by Jennie Lucas
Rodrigo dropped his suitcase with a loud bang against the floor. He gave a harsh laugh. “Is that some kind of joke?”
“Maybe you were just testing their loyalty. Or maybe...” Speaking her deepest fear, she whispered, “Maybe you were afraid of loving them, and wanted to get rid of them before they got too close.”
His black eyes glinted sparks in the small halo of lamplight as he came forward. “You’re insane.”
Lola set her jaw, trying desperately to appear strong, but her voice wobbled as she said, “Did you send that man to flirt with me today? Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“How can you even think such a thing?” he said in a low, dangerous voice, looking down at her. “After I decide to trust you—”
“Trust me! Is that what you call it, when you have Lester follow me?”
“That was for your own protection!”
“No!” she cried. Her chest rose and fell in quick, angry breaths. “It was for yours!”
The two of them glared at each other with matching ferocity.
Behind him, she could see the sweep of silver moonlight through the windows. He towered over her, powerful and fierce in the shadowy great room.
Reaching out, Rodrigo gripped her shoulders, searching her gaze. “Tell me this is a joke. You know I would not do such a despicable thing.”
“Tell me why, every time anyone gets close to you and starts to care, you push them away.”
“If you know about my exes, you know my reason—”
“No,” she said steadily. “It started before that. Because every time you got engaged, you disappeared. For weeks or months. And you did the same thing after you married me.”
His expression changed. Releasing her, he turned away. Going to the wet bar, he poured himself a short glass of forty-year-old Scotch. He took a drink, then finally turned to face her. “You’re right. I learned not to trust anyone long ago. When I was a boy.”
“Your parents,” she whispered, looking at him.
Rodrigo took another gulp of Scotch. The moonlight caressed the hard edges of his face. “My father wasn’t my father.”
“What?” She gasped.
“My whole childhood, I always felt like my father despised me. He never hugged me. He barely looked at me.” He looked away. “At his funeral, my mother told me why. He’d known all along I wasn’t his son.” A sardonic smile traced his sensual lips. “She’d had a brief affair with the chauffeur. Just one of many. She enjoyed throwing his love for her back in his face.”
“So that’s why you wanted the paternity test,” Lola said slowly. “And why you insisted on marrying me.”
“I didn’t want my child to ever feel like I felt that day,” he said in a low voice. “Or any other days.”
Lola no longer wondered why he had trust issues. Indeed, now she could only wonder that he was able to trust anyone at all.
Rodrigo stared out the window bleakly, toward the dark, moonlit beach. “Growing up, I could hardly wait to get married. I wanted a real family, a real home. But it was never real.” He gave her a crooked smile. “With Pia, I fell in love with the role she played in a movie, not her. Ulrika and I just argued all the time. Elise—well, we both loved our careers more than each other.”
“She said to tell you thanks, by the way. For breaking up with her. Giving her more time to work.”
“That sounds like her. And I felt the same.” Looking back out the window, he said softly, “Maybe you were right. Maybe I always knew they were wrong for me. And I was glad for the excuse to leave.”
Lola swallowed. “But you didn’t—”
“Didn’t set them up to cheat on me?” He shook his head, his dark eyes luminous in the shadows. “No.”
Looking at his face, she believed him.
“Now I have a question for you.” Gulping down the last of the Scotch, he set the glass down on the end table. “Is there something you’re keeping from me? Some secret?”
“Secret?” She frowned. “I just wanted to know what happened to your engagements. If you were behind the betrayals.”
His dark gaze cut into her soul. “Why?”
“Because—” she took a deep breath “—I had to know if you were going to do the same to me.”
Rodrigo stared at her. Then he pulled her into his strong arms.
“I will never betray you, Lola.” He looked down at her fiercely. “Not in that way, nor any other. When I spoke those vows to you, I meant them.” He cupped her cheek. “To love and cherish. For the rest of our lives.”
