The Ultimate Romance Box (6 Bestselling Romance Novels)

by Eckhart, Lorhainne

  Those words felt like balm to her worried spirit, and the way he spoke her name, made it sound like an endearment. “You’ve been wonderful also Miguel. Rafael turns to the sound of your voice now, and I’ve noticed that he seems quieter when you’re around.”

  He didn’t answer.

  Thinking he’d nodded off, she lay in bed and stared at the dark hair curled over the arm that pillowed his head. She scanned lower. A tanned chest, muscles rippling, revealed through the open-necked collar of his blue shirt, had her averting her gaze away from temptation and back to the silky material. The color suited him, changing his sexy-slanted gray eyes to a more bluish hue. Wishing she’d inherited those long, thick eyelashes, she sighed.

  His muscled legs encased in loose jeans were long and well formed, even if they looked a mite slender. He’d lifted one leg to rest on top of the other, which tightened everything and pulled her eyes involuntarily to where no lady ever looked. She shifted in her bed, and dragged her eyes away.

  She caught the scent of his man’s soap, or maybe cologne. It wafted past her whenever he’d step into her personal space, which was constant in the small room. Whatever the product’s name, it should be considered lethal and come with a full-page warning. In fact, she’d been walking around in a constant state of romantic curiosity since Rafael had started improving.

  That thought brought her mind back to her poor little boy. God, she hoped they’d get the go-ahead for the operation soon because making a fool of herself over her children’s uncle didn’t seem like a very smart idea. The sooner life got back to normal, the sooner she could forget about him. In the meantime, she had to admit she enjoyed having someone near she could trust and someone to lean on.

  His next words broke into her trance, proving he hadn’t been sleeping at all. “Sheri, what is your work? When I first went to your apartment, I couldn’t help noticing a children’s book cover on the wall with your picture as the author.”

  “You have eagle eyes, Miguel. Hardly anyone sees that old cover anymore.”

  “Part of my training, I guess. Without trying, I see much more than I want to sometimes. And don’t change the subject.”

  She laughed and looked down at her hands. “I hate talking about myself. I’m not very interesting.” The silence lengthened which made her look up. She caught his teasing glance and his lifted eyebrow.

  “Then you’d be the first woman I’ve ever met who feels that way.” As he finished speaking, she heard an edge to his voice that hadn’t been there earlier.

  “Fine, but don’t forget you asked. My work is to illustrate and write children’s novels. Up until a few years ago, I’d stuck mainly to doing covers for all genres. I’ve designed many, some for very well-known authors. However, my favorite assignments were always for the kid’s books. Then as I read more and more of the stories to get a gist of what artwork I should use, I found myself becoming hooked and decided to try my hand at writing my own tales. I’m happy to say my series took off.”

  “Quite well from what I could see.”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve checked up on me.”

  “Okay, I won’t.”

  “Seriously? You’ve looked at my books?” She didn’t know whether to be proud or annoyed.

  “Of course I did. Then I bought the works and sent them to my cousin in Chile. She has four monsters that will love reading about your dragons and fairies.”

  Pride had her sitting up. “That’s a lovely thing to say. Fantasy gets me. I mean, kids don’t get enough fun out of using their imagination, and I wanted my books to make them think anything is possible. Plus, being a children’s author is so enjoyable that it doesn’t even feel like work. An added benefit is that I can do it at home. It’s been a godsend with the twins.”

  He pretended to snore as she wound down.

  God, he was delicious. “You asked. And don’t think you’re getting out of telling me about your work.” A definite twinkle lurked when he opened his eyes and sighed outrageously.

  “Fine, I’ll tell you, but just so you know, my business isn’t quite as pleasurable as yours would be. I’m stuck in a fast-paced world of big-business security, and neighborhood crime prevention.” He regaled her with tales of the jobs he and his men had been involved in to keep neighborhoods safe and homes secure. She giggled as he intended and never noticed how her relaxed posture erased the worry lines.

