“Yes, he has told me,” Sarah said quietly.
“Oh, he has, has he?” Rafaela picked up her glass and took a mouthful of wine before placing the glass back on the table. “Ironic isn't it? I now know that I made the wrong choice. The biggest mistake of my life. For the past few years I've been entertaining the idea of finishing my marriage – and giving Carlos the opportunity to reconcile with me. What do you believe he would do if he knew I was there for the taking?”
Sarah was stunned. She didn't know what Carlos would say, but she feared what he might do. What she did know for sure was that she needed to leave, to get out of there before she did or said something that she would regret. She was very tempted to throw her glass of water into Rafaela's insulting face.
But angry and indignant as Sarah was at the unforgivable behaviour of her hostess, she could also recognise through her pained heart that there was much truth in what Rafaela said. Could this be a case of terrible timing? Carlos and Rafaela had both married the wrong people.
The conversation was halted with the sound of convivial chatter as the men returned. Carlos had a masked expression on his face which gave nothing away – but Raul looked happier, as if he had been unburdened by a great weight on his shoulders.
Carlos glanced across the room at Sarah and instinctively knew all was not well. “Are you okay, Sarah?”
She was able to mask her true feelings with confidence but took the opportunity to get the hell out of there. “I'm fine, though a little tired. I think it's time to get back, if that's all right with you.”
“You must stay!” said Rafaela brightly. “We have lots of space.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Rafaela. But we have a car waiting outside.” Not wanting Rafaela to respond, Carlos turned quickly to Raul. “You know I meant it, come to Manchester whenever you want. Anytime.”
“Thank you, Carlos,” replied Raul nodding. “I will.”
The suspicion in Rafaela's eyes was obvious to Sarah as they said their goodbyes. Carlos remained quiet as they sat in the car heading back to their hotel in the centre of Madrid.
“That was a revealing visit,” declared Carlos, breaking his silence.
“What do you mean?” answered Sarah, noticing the look of concern on his face.
He pulled a vibrating phone from his jacket pocket and glanced at the screen. “One moment, I will have to answer this.”
Sarah bit her lip, irritated at how rude Carlos could be. But she realised it must have been a strange evening for him and that she was there to support and understand him. She remained quiet until the call was finished, then she cleared her throat. “Gabriella is a lovely young girl.”
“Yes, isn't she? The only good thing in the marriage.” He turned towards her, scanning her face thoughtfully. “How was Rafaela?”
“She guessed I was pregnant.”
Carlos's eyes looked down at her belly. “That's not such a big deal, we won't be able to hide the secret for very long anyway. Did she treat you properly apart from that?”
Sarah thought about what she should say. She wanted to tell him word-for-word about Rafaela's bitchiness but thought better of it. What if Rafaela was right in everything she said? Maybe she was holding Carlos back from what he truly wanted? If she were to begin posing questions to Carlos, he might give her answers she didn't want to hear.
“She treated me OK, I suppose.” She shrugged her shoulders before continuing. “I don't think we'll ever be best friends. How was Raul? He looks so much older than you, are you sure you're the same age?”
How was Raul? Thought Carlos. He reflected on the discussion they'd had and the demons exorcised by Raul during their conversation in his art room. As his mind looked back over the previous few hours his mouth tightened with ironic pleasure.
“Raul is not too happy with his marriage,” he said slowly and deliberately. He glanced out of the window noticing some of the places they had played together as young boys, where they had been happy and carefree together before a woman had come between them.
“Their marriage is shaky,” he declared. “They have had problems for a while now. I told him that it would affect Gabriella if he didn't do something about it, and it would be better to break up than to continuously bicker in front of their daughter.”
“I see. That explains the atmosphere over dinner.” She spoke in a way that disguised the conversation she'd had with Rafaela. But she realised with some fear, that he knew Rafaela may be free and single again soon. Was he aware of what Rafaela had declared to her? – that there was an opportunity for him to make his move and make her his own at last. And was Carlos regretting his marriage because it made the timing all wrong? His pregnant mistress now being the only obstacle to his happiness. “It's a shame.”
“It is.” But he heard the distance in her voice and turned to look at her more closely. “You're shivering, Sarah,” he said concerned. “Do you feel cold?”
But it wasn't the temperature that made her tremble, it was the fear of what could happen to her and her child in the future. She couldn't be more different to Rafaela, and Rafaela was the woman that he had loved. Had he been looking at the two of them tonight, side-by-side, and compared them? Rafaela, sophisticated, sleek and darkly mysterious – and Sarah, pale, young and a foreigner who would struggle to compete on any level. “It's a bit cold.”
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, turning the heating control button upwards for the rear compartment of the limousine.
The car was soon pulling up outside their hotel and they made their way back to the penthouse suite on the top floor. Standing in the elevator, Sarah noticed in the reflection of the mirror, how Carlos's gaze washed up and down her body and she asked herself if he was thinking about Rafaela. But then he put his hand round her waist and pulled her in close to his strong frame.
“Are you tired?” he asked.
“No, not really.” Her mind was spinning with all the thoughts she'd been having through dinner and during the conversation with Rafaela. She wasn't peaceful and rested and the idea of sleep was impossible. “In fact, I feel wide-awake.”
