by Maya Blake
Her blush was fierce and all-encompassing. But then so was the ache that wouldn’t budge from her heart. ‘Do you expect me to have sex with you when you’ve accused me of marrying you just so I’ll get my hands on your money?’
‘Come off it, Goldie. Sex was off the table even before you signed on the dotted line. You just decided to keep it to yourself. You were biding your time before you dropped your little bombshell.’
‘No, I wasn’t—because I wasn’t even thinking about it then. You left me in bed the first time we made love without a word. I woke up to a note that was tantamount to you telling me you’d made a mistake. And you think the natural progression from that, when we agreed to marry for the sake of our baby, automatically includes sex?’
A faint dull red tinged his cheekbones, but his expression remained rigid. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to be a virgin so, sí, I was a little...thrown. But I did return to you. Only you were asleep. I took the unselfish way of not waking you and chose to sleep in the spare bedroom. But my question still stands. You knew my views on fidelity before you married me, so what did you think was going to happen?’
‘I expected we would talk about it. We never got the chance to discuss it so neither of us knew where we stood.’
‘What about now? Where do we stand?’ he countered.
She shook her head. ‘Right now we stand with me wondering why on earth you’d want to sleep with a shameless gold-digger who would barter her child for fifty million dollars!’
He shrugged, his eyes feverishly raking her face. ‘The money means nothing to me, guapa,’ he drawled softly. ‘Having your body beneath mine again in bed would be worth more than twice that to me.’
‘I do not want to sleep with you for money!’
‘Too late—you have already signed the documents, remember?’
Her hands shook so hard she clenched them in her lap before he saw. ‘Why are you so determined to think the worst of me, Gael?’
‘I’m merely going by the evidence before me.’
‘What evidence? My deplorable timing because I said yes right after you threw in your supposed sweetener?’
‘You signed the document,’ he sliced at her again.
‘Yes, I signed it. So what? Was it some sort of test that I failed? Is there no room for the benefit of the doubt in your world?’
‘That is up to you, Goldie.’
‘How?’
His gaze moved past her face, down her throat, to the two-button opening of her white sleeveless sundress. ‘Find a way.’
He left the dining room shortly after that.
On shaky feet she got up and went to the sideboard to replenish her cup with hot water. Her mother and Patience entered as she was heading back to her seat. Greetings were exchanged. And then she went back to avoiding her mother’s probing stares.
After eating a piece of toast and half a banana without incident, she begged off when her mother invited her to the local market to shop for the souvenirs Gloria wanted to take back to the US. Feeling bad, she promised a mother-daughter lunch before her mother and Patience were taken to the airport for their evening flight.
Escaping to her room, Goldie paced, her mind darting over her conversation with Gael. How could something so seemingly straightforward have become such a jumbled mess?
Was she naive not to have considered that Gael would want a wife in every sense of the word after he’d gone out of his way to avoid her after the first time they’d made love? He claimed he’d returned after disappearing into the bathroom for longer than was normal. But his note the next morning had left very little doubt as to his feelings.
And he’d tried to fob her off with money then too!
She paused mid-stride. It was clear that money was the issue. Gael Aguilar was used to dealing with gold-diggers and scheming women. By signing the prenuptial agreement as it stood, she’d all but drawn a bullseye on her back.
Crossing to the bed, she grabbed her purse and searched for the document. There were pages and pages of it, all wrapped up in legalese. But she eventually found the clause she was looking for. Her heart leapt as she read and re-read it. Grabbing her phone, she did a quick search for local attorneys—those who practised in English as well as Spanish.
After making an appointment, she jumped off the bed and went in search of her mother. She breathed in relief when she caught her and Patience as they headed out.
‘Is it too late to join you?’
Her mother turned around and smiled. ‘Of course not!’
Asking Teresa to let Gael know she’d gone out with her mother, she joined them in the SUV.
The Friday market in Villa de Gracia was bustling, with exquisite trinkets and to-die-for souvenirs at every turn. It was easy for Goldie to leave her mother happily browsing and keep her appointment with the attorney. It took a good few minutes to explain to the ageing lawyer just what she wanted, and he seemed genuinely puzzled by her request. But eventually he called in his son, who agreed to draw up the requisite documents.
Twenty-five minutes later Goldie emerged from the attorney’s office with a smile on her face.
‘Find a way,’ Gael had dared her.
She just had.
Gael was waiting on the front steps of the villa when they returned. The three women glanced at his face as the driver braked the SUV to a stop and the easy laughter in the vehicle died.
‘Well, looks like someone’s headed for the doghouse,’ Patience quipped under her breath. ‘Goldie, honey, what did you do to the poor man?’ the plump companion, originally from New Orleans, stage-whispered.
Goldie snorted. ‘Sometimes I just need to breathe the wrong way.’
Muffled laughter ensued, quickly cut off as Gael strode to the car and opened the door.
‘Everything okay, son?’ her mother asked sweetly.
Gael jerked out a nod. ‘Sí, everything’s fine, Gloria,’ he responded, without taking his eyes off Goldie. ‘Can I talk to you, cara?’
She could tell he was trying to keep his tone even, but the flames raging through his eyes and the white lines bracketing his mouth told a different story.
