An Innocent, a Seduction, a Secret

by Abby Green

  He felt like scowling, and vowed to burn everything monochrome in her wardrobe. But first... For the first time in his life he couldn’t predict an outcome, and it made him feel uncharacteristically anxious.

  And then he saw her drag a stepladder from the side and climb up it to reach something above her head. The spurt of irritation mixed with concern galvanised Sebastio across the road...

  * * *

  Edie was straining up to reach the hook in the ceiling through which she could feed the curtain, but it was just out of her reach. She bit back a curse and the very annoying prickle of frustrated tears. Her emotions were all over the place.

  Matteo had officially marked his place as World’s Sweetest Man Ever when he’d read from the pregnancy book he’d bought her and told her, ‘It’s entirely normal to be feeling up and down at this time. Your hormones are going haywire. And also—’ he’d coughed and coloured a little ‘—your...er...breasts might be feeling a little tender.’

  Edie might have laughed if she hadn’t felt like crying. Again. Her breasts were tender. Achingly so. But she had a feeling that it had more to do with the fact that she craved Sebastio’s touch than with anything to do with her pregnancy.

  And he won’t be touching you again, reminded a frigid voice.

  Edie made one last attempt to reach the hook, just as a deep and infinitely memorable voice came from nearby.

  ‘Dios, Edie. Get down from there!’

  It all happened so fast it was a blur, but as she turned in shock she lost her precarious balance on the ladder and felt herself falling into thin air—only to be caught at the same moment in Sebastio’s arms.

  She landed against his chest with a little oof. And then it was so delicious being held in his arms that it took her a second of staring deep into those grey eyes before she remembered what was at stake and panicked.

  ‘I’m fine—you can put me down.’

  For a second Sebastio’s arms tightened around her, but then he let her go, setting her back on her feet. She nearly regretted it because her legs were so wobbly.

  Sebastio spoke first, a frown line between his eyes. ‘What were you doing up a ladder?’ He gestured with an arm. ‘What are you even doing here? You are the mother of my child! You should be taking care of yourself.’

  Shock and anger mixed together inside Edie. It was too much to see Sebastio here like this. A cruel kind of déjà-vu.

  She put her hands on her hips. ‘I was doing just fine until you scared the life out of me.’ She clamped her mouth shut to stop anything else from tumbling out.

  For the first time Edie noticed that he looked dishevelled and strained. He wore a suit, but no tie. The top button of his shirt was open. The suit was creased.

  ‘Edie, we need to talk... Can we talk somewhere?’

  She shook her head. She was afraid if she went somewhere with Sebastio the frail control on her emotions would unravel altogether. ‘No, we can talk here—it’s perfectly private.’

  Both of them were oblivious to the small crowd gathering outside the window. And to the fact that Jimmy had just come to the doorway, taken one look at their faces and softly closed the door.

  Sebastio started to pace in the small space, which was dressed as a bedroom, complete with an artfully angled bed the better to display the luxurious linen.

  He stopped and looked at her.

  Edie blurted out, ‘What are you doing here?’

  He came close. Close enough for Edie to see that there was a light in his eyes that she had never seen before. It made her heart beat faster. It scared her. Because she couldn’t foster any hope. He’d killed all hope.

  ‘Sebastio...?’

  He took her hands in his.

  ‘When I saw the pregnancy test I felt totally betrayed. I believed the worst. I interpreted everything in the worst light. To me there wasn’t even a possibility that you hadn’t orchestrated it for your benefit. It confirmed all the tiny doubts I’d ever had about you. That you couldn’t possibly be as innocent as you seemed. That you couldn’t possibly be as open as you were. As you are.

  ‘My whole life has directed me to a world view that supports my cynicism. My first lover warned me that people would only ever want me for my wealth and success. My parents’ relationship was so toxic I vowed never to marry or have children, in case I inflicted the same pain on them...

  ‘When the car crash happened, the reason I found it so hard to let go of the guilt wasn’t just because I was driving, or because Victor blamed me. It was because I was deeply envious of what Maya and Victor had. Their love and happiness. I was so intent on reinforcing my cynicism in response to something Maya had said that I got distracted and took my eyes off the road for a split second. And in that moment we crashed.

  ‘My cynical comment was the last thing Victor remembered. He knew that I was envious of what they had and in the aftermath it was easy for him to blame me...to hit me where it hurt. And I let him because I thought I deserved it. I felt ashamed.’

  His hands tightened on hers. ‘I know now that even if I hadn’t been distracted I still wouldn’t have been able to avoid that drunk driver.’

  Edie’s heart ached even as she tried desperately to protect herself. ‘You don’t have to explain all of this,’ she said.

  He shook his head. ‘The reason I went back to Buenos Aires was because I wanted to come back to you and leave you in no doubt about what I’m saying. I’ve made my peace with Victor. You were right. He is happy again. We laid a lot of ghosts to rest, and that’s something that I know wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t met you.’

