by Anne Mather
Rachel and Joe were married in New York just before Christmas. Joe would have liked the ceremony to happen sooner, but out of respect for his father, who’d naturally wanted to attend, he’d delayed the date for a couple of months. And as he’d ostensibly taken up residence at his London home—which meant he could spend most of his days and nights with Rachel—he’d had no real cause for complaint.
Rachel had been anxious about how Daisy would react to the news that Joe was to be her stepfather, but she needn’t have worried. ‘I knew you liked him!’ Daisy had exclaimed triumphantly. ‘As soon as I realised you and Dad weren’t going to get back together, I hoped you’d find someone else. And Joe’s really cool, isn’t he? Not to mention loaded!’
‘Daisy!’ Rachel had stared at her daughter. ‘I hope you don’t think I’m marrying Joe because he’s got lots of money?’
‘No.’ Daisy spoke grudgingly. ‘I know you’re far too goody-goody to do a thing like that.’
‘Daisy!’
‘Well.’ Daisy had the grace to turn red. ‘You are. I just hope Joe loves you as much as you love him.’
‘He does.’ That was something Rachel had no doubts about.
‘I know.’ Daisy sighed. ‘Grandma’s going to be so…’ She broke off, and Rachel decided she didn’t want to know the word her daughter had been about to use. ‘Disappointed,’ she added at last. ‘I think she’s still hoping you and Dad might get back together.’
Rachel hesitated. ‘How about you?’ she asked gently, and Daisy shrugged.
‘I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I remembered what you’d said before I went to Miami, and then when you met Joe again…’
‘So you approve?’
‘Mmm.’ Daisy nodded. ‘And Grandma will too, when she comes around.’
Rachel had wondered. Evelyn had been bitterly disappointed to learn that Rachel was going to marry someone else. It was probably just as well Steve was staying with them, because it had given both of them an excuse for not seeing one another.
But then, Lauren had rung and told Steve she was sorry she’d doubted him. No doubt she’d heard that Joe was going to marry Rachel, too, and had decided to cut her losses. In the event, Steve had taken off back to Miami with only a desultory word of farewell for his daughter, and Evelyn had been forced to accept that what hopes she’d had were never going to be realised.
Another possible obstacle had been removed when Joe decided to take up permanent residence in England. ‘This way, Daisy’s education isn’t going to suffer,’ he’d said casually, making Rachel love him even more. ‘We can always spend the holidays in the States. Then, when she’s old enough, she can choose whether she wants to go to an English or an American university.’
‘But won’t that interfere with your work?’ Rachel asked one morning after Daisy had left for school. Joe was still in bed, reading the morning papers, and she’d brought toast and a fresh pot of coffee upstairs for them to share. ‘Your living here, I mean?’
‘I’ve always spent a lot of time in England anyway,’ said Joe, moving aside to allow her to climb onto the bed beside him. ‘These days, much of what I do can be done by email or video-conferencing, and when I have to travel I’ll arrange it so you can come with me.’
Rachel tucked the lapels of the fluffy cashmere dressing gown Joe had bought her closer about her. ‘And can you do that?’ she asked, sitting cross-legged so she could place the tray on the bed in front of her.
‘Hey, I own the company,’ said Joe teasingly. ‘I get to do whatever I like.’
Rachel drew a trembling breath. ‘Do you want coffee first or toast?’
Joe surprised her by lifting the tray and setting it on the bedside table at his side of the bed. ‘I want you first,’ he told her huskily, pulling her towards him. His hand slid down into the vee she’d made of her legs. ‘Mmm, that’s better,’ he said, encountering warm flesh and damp curls. ‘I want to love you,’ he added, his tongue tracing the parted contours of her lips. ‘Who needs food when I can eat you?’
They honeymooned in Hawaii, choosing one of the smaller islands where the tourists could be trusted to leave them alone. They spent four weeks relaxing and swimming and soaking up the sun. Rachel’s skin turned a delicious honey-brown, and her hair was bleached to a flattering lightness.
Daisy spent the time with her two sets of grandparents.
Evelyn had come around, as Daisy had predicted, and she and Howard had been especially thrilled when Joe had flown them both to New York for the wedding ceremony.
‘Can you imagine anyone else inviting his wife’s ex-in-laws to his wedding?’ Rachel had teased Joe when he’d asked her opinion. ‘Oh, darling, I don’t know what I’ve done to find someone as wonderful as you.’
