by Lori Foster
Sofia’s eyebrows practically hit the ceiling as her mouth fell open in shock. She could deal with a disparaging glance at her attire from him, but a threat was something else! She didn’t actually believe he would attempt to “boot” her behind, but the dangerous gleam in his eyes left no doubt that he would have relished doing it.
“James, what is the meaning of this?” his father boomed, slapping his hand on the table.
“How dare you!” Sofia fumed at the same time, stung by his cutting remark.
“Be quiet,” James commanded softly before turning his attention to Daniel. “Everything is in this report, Dad. Read it and you’ll see the real reason Miss Sandoval no longer has a job and is latching on for a free ride.” His steely gaze anchored hers with chilling contempt. “She was recently fired for being unprofessional. The current office manager called her a home-wrecker and a tease. All of this was substantiated by the other doctors’ wives.”
Sofia’s eyes burned with furious tears as she sucked her breath in sharply. This was her worst nightmare come true. A stranger, no, not a stranger but Daniel’s son, accusing her of misdeeds she had never committed! His cruel remarks dredged up the raw pain of humiliation she had harbored since being unfairly fired. Mindlessly she groped for the right words to defend herself, but Daniel beat her to it.
“You’ve shamed me, James. Stop it immediately!” Daniel demanded in a low roar, his voice surprisingly strong and authoritative for a man in his seventies.
James planted his hands on the table and leaned forward to face his dad squarely. “I won’t let you make another mistake getting married again, Dad.”
“Aaagh!” Daniel suddenly cried out, clutching his stomach.
“Dad?” James rushed to his father’s side. “Are you all right?” For a brief moment, his harsh face softened with something akin to tenderness.
“I’m not supposed to get upset like this, son. Must be my ulcer acting up again.”
“Have you seen a doctor?” James demanded, blue eyes ablaze with concern.
“Yes, I’m on medication. Dr. Maxwell has me following a special diet and has instructed me to avoid any stress,” he said pointedly.
When James gave his father an assessing look, Daniel added, “I’ve had a bleeding ulcer before. It’s like a burning dagger in my gut! The purpose of this cruise was for medicinal reasons. Sofia and Lucita graciously came along to keep me company. If you can’t behave like a gentleman, I suggest you leave at once.”
“We’ll discuss this tomorrow morning at breakfast. Make sure to take your medicine, Dad. Good night.” James turned on his heel and stalked out of the dining room, leaving them flabbergasted by his sudden retreat.
“The ulcer always does it,” Daniel muttered wryly. “Beneath the tough surface is a boy worried about his father’s health.” His tone held an air of triumph.
“That doesn’t erase what he said about me,” Sofia said, burning with anger. “He has no reason to dislike me so much. Until tonight, I never laid eyes on him.”
“He was repeating the lies they told him at the doctor’s office, Sofia. You really must take legal action against them,” Lucita urged, glancing at her with maternal concern.
“That still doesn’t explain his open antagonism,” she muttered. But she decided not to belabor the issue so Daniel wouldn’t know how much James’s uncalled-for attack had hurt and humiliated her. It would only make him feel worse.
Just when she was going to say something to smooth things over, Daniel threw his head back and gave a shout of laughter.
“What is so funny?” Lucita demanded. “You should take your son in hand for hurting Sofia’s feelings!”
“I’m sorry, dear,” Daniel said, trying to contain his mirth. “But I just realized why James is acting like he has a hornet on his tail.”
“Please enlighten us, Daniel,” Lucita chided, a smile tugging at her lips.
Daniel sobered enough to say, “Somehow James must have found out about my trip and began to investigate whom I was going with. He must have jumped to the conclusion that Sofia is my fiancée.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Sofia said, appalled by James’s mistaken conclusion.
Daniel’s fair complexion turned bright red. “I’m afraid that my past wives have been considerably younger than me.” He took Lucita’s small hand in his and held it tenderly. “Little does James know how much I love your aunt.”