  A warm glow infused Edie’s chest. ‘I’m sure it would have happened sooner or later.’

  Sebastio grimaced. ‘I doubt it. I needed someone to come along and break me apart so I could start to come back together again.’

  Edie’s heart spasmed. ‘What are you talking about?’

  He looked at her and she gulped. She’d never seen such intensity in his expression. Or she had... It had been that night in the shower, when he’d been so raw after the nightmare.

  ‘I love you, Edie... I love you more than life itself. It just took me a while to figure that out, because you were right. How could I know what love was? Except I do know... I loved my grandmother and she loved me. For a long time I buried the memory of those feelings, though, too afraid that if I admitted to them I’d become weak. I had to be strong to weather my parents’ disregard.’

  Edie lifted a trembling hand to Sebastio’s face. She couldn’t speak.

  ‘It wasn’t until you came along that I started to allow myself to feel again. To trust again. To want more again.’ He cupped her cheek. ‘It started that night in the club, four years ago. I saw you and I felt something break inside me. When you looked at me I felt exposed, as if you could see right into me to where I was so dark and jaded.’

  Edie whispered, ‘I felt it too...like you could see what I’d been through. How isolated I felt...out of place.’

  He nodded. ‘I also saw how young you were—and innocent. I didn’t want to taint you with my cynicism.’

  He took a deep breath. ‘Edie, I want to ask...’

  He stopped and looked endearingly uncertain. Then he got down on one knee in front of her.

  Edie’s jaw fell open. Her legs went so weak that they collapsed, and she found herself sitting on the edge of something soft. She didn’t even know what.

  He still had her hands in his and he let one go to take a box out of his jacket pocket. A small dark blue velvet box. He let her other hand go and opened it.

  Edie looked down to see a ring. A ring with a teardrop diamond that looked very familiar, and two smaller diamonds either side. In a platinum setting.

  Sebastio said, ‘I had the diamond from the necklace set in the ring... It’s the only piece of jewellery I’ve ever picked out for a woman bef
ore... I think that’s when I suspected how much trouble I was in...’

  Edie looked at Sebastio, her eyes filling with helpless tears. ‘It’s lovely...’

  He took the ring out of the box and held her hand. ‘Edie, will you please marry me and promise to spend the rest of your life with me? Because if you don’t...’ He went pale. ‘I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I want it all with you. A family. A home.’

  Edie smiled tremulously. ‘A dog?’

  Sebastio smiled too, his eyes suspiciously bright. ‘I’d really like a dog too... So will you? Marry me, Edie...?’

  Edie couldn’t hold back any longer. She launched herself at Sebastio and he tumbled back onto the very expensive oriental rug on the floor. Her arms were wrapped tight around his neck, her aching, tender breasts crushed against his chest. But she didn’t care.

  She kissed him because she thought she might die if she didn’t. And when she pulled back she said breathlessly, ‘Yes... Sebastio Rivas...yes, I’ll marry you.’

  Outside the window the crowd had swelled to about a hundred people. Phones were being pointed at the window and people were clapping and wiping tears from their eyes.

  Sebastio’s proposal to Edie went viral within minutes.

  When Sebastio finally extricated himself enough to put the glittering ring on Edie’s finger it made a very dull January day much brighter.

  EPILOGUE

  Two years later. Richmond, Christmas

  SEBASTIO STOOD AT the main front door and felt his chest swell so much with love that it almost hurt. Edie and their fifteen-month-old daughter, Rose—named after his grandmother—were putting the final touches to a somewhat squat-looking snowman near the bottom of the steps, and he observed them for a moment while they were unaware of his presence.

  Edie wore no hat and her hair was piled messily on top of her head in a topknot, tendrils of dark auburn falling around her face. She’d finally let it grow again...

  Rose took after both of them. She had dark hair and blue eyes. Lighter than her mother’s. Sebastio had never felt so terrified as he had the morning her slippery little form had rushed out of Edie’s body and into their lives, but in an instant the terror had been replaced with a welling of love so intense he’d almost combusted.

  Every day the intensity of that emotion felled him. But what terrified him even more was the prospect that he wouldn’t have known this if Edie hadn’t come into his world and brought him back to life.

  Behind him the house was decorated to the gills in preparation for Christmas in two days. Edie’s parents were due to arrive at any minute.

  The scent of the massive Christmas tree in the hall tickled Sebastio’s nostrils and he had to smile at the thought of how comprehensively his life had changed. For the better.

  He was back in the rugby arena too, working as a pundit for the big European tournaments, and it fed his soul to be part of that world again.

  And Edie...