  Just then, her cell phone rang. She listened to Charly pass on the final day’s update on Carrie-Anne. Still feeling the upbeat effects of her conversation with Miguel, Sheri listened and then cheekily replied. “Charly, don’t ever leave me. You know you’re the love of my life. Anyone who can change dirty diapers, feed a spitter like Carrie-Anne and still want me in their world has to be the best girlfriend anyone could have.”

  The slamming door brought her head around with a snap. Miguel had left without saying good-bye. What was wrong with the man? Whenever she talked to Charly, he either disappeared or wore a sour look. Could it be jealousy? Was he threatened by her supportive pal? Well, he’d have to get used to her reliance on her wonderful, kinky neighbor, a baby-loving gem who’d helped Sheri through the worst time in her life. She crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders. Men!

  Chapter Ten

  The next day, Sheri decided that other than Miguel’s abrupt disappearance after Charly’s phone call, she’d enjoyed their chat. With Rafael taking a decided turn for the better, she’d lightened up and felt somewhat closer to the man. Today was a whole different ballgame. She’d seen little of him, as he’d snuck in his time with her son while she’d gone to the apartment. Sheri didn’t want to acknowledge the pang of sorrow she felt from missing him, but it happened anyhow.

  By the time Miguel returned, the large picture window in Rafael’s hospital room showed the blue sky had faded to dark. Miguel looked even more tired than usual, sad and downcast. He stepped over to see the sleeping baby and nodded casually. Wanting to cheer him up, Sheri tried out her Spanish.

  “Hola, mi amigo. Rafael’s a whole lot better today. His color is good and he’s much more alert. He actually smiled at me earlier and took all his milk. The doctors visited an hour ago and said they’ll operate tomorrow.” She beamed with cheeriness, couldn’t help it. Sheri hadn’t been able to wipe the smile out of her heart or off her face since she’d heard the wonderful news.

  She waited for Miguel to answer, but he seemed to be in a daze. Sheri continued, “I called Felipe’s partner and he’s working as hard as he can to get the estate settlement finalized between the insurance company and the lawyers. However, today he admitted that it won’t be ready in time to pay for tomorrow’s operation.” Alight with hope and confidence, she smiled and held out her hand. She had no doubt that he would look after all the details so they could go ahead with the surgery. Hadn’t he been doing it since the nightmare began?

  Her words had caught his attention. “You want me to pay the hospital bill?” His outstretched hand stopped before touching hers. It dropped behind him as he turned away.

  Sheri sensed trouble. Terror struck her as she stared at the man’s hunched back. “What are you saying? You’ve ordered him to have the best care, and the costs are mounting. You know I won’t have anywhere near this kind of money until I receive the babies’ inheritance. How else can the bill be paid if you won’t look after it? You are aware that the hospital refuses to let the doctor go ahead unless they get their money first? Miguel, my son, your nephew needs this procedure before he gets any weaker.”

  Grabbing his arm, she swung him back to face her. She’d chosen to use their family tie on purpose to remind him of his bond to Rafael, something she never thought would be necessary. Where had her gentle supporter gone?

  Miguel spoke low, but she heard every syllable, every hateful word. “Sheri, I’ve always intended on paying, but only if you will agree to one small condition.”

  “A condition? Are you crazy?” Sheri’s interruption hung in the air. Heat flooded her face a
nd she imagined her cheeks glowing red as her blood boiled. Her hands rose to cover her mouth and stop the recriminations from pouring out. It didn’t work. “You want to blackmail me with my son’s life? You can’t be serious?”

  “Oh, but I am. I have to ask you a question, and I want you to think carefully before you answer me. Is there anyone in your life who you care about? Someone you’re carrying on a relationship with? Or any reason at all why you couldn’t be married?” With a strange glint in his eye, he studied her like she was a specimen in a jar struggling to escape.

  She didn’t scream, but it was close. “Married? Have you lost your mind? No. I’m not involved with anyone. And, I have no intention of getting married. In case you’ve forgotten, I have two small babies to look after, and a living to make. I don’t need a man to mess up the works.” The last part she actually jeered.

