A Spanish Seduction (21 page)

Chapter Nineteen

‘Señor Garcia, the board members would like to speak with you now.’

Ricardo registered his personal assistant’s words, but he remained still and silent. He’d come to the office today like it was any normal workday, but it wasn’t. The last couple of hours when he should’ve been working at his desk, he’d been staring out his office window feeling...nothing.

Jessica was gone.

Nothing else mattered.

He’d met the perfect woman and she’d left him because he hadn’t been able to tell her he loved her. When she’d said goodbye, numbness had worked its way from his heart through to his extremities. Part of him still couldn’t believe she’d gone through with it — that she’d thrown a couple of things into a bag, phoned a taxi and been gone less than twenty minutes later. Then again, he hadn’t given her a good enough reason to stay.

‘Señor Garcia?’

‘I’ll be along shortly.’

‘Yes, sir. I’ll let them know.’

For much of his life his sole aim had been to sit at this desk. Shortly, he might find out he’d lost his CEO position, but with insight that was blinding in its intensity, he realised the position he’d aspired to wasn’t the most important thing in life.

Why had it been his goal?

Love. The four letter word hit him like a fatal bullet right between the eyes. He’d known he’d been trying to gain his grandfather’s approval all his life, but he hadn’t acknowledged that he’d also been trying to gain his grandfather’s love.

When he’d never received it, he’d reaffirmed he was better off without it. He’d held onto his father’s words to reinforce the belief.

What a fool!

He’d clung to the hurt he’d known as a child and youth. He was a grown man now and he had to face the painful truth of his actions. Jessica had given him her love — handed him her heart — and he’d rejected the very thing he’d wanted all along!

Hope surged and swept his misery away. Jessica loved him. All she wanted was his love in return. The love she had for him wouldn’t have vanished overnight. He must go after her. They could start again and he’d make things right.

He jabbed his forefinger at the intercom button of his office phone. ‘Book a seat for me on the first available flight to London,’ he told his assistant. A commercial flight would probably be faster than having his pilot file flight plans and book a takeoff slot from Barcelona’s busy airport.

‘Señor Garcia.’ He heard disapproval in his assistant’s voice. ‘The board members are waiting.’

‘I’m coming.’

Whatever the board had decided, his position as CEO was no longer his first priority. Everything in his life would lose its colour if he didn’t have Jessica by his side. Resolutely, he left his office and made his way down the hall to the board room. He wanted this meeting over with as quickly as possible so he could be on his way.

As he neared the room, his footsteps faltered.

‘Thank you for allowing me to speak to you.’ The door was open and Jessica’s voice carried down the corridor from the boardroom.

Jessica was still in Barcelona!
Elation lightened his heart even while he struggled with incomprehension.
What was she doing addressing the board members?

‘Given the accusations made in the press by Señor Lorezzi, I’m sure you’re all wondering who and what to believe. I ask you to remember, gentlemen, that Señor Lorezzi is no friend to the Garcia Corporation.’

Ricardo stood absolutely still as he heard the murmurs of agreement from within the room.

‘The press stories about my mother were correct. She prostituted herself when my father left her alone and pregnant.’ She cleared her throat. ‘I am not my mother. I’m a well respected natural therapist. Señor Lorezzi seeks to taint me and Ricardo on the basis of what my mother did. Ask yourselves why he would wish to cast aspersions on Ricardo’s character.’

‘We’ve been considering these questions, Jessica.’ Ricardo recognised Manuel’s voice. ‘We’re outraged with Lorezzi’s slander of you and we seek to find a resolution to this untenable situation.’ There was a general buzz of agreement from the men. ‘As you’re here, there’s something you can tell us. Are Lorezzi’s claims correct? Is your relationship with Ricardo a sham to hide his affair with Carla Lorezzi, or is your love for each other as genuine as we have all perceived it to be?’

The question spurred Ricardo into motion. Jessica shouldn’t be the one faced with their question. He was the one who needed to respond.

Picking up his pace, he heard the tremor in her voice. ‘Let me assure you, I’ve never loved anyone the way I love Ricardo.’

Mierda
! She didn’t have to tell them this. She wasn’t on trial. As he neared the opened doorway, he saw his uncle outside the room.

