Page 61 of Pregnant and Stolen by the Tycoon

CHAPTER TEN

‘SHOULDIBOTHERasking why you’re indebted to your best man or does this conveniently fall under the trust umbrella too?’

For an age, Seve simply stared at her, then he calmly held out his hand. ‘Dance with your husband and tell me which other languages you speak beside Sicilian and Cardosian so I can be on guard. I also find that I’m in dire need to pick up on another conversation.’

‘You are avoiding the subject.’

‘I’m rescheduling it for when the time is more appropriate.’

His hand remained between them, and, like a puppet on a string, hers rose to slide into his grip. ‘Is it accepted to say that being cryptic can be sexy to other women but it just makes me want to grind my teeth?’

A flash of teeth delivered a dazzling smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘We’ve established that you can say whatever you wish to me,dulce esposa. But I don’t quite believe you about the singular reaction. You can find me sexy and grind your teeth at the same time. In fact, I bet that’s what’s happening right now.’

He wasn’t wrong. The slide of his hand in hers was making her breathing jump and skitter in her chest. And as they reached the dance floor, something else occurred to her. She stared down at her feet. Well, she tried to but her belly was in the way. ‘I’m not very good at dancing. Nor am I sure how we’re going to do this with my—’

‘Hush,pequeña,’ he rumbled in her ear. ‘Leave the logistics to me.’

Whether by design or coincidence, the sultry beat of a Cardosian samba tune thrummed through the air. In the waning daylight, light and shadows whirled around them, fireflies awakening to join the festivities as Seve took both her hands and moved in loose-hipped, mesmeric rhythm. The first few steps were easy enough to follow and they were soon in sync.

The soft whisper of her gown, the warm breeze, the heated intensity of Seve’s eyes and the hands gripping hers...the trust...all interlocked into a divine expression of everything she was feeling inside.

The...love she’d craved for so long and despaired she’d ever find.

The astonishing realisation that the harsh binds of loneliness that had lashed her had unshackled and fallen away without her taking note of it.

That should she choose to, she could wake up every morning and be a part of a true family. With her baby. Because, surely, that was what Seve had meant when he’d demanded permanence?

Was it truly within her grasp?

It felt too powerful, too awe-inspiring to fully accept. Like the heart-stopping moment before the final string of code fell into place and you realised something phenomenal was about to occur.

Could she—?

Her thought froze when Seve slid a finger beneath her chin and raised her gaze to his. ‘Mi preciosa, what troubles you?’

She realised her eyes were prickling with the power of her emotions. ‘It seems I’m back on the roller coaster again.’

His nostrils flared. ‘Experiencing it in a good way?’

She nodded. ‘In a great way. I... I...’

Love you.

She wasn’t sure why the two words collapsed and died on the tip of her tongue. Perhaps it was a social cue thing. Neither of them was overly flamboyant. So perhaps this was a pointer that she needed to say it in private.

Later?

The twang in her chest suggested otherwise.

But Seve was lowering his head, brushing his lips lightly over hers, twirling her around and nudging her close, so her back was to his front. And her breath was stuttering all over again because he was raising her arm to twine it around his neck, trapping it there with one hand, while his other sneaked around her waist to cradle her belly.

‘Oh...’

His hips nudged hers, guiding them into a sensual sway. ‘That’s it,mi esposa. Sink into it. Let it wash over you.’

He held her like that through three songs, until her back protested and the baby’s kicks grew too distracting. Then Seve swung her into his arms and gave a very brief speech to their guests before striding with her towards the far end of the lawn.

Where a helicopter waited.

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