Tia Lucita giggled softly. “Oh, Daniel. It’s so absurd, it’s almost comical!”
“I don’t think it’s the least bit comical. He was horribly rude to me,” Sofia said, seething at the injustice of his inappropiate attack.
“I’m so sorry, Sofia,” Daniel said. “James was reacting on misguided intentions. He usually has better manners. Once I set him straight, he will apologize to you.”
“No. Don’t deny me the pleasure of giving him a piece of my mind. I’ll take care of James.” Sofia spoke with much more bravado than she felt since she was not a confrontational person by nature. Having grown up as the youngest of four children and the only girl, she had always been the peacemaker, unless it involved her personally. Only then did she become aggressive. With three bossy older brothers, she had learned there was no other way or they’d walk all over her.
“You won’t gain anything by fighting with him,” Daniel warned gently. “James is a ruthless tiger in the courtroom.”
And a bully outside of the courtroom, Sofia felt like adding. But she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the couple’s romantic evening, especially with their hopes of marriage and a new life together. She owed both of them so much. If Lucita and Daniel hadn’t come to her rescue at the lowest point in her life, Sofia would have been forced to move in with her mother, who now lived with Sofia’s eldest brother, Paco, and his wife. The mere thought filled her with dismay.
“I don’t care how ruthless he is. By the time I’m finished with James, he won’t be attacking like a tiger; he’ll be mewling like a pussycat,” Sofia predicted. As soon as the words were out, she realized that she might have overstated her ability to handle someone as imposing as James Connor. She’d have to do some pretty quick thinking to keep him out of the way long enough so Daniel and Lucita could get married.
Lucita’s eyebrows lifted with curious amusement. “What are you going to do?”
Sofia straightened her spine, drawing inner strength from the desire to help them in their predicament. “I’ll pretend that I really am Daniel’s intended. If I tell him that I’m not Daniel’s fiancee and he believes me, then he’ll turn against you, Tia. You heard what he said about not wanting his father to get married again. You must continue with your plans to get married and enjoy this honeymoon cruise!”
All eyes were on her as she drummed her fingers on the table and mulled over the best way to deal with him. “I’ve got it!” she said suddenly, her mind hatching a great scheme.
“What?” Daniel and Lucita asked in unison.
“You’ll have to work with me on this. Just hear me out before you protest.”
Lucita gave Daniel a searching glance. He winked at his bride-to-be and squeezed her dainty hand, the hand that sported his four-carat engagement ring. “Of course, Sofia. Do go on,” he urged with a congenial smile.
“While I’m pretending to be Daniel’s fiancee, I’ll do my best to monopolize James’s time so you two can continue with your wedding plans.”
“How will you do that?” Daniel asked, his brow furrowing with doubt.
Sofia smiled. “I’ll tell him that it is his father’s fondest wish that his son get to know me. I’ll say that you asked me to spend a lot of time with him so that he would approve of me and give us his blessing.”
“He’s a lawyer. He’ll find out eventually,” Lucita pointed out.
“By then you will be married and he’ll have to leave you alone,” Sofia said.
“That is true,” Lucita conceded.
“Anyway, why should we let James ruin the wedding?
It isn’t his life, so he should butt out. As soon as you’re married, I’m going to tell him so.”
Daniel had been quiet during Sofia’s reasoning, but her last comment stirred a strong reaction from him. “My son is a formidable adversary, Sofia. I won’t stand by and watch him hurt your feelings.”
Daniel had no idea how deeply James had already wounded her feelings, but she’d never distress him by admitting it. “Leave your son to me. I’ve had to deal with overbearing men before. James might be tougher to handle than most, but there’s no way I’ll let him ruin your lovely cruise.”
“This time I really did get a sharp pang in my stomach.” Daniel’s hand lightly rubbed the area just below his ribs. “I should be the one handling my son, not you.”