  He pulled a paper from his pocket and waved it past her face. “I have here a special license. If you marry me in the morning, at the Justice of the Peace, I will sign the check, and Rafael will be on his road to recovery by tomorrow night.”

  She slapped the paper away from her and watched him turn away. Hardening her lips, she curled them in on each other and held them between her teeth as hard as she could. Then she gathered her bothersome hair together in both her hands, shoved it over her shoulders, and clutched at the mass on the back of her neck. She stared upwards to stop the welling tears from dripping down. The ceiling didn’t give her any answers, and neither did the back of his head.

  Feeling sick with disappointment and betrayal, she glared her displeasure. Each night since this disaster began, her last thoughts had been of the things he’d said and done for her during the day. Of how her skin tingled whenever he came near and then ached for him to come even closer. She’d reminisce about his kindness and thoughtfulness, his manly quirks, and the smile that started first in his eyes and then would slowly curve his lips.

  Now, the real Miguel, a devil with no heart stood before her, turned away so she couldn’t see his face, ashamed more than likely.

  His hard voice broke into her trance. “Will you marry me?”

  “Do I have any choice?” She spat the words in his direction; wanting by the sheer force of her will to make him look at her, see the damage he’d done. See the hatred she now couldn’t hide.

  “No. I don’t suppose you do.” His head lowered.

  Like tiny poisoned arrows of hate, she shot words at his back. “Make no mistake, Miguel Rivera. I swear by all that’s holy, you’ll come to regret this…this farce.”

  Chapter Eleven

  He already did. The minute the words popped out, Miguel knew he’d screwed up, gone about asking her in the worst possible way. After listening to her continual conversations with the love of her life, Charlie, he couldn’t stand it anymore. Day after day they carried on like the best of friends. Two people who loved and trusted each other. It made him green, and that made him sick. Jealousy meant caring, and he wouldn’t ever care for a woman again.

  Disgust still registered that he hadn’t seen his ex-fiancé for the lying slut she’d turned out to be. Either she should win an Academy Award for her acting abilities, or he’d better rethink his own prowess in being able to read people. Guess when his heart got involved… nope, not true. His heart never did get truly engaged with her. If it had, he’d never have been able to shrug off her treachery so easily or feel that pooling relief instead of gripping pain when he’d returned to find she’d married another.

  During the nightmare flight to Washington a few days ago, while his body dealt with the throbbing from some of his unhealed injuries, and his heart suffered overwhelming remorse, he’d cursed the fates for his mother being shot and his brother being dead. To both he’d made a promise. He would find and confront the woman who’d given his brother a child. Offer whatever she wanted, any price to let him take and raise the baby. In a small way, it would recompense his mother for the loss of her youngest son. Determined, if need be ruthless, he intended to carry out his plan. Only things have a way of messing up, or at least they did in his life.

  Yesterday their long-time family doctor had been blunt when Miguel had called him for a report after an unsatisfactory talk with his mother. “She’s losing her stamina, her will to fight. The infection is taking over again.”

  His heart stopped. “What can be done? I’ll come home now if you think it’ll help.”

  “Look, Miguel. All she’s been talking about up till a few days ago is how she’ll be bringing up Felipe’s baby. I haven’t seen her so excited for years, and she was doing fine. Her body had overcome the worst. Then she just stopped chatting about all her plans and went into decline. This apathy has me more worried than anything else.”

  “You think she’d respond to the treatment once again if I could bring her grandchildren home? It would make that big a difference?”

  “At this rate, without anything to change her attitude, she’ll be in danger very soon. Body and spirit are inseparable, you know. Her overall health isn’t what it was since the time spent in the jungle. I don’t mind telling you Miguel, I’m very concerned.”

  The doctor’s words had forced him to accept that a decision had to be made soon. After these last few days of getting to know Sheri, claiming her babies through a court battle certainly wasn’t an option. Mothering came naturally to the feisty little she-bear. He’d watched daily, her tenderness and loving attention as she’d all but willed her boy to get better.

  Miguel called their housekeeper next. “Maria, mamá is getting worse, no?”

  “Miguel, she needs to be close to those babies. Can’t you convince the surrogate mother the children will be better off here in Chile where they belong?”

