Page 33 of Cinderella's Christmas Secret 1
She glanced around the room, thinking that she’d never seen so many stunning women congregated in one place, and found herself remembering what Maximo had once said. He’d told her that if ever he met a woman he desired more than her he would tell her immediately and their relationship would end. Looking around at the model-perfect array of females, she failed to see how that couldnothappen. Surely once the allure of their brand-new sex life wore off, wasn’t it inevitable he would be tempted?
She wasn’t much of a drinker but right then she would have given anything for a small glass of wine to help quell her spiralling nervousness, but of course she couldn’t do that because she was expecting a baby.
And that was the only reason she was here.
All of a sudden Hollie felt as if she were adrift on a life raft, floating on a wide sea. Lost and all alone—despite the proud-featured man at her side who drew the gaze of every woman in the room.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HERNIGHTWASRESTLESS—her sleep broken by ill-defined dreams which somehow scared her—and when Hollie awoke it was to find that Maximo had gone. She sat up in bed and blinked, glancing around at the unfamiliar space of his vast Madrid bedroom. Gone where?
As if in answer to her thoughts he walked into the room, dressed in his habitual black and talking on the phone on what was clearly a work call. He palmed her a wave but continued talking in Spanish, obviously distracted—and when Hollie emerged from the bathroom he was still speaking. She walked over to the window and stared out but, despite the beautiful Retiro Park being so close, all she noticed were the buildings and busy roads. She kept telling herself the problem lay withherand not the famously beautiful city of Madrid, but that didn’t alter her fundamental fear about whether she’d ever get used to living here after the quiet of Trescombe.
Maximo cut the call and walked over to the window to stand beside her. ‘You’re awake,’ he murmured, snaking his arm around her waist, his thumb stroking a slow circle. ‘I thought I’d let you sleep. It was a late night. Did you enjoy the party?’
‘It was certainly very lively.’
‘Who was that woman I saw you talking to?’ he enquired, his fingers reaching up to comb through the tangle of her hair.
‘Which one? I was talking to lots of people.’
‘The one in the green dress. She had blonde hair, I think.’
‘Oh. You mean Cristina.’ Hollie smiled. It had been one of the highlights of a very challenging evening. An elegant woman had walked across the crowded room and given her a warm and friendly smile. More than that, she had seemed instantly understanding, telling Hollie that she had once been the newcomer at a similar, glittering party. ‘It can be a little overwhelming at the beginning,’ she had said softly. ‘They are a wonderful but rather intimidating crowd. Just give them a chance.’
‘Who is Cristina?’ prompted Maximo, breaking into her thoughts.
‘She owns a shop on the...’ she frowned as she tried to remember ‘...the Calle de Serrano, and wants me to have lunch with her some time, so I gave her my number. I explained I was going back to England tomorrow to work out my notice, but said I could meet her at the end of the month.’
‘Good, good,’ he said, as he linked his fingers with hers and began to lead her back towards the bed. ‘It’s important for you to make new friends.’
‘What...what are you doing, Maximo?’ she questioned, as he laid her down on the mattress and then began to peel off his clothes with impatient fingers.
‘What do you think I’m doing? I’m going to make love to you because I am aching to be inside you again.’
‘B-but, you’ve only just got out of the shower.’
‘Then I’ll just have to get right back in it, won’t I?’
She felt the silky collision of his flesh as their bodies collided and heard the deepening of his voice as he brushed his lips over hers.
‘Do I taste good,mia belleza?’
‘You do.’ She shivered. ‘You t-taste very good.’
His mouth moved to her neck, her belly and then—most daringly of all—between her legs and Hollie’s eyes fluttered to a helpless close as she felt that first deliciously precise flick of his tongue. Pretty soon her body was clenching with the explosive pleasure which was now part of her daily life.
How could I have lived without this for so long? she thought dreamily as she lay cradled in his arms afterwards.
How could I have lived withouthim?
But that was a dangerous way to think. Especially when the next few days made her realise that something fundamental between them seemed to have shifted. At first she thought she was imagining it, but gradually she realised that, on some level, their relationship had changed. It was difficult to define but it was definitely there. All the closeness and banter they’d shared over Christmas seemed to have evaporated. It had become functional. She told herself not to keep analysing the situation, but couldn’t seem to stop herself. Because despite the undeniable intimacy she felt whenever they were having sex, hadn’t Maximo been noticeably more distant with her ever since they’d arrived in Madrid? Hadn’t he been obsessed with his work in a way she hadn’t witnessed before? He seemed to be out at the office most of the time and when she had questioned him about it, he hadn’t been in the least bit contrite.
‘Surely you must understand that I have to work, Hollie,’ he had replied, with a shrug. ‘I am the head of a very big organisation and a lot of people rely on me.’
‘And when the baby arrives? What then? Will you still be working around the clock?’
‘Who knows? It’s possible.’ His black eyes were clear and gleaming. ‘I’m not going to make any promises I won’t be able to keep,querida. I’m planning to do the best I can, but I don’t know what form being a husband and a father will take. Is that fair?’