  Pride filled him. Edie had started her own business as a creative consultant for event decorating. Jimmy was her business partner and Sebastio had become a frequent visitor to various houses and marquees, carrying Rose against his chest in a harness.

  Rose spotted Sebastio in the doorway now and shrieked, clapping her hands. ‘Dada! Dada!’

  Edie turned and looked up at him, smiling in that secret way she had that sent his body into meltdown. She’d been smiling at him more enigmatically for the past couple of days, actually, and it was begining to seriously unnerve him—as if she knew something he didn’t.

  He vowed to get it out of her later. But for now he pulled on his boots and a coat and went to join his wife and daughter. He counted his many blessings—not least of which was the chocolate Labrador that bounded around the corner and slammed into the snowman, showering them all with snow and causing Rose to squeal with delight...

  And much later he did manage to get out of Edie the reason why she’d been smiling at him as if she had a secret.

  Because she did...

  The secret that they were to continue a happy tradition.

  Edie had conceived another Christmas baby...

  * * * * *

  If you enjoyed An Innocent, A Seduction, A Secret you’re sure to enjoy these other stories by Abby Green!

  A Christmas Bride for the King

  Claimed for the De Carrillo Twins

  Married for the Tycoon’s Empire

  The Virgin’s Debt to Pay

  Available now!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from The Billionaire’s Christmas Cinderella by Carol Marinelli.

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  The Billionaire’s Christmas Cinderella

  by Carol Marinelli

  PROLOGUE

  ‘I KNOW THAT this is a very difficult time for the Devereux family. However—’

  ‘That may be the case but it has no bearing on this discussion.’

  Abe Devereux interrupted the Sheikh when few people would. It was an online meeting, with Abe in his stunning high-rise New York City office and Sheikh Prince Khalid in Al-Kazan, but Abe would have responded in the same terse manner had they met face to face.

  The Devereux family was extending its empire into the Middle East. The first hotel was under construction in Dubai and the site for the next had recently been sourced in Al-Kazan.

  Except the landowners, Khalid had just informed Abe, had added several million to their previous asking price. To refuse jeopardised not only the Al-Kazan project—the knock-on effect would be huge. If the Devereuxes didn’t agree to the new asking price, then construction in Dubai might cease.

  Abe refused to be bullied.

  Khalid was very possibly relying on the fact that he was a personal friend of Abe’s younger brother, Ethan. Or perhaps he had hoped for a rare moment of weakness or distraction, given that Jobe Devereux, the head of the Devereux empire, was gravely ill.

  But there would be no weakness or distraction from Abe.

  Khalid would soon come to understand that he was dealing with the most ruthless of the Devereuxes.

  Abe would never be swayed by emotion.

  This was business, and nothing ever got in the way of that.

  ‘Whose side are you on, Khalid?’ Abe asked the question few would dare. ‘We are supposed to be in this venture together.’

  ‘I am on the side of progress,’ Khalid answered smoothly. ‘And for the sake of a relatively
small sum we risk thwarting the inroads that have been made.’

  ‘If Al-Kazan is not ready for such progress then we shall look for another site.’

  ‘Have you discussed this with Ethan?’ Khalid checked.

  Ethan was supposed to be here but he hadn’t made it in, which was perhaps just as well, given that he was friends with the Sheikh.

  Abe wasn’t particularly friendly with anyone but, even had he been, it wouldn’t have swayed him.

  ‘Ethan and I are both in full agreement,’ Abe lied smoothly, for he had not had a chance to speak with his brother. ‘The price remains as originally decided or we look elsewhere.’

  ‘If we could perhaps discuss it with Ethan present?’ Supremely polite, still Khalid pushed his agenda. ‘He was here recently and understands the sensitivities.’

  ‘There’s nothing more to discuss.’

  ‘But if we can’t come to a satisfactory resolution, even a temporary one, construction in Dubai may well cease.’

  ‘In that case...’ Abe shrugged ‘...no one gets paid. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really do have to go.’

  ‘Of course.’ Khalid nodded graciously, though it was clear he was displeased. ‘Would you pass on my best wishes to your father?’

  It was only when Abe was satisfied that they had been disconnected and Khalid’s face had disappeared from the screen that he let out a curse that indicated the gravity of the situation. If the Dubai construction ceased, for even a few days, the knock-on effect would be dire.

  Abe was quite sure that Khalid was relying on that fact.

  For a couple of million, Abe could resolve this. It was small change in the scheme of things and he was certain that Ethan would be willing to pay up rather than jeopardise the project at this tender stage.

  But Abe refused to be bullied.

  And threats, however silkily delivered, would not change his stance.

  Abe got up from his desk and, from his impressive vantage point, looked out over a cold and snowy Manhattan and beyond. It was a stunning view towards the East River and he drank it in for a moment, barely turning his head when his brother’s PA knocked and explained the reason for his absence from this morning’s meeting.