His Unknown Heir (5 page)

Her life was so different now, she brooded. She was no longer a carefree young woman, swept up in the excitement of a passionate affair with a sexy Spanish playboy. Now she was a mother, with all the responsibilities that entailed. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. Matty was her life; and the highlight of her day was when she picked him up from the daycare nursery and he wrapped his chubby arms around her neck and smothered her face in wet kisses.

Lost in her thoughts, she did not pay any attention to the route Ramon was taking through the congested London streets until they neared Marble Arch and swung into Park Lane.

‘Why are we here?’ she asked him with a frown when he drove through a gateway and down a ramp which led to an underground car park. She recognised the place instantly. Eighteen months ago she had often stayed at Ramon’s luxurious penthouse apartment, but she could not understand why he was taking her there now.

‘I have my offices here.’ He parked, climbed out of the car and walked around to open her door.

Lauren followed him into the lift, her heart suddenly beating painfully fast as she remembered all the occasions when Ramon had pulled her into his arms and kissed her until they had reached the top floor, dispensing with her clothes, his, the moment they reached his apartment, sometimes making it to the bedroom, sometimes only getting as far as the sitting room sofa, before their hunger for each other overwhelmed them.

The image of his muscular naked body descending slowly onto hers, his powerful erection penetrating her inch by glorious inch, was so vivid that she closed her eyes, terrified he would guess her wayward thoughts. She could sense his intent scrutiny but refused to meet his gaze, and bit down hard on her lip when he stood aside for her to precede him out of the lift.

‘Are your offices up here?’ She glanced along the corridor, frowning as she searched for a door other than the one that she knew led into the penthouse.

‘Uh-huh.’ Ramon slotted a card into the door security system and ushered her inside. The apartment was achingly familiar—a wide hallway, with various spacious rooms leading off it, all decorated in neutral shades and furnished with contemporary pieces which provided splashes of bold colour. Through a half-open door Lauren could see the master bedroom. Memories crowded in on her and she halted abruptly, gripped by sudden panic.

‘Is this is another one of your games?’ she demanded sharply. ‘You said you were going to show me my office.’

Ramon gave her a musing look, taking in her flushed face and the slight tremor of her mouth. This wasn’t the first time she had seemed uneasy with him, and he was intrigued to know what was bothering her.

‘It’s in here.’ He pushed open a door at the far end of the hall and led the way into a room which Lauren remembered had once been a small sitting room. It now housed a desk, computer, and other office furniture. ‘I’m working from my study, adjoining this room, until I can rent a suitable office complex for the London subsidiary of Velaquez Conglomerates,’ he told her. ‘In fact, that will be your first task. I recently viewed a new commercial building at St Katherine’s Dock, and I want you to deal with the lease contract.’

When Lauren made no reply he continued, ‘My PA has remained in Spain, and I’m using secretarial staff from a temp agency until I find a permanent base. Sally comes here a couple of mornings a week so that I can dictate correspondence.’

So working from the apartment would only be a temporary arrangement, Lauren tried to reassure herself. But it could still take weeks, maybe months, before Velaquez Conglomerates took over the new offices—which meant that she would have to come here every day and re-live memories of all the times Ramon had made love to her. Dear heaven—Mateo had been conceived here!

She had walked across to the window, to stare at the view over Hyde Park, but now she swung round to face him, her body rigid with tension. ‘This isn’t going to work,’ she said tersely. ‘It’s easier for me to commute from PGH’s offices than here. I can be in constant communication with you by email or phone…’

Ramon shook his head. ‘I’d prefer you to be here.’

‘Why?’
she cried, unable to control her emotions any longer. She had been so shocked to see him again, and coming back to the apartment where they had been lovers was sheer agony. Throughout lunch she had felt as though he was stripping away her protective shell, layer by layer, and she was terrified that if she didn’t leave now he was going to guess how much he affected her.