“Sofia won’t change her mind, Daniel. You don’t know how stubborn she can be,” Lucita said, shaking her head with feigned patience.
Sofia took pity on Daniel’s distress and gave him her most reassuring smile. The older man looked beside himself, and she knew he dearly wanted to make amends for his son’s horrid behavior. But this was one battle she’d fight for herself. Lucita was right: if she didn’t start fighting back, people would begin to believe the lies about her. The thought was so distressing that she was eager to take James on as her first battle.
“Don’t worry about me. It’s better this way. I’m actually looking forward to making his life a misery for the next two weeks.” Sofia smiled with the malice she felt toward James. “Have you ever read The Taming of the Shrew?”
“Who hasn’t?” Daniel chuckled wryly. “It’s one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies.”
“We’ll call this ‘The Taming of the Tyrant’!” She downed the contents of her wine goblet in several unladylike gulps before rising from the table. “You two stay and enjoy yourselves. Have a lovely time at the show tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t you want to stay and have dessert?” Daniel asked.
“Nope, I’m not hungry anymore.”
For a brief moment, Sofia’s stomach felt a bit queasy, but thankfully it subsided. Must have been the way she gulped the wine. She sweetly kissed Tia Lucita and Daniel on the cheek. “Good-bye, dears.”
Lucita’s soft hand detained her arm for a moment. “Where are you going?”
“To make sure that James gets his just desserts,” Sofia said, clutching her handbag as if it were a weapon. She left quickly, before they tried to change her mind.
CHAPTER 3
It didn’t take Sofia long to find the insufferable man. James stood at the ship’s railing, facing the ocean. From the rigid set of his broad shoulders, she surmised that he wasn’t too pleased with the outcome of the evening. She had started to walk toward him when a wave of seasickness assailed her, making her stop in her tracks. There was no use in confronting him when she didn’t feel well. Better to get a good night’s sleep before tussling with the tiger.
Just as she began to retreat, James turned around. His abrupt action held her immobilized. “Miss Sandoval. Where are you going?”
“I was planning to take a walk on the deck, but I changed my mind.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Oh? Because you saw me?” “Of course not.”
“Then?”
“I was feeling a little dizzy. Must have been the wine,” she said airily.
He smirked. “Not used to alcohol? You are rather young.”
There was no doubt in her mind that his aim was to point out the vast difference in age between her and Daniel.
“Not at all. I drink all the time,” she lied. The truth was that she was only a social drinker at best. A glass of wine could make her woozy on an empty stomach. Good thing she’d had a full dinner.
“Ah, an experienced drinker.”
“Yes,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. Was that a patronizing smile he was trying to hide? Who cared? She wasn’t going to stick around long enough to find out.
“How is my father feeling?”
“Fine, why?”
“A little while ago, he was complaining of severe stomach pain.”
She waved her hand. “Oh, that. Your rude arrival upset him and annoyed all of us. He’s perfectly fine and content when he’s with me.” When she noted how quickly James’s handsome features sharpened and his face darkened with disapproval, she decided to make a hasty retreat. “Well, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Don’t leave.” He issued the command with the blunt arrogance of a man accustomed to being obeyed.
“Why not?” She couldn’t pull her gaze away from his. Intelligent blue eyes scrutinized her in a way meant to make her squirm.
“I have some papers I’d like you to look at. Could you join me in my cabin?”
If he had told her to jump into the water she couldn’t have been more surprised.
“Not tonight,” she said, backing away. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“No. It has to be tonight.” His inflexible tone left no doubt that he wouldn’t back down.
“Why is this so urgent?” she asked, annoyed that he was determined to make her agree.
“I have important matters to discuss with you.”
“Oh, by all means,” she drawled. “Once you get to know me, you’re bound to like me.” She gave him an impish look just to annoy him.
“I sincerely doubt that, Miss Sandoval,” he said, his tone smooth yet final.
“Sofia, please. We’re practically family now.” She grinned with evil relish. “Don’t worry; I won’t expect you to call me Mommy.”
