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His Unknown Heir (Aristocrats' Reluctant Brides) Kindle Edition
Ramon Velaquez, heir to the Velaquez winery, clearly stated his cardinal rule to Lauren Maitland—he can’t promise her more than a red-hot affair. But though she heard the words, her heart wasn’t listening—and she left with more than the memory of their blissful night together . . .
Two years later, Ramon finds Lauren again. She’s independent, strong, and mother to a little boy. One look at the child and Ramon knows he’s his. There’s only one thing for it: a marriage of convenience—for the sake of his son and heir . . .
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarlequin Presents
- Publication dateSeptember 1, 2011
- File size1283 KB
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
'The old man has been asking for you since nine o'clock this morning. He wants to see you in his office as soon as you arrive.' Guy gave her a malicious grin. 'You're fortyfive minutes late. Did you fancy a liein? You look like you had a heavy night.'
'Not that my being late is any of your business, but it's snowing in the North London suburbs and my train was cancelled,' Lauren told him tersely.
Like her, Guy was a lawyer at Plessy, Gambrill and Hess, working in the commercial property department. The only son of a wealthy banker, he was used to having what he wanted. Lauren's polite but consistent refusal to date him had revealed an unpleasant side to his nature. The fact that they were now in competition for the same promotion had exacerbated the hostility between them.
As for her having a liein! That would be the day, she thought ruefully. Her tenmonthold son, Mateo, was cutting another tooth, and Lauren couldn't remember the last time she'd had a full night's sleep. Matty had woken at five that morning, and after she had given him his earlymorning bottle and changed his nappy she had showered, dressed, loaded the washing machine and unloaded the dishwasher before bundling him into his allinone suit and into the car.
The icy roads had caused the traffic to crawl, the usual tenminute drive to the daycare nursery had taken double that, and when she had finally arrived she'd had no time to do more than thrust Mateo into the arms of one of the staff before dashing off to the station. The sound of his pitiful sobs had haunted her throughout her journey to work, and she was in no mood to put up with Guy's sarcastic wit.
'Do you know why Mr Gambrill wants to see me?'
Guy shrugged. 'I'm just the messenger boy. But it's a pity you chose this morning to turn up late. That won't help your chances of promotion.'
'I didn't choose to be late,' Lauren snapped, feeling her stomach swoop down towards her toes. Alistair Gambrill headed the commercial property department at PGHa senior partner who did not suffer fools gladly and was a stickler for punctuality. But if he had asked to see her at nine o'clock he could not have known then that she had been delayed, so it was unlikely that he wanted to discuss her timekeeping, Lauren reasoned.
Brow furrowed in a frown as she silently debated the reason for the summons, she dumped her coat and handbag on her desk and hurried along the corridor towards her boss's office suite. His PA was speaking on the phone, and while she waited she made a lightning study of her appearance in the mirror behind the secretary's desk.
Her pillarboxred suit was stylish and defiantly bright on yet another grey February day. Her crisp white blouse added a touch of professionalism, and thankfully there was no sign of the blob of baby sick on her shoulder, which she had scrubbed off on her way out of her flat that morning. But Guy was right. The dark circles beneath her eyes which could not be completely concealed with foundation were an indication of regular sleepless nights.
The joys of being a single mother, she thought heavily. Yet, given the choice, she would not change things. Her son had been unexpected and unplanned, but she loved him with a fierce intensity that was beyond anything she had ever experienced. Just thinking about Matty's darling little face, his shock of black hair and enormous sherrybrown eyes made her heart clench.
The PA put down the phone and gave Lauren a brief smile. 'Go straight in. Mr Gambrill is waiting for you.'
Had there been a tiny emphasis on the word waiting? As she opened the door Lauren made a frantic mental checklist of recently completed assignments, as well as the current commercial property transactions she was working on. Had she made a mistake that she was unaware of? Had a client filed a complaint about her work? The purchase of a new office block for a wellknown City bank was taking longer than expected after problems had arisen with the wording of the lease.
'Ah, Lauren.'
To her surprise Alistair Gambrill sounded delighted to see her, rather than annoyed at her lateness. But she barely heard him. As she entered the office her eyes were riveted on the second man in the room, who rose to his feet and subjected her to an arrogant scrutiny that made her blood run cold.
Her steps faltered. Every muscle in her body clenched in fierce rejection and she could feel the blood drain from her face. This could not be happening, she thought dazedly.
Ramon could not be here, strolling towards her with the easy grace she remembered so well.
Alistair's attention was focused on his guest, so he was oblivious to the fact that his member of staff had whitened to the colour of the pristine blotting pad on his desk. 'Lauren, I'd like you to meet our new client, Ramon Velaquez. Ramon, may I introduce one of PGH's finest commercial property lawyers, Lauren Maitland?'