Ramon’s eyes had narrowed at her outburst, and now he strolled towards her, as silent and intent as a panther stalking its prey, and twice as deadly. The atmosphere shifted subtly, the tension between them so tangible that Lauren’s skin prickled.

‘What exactly are you worried about, Lauren?’ he asked softly.

‘I’m not worried about anything,’ she denied desperately, sure he must hear her heart hammering against her ribs. He was too big, too close, and memories of his demanding mouth plundering hers hurt too much. ‘I simply don’t understand what all this is about, Ramon. Why you’ve gone to such lengths to manipulate me into working for you.’

He said nothing, just kept on coming towards her, and the stark hunger in his eyes robbed her of breath. ‘What do you want from me?’ she whispered, and her heart stopped when his hand shot out to cup her nape and his head slowly descended.

‘I want this,
querida
,’ he said harshly, and covered her mouth with his own.

CHAPTER THREE

L
AUREN’S
lips parted to voice her protest, but the words were lost beneath the bruising pressure of Ramon’s mouth. The kiss was no gentle seduction, but a hot, hungry ravishment of her senses as he took without mercy, demanding a response she was powerless to deny.

Sexual tension had smouldered between them since he had walked into Alistair Gambrill’s office, and now it exploded in a firestorm of passion. She was vaguely aware of his hand moving up from her nape, and felt him release the clip that secured her chignon so that her hair fell around her shoulders in a fragrant, silky curtain.

She should stop him, insisted the voice of reason in her head. But the bold thrust of his tongue into her mouth drove everything from her mind but her need for him to keep on kissing her and never stop. It had been so long since she had been held in his arms, and acting purely on instinct she pressed closer to him, so that her soft breasts were crushed against the solid wall of his chest.

‘Querida.’

The gravelly sexiness of his voice made her tremble. She had placed her hands on his chest to push him away, but now they crept of their own accord to his shoulders as he freed the buttons of her jacket and pushed the material aside, so that he could cup her breast in his palm.

His hand felt deliciously warm through the fine silk of her blouse, and she caught her breath when he stroked his thumb-pad lightly over her nipple so that it tightened and strained against the sheer fabric of her bra. She wanted more, Lauren acknowledged restlessly. She wanted to feel his naked flesh on hers. Her fingers tugged urgently on his shirt buttons, her breathing fractured as she stroked her hands over the intoxicating warmth of his satiny skin and felt the faint abrasion of the crisp dark hairs that covered his chest.

It was as if she had hurtled back in time, and the months that they had been apart had never happened. When they had become lovers Ramon had unlocked her sensuality, and only he had the key. Her breasts felt heavy, and she was aware of a betraying dampness between her legs as she felt the hard ridge of his arousal nudge against her pelvis. And all the time he continued to kiss her, slow and deep now, and so incredibly sensual that a low moan rose in her throat.

Satisfaction swept through Ramon when he felt Lauren melt against him. He hadn’t planned for things to get this out of hand—not yet—but it seemed that she shared his urgent need to rediscover the sexual ecstasy that he knew without doubt he would experience with her.

With deft fingers he unbuttoned her blouse, and groaned as he slipped his hand inside her bra and rolled her swollen nipple between his finger and thumb. He felt the tremor that shook her, and suddenly his patience snapped. He wanted her now—hard and fast across the desk—and with a muttered oath he thrust his other hand beneath the hem of her skirt and skimmed his fingers over her gossamer-fine hose, the wide band of lace at the top of her stocking, and finally the silky-smooth flesh of her inner thigh.

‘
Dios mio, querida—
I have to have you now.’

Oh, please, yes—now,
now
. The words were like a chant in Lauren’s head. She hadn’t felt sexual desire for so long. It was as if those feelings had been locked away since she had ended her affair with Ramon. But now he was here, and her body was screaming for the fulfilment only he could give. The feel of his hand on her thigh was unbearably frustrating when she longed for him to