‘Just lucky, I guess,’ Joe had said with a smug grin. Then, as she’d wound her arms about his waist, ‘Hey, didn’t you say Daisy was due home from school?’
Rachel had ignored him, and the kiss they’d shared had quickly deepened to a sensual assault on her senses.
Joe’s parents had taken to Daisy at once. His mother had told Rachel they were so relieved their son had fallen in love at last, and finding they had a ready-made granddaughter had been a bonus.
As far as Rachel was concerned, she’d loved Joe’s parents on sight. His father was so like Joe, and his mother had instantly made her feel as if she was already part of the family.
Consequently, she had no qualms about leaving Daisy in their care for the first two weeks she and Joe were away. Snow was falling in the mountains upstate, and they were planning to take Daisy skiing, with trips to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and shopping on Fifth Avenue thrown in for good measure. Then Joe’s sister, Rosa, would escort her back to England for a two-week stay with Steve’s parents.
On their last night in Hawaii, they went out to one of the small fish restaurants that were so popular in the resort where their hotel was situated. They ate lobster and clams, and Rachel was irresistibly reminded of the first meal they’d shared together in Miami.
She was gazing reminiscently into the distance when Joe captured her hand and brought it to his lips. ‘Penny for them,’ he said lightly. ‘Or shall I guess?’
Rachel’s green eyes softened as they turned to his dark face. ‘Can you?’
‘I think so.’ His eyes darkened. ‘We ate fish at the Sea House, and then I made love to you for the first time.’
‘Hmm.’ Rachel kissed his knuckles in her turn. ‘It was the most perfect experience I’d ever had. I’d never felt like that before.’
‘Not even with Steve?’
‘No.’ Rachel was definite.
Joe pulled a wry face. ‘I used to think I’d never hear that guy’s name without wanting to sock him on the jaw. But you know, I have so much to thank him for.’
Rachel dimpled. ‘Do you think so?’
‘Oh, yeah.’ Joe’s knee rubbed sensuously against hers. ‘He did me the greatest favour in the world. He allowed me to meet you.’
Rachel took a deep breath. ‘I doubt if he sees it that way.’
‘Tough.’ Joe was unrepentant. ‘Now, I’ve got something to tell you.’
Rachel frowned. She had something to tell Joe, too, and she wondered for a moment if he’d guessed her secret.
But no. As he started to speak, she realised that what he had to tell her was just going to add to their happiness.
‘You remember what I said about us needing somewhere larger to live now that I’m going to be working at home as well as you?’ he asked, and she nodded.
‘Well, I wonder how you’d feel about us buying a small estate just outside of Westlea. Melton Hall is up for sale, and I’ve got first refusal, if you’re interested.’
Rachel caught her breath. ‘Melton Hall?’ she echoed. ‘But that’s enormous!’
‘Not very.’ Joe gazed at her appealingly. ‘It has just eight bedrooms. And Charles says he’ll come and organise the place for us, which is quite a concessi
on. He’s always insisted he’d never move out of London, but I think you and Daisy have won him over.’
‘Oh, Joe.’ Rachel stared at him in disbelief. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘You could say you’ll at least give the idea some consideration,’ he murmured gently. ‘What do you think?’
Rachel shook her head. ‘I hope you’re not thinking we’ll be able to fill all those bedrooms!’ she protested, and he gave a soft laugh.
‘No. As I say, that’s up to you. But there’ll be you and me and Daisy. And Charles, of course. And my parents, when they come to stay.’
Rachel moistened her lips. ‘Would you mind if there was someone else? Fairly soon, actually.’
Joe’s brows drew together. ‘You don’t mean…?’
‘Hmm.’ She felt a ridiculous wave of colour sweeping up her throat. ‘I’m pregnant.’ She took a breath and then added quickly, ‘I was going to tell you tonight. You—you just beat me to it.’
‘Oh—my—God!’ Joe gazed at her, his lips parting in stunned disbelief. Then his eyes dropped intimately to where her stomach disappeared beneath the rim of the table. ‘You’re going to have a baby. My baby. Oh, my God!’
Rachel swallowed. ‘Are you pleased?’
Joe’s fingers gripped hers so tightly she winced. ‘Am I pleased?’ he breathed, and ignoring the other diners, he leant across the table and gave her a long, lingering kiss. ‘I’m ecstatic,’ he told her at last. ‘I love you, Rachel Mendez. And when we get back to our suite, I’m going to show you exactly how much.’
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2395-4
MENDEZ’S MISTRESS
First North American Publication 2008.
Copyright © 2008 by Anne Mather.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
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