“So do I.” He scanned her face and thought how clear her skin was and how bright the sparkling in her blue eyes. He remembered the bitterness he had heard and the pain on the face of his friend, Raul, earlier that evening and he wanted to blank it out. He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. “Sarah, you really are very beautiful,” he said softly. He spoke a few words quietly in Spanish and began kissing her again. Sarah gave a little squeal of surprise which she stifled as his lips pressed against her mouth. She hesitated briefly, unsure that the chemistry they had once shared would still be burning between them. But as she melted into his arms and opened her mouth to his, she realised that kissing him was as natural as breathing and gave a small moan.
He slipped one hand to the cheeks of her bottom and pressed her against him tightly, relishing the feel of her sensual curves and the silky flow of her hair. It seemed to have been such a long time? In fact, he recalled, the last time had been the night before she had left him at Christmas.
“Carlos –” she said, searching for air.
“We shall make love, my darling. I want you so badly.”
Why did he want her now? She thought, confused. Why tonight? Her mouth opened to speak, but he kissed her once again and she was silenced.
Shamelessly, he pressed his arousal against her stomach – making it clear how much he wanted her. The sudden halt of the elevator only temporarily interrupted his passionate advance, as he led her into their suite. He closed the door behind them with a kick of his foot and pulled his jacket impatiently from her shoulders. He stooped down and picked her up in his arms, carrying her through the seating area of the suite towards the giant bed.
“Put me down,” she protested half-heartedly. “I'm too heavy for you.”
“I could carry two of you,” he explained laying her on the bed. “And I am carrying two of you,�
� he added, remembering the life growing inside her.
The reminder of the baby slowed him down, almost halting the desire that was burning inside him. “Maybe making love is not such a good idea,” he ventured. “I don't want to hurt you.”
His hesitation was enough to kill Sarah's uncertainty and she shook her head and burst out laughing as she squealed. “You won't hurt me, you idiot,” her tone quietened. “There is no medical rule which advises pregnant women against having sex.” She guided his hands in the direction of her breasts and closed her eyes to experience the pleasure as he touched them.
“Are you sure?” he questioned jokingly. He realised he was being overprotective. He revealed her breasts and noticed how they seemed fuller than he remembered them. Tentatively, he trailed his fingers round the outline of her nipple as it tightened into a rosy nub. “Are you absolutely sure?”
“I am quite sure.”
He peeled off her dress and quickly removed the rest of her clothing so that she was entirely naked. He was too impatient to wait for her trembling fingers to undress him, so he ripped off his own clothes with urgency so his naked body could join hers. Lying together, he pulled her into his arms and groaned as their naked bodies finally made contact. Her flesh was soft and giving as his fingers ran urgently over her body, his skin tingling keenly in response.
“You feel delicious.”
“You do too.”
“I had forgotten how awesome you feel, it's been too long since I felt you in my arms,” he stated hungrily. His hand lingered on the flat line of her stomach before drifting over the curving bone of her hips. And further still, down to her thigh and over to the soft silky flesh of her inner thigh.
“The first time as a married couple,” she whispered. And that very thought disturbed her, even as his hands began to work their intimate magic – his fingers caressing her moist honeyed heat. She became lost, wriggling against his delicate touch as her lips brushed against the side of his neck. She wanted to know why he hadn't touched her until tonight. Why tonight? “Carlos.”
“You like it?”
“I...” But the words wouldn't leave her mouth. It was the wrong time because Carlos was moving her legs apart with the urgency of the man who had no time to waste. And she didn't want to stop him – what she wanted most of all was for him to heal the frayed tension of her soul with the full power of his body.
She urged him to enter her with a stealth movement of her hips – the silent signal for him to take her. Without acknowledgement, he understood and accepted her invitation, accessing her with one forceful thrust. As she felt him enter, she gasped loudly, his hot, hard heat filling her as she cried his name. “Carlos.” She breathed raggedly. “Carlos, it's...”
“It's what, Sarah?”
As he moved inside her the fears dissolved because of the perfect pleasure. It was like a new discovery as she had forgotten just how sensual each slow, long thrust could be. She wrapped her legs around his muscle defined back and tipped her head as far as it would go, giving him easier access to her needy flesh. His mouth suckled greedily over each breast in turn, and her trembling fingers could feel the tension in his buttocks as he encouraged her movement.
Had he been this passionate with her before? Had he been so driven and lustful as if he couldn't contain himself? He was breathing heavily and speaking gently in Spanish. What was he saying? She wondered momentarily. But she could wonder no more, because the waves of pleasure began to drown her body in a helpless shuddering around him.
As she tensed, he stopped and observed – he saw how she arched her back and heard her gasp without inhibition. Just as the first flushes appeared over her breasts he pushed into her one more time – feeling the welcoming heat of her squirming body.
He climaxed soon after and with a great intensity he didn't expect. It was as though his body was emptied of more than just his seed. They lay there quietly together, Carlos cradling Sarah in his arms as his hand stroked her soft skin at the base of her spine. He could feel her heart beating fast against his chest – and he was suddenly hit by reality like a closed fist.