As she stared up at him, feeling the gentle touch of his powerful hand, a rush of relief went through her so great, she almost cried. She hadn’t realized until this moment how tense she’d been. How afraid.
“I believe you,” she said.
His dark eyes turned warm. “You do?”
“Yes.”
His hand moved softly down her neck, through her blond hair, hanging down her shoulders. “I bought you a Christmas present.”
“You did?” Just knowing that he hadn’t sabotaged his past engagements, and wasn’t trying to secretly end their marriage, was all the gift she needed. But he was looking at her so expectantly, she said, “What is it?”
He gave her a wicked smile. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
“I heard from my sisters today,” she blurted out.
He pulled back to look at her, his dark face unreadable. “You did?”
“Well, technically, it was just my youngest sister, Johanna. They sent back the college money, can you believe it? They didn’t even want it!” Picking up the check from the floor, she showed him. “They just want us to come for Christmas!”
“Christmas?” he said slowly. “In New York?”
She nodded happily. “Think of it, Rodrigo. Christmas with my sisters, then New Year’s Eve with our friends. Cristiano’s hosting a party at his new property in Times Square... What do you say?” she rushed out.
Rodrigo stared down at her, his handsome face expressionless. “It’s our first Christmas as a family. I thought we’d spend it here. I’ve made plans...”
“Please.” Her voice caught. “You don’t know what it means to me that they want to see me.”
He looked down at her in the dark, shadowed beach house. “It means so much, querida?”
“So much,” she whispered.
Rodrigo took a deep breath.
“Then of course we must go.”
Joy filled her. With a cry, Lola threw her arms around him, standing on her tiptoes to cover his face with kisses. “You won’t regret it!”
Smiling, he murmured, his voice muffled by her kisses, “I’m glad already.”
Drawing back, Lola looked up at her husband. The moon’s silver light grazed the hard edges of one side, with the lamplight’s golden glow on the other. Her heart felt bigger than the world.
And that was when she knew, she really knew, that she loved him.
CHAPTER NINE
IT WAS THE day before Christmas Eve, and the weather had grown cooler, even in Los Angeles. Lola had to wear a soft cotton sweater and jeans instead of a sundress and sandals. But amid the palm trees and California sunshine, as she listened to Christmas songs on the radio about snow and family, all she could think about was their upcoming trip to New York.
Everything was planned. Tomorrow, they’d leave for New York on Rodrigo’s private jet, and not return until New Year’s Day.
Lola tapped her feet excitedly. Just one more day until she’d finally see her sisters after all these years. She’d done a video chat with them last week, and she could hardly believe how shockingly grown up they looked now. She’d even spoken briefly with their parents. Lola remembered the older couple as guarded, but they seemed warmer now and friendlier.
Perhaps because they weren’t scared o
f her anymore, either. They knew she wasn’t a threat to them. She’d never try to fight them for custody or add stress to their lives. How could she? She was grateful to them, for taking the girls into their home as foster kids, then adopting them and giving them such happy lives. When Lola had first seen Johanna and Kelsey’s parents seven years ago, she’d been so jealous, she’d hated them, picturing them as entitled and rich.
She knew now that they were just regular people. The father was an engineer. The mother was a school secretary.
Lola had loved seeing pictures of the girls’ tidy little house in their picturesque little town, an hour outside New York. Lola had introduced them to Jett in the video chat and shown them pictures of Rodrigo and their beach house in California. Since that time, Johanna kept sending Lola funny pictures of their dog, Peaches, telling her firmly that she “had” to get a dog for Jett, too.
He’s not even six months old, Lola had texted back, amused to see her own bossiness manifest in her baby sister.
Jett’s my nephew and he needs a dog, Johanna had replied firmly.
Jett had aunts now. More family to love him. And Lola was so grateful.