Raoul stood to block his pathway and warned quietly, ‘Stop, Ricardo! Let her speak!’

‘In truth I think I started loving him the very first night I met him.’ There was a pause before she declared, ‘What I feel for him is no ruse and Señor Lorezzi is way off base when he makes his malicious accusations that Ricardo has paid me like a high-class call girl.

Your CEO is a man of honour and integrity, a man who is dependable and who has great loyalty to this firm. I hope you all realise what it took for him to race in Monte Carlo for the good of this company. Garcia Corporation is very fortunate to have him as CEO and I advise you to think very carefully today before you summon him before you.

He’s a proud man and will dislike your doubts about his integrity. He’s told me he did not have an affair with Carla Lorezzi and I believe him.’ Her voice cracked and he imagined her steeling herself to continue. ‘The Garcia Corporation needs him as CEO and you’re all fools if you even contemplate dismissing him.’

Silence stretched and then someone in the room began to clap. That pair of hands was joined by another and then another. The scraping of chairs on the floorboards, indicated men were getting to their feet. It sounded to Ricardo like every member of the board had risen and clapped for Jessica.

‘Jessica is an amazing woman, Ricardo!’ Raoul told him.

He was stunned to see tears in his uncle’s eyes, until he realised just how choked up he was himself. ‘You’re right. It’s time I told her just how much she means to me.’

‘Past time I would think, but wait just a little longer.’

‘Jessica.’ It was Manuel who spoke. ‘You have the spirit of a lioness protecting her mate. I speak for all of us when I tell you how happy we are Ricardo has you by his side. But, you’ve misinterpreted the reason for our meeting today. We know how very fortunate we are to have Ricardo as CEO and it was never our intention to dismiss him.

We knew his grandfather. Some of us went to school with his father, and all of us consider ourselves friends of his uncle. Even though Raoul has assumed the father-figure role in Ricardo’s life, we’ve all followed his growth keenly, and with varying degrees of paternal interest.

Perhaps we overstep the mark, but we’ve met today not in our capacity as board members, but out of our high regard for Ricardo. He’s a young man for whom we not only have a great deal of respect, but have also had the privilege to guide along the way from time to time.

We’ve been concerned he’s been faltering in his personal life — that he still carries some trauma from his past and that it may be preventing him from making a commitment to a young woman who is clearly a wonderful match for him.’

‘I’m not sure I understand.’

Ricardo heard the confusion in Jessica’s voice. He, too, was more than a little confused with what Manuel was working up to.

‘Your reputation has been besmirched by the letter Lorezzi sent to us and to the press. The Garcia Corporation can survive the negative publicity, especially with Ricardo as CEO. What we’ve been discussing is how to best protect you in all of this, for you, my dear, have impressed each of us.’ He chuckled. ‘Even had it not been the case, we would’ve been driven here today to find a way to combat the press stories by wives who are sitting at home worrying about you as though you were their daughter.’

Ricardo swallowed down again on the lump in his throat.

‘Your Jessica came to our home last night. She asked me to gain her admission to today’s meeting,’ Raoul explained quietly beside him.

‘I thought she’d gone back to England.’

‘She’s booked on a flight to London later this afternoon — unless you have something you can tell her that will make her change her mind.’ Raoul paused and gave Ricardo a stern look. ‘She’s championing you in an environment which may well have been hostile. Now it’s up to you, Ricardo.’ His uncle clasped his hand. ‘It’s time to let go of your past and start looking toward your future.’

‘You’re right, Raoul, but I’d already reached the same decision.’ Now, nothing would keep him away from the woman he loved. ‘Jessica!’

In a few strides, Ricardo was in the room, Jessica was in his arms and he kissed her passionately, pouring all his love into his kisses, uncaring of who bore witness.

Some men began to cheer, others cleared their throats.

Manuel’s voice boomed over the rejoicing. ‘This may be a rhetorical question, Ricardo, but do you love her?’

He raised his head, but only so he could look directly at Jessica. ‘Yes. I love her.’ Amazingly, the three little words emerged easily.

‘Truly?’ she whispered, stark vulnerability in her eyes.

‘Truly,’ he whispered back.

