Net of Lies (23 page)

T
he skin over his jaw tightened as he swallowed hard. His voice shook as he said, with just a fraction of his usual self-confidence, ‘Look at me, Kate.’

When she ignored him
, he repeated, more urgently and louder, ‘No, look at me,
por favor
. Look at me, and say it properly,
querida
.’

She dread
ed returning his contact; it would expose her to him in a way she couldn’t remember happening since they had broken up. But she had to, if only to stop him from talking. Defiantly, she lifted her eyes and looked straight into his as she repeated her words, challenging him with her lifted chin. ‘I love you, Raoul, and you know it. There, are you happy now?’ Tears burned in her eyes, and she blinked angrily as she tried to hide them from him.

‘I am incredibly happy
.’ He grinned widely, dazzling her. ‘I never thought I would get to hear you saying it so soon. I was just thinking how much persuading and pleading it would take to get you to believe in us again.’

‘What?’
Confused, she stared at him again. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I love you
, Kate, more than anything in this world,’ he admitted, his voice warm and seductive. ‘I would have loved you no matter what, even if you were the sell-out my father was trying to paint you as. I already resigned myself to the idea that there was no cure for this fever in my heart, burning me day and night, no matter what I did. I knew I had to find you, sooner or later. Only I was a coward, and I put it off out of the pure fear of you rejecting me without allowing me to explain the truth.’

He was still holding her in his lap, his hands smoothing her hair with a long, stroking motion.
‘This gallery thing happened just in time, an omen of fate, I believe. You were there, staring at me from the website, challenging me to do something instead of wasting time pretending to myself that I was fine. So I invented an elaborate plan that involved you, using it as an excuse to be with you in a way you wouldn’t find too personal. I thought that after all was done, I would slowly try reintroducing myself into your life, tonight’s evening the beginning.’

‘So it was your idea to invite me here?’
She should have been angry at him for bullying his aunt into extending her an invitation, but she couldn’t.
He cares!
Her whole body sang, every drop of her blood coursing through her veins with an exhilarating rush.

‘
I’m afraid so.’ He nodded, a twinkle in his eyes betraying his total lack of repentance. ‘But then we arrived, and the first thing I saw was Sonia’s car waiting in the driveway. I was furious because I thought that if you saw her, you might storm out of the house, never giving me a chance to explain. You have a history of doing just that, my sweet.’

He smiled at her with such tenderness
that she choked on tears that she couldn’t quite stop from falling.

‘I found Sonia and talked to her, trying to explain to her my worries. Only she had already discussed it with my aunt, and they
had both decided that it was for the best to have her talk to you and explain everything, risking your anger and disappointment. What I did was very unusual and not every woman would have understood.’

‘I do
,’ she said calmly, a sense of peace filling her for the first time in two years. She had found her way back home. ‘It was old-fashioned and chivalrous, taking loyalty to a totally different level. But… it’s you, Raoul.’ She smiled a watery smile, her lips trembling. ‘You have always reminded me of some ancient warrior, powerful and just, protecting your family and name from ever falling into disgrace. It’s true that you should have told me earlier. It would have saved us a lot of heartache, my love.’

‘Which I
will be repenting from now on.’ He lowered his face as he brushed his mouth against her expectant lips. ‘I will spend the rest of my life making up for these two years that we wasted through my stupidity. Will you let me,
querida
?’

‘I will, Raoul
. Of course I will.’ She laughed through her tears, until his kiss broke off whatever she wanted to say next. It wasn’t needed anyway. As she felt his mouth caressing her lips with tenderness that soon turned into passion, she forgot instantly what could have been so important to mention at the moment. He was holding her in his arms as if he never wanted to let her go, and that was all that mattered. She lifted her arms to his neck and locked them there, threading her fingers through his silky hair. She wanted him closer, kissing him back with wondrous passion. He obliged, his kiss deepening until they were both left shaking and struggling for composure. His hands, suddenly much rougher and more demanding, swept over her body, his fingertips tracing the lines of her breasts, waist, and hips.

‘We better get in there if we want to have any dinner at all
,’ he managed finally, lifting his dark head. ‘If not, I might break my rule of never behaving badly in someone else’s house and have my wicked way with you here.’

‘Only on the condition that you promise to have your way with me later on
.’ She had no trouble teasing and joking, basking in the certainty of his love. ‘I have a room in a wonderful hotel, Mr. Santos.’ She giggled and added playfully, ‘It has been rented for me by a very sexy and handsome Spanish man. It has a king-size bed and a bathroom to die for. All I need is someone to help me appreciate it a bit more. Do you think that you might be up for that job?’ Glancing at him from under her long lashes, she saw him grinning flirtatiously, nodding his dark head.

‘A
vixen, that’s what you are,’ he said finally, his voice pure satin. ‘You know I’ll be counting the minutes until we can leave here now. Hopefully, it won’t be too obvious.’

They never got the excellent dessert that Rosa’s dinners were famous for, but neither of them regretted th
e loss.
There’s always next time,
Kate thought as they drove off down the cobblestone street, the low hum of the engine the only sound other than the impatient pounding of her blood.

‘A little more to the left
.’ Kate pointed to the perfect spot on the pristine, white wall of her showroom, her head cocked to one side in critical assessment. It was the eve of the first exhibition that her gallery had planned for the winter season, and everything needed to be perfect. Starting with the pictures hanging absolutely straight and in the exact spots that would showcase their beauty.

I
still can’t believe it,
she thought happily as she stepped closer, her eyes never once leaving the canvas that the two workers were holding patiently while waiting for her guidance.
I’m a gallery owner.