She pasted a smile on her face. ‘Sure.’
He took her hand and led her into the house. Once inside, he crossed the large rotunda-shaped foyer and took the right set of sweeping wood and iron stairs that led to the second level.
‘Gael—’
He stopped suddenly in the middle of the staircase and stared down at her. One hand reached out and brushed her lower lip. His fingers were shaking.
‘You’ve been itching for an argument, guapa. And I’m about to give you the mother of them all. Just hang tight,’ he snarled, low and deadly.
He resumed climbing, his steps quickening as they crested the stairs. It was all she could do to keep up with him as he moved to the west wing and entered his bedroom.
Goldie had only caught glimpses of Gael’s suite, which was connected to hers. She’d seen it when he’d come into her room on the night of their wedding.
Seeing it in all its glory for the first time, she stopped in the middle of the room. A rich, pale wood theme was everywhere, blended from ceiling to bed to floor, interspersed with a dark marble Goldie wanted to run her fingers over just to see if it was as warm and luxurious as it looked.
Of course all that passed through her mind in a split second before the man...her husband...shut the door with a decidedly repressed click and planted himself in front of her.
For several heartbeats he just stared at her. ‘You went into town with your mother?’
Goldie blinked. ‘Uh...yes?’
He breathed in, long and deep. ‘You went into town with your mother, and then went to see a divorce attorney?’ he seethed with white-hot fury.
Oh, hell. Her heart lurche
d. ‘What? No—!’
‘You were seen, Goldie! The attorney’s office confirmed it. So did my driver.’
He started to whirl away, one hand spiking viciously through his hair. He stopped both actions halfway through and launched himself back in front of her. He looked paler than before, a vein jumping frantically at his temple as he glared at her.
‘Is this your answer when things don’t go your way? Is this your way of trying to get my attention, to bend me to your will?’
She shook her head. ‘You’ve got it wrong. Just let me ex—’
He pointed a finger at her. ‘I won’t grant you a divorce. We agreed to five years. You’re going to give me those five years, and not a day less. You do understand that, don’t you, Goldie? You do get that anything less and I’ll make sure you’re locked in a court battle you’ll have no hope of emerging from for another five years after that.’
She exhaled, exasperation eating her alive. ‘Well, no, I don’t get that. If I want a divorce you’ll have to give me one when the five years are up. That’s the agreement. But—’
‘But nothing! Santa Maria, we’ve been married less than a week and one argument sends you running to a— Wait... If?’
She tried to resist rolling her eyes. She failed. ‘I’m going to explain myself to you now, Gael. Are you ready to listen?’
His brow was thunderous. ‘I’m not a child, Goldie. Tell me what I need to know.’
She bit her tongue against a curt answer. ‘I’ve told you I don’t want your money.’
His nostrils flared but he remained silent.
‘So I went to see an attorney to give it away.’
His eyes widened. ‘What?’
‘The agreement says that on each wedding anniversary I get the sum you promised wired to my account. I got the attorney to divide that money five ways—two-fifths will go to charities here in Barcelona and two-fifths to charities in the States. The fifth portion will go to a local performing arts community near where I live in Trenton.’ She reached into her purse, withdrew the document and held it out to him. ‘Here—see for yourself.’
Mild shock blanketing his face, he took the document from her, read it with lightning speed.
Then he frowned at her. ‘You’re giving away all the money?’
‘All of it.’
‘And did you happen to discuss divorce with this attorney while you were getting this done?’ he demanded, his eyes still a touch wild.
‘No, Gael. I didn’t. The D-word didn’t once pass my lips. You said to find a way. I found a way.’
He exhaled, his breath decidedly shaky as he bunched up the document and flung it over his shoulder. ‘Why the hell didn’t you say that?’
‘You were on a roll. I tried to stop you, but you seemed intent on flattening me.’
He paced in a tight circle without once taking his eyes off her. ‘Dios mio. Why do I you let you drive me so crazy?’ he seethed quietly.
She shrugged. ‘You drive yourself crazy. You don’t need my help.’
He gave a deep, vicious growl before he lunged for her. Fingers spiked into her hair, angled her head, a nanosecond before his mouth smashed down on hers. He kissed her hungrily, deeply, then ripped his mouth from hers a minute later.
‘You found a way?’ he whispered roughly.
‘I found a way.’
He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes boring into her own. ‘Does that mean you want to be with me, Goldie?’ he demanded, his voice hoarse with need. ‘Truly be mine?’
‘Yes,’ she replied simply.
Because her need for him was that simple. She’d been a fool to imagine that she could erase it out of the equation—that she would be content to sleep next door to him for five long years. Even if it were true that Gael would tire of her after six short weeks, she was still going to take that time with him.
The kiss he delivered after her answer in the affirmative was bliss-inducing. Her purse fell off her shoulder and was forgotten. The hem of her sundress was gripped in a tight hold, pulled over her head and dropped to the floor, leaving her in the white bikini set she’d planned to wear for lounging by the poolside that morning.
Gael caressed his way down her jaw, her throat and shoulders. Cupping those, he turned her around and groaned, low and deep.