His square jaw clenched rhythmically. “I don’t find that particularly cute or amusing. I’m giving you forty-eight hours to convince me that you’re worthy of marrying my father.”
“I don’t need forty-eight hours to convince you,” she said, her mouth forming a smug smile. “A couple of hours will do.”
James’s dark brows furrowed over a hard stare. “I don’t have time for your banter.” He advanced toward her and took her arm just beneath her elbow. “Do it for your beloved’s sake.”
The mocking way he emphasized beloved made her want to grind her teeth. “Do what?” she muttered, shaking her arm out of his grip.
“Come to my room. We have important matters to discuss,” he said again.
There was no getting around his pigheaded persistence. Sofia gave in, only because she was curious to see what he was planning. But she wasn’t feeling particularly well. She couldn’t ignore the queasiness any longer now that it was accompanied by intermittent bouts of dizziness.
They walked inside the ship and rode the elevator in silence, without partaking in conversation until they were safely inside James’s cabin.
“Please sit down,” he said, his voice civil as he motioned to one of the two upholstered chairs beside a small, round mahogany table. He retrieved his briefcase from the closet and joined her at the table. With a brisk snap, he opened the lock and pulled out a folder labeled: MIS SANDOVAL. Dear God in Heaven, not another background check. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it wasn’t. But her relief was short-lived when she realized the legal document was a prenuptial agreement! No wonder the bully had never been married.
“Once you’ve read over the terms, you’ll need to sign three copies. One for Daniel, one for me, and one for you,” he said briskly.
She shouldn’t have been as stunned as she was, but the cool authority in his tone set her teeth on edge. It was almost as if he were trying to set boundaries with her before all hell broke loose. Ungraciously taking the document from his hands, she gave him a surreptitious glance. She was sure that his merciless stare was meant to intimidate her into signing. She almost laughed out loud at his tactics. Little did he know that it was a futile effort on his part, since she wasn’t really Daniel’s fiancée.
Ensconced as the unrelenting lawyer, James demanded, “Read it and sign. Let’s not waste time.”
What nerve. “I’m not going to sign without having my attorney read it first.”
“Don’t try to blackmail me! I won’t be rushed,” she argued stubbornly. “I’ll need time to read it carefully before I even consider signing such a ridiculous document.” This could be a great negotiating tool that she could use to monopolize his time. But she was put off, nevertheless. The thought that her dear Tia Lucita would soon be inheriting this tyrant as a stepson was too distressing.
Suddenly the fine print began to swim on the page before her as she strove to tamp down a dizzying wave of nausea. Losing the battle, she rose from the chair but had to grasp the table’s edge to brace against the onslaught of bile rising in her throat. “Where’s the bathroom?” she choked out.
“Over there,” James said, pointing to his left at a closed door. “What the …”
On wobbly legs, Sofia bolted into the bathroom just in time to throw herself on her knees and vomit into the toilet bowl. James followed closely behind her. She pushed her hair away from her face with one hand and clutched her heaving stomach with the other.
“Please get out!” she wailed when the vomiting subsided. She flushed the toilet before slumping back on her heels, furious that he’d followed her into the bathroom and seen her lose her dinner. It was just too much to bear. “Leave me alone!”
“Don’t get hysterical; I’ve seen worse,” he said bluntly.
She didn’t care if she sounded like a hysterical banshee. She desperately needed privacy.
But the obtuse man left her side only long enough to wet a washcloth and wring it out. Returning beside her, his large body hunkered down as he lifted her heavy hair, holding it securely in his hand. He pressed the cool washcloth on her nape. “This should help.”
“I don’t need your help,” she uttered through clenched teeth. Of course she needed his help, but he didn’t have to know that right now.
“I’m not going anywhere. So settle down,” he said, stroking her back with a firm hand. “It’s just a little seasickness. You’ll be OK in a few minutes.”