The vulnerability on her face was replaced by such joy it was as though the sun had broken free from behind a cloud. Her happiness shone and his heart lightened in return.

He made his public declaration to all in the room, but his eyes didn’t leave hers and his words were truly for her as he said, ‘Jessica captivated me from the first night we met. She didn’t look as glamorous then as she does now, but her values and spirit impressed me. Every day we spent together I fell more in love with her. I just took a while to put a name to what I felt.’

One of the board members declared, ‘We’ve all agreed you two have to get married as quickly as possible.’

‘Jessica, I love you. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’

‘Yes!’ Her fervent answer brought another round of applause.

His blood may as well have been infused with the fizzing champagne he opened on the winner’s podium, such was his joy. Unable to prevent himself, he kissed her again.

‘Welcome to the Garcia Corporation family, Jessica,’ Manuel said, breaking them apart to give her a hug and to shake Ricardo’s hand.

‘Here, here!’ the men chorused. ‘Welcome!’

Jessica laughed as one man said, ‘I think we’d better phone our wives.’

‘Invite them down here and let’s pop some champagne,’ another chipped in. ‘They won’t want to miss the celebrations.’

Chapter Twenty

Amid much jubilation, and celebrations which lasted well into the afternoon, Jessica was thrilled when Ricardo finally managed to whisk her away. The limousine partition was closed, and she was breathless from his kisses by the time they reached the apartment.

The moment the front door closed behind them, she asked, ‘This is all real isn’t it, Ricardo?’

‘Absolutely.’

‘Thank goodness, because I’ve just missed my flight to London!’

‘Don’t remind me how foolish I’ve been and just how easily I could have lost you,’ he said.

When he would have taken her in his arms, she sidestepped him. ‘Last night, you let me leave. What made you change your mind?’

‘The pain I knew in losing you.’ One hand gestured in helplessness. ‘Nothing was as important as having you with me. I’d already decided to fly to London straight after the board meeting. I was determined to bring you back.’

She couldn’t stop her smile. ‘You never lost me, Ricardo. Love can’t be turned off so easily.’

‘I believe that now. My mother could never have felt as strongly about my father as I do about you.’

He pulled her into his embrace and this time she went willingly.

She placed a kiss against his lips and ran her fingers through his hair.

His hands framed her face. ‘You opened my heart to love.’

‘You botched your first proposal!’

‘I did.’ His smile was apologetic. ‘I hadn’t admitted to myself at that stage that I loved you. When I found out about Aberto’s latest letter, I told myself marriage was the only way I could salvage your reputation. I clung to the excuse of having to do something for you to ensure we’d stay together, rather than admitting that it was what I needed to do for myself.’

Their eyes meshed. There was such tender sincerity and yearning in his expression she simply forgot to breathe for a moment.

‘I’ve been such a fool denying my love for you,’ he continued. ‘I’ve never felt this special connection with anyone.’

‘I’m not surprised if the women you dated were all like Simone and Carla!’

She took satisfaction in his shudder of horror.

‘Every other woman pales into insignificance beside you. I love your honesty, your lack of guile, your empathy for people — even your consideration for the damned waiter who spilt red wine because he couldn’t get his eyes off your cleavage —’

‘Oh, Ricardo.’ A little laugh escaped from her throat. ‘You were jealous of the waiter?’

He led her further into the apartment, sat on the couch and positioned her across his lap. ‘I was king-hit by your transformation. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from you, but I wanted to deck every other male in the restaurant who reacted the same way.’

She laughed through the mist of tears blurring her vision. ‘I’m sure it was your imagination!’

‘I want to put my ring on your finger and the world to know you’re mine.’

‘And you’re mine,’ she added, keen to emphasise the equality in their relationship.

Ricardo laughed. ‘Yes, my beloved, I’m yours.’

There were no more words as he drew her closer to him. Jessica ached for his possession and welcomed the wild rush of passion that followed. Clothes were torn off without finesse. Uninhibited carnal need flared and carried them both along on an unstoppable tide.

At fever pitch, Ricardo stood and hoisted her up with him. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he propelled his stiff shaft urgently into her. Sheer joy pulsated through her body as he moved to take her against the wall.

Her heart rejoiced in the knowledge that her love was reciprocated. Love underpinned everything, making their union more precious than ever.