She’d already wrapped their Christmas presents. The gifts weren’t flashy like the college money, expensive and designed to impress, but simple and from the heart. A crystal unicorn for Johanna, who loved anything that was pink and pretty, and an original-press, rare vinyl ABBA album for Kelsey, who was way too young to be a fan, but there you had it. For their parents, she’d bought a pizza stone and accessories, after hearing about their Thursday pizza nights. Even the family dog, Harley, would receive a basket of top-of-the-line homemade dog treats and chew toys.
Lola smiled, just thinking about it.
Jett’s Christmas gifts had already been sorted at Thanksgiving, from her and Rodrigo’s spree in New York. But she’d spent time writing heartfelt thank-you cards to the housekeepers and bodyguards, to go with their holiday bonuses.
Leaving only one person to shop for. One impossibly difficult person. She’d racked her brain, all the way until today, when it was almost too late.
Until finally, while shopping with the baby today, Lola had had an idea.
Now, as Tobias drove her and Jett back to the beach house in the luxury SUV, Lola leaned back against the soft leather, peeking down at the glossy blue bag in satisfaction. Inside it, she saw a small blue box that held an engraved gold ring.
Finally, her husband would have a wedding band. And when he saw what she’d had engraved inside it...
She shivered. Could she be brave enough?
As the Escalade pulled into the gated courtyard of the beach house, Lola was pulled out of her reverie when she heard Tobias’s voice from the front seat. “Mr. Cabrera just sent a message that he’s expecting you, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Tobias.”
She smiled, her heart quickening just at the sound of her husband’s name. Since their last argument, the night he’d returned from San Francisco, Rodrigo had taken no more trips away from the family, not even short ones. He’d drastically cut back his hours at work, in a way she’d never seen before. The reason was clear. He wanted to spend time with Jett.
He wanted to spend time with her.
Every morning, he’d stayed late to have breakfast with them, served on the terrace next to the pool. And nearly every evening, he’d been home in time to join them for dinner, then help with the baby’s bath. On weekends, they’d gone on family excursions, Disneyland, hiking trails in the nearby hills, visiting art museums and the zoo and the farmer’s market, even boating to Catalina Island. All normal things that any family might do. Well, except for the fact that Rodrigo owned the yacht that took them to Catalina.
But tonight, he’d hinted, before they left for New York, he had something extra special planned.
“Not just for Christmas,” he’d told her that morning, nuzzling her in bed. He’d drawn back to give her a serious look as he said huskily, “For always.”
All day, Lola had tried not to think of what it could mean. So of course it was all she could think about.
Now, as Tobias parked the car, she asked suddenly, “How’s your son doing?”
“Great.” The bodyguard grinned. “Both of us are great, Mrs. Cabrera. Thanks to you.”
“Good.” As he got out to open her car door, Lola lingered over the seat belt of her baby’s car seat.
Please. She fervently closed her eyes. Please let Rodrigo’s surprise be him telling me he loves me.
Because she loved him. It was always on the tip of her tongue now. Every time she watched him tenderly hold their baby. Every evening they spent together on the poolside terrace at sunset, drinking a glass of wine after Jett was asleep. Every night he took Lola to bed and moved his hot, sensual body against hers until he set her world on fire.
She loved him. She wanted to scream it to the world. She wanted to look into his rugged features and speak the words, again and again, like a sacred incantation.
Then she wanted him to say the words back to her.
Please, she thought. She didn’t want any expensive gifts for Christmas. She didn’t want anything but this: for her husband to love her.
“Mrs. Cabrera?”
Pasting a smile on her face, Lola lifted her baby out of the car seat. Walking to the front door of the sprawling beach house, she looked up at the tall, slender palm trees, swaying in the wind, silhouetted purple against the lowering sun in the orange and red horizon.
Squaring her shoulders, she carried the baby to the front door, her footsteps echoing against the flagstones. She opened the door.
And gasped.
