between them?
“I loved you then. I love you now.” He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “I am terrified of this love.”
She knew why. “Because you don’t have power over it.” For him, the loss of control would be devastating.
“Sí,” he replied, suddenly looking at her with such tenderness she thought her knees would buckle if she weren’t already sitting down.
“I’m not sure what to say, Alejandro.” But her pulse was racing and her body was humming with energy.
“Say you love me too.”
She couldn’t deny it. She had no wish to. “I never stopped.”
“Madre de Dios, gracias,” he offered skyward. “Does this mean you will forgive me?”
“I’m working on it. I need time.”
He looked disappointed, but resigned. “You will tell me when?”
She nodded. She thought he might leave her alone now, but he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to look out the window. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that— him looking outside, her sitting in the chair, thinking about everything that had happened. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to go to him.
And yet—
Each time she’d opened herself to him in the past she’d been hurt. She looked at his profile, his proud features, and realized just how hard this had been for him. To tell her everything, to admit he was wrong, to declare he loved her. If he could take that chance, couldn’t she?
Rebecca got up, and he turned at the movement. She went and wrapped her arms around his neck and he caught her close, buried his face in her hair. They stayed that way for several minutes, not talking, just holding each other. Finally she pushed him back just a little, so she could look at his gorgeous face. Yes, it was a leap, but she had to do it with him. She had to trust him with her heart and soul.
“I think I forgive you now. I love you, Alejandro. I always have.”
He kissed her so sweetly she could have cried. “Mi corazón,” he whispered. “You have enslaved me. I fought you but I did not win.”
“Are you sorry?”
His smile lit up her world. “There are no losers in this game, mi amor. I am, finally, your willing slave.”
She gave him a wicked smile as she reached for his belt. “I can think of a few commands for my slave.”
“I had hoped you would say so,” he said fervently.
Life, Rebecca decided, was about to get a whole lot more interesting.
EPILOGUE
REBECCA emerged from the limo after her doctor’s appointment and headed into Ramirez Enterprises. The appointment had been simply routine now she was closer to her due date. The genetic testing had revealed months ago that their baby would not be at any higher risk than was usual.
The receptionist greeted her with a smile as she strode into the lobby. She stepped into the private elevator and let the operator send her to Alejandro’s office. The business was as strong as ever. Once Rebecca had united with Alejandro for a joint statement to the press about her father, the speculation had died down and the rumor had disappeared.
Further, when Alejandro had announced she was joining Ramirez Enterprises as the lead consultant to the hotel division, share prices had taken off. And she had no qualms about charging him an exorbitant fee for her expertise, husband or not.
Alejandro looked up from his desk. “I thought you were working from home today, mi amor?”
She shrugged. “I have already completed the projections for your next big project. Besides, I wanted to see you.”
One eyebrow lifted. “Dare I hope why?”
“You may hope.”
He came around the desk and pulled her gently into his embrace. “I can hardly get my arms around you.”
“Alejandro, no woman likes to be called fat. Shame on you.”
He laughed. “You aren’t fat, mi amor. You are radiant.”
She lost herself in his kiss. A second later, he seated her in a cushy chair. He put his hands on either side of her, tilting her back. “So tell me,” he said, his lips ghosting over hers, down her neck, back up again. “What did the doctor say?”
“Veronica is perfectly healthy. I too am healthy as a horse. And just about as big.” Rebecca frowned. How the man still found her attractive, she would never know.
“Yes, but can we still make love so close to your due date?”
“You really want to?”
He took her hand, pressed it to his groin. “What do you think?”
Rebecca sucked in a breath. Oh, my … “I think you need glasses.”
“I think I adore you. I need you, mi amor.”
“It would be cruel of me to deny you.”
“Oh, indeed.”
“Lock the door.”
“Consider it done.”
When he returned, he pulled her with him to the leather sofa and took her in his arms again. He gazed into her face with a look so serious it took her breath away. “You have made my life more wonderful than I ever thought possible. I am truly blessed.”
“Alejandro,” she breathed, “you are my everything.”
And then she proved it to him.
A month later, Veronica Rebecca Angelica Rivera de Ramirez made her long-awaited debut—much to the delight of her parents. Eight months after that Rebecca was pregnant again—with twins. Life in the Ramirez household was never boring, but it was filled with love and laughter—and a few kittens and puppies.
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 B.V./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.
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Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
HOT NIGHTS WITH A SPANIARD
© Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. 2012
Bedded for the Spaniard’s Pleasure © Carole Mortimer 2009
Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride © India Grey 2009
Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge © Lynn Raye Harris 2009
ISBN: 978-1-408-99602-7
Table of Contents
Title Page
Bedded for the Spaniard’s Pleasure About the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride About the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge About the Author
Dedication
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
Hot Nights with a Spaniard (Mills & Boon M&B) (Mills & Boon Special Releases) Page 49