H
er own private little heaven consisted of two large rooms and a deliciously spacious back storage room that could hold numerous pieces while they waited for their chance to shine. She thought dreamily of her handsome husband, who had made it happen, distracting her from her job.

H
e had brought her the little carved key on the evening before their wedding ceremony. She’d had no idea what it meant until they drove to the spot, then his childlike delight at her surprised exhilaration had made it so much more special. He led her to the illuminated doorway, where a single red rose was attached to the doorknob. She opened the door at his prompting, her widening eyes taking in the bright-white walls, the simple, wooden floor, and the large mirrors, ready to reflect the beauty that was to adorn the nakedness of the perfect place. And then she noticed the sign on one of the mirrors—a simple piece of paper attached to the crystal-clear surface. She stepped forward until she stood exactly in front of the mirror. It read:
The gallery owner, Kate Reeves-Lorrena.
It brought tears to her eyes, and she could do nothing but stare, her whole body overcome with an immense sense of joy. She turned to him, her heart full of love and gratitude.

‘Raoul, I can’t believe you did
this—’

H
e stepped forward, pulling her into his strong arms in a possessive gesture. Warm lips came down to her tear-streaked cheeks, torturously slow in their journey to her already-parted lips. Impatiently, her arms went up to his neck as she pulled him closer, eager to taste his kiss. His low laughter was the last sound she heard before he obliged, kissing her passionately, until they were both breathless and dizzy with need.

‘I thought we should check
the place out.’ His voice shook lightly as he let his fingers trail down her neck toward the swell of her breasts, visible under the thin fabric of her dress. ‘Live in it a bit…’

She followed him blindly to the back room, barely noticing anything but the comfortable sofa pushed against the wall
. The rest of the room was drowned in the semi-darkness of the twilight. He sat on it, taking her on his lap and kissing her again, his demanding mouth reducing her to a quivering heap of nerve endings that screamed for release.

She felt his fingers unbuttoning her dress and peeling it off, his hot mouth following the work of his hands with impatience that made him clumsy. Her body arched in delight as she felt his lips closing over her hardened nipple, and she l
ay back on the plush, velvet upholstery, taking him with her. There was no time for slow lovemaking. They were both starved after a few days of abstinence. Raoul was trying to put as many hours as possible into his office because their month-long honeymoon was certain to take its toll on his work. But then he stopped, his head poised over her eager body with an inhuman effort to regain his self-control.

‘No, Kate
,’ he moaned, her frustrated groan causing him to smile. ‘We should wait for tomorrow,
querida
. One more night, and we will be together, forever and ever…’ She knew there was no point trying to talk him out of it, so she allowed him to lift her to her feet and straighten her clothes with shaky hands.

Raoul had this notion of doing things the right way,
and his determination to save their lovemaking for their wedding night was as frustrating as hell.

In the end
, we prevailed,
she thought as she stood watching the pictures being hung. He had certainly compensated for those self-imposed regulations. An impish smile curved her lips in the beginning of a smile as she remembered their honeymoon.

‘Yes, that is perfect
,’ she said, forcing herself to abandon her daydreaming and concentrate on the task at hand. She was determined to do her first exhibition right, even if it meant lending a helping hand. She stepped forward to help the two men struggling with the picture. ‘Let me help,’ she started, only to be interrupted by an anxious voice as a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist from behind.

‘Absolutely not, darling
.’ Raoul’s voice, concerned and overprotective, cut her short, and he hugged her fiercely, before letting go and making a quick work of helping to position the picture himself.

‘Is that ok
ay?’ He turned to her questioningly, his handsome face still sending her senses into overdrive. It should have lessened after half a year of marriage, but she was still aware of the uneven heartbeat that she couldn’t quite control. She nodded, grateful for the excuse to stare at the canvas and hide her infatuation.
I shouldn’t ogle my husband like that,
she thought, amused with the fact that he didn’t seem to have any problem acting exactly the same way.

‘Good
.’ He stepped back, his dark eyes focused on her with the intensity that she remembered ever since the moment their eyes had met at the beach. ‘You know, darling, you aren’t supposed to do things like that, right? No lifting or stretching, please.’

‘Raoul,
I’m pregnant, not disabled…’ She smiled at his concerned face, amazed at how wonderful it sounded to be said aloud. She was three months along, and he was already planning the nursery and all kinds of things he wanted to do with the baby.

‘I know, Kate
.’ His arms sneaked around her, and he planted a quick kiss on the top of her head. ‘But I don’t want you to work too hard or to get hurt. You have been working on this opening like crazy for the last few weeks, and you know it.’

‘Is someone feeling neglected?’
She laughed. ‘I’m planning on making it up to you tonight,
querido
. Right after we are done with placing the remaining pieces, that is.’

‘In that case
, I hope they can use another pair of hands.’ Grinning youthfully, Raoul kissed her again, his lips marauding her ear as he whispered, ‘And,
si
, I do feel very neglected, Señora Lorrena. So be ready for all the making up you’ll have to do.’

Kate found herself seated in one of the chairs provided for the visitors, her eyes inspecting the progress of the setup with
the sense of peace that came from seeing Raoul work, visibly eager to get things done and take her home—which was fine with her. A delicious anticipation filled her with a buzz of energy that was barely bearable as time passed by.

Finally they were done
, and there was nothing left but to lock up the place and leave. The silence between them was electrified with sparks of mutual attraction that begged to be released. Getting into the car, she looked at Raoul’s face, her heart twisting painfully at the thought that he was really hers. She still hadn’t gotten used to the sheer enormity of her happiness, and she doubted she ever would. But she knew that they had tonight and tomorrow, and the day after that. They had a whole life together for her to get used to it, each and every day of it full of love and gratitude that fate had brought them together. And she was happy.