The great room of the beach house, with its luxurious furniture and double-story window views of the Pacific, had been filled with roses of every color, hundreds of them, pink and red and yellow and white. But that wasn’t even the most amazing part.
Rodrigo stood beside the doorway, devastatingly attractive in a tuxedo, holding out a long-stemmed pink rose.
Lola’s heart slammed against her ribs. Her hand shook as she took the rose. “What’s this?”
He gave her a wicked smile. “Christmas.”
“It’s not even Christmas Eve yet.”
“Tomorrow’s for family.” His dark eyes gleamed down at her. “Tonight’s for us.”
“For us?” A flash of heat went through her, and her cheeks burned. “I thought we’d be getting a Christmas tree tonight.”
“We are. In a way.” He allowed himself a smug smile, then glanced behind him. “Mrs. Lee will be watching Jett.”
The housekeeper came forward, smiling as she took the baby from Lola’s arms. “Have a nice evening, Mrs. Cabrera.”
“But—where are we going?”
“Go to our bedroom,” Rodrigo said, his dark eyes burning through her.
“Now?”
“Right now.”
Going down the hall to the palatial master bedroom, Lola dropped her shopping bag in shock when she saw a famous personal stylist waiting for her, with two makeup and hair stylists.
“Hello.” The personal stylist, who dressed movie stars for worldwide events, gave Lola a cheeky smile. “I’m here for you, my dear. To make you even more impossibly beautiful than you already are.” He motioned toward a rack of ball gowns and brand-new designer shoes. “Choose your favorite. They’re all in your size.” He held up a sleek, well-used sewing kit and double-sided tape. “I can make any gown fit.”
Thirty minutes later, Lola felt so ridiculously like a princess, she was sure even Johanna would approve. Looking in the full-length mirror, Lola hardly recognized herself.
Her long, highlighted blond hair was sleek and perfect, falling nearly to her waist. Her strapless pink chiffon gown fit her perfectly, showing off her curves. Black kohl and fake eyelashes lined her eyes, making the hazel color pop dramatically,
and her lips were pink.
Standing in the sparkling six-inch designer heels, Lola breathed, “I don’t even need jewelry.”
The stylist gave her a wicked grin. “You sparkle enough on your own.”
“I feel like Cinderella,” she said.
“You look like her, too.” He tilted his head. “You married the most powerful man in showbiz, girl. This city, this world, is yours to command.”
Lola felt like she was in a dream as she walked back down the hall in the strapless pink chiffon gown. Even the six-inch heels felt fantastic on her feet, as if she were floating on air. She’d never had a problem with designer heels making her feet hurt. They were too beautiful—too expensive—to hurt.
But what were they doing tonight?
Lola looked down at the glamorous pink gown. Obviously, not going Christmas tree shopping.
When she returned to the great room, the housekeeper and Jett were gone. Rodrigo stood alone amid the roses.
His eyes widened when he saw her.
“Querida,” he whispered. “You take my breath away.”
“Thanks.” Coming forward shyly, she reached up to straighten his black tie. “You don’t clean up so badly yourself.”
“I bought you some Christmas decorations.”
“Mistletoe?” she guessed.
“I should have thought of that. But no.” Pulling a black, flat velvet box from his tuxedo jacket pocket, he held it out. Lola sucked in her breath when she saw a magnificent diamond necklace, sparkling in the twilight, amid all the sweet-scented roses.
“Oh,” she whispered.
“Hold up your hair,” he said huskily.
She did as he commanded. Dropping the black velvet box on an antique side table, he placed the diamonds around her neck, attaching the clasp behind her.
The necklace felt cold and heavy against Lola’s skin. But the feather-light brush of his fingertips as he hooked the clasp sent a flash of fire through her body.
“There.” Turning her to face him, he stroked her cheek, tilting her head upward. “Now you are ready.”
Lola looked up at him, her heart thudding in her chest. I love you, Rodrigo. The words lifted to her throat. Her lips parted—