One of the company's finest lawyers! That was news to her, Lauren thought blankly. But Alistair was smiling at her as if she was his favourite niece. He was clearly keen to impress Ramon, and she sensed his impatience as he waited for her to speak.
She could feel her heart slamming against her ribs. Should she reveal to Alistair that she was already acquainted with the client? She choked back a hysterical laugh. Acquainted seemed such an oldfashioned word, but what else could she saythat she and Ramon had once been lovers? Would he explain that they knew each other?
Somehow she forced her throat to work. 'Mr Velaquez.'
'Ramon, please. Let us dispense with formality.'
His voice was just as Lauren remembered it: deep, melodious, with a faint huskiness that was spinetinglingly sexy. It tugged on her soul like a siren's song, drawing her gaze inexorably to his face.
Matty had his father's eyes, she thought faintly. The likeness between them was almost uncanny. When her son had been born and the midwife had placed him in her arms she had stared in awe at his tiny face and been reminded of Ramon. But her joy had been tinged with an aching sadness that he was not with her to welcome their child into the world. She had never expected to see him again, but now, unbelievably, he was here in Alistair Gambrill's office, and she was overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions that stormed through her.
'I'm pleased to meet you, Lauren.' Only Ramon could make her name sound so sensual, his discernible accent lingering over the vowels like a lover's caress, causing the tiny hairs on her arms to stand on end.
Her face suddenly felt hot as the blood moved in her veins once more. Even worse was the instant effect Ramon had on her body, and she bit back a gasp when she felt her nipples tighten so that they strained uncomfortably against the lacy restriction of her bra.
Why was he here? she wondered fearfully, tension knotting in her stomach. Could he have found out about Mateo? She glanced desperately at Alistair. Everyone at PGH knew she had a son. Had her boss unwittingly revealed her secret by explaining to Ramon that her lateness this morning might have been due to childcare issues?
She fought the frantic urge to turn and flee from Ramon's speculative gaze. Alistair had introduced him as a new client, she reminded herself. He couldn't be here because of Matty. But he had known the name of the law firm she had moved to shortly before they had broken up, and she was sure his presence at PGH was not merely coincidence. Nothing Ramon ever did was unplanned.
What game was he playing? she wondered. But it was easier to go along with it in front of Alistair than to admit to a history that was well and truly in the past. Pride and professionalism were her only weapons against Ramon's lethal charm, and she called on both, forcing her lips to curve into a polite smile as she extended her hand. 'And I am delighted to meet you ' She paused infinitesimally while she steeled herself to say his name. 'Ramon.'
In the few brief seconds before his hand closed around hers she allowed her gaze to roam over him. It was only eighteen months since she had last seen him, but he looked older. Still stunningly handsome, but there were a few faint lines around his eyes, and his aristocratic features seemed harder somehow, his skin drawn tight over his slashing cheekbones. The silky black hair that had once touched his collar was now cropped shortless jetsetting playboy, more billionaire businessman, she mused.
She had read in the newspapers of his father's death a year ago. Ramon was now CEO of Velaquez Conglomerates, which included among its business interests the famous Velaquez winery, a bank, and a chain of fivestar hotels around the world. He must also have assumed the title of Duque de Velaquez, she realised. But then her thoughts scattered as his hand clasped hers, his strong, tanned fingers contrasting starkly with her paler skin, and the contact of flesh on flesh sent an electrical current shooting up her arm and a quiver of reaction down her spine.
Ramon studied Lauren in a leisurely appraisal, frowning slightly as he felt his body's involuntary response to her. His arousal was instant and embarrassingly hard. He was not a testosteronefuelled youth, he reminded himself, irritated to discover that his desire for her had not lessened in the year and a half since he had last seen her.
She was wearing the scarlet suit she had worn the night she had abruptly ended their relationshipalthough today she had teamed it with a...
Product details
- ASIN : B005DB8FLW
- Publisher : Harlequin Presents; Original edition (September 1, 2011)
- Publication date : September 1, 2011
- Language : English
- File size : 1283 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 195 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #882,814 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #3,216 in Billionaires & Millionaires Romance
- #5,604 in Billionaires & Millionaires Romance eBooks
- #21,633 in Billionaire Romance
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Hello,
I live in England, on the Kent coast, and I love the wide beaches and big skies. Romney Marsh is close by, a place where sheep outnumber people. Walking with my two dogs is my favourite part of the day and the time when stories unfold in my mind. If only they leapt onto the computer screen as easily!
I read my first Harlequin Mills & Boon romance when I was a teenager and was immediately swept into the wonderful world of pure escapism, glamour, excitement and of course passionate and intensely emotional romance that is classic Mills & Boon. My own tall, dark and handsome hero zoomed into my life when we were crazy kids. Forty years of marriage and six children (now adults) later we are still as different as chalk and cheese, a carnivore and a vegetarian, an engineer and a daydreamer, and still crazy about each other!
As a child I was an avid reader, and also wrote my own stories. Later, when I was knee-deep in babies I read mainly romance novels so that for a few hours I was whisked away to a Greek island or an exotic Caribbean location with a hero and heroine who enjoyed a champagne lifestyle and sizzling passion while they found their way to everlasting love. What's not to like?
In my twenties I wrote and submitted a few books and was invited to meet a Mills & Boon editor. But family life came first and I wasn't ready to pursue my dream of becoming an author. Years later, and struggling to cope with the loss of my darling mum, I saw a competition in a magazine to write the opening paragraphs of a Mills & Boon romance. Mum had always encouraged me to write so I entered the competition and was one of six finalists out of thousands of entries. I received a prize of some bubble bath! Inspired by that little bit of success, I wrote a full manuscript based on my competition entry because I wanted to know what happened to my characters. After another two submissions I was stunned to get a call from an editor who said that Mills & Boon wanted to buy my book. It was incredibly exciting and definitely a dream come true. That was in 2006, and now I am on track to write my fiftieth book. Writing is sometimes fantastic and more often frustrating but I still feel very privileged to be able to share my stories with readers.
My ideas come from everywhere; newspaper articles, films that trigger a 'what if?' moment, books I have read and felt annoyed that the characters didn't do what I wanted them to - which is the reason I started writing! Ideas can come from something as small as seeing the sparkle of sunshine on a window, across the bay. In that instance it made me imagine a heroine who remembered the sparkle of the diamond engagement ring her fiancé had given her when he'd proposed. But she had discovered that he didn't love her and planned to marry her to get his hands on her family's hotel. Of course the heroine was a hot-air balloonist! Don't ask me why - she just was! (The Greek Wedding She Never Had). That's the fun of writing, there are no limits to your imagination.
So that's me, writer, dreamer, dog lover and grandmother of two gorgeous little grandsons. The biscuit tin is calling and I must answer that call!
Best wishes from Chantelle xx
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Lauren is great. She's a smart, hard-working lawyer who values her independence and refuses to rely on anyone for either emotional or financial help. She is part of a big law firm specializing in commercial property and she's very proud of her career. When she meets Ramon she's more than capable of conducting a no-strings affair with him since she understands where he's coming from: they both value their careers and are uninterested in pursuing something more serious with the goal of marriage.
It isn't until she finds herself pregnant that she really allows herself to think about love and a long-term relationship. Lauren has a very logical side to her and she plays everything close to the chest. Even when Ramon was telling her that she was only mistress material she did not start throwing things or tell him that she was in love with him. Instead she just called things off with him and walked away.
Ramon is so sweet. Yes, he's the typical HP alpha male who thinks everyone should simply bow to his commands but when he finds out that he is a father, he throws himself into taking care of his son with enthusiasm and determination. He feeds him, changes his diapers, gives him baths, etc. Ramon is simply in love with his son from first sight. He also tries his best to see where Lauren is coming from when she tells him that giving up her career to become a full-time wife and mom is not something she is comfortable with. He tried arguing with her about it but when he realized that she was serious, he did his best to find a compromise that would make them both happy.
Ramon is not a complete jerk, which is what really makes him wonderful. He's arrogant but he's not cruel or mean. He doesn't try to "punish" Lauren for keeping his son from him. Instead, he tries to build a relationship with her based upon his strong belief that a child needs both his mother and father to grow up happy and healthy.
There was some drama stemming from the fact that Lauren has trust issues but these two are solid and I just love how their relationship played out. They're both strangely mature for such damaged and stubborn people, always putting their son first while trying to work out the mechanics of their own relationship. They're both quick to apologize, which was refreshing, and this made any possibility for a prolong angst fest nil.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes their characters strong and compassionate, who are willing to make sacrifices but also acknowledge their own needs while seeking a good compromise between life and love.
I was so glad when Lauren walked away from him because she wouldn't settle for less than what she wanted. Only stupidly she sleeps with him like the first or second night that she see's him again. There was almost no conflict and what little there was, was pathetic. Ramon's ex Pilar implies that Ramon has been going to have sex with her every week and we find out that isn't the case. Ramon is insulted that she believed Pilar and is such a jerk to her and tells her that he can't live with someone who can't trust him. Of course Lauren decides to stay with him and the book is over. I almost never delete books from my kindle but this one is was an exception. Not only was it poorly written it was also pretty boring. I don't know if the original person reviewing this book and I read the same thing. There was literally nothing about this book that came close to being an "amazing roller coaster romance."
No matter how inexpensive this book is...DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!