‘Amante, you’re so beautiful.’
The throaty words drew a delicious shiver from her, making her tremble in his arms. His fingers catching the long ties of her bikini top, he pulled them free and turned her around. Eyes turned burnished gold devoured her seconds before his hands resumed their caress. A deeper tremble seized her as he cupped her breasts and squeezed. Her hand rose to grip his waist.
She needed to hold on to him. It was a desire and a necessity. Her gaze rose to meet his and her breath caught at the ferocious hunger in his eyes. Unable to resist, she stood on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his. His hands left her breasts to gather her close. He groaned when her chest pressed into his. Clever fingers made short work of the bottom half of the bikini. Then, naked, she was once again caught in his arms.
After an age of glorious kissing, Gael picked her up and carried her to his king-sized bed. Quick and efficient movements relieved him of his clothes and then he prowled onto the bed, sleek and magnificent next to her.
From cheek to neck, cleavage to midriff, every inch of her skin was covered in open-mouthed kisses, while over and over his fingers drifted over her abdomen where their baby nestled.
Suddenly he snapped his head up, eyes narrowed. ‘Did you take your prenatal vitamins this morning?’ he asked.
Goldie curbed the need to smile. ‘Yes.’
A brisk nod. ‘Did you have a good breakfast?’
‘Yes.’
He completed another circling caress over her belly. ‘Are you hungry now? The pregnancy book says you should eat little and often. Can I get you anything?’
She suppressed a groan of frustration, sliding her hands over his shoulders, glorying in the muscles that bunched at her touch. ‘I’m fine, Gael. I don’t need anything. No—actually, scratch that. I need you. Only you.’
His grin was full and unfettered, snagging a tight string around her heart. Bending his head, he placed a deep, reverent kiss on her belly before he began to kiss his way lower.
Goldie tried and failed to stop the hot blushes that rolled over her at the expert attention he delivered between her legs. Much too soon she was crying out and soaring high. Still buzzing, she moaned as he rose over her, kissed her lips and caught her hands together above her head.
‘Open your legs for me, querida,’ he commanded throatily.
She obeyed wholeheartedly.
‘Now, look at me. Show me your beautiful eyes.’
Her breath still unsteady from the aftershocks of her climax, she lifted her gaze. He caught it easily, his eyes pinning her as effectively as his body pinned hers.
One hand holding hers captive, he used the other to guide himself into her. They both groaned as pleasure surged, pure and dizzying. Without the restriction of a condom the pleasure was more intense—a fact Gael gutturally attested to a minute after the sensational thought flew across her brain.
‘I want it like this from now on. Always. I can never go back.’
‘Yes...’ she readily agreed, already on a set course to flame-hot bliss.
He increased his tempo, need dictating the pace as he thrust deeper inside her. On another thick groan he lowered his head and fused her mouth with his. Tongues melding, breath mingling, they celebrated their coming together with unfettered passion, then collapsed into each other’s arms as ecstasy flung them into nirvana.
Once their breaths quietened he speared his fingers through her hair and angled her face to his.
‘This time when I go to the bath
room be assured that I will return,’ he mock growled.
Goldie laughed, her heart lifting with a sensation she didn’t want to name just yet. ‘Okay.’
He left her for a minute, returned with a warmed towel. After seeing to her, he returned it to the bathroom. Her breath caught all over again as she watched his gladiator-like body move towards her. She might not be in this position for the whole of the five years they’d committed to one another but, boy, she intended to enjoy every minute of the time she did have.
‘Dare I ask what’s going on in that brain of yours?’ he drawled.
She grimaced. ‘I’m thinking we need to get up soon, before Mom comes knocking. It’s almost time for them to head to the airport.’
‘Right. Nothing like the thought of my mother-in-law catching me defiling her daughter to kill my buzz.’
She laughed. He joined in.
She felt another life-defining twinge of her heart.
By the time they got up to get dressed, ten minutes later, Goldie was beginning to fear the changes her emotions were going through...
CHAPTER TWELVE
GAEL ADJUSTED THE SLEEVES of his morning suit and resisted the urge to glance at his watch for the third time in as many minutes.
‘Goldie, we’re going to be late.’
They were expected at Alejandro’s villa at noon—an hour before the ceremony started.
‘I... I’m almost there.’
He frowned. He didn’t understand her need to keep a separate bedroom now she was sharing his bed. Granted, it had only been one night, but her half-hearted agreement when he’d suggested this morning that she move her things into his suite had irritated him.
Now, with the added tension of the impending ceremony and the inevitable face-to-face with his father, his nape felt tight. Hell, his whole body was on a knife-edge.
He whirled from the window.
And was confronted with a vision.
Dios mio, she was breathtaking! With the time she’d spent in the sun, her café-au-lait skin was almost as dark as his own, making her violet eyes stunning luminous pools. But the flush of pregnancy had added a glow that made it impossible for him to take his eyes off her. With her carefully styled but already a little wild corkscrew curls, and her body draped in a shoulder-baring, floor-length dress, she looked as divine as an angel. She wore the pearl earrings she’d worn on their wedding day, but her throat was bare. She was radiant enough—didn’t need further adornment.