His hand moved protectively to her stomach, his fingers widening over her skin. “I didn't hurt you?”
Her heart sank. She realised immediately that Dr Carlos, the man with the perfect bedside manner, had reappeared; causing the insecurities that had just been temporarily suppressed to come flooding back. He wants to know if he has hurt me, she thought. Yes, he continuously hurts me, but not physically. There was no amount of powerful thrusting during lovemaking that would hurt her like his emotional distance did.
She lay quietly staring through the dim light of the bedroom, occasionally looking up to the dark shine in his eyes. Was it a coincidence that they had made love tonight? Why make love for the first time since being married? And why did he speak Spanish in the middle of it all?
Was he pretending that he was making love to Rafaela? That it was Rafaela he was thrusting into? Was it seeing Rafaela that had inspired his demonstration of passion, having not touched her since before Christmas?
She was a married woman, and she knew that married couples needed to communicate. Sarah couldn't remain silent. “Do you ever think what your life would've been like if you had married Rafaela?”
Carlos's contented slumber was shattered by the mention of her name. He bit his tongue, though a hundred responses leapt into his mind. But he could feel her hands pressing against him and twisting him and knew she would be insistent on being given an answer. “I don't think about it, no. It would be mere conjecture and there is nothing to be gained from guessing. Something I learnt a long time ago.”
Sarah lay still, taking in his words. Did he learn that at the same time he learned never to trust a woman? She wasn't getting anywhere with her questioning, his evasive answers giving nothing away. But she needed to know – and she would never know if he didn't tell her. She thought back to Rafaela's bitterness of having married the wrong man. But she also thought of something else she had said, something she may be able to use to break down the distance between herself and her husband.
Have you met any of Carlos's friends?... No? I can't say I am surprised. You see, Sarah, I am only asking you what all his friends will be thinking.
Rafaela was right. Carlos had hidden her away from his friends, both before and after the wedding – in fact, he didn't invite a single one to the wedding itself. She hadn't been good enough to meet his friends when she was his mistress, and it seemed that being his wife made no difference. Did he have any intention of letting her get to know them at all? Perhaps that was his plan – she was to be increasingly marginalised. Carlos would keep his unsuitable bride away from his friends.
“Carlos? When do I get to meet some of your friends?”
“What do you mean?”
Sarah moved away from the warmth and comfort of his body. She wanted to know him better and didn't want the pleasurable distraction of his touch. She drew a gasp of air. “I'd like to host a dinner party when we get home.”
He shrugged, his eyes narrowing with indifference. “Okay, then organise it.”
Carlos rolled over signalling the end of the conversation. But as he did Sarah saw the unmistakable sight of his eyes rolling in their sockets.
Chapter 11
The door had only just opened when Carlos was greeted by the flushed face and cacophony of noise from his wife. He'd had a long training session that morning and business meetings all afternoon and was in no mood to listen to domestic issues. He raised his hands as if surrendering and shook his head. “Enough.”
“I just –“
“That's enough, Sarah,” he repeated. “I am not interested in the lumpiness of the batter mix or whether the jelly has set. I employ a housekeeper so I don't have to deal with that stuff! Now let Elaine do it, that's why she is here.”
Sarah gritted her teeth. Why didn't he care or understand? She wasn't a child that needed everything doing for her – didn't he realise how usel
ess that made her feel? “I want to have my input to dinner; otherwise it wouldn't be our dinner party.”
Carlos's increasing frustration was not eased by looking at her anxious face. Yes, he had agreed to have a dinner party and invited some of his friends. What he had not agreed to was Sarah failing miserably to complete the dinner because she had taken on an unnecessarily large amount of work. Selecting a menu and then abandoning it, only to change her mind and then change it back again.
But then her mood had varied wildly since they'd returned from Spain. Sweet and angelic one minute, tearful and angry the next and a hundred shades of difference in between. He had been reading a pregnancy guide and was aware that women became victims of hormonal turbulence at this stage of pregnancy – so he reasoned her mood was temporary and that he needed to maintain a dignified patience. Carlos hadn't been endowed with a strong streak of patience, but he was trying his best. He had drawn a line under her persistent questioning and the intrusive prying that she had thrown at him in Madrid. His lips hardened. When she had calmed down he was going to have to make it clear that he wouldn't tolerate her dragging up his past. For now, however, he would humour her the best he could.
He studied her eyes and could see the tension in the way she stiffly held her body. He reached out his hands and massaged away some of the tension in her shoulders. “You have nothing to prove to anyone, it's better if you're relaxed and happy.”
“I do though. Your friends don't know anything about me – and I need... I want to make a good impression.” She pulled herself free from the fingers probing her skin and walked over to the mirror, readjusting it unnecessarily. Not only did she feel responsible for cooking, she wanted to take charge of cleaning the house as well. She had been planning the dinner party for days and had begun to think she was also taking an examination in social etiquette. She'd been reading any magazine she could lay her hands on as well as the broadsheet newspapers for all the latest news. She thought that stuffing her head with lots of facts would help her to look like something other than a vacuous shop-girl.
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