  “How do you expect me to do that when her home is in Washington? She’s a good mother and she loves her babies. I can’t just take them away.

  “Tu mamá had so many plans when she believed you would bring her grandchild home and they doubled when you told her there were twins. She acted like her old self for a while. I hated to see her lose the sparkle, Miguel.” An audible sniff sounded before Maria cleared her throat. “Now she just lays there, turns away when anyone approaches and won’t eat. Says she has no appetite. She’s stubborn and foolish, but she’s also unhappy.”

  “I don’t know what I can do short of marrying the damn woman. I can’t force her to give up custody.”

  “So marry her already. And make it soon.” The dial tone buzzed in his ear.

  Her words hit him like a sledgehammer. Without boasting, he’d been aware of Sheri’s growing interest and had wondered about how she could give him the subtle come-on and still be attached to her beloved Charlie. Seems she wasn’t. When she’d admitted to being free, he’d believed her implicitly. Obviously, pal Charlie hadn’t made any serious moves yet.

  Not that he and Sheri had a hope in hell of any kind of a normal relationship since the woman now despised him. He’d heard her vehemence and disgust, watched in the mirror as she’d fought her tears and had felt the anger pouring out.

  He knew he’d have to give her time. Once she came around, maybe he’d try working the old Miguel magic. Hell, he used to be quite the lady’s man. If he played his cards right, anything could happen.

  Chapter Twelve

  Everything had gone from screwy to worse the minute Sheri arrived late. Miguel greeted her with a lovely scented bouquet of pink magnolias and a smile filled with… relief?

  “I don’t want them.” Her arms twisted behind her.

  The hurt look on his face threw her for a few seconds. He deserved her anger, but being a pushover for flowers, she took them when he shoved them toward her. They were so beautiful.

  “You waited,” she said.

  “Why doesn’t it surprise me that you weren’t on time?” If he felt any emotion whatsoever, it didn’t show. His face remained stiff and his expression bland.

  “You’re lucky I came at all. I almost didn’t.”

&nb
sp; “I knew you would.”

  “How could you know something even I didn’t?”

  “We’d made a deal.”

  Now why would he go and say something like that. Something guaranteed to soften her.

  He broke the loud silence full of unspoken thoughts. “Why didn’t you let me pick you up? I could’ve saved you a bus ride.”

  Caught off guard by his soft tone, some of her anger collapsed, enough for her to speak the truth. “I’d hoped by the time I got here, you’d have re-thought this farce.”

  “I couldn’t. There’s too much at stake. This had to happen.”

  “Not for me it didn’t.”

  Not in a million years would Sheri have envisioned her wedding to be an unhappy event. Tears of joy, maybe, but never ones that tore at her on the inside while, on the outside, her eyes remained dry. I can get through these next few minutes. If anyone pushes me, I’ll just push back.

  Her theory didn’t work well with the Justice of the Peace. He insisted she repeat her ‘I do’ since he couldn’t hear her the first time. The door looked tempting, but Miguel snuck his arm around her waist as if he sensed her desire to run. Faced with the stranger’s expectation, she caved and spoke louder.

  “You may kiss your bride,” followed soon after. She lowered her head stubbornly. Who would have expected her new husband to sweep her into his arms and find her lips so easy? He succeeded because he’d surprised her, the rat. However, it was done. Mrs. Sheri Rivera. Bah!

  “Mrs. Rivera, please sign the marriage license before you leave.” She stopped dead about a foot from escaping. Her signature finalized their agreement. Damp and shaking, her fingers dropped the pen and it had to be retrieved. When the preacher passed it back to her, he seemed surprised to see her hands behind her back. They stayed there until she glanced at Miguel and saw his raised eyebrows.

  “Oh just give me the damn thing,” Sheri took childish pleasure signing her name without the usual flourish. While she waited for the others to sign and settle the bill, she looked around at the office-like surroundings. Thoughts reverberated. I’m not going to cry. When the lump formed, she swallowed and repeated. I’ll not give him the satisfaction.