Much later, as they lay facing each other in bed, Ricardo asked, ‘Are you happy to live in Barcelona or should we divide our time between here and London?’

‘I’ll happily make my home wherever you are. I admit I’ve been seduced by Spain.’

‘Not just by Spain,’ he growled.

‘No,’ she admitted happily. ‘You’re wholly responsible for my seduction.’

The hand that wasn’t supporting his head, lifted and played with her hair. ‘And the clinic you’ve always dreamed of opening?’

‘There’s no reason I can’t open it in Barcelona, is there?’

‘How would you feel about running your clinic from the grounds of my charity, as part of the charity?’

‘I’d love it!’ She shifted so she sat up.

Ricardo levered himself up, too. ‘It wouldn’t be something you’d earn money from, but as my wife, there’s no necessity for you to earn an income.’

‘Helping others has always been my aim, darling. I didn’t ever expect to make a fortune out of remedial therapies.’

‘Then, consider it done.’

‘I can’t believe this is all happening.’ Her arms reached out and she linked her hands behind his neck. ‘Who said I wouldn’t get to marry my prince and have a fairytale ending?’

Ricardo smiled. ‘Manuel told me how nervous you were when I was racing. Rest assured you witnessed my last race.’

‘I’m glad about that — provided you’re not going to miss it.’

He tried and failed to adopt a thoughtful expression. ‘There’s really not much point to going back, is there? You already told me when I first met you that my world championship title didn’t impress you!’

She gave him a playful punch.

‘Seriously, when I was sliding through that corner, battling to hold the car on the tarmac and fighting with a failed braking system, all I could think of was surviving so I could be with you again.’

‘Thank heavens you did.’

This time, his expression was serious. ‘The braking system was tampered with during a pit stop, and the wheel nuts were deliberately left loose.’

‘What?’

Ricardo nodded. ‘The officials found the brake line had been deliberately frayed. They questioned the entire crew, and it seems likely charges will be pressed in the next few days.’

‘Who was responsible and why?’

‘Lorezzi appears to be behind both the sabotage on the vehicle and on Eduardo’s attack. Money was clearly his motive, and perhaps he wished me ill because I’d outmanoeuvred his plans for the demise of the company.’

Jess shook her head. ‘What an evil man!’

‘This is strictly confidential. The police are still investigating, but I’ve been told they’re close to arresting him.’ Ricardo took her hands and rubbed them gently. ‘Also, I’ve been thinking about the visitors you had at our apartment yesterday.’

‘And?’

‘I know Juan’s up to his neck in debt. I suspect Lorezzi may have enlisted his help to try to charm a confession out of you that you weren’t the woman I’d been photographed with in Venice. Then, when you denied Juan access, Aberto probably sent Carla. If Aberto truly believed you were only with me because I’d paid you to be here, he may have sent Carla to offer you money to reveal the truth of our relationship to the media.’

‘My love for you doesn’t have a price. I wouldn’t have betrayed you for billions of dollars, Ricardo.’

‘You don’t know what it meant to me today to hear the way you defended me at the board meeting.’

‘I practised what I was going to say over and over last night in case my Spanish let me down!’

‘And I spent the night pacing the apartment, devastated you were winging your way back to London.’

She laughed. ‘It serves you right, and I would’ve been home tonight if you hadn’t told me you loved me. I couldn’t have stayed believing our relationship was one-sided.’

‘I do love you, Jessica.’ His love shone from his eyes. ‘It seems I was the last one to recognise you’d captured my heart,’ he told her a little sheepishly before promising, ‘It’s going to be a very long night,
querida
.’

Molten heat consumed her and refused to be denied any longer. ‘It’s going to be a lifetime of very long nights, my darling Ricardo.’

Each kiss, each caress was a vow of commitment more steadfast than any words they could utter.

Close to daybreak, as Jessica was almost drifting off to sleep, Ricardo told her huskily, ‘You were right when you said that apart we’re strong, but together we’re stronger.’

Jessica shifted her head against his chest so she could place a kiss there. They’d both helped heal each other’s hurts. Her heart was light as she anticipated the future and all they could share. She believed fate had intervened and brought them together. Their love would endure, for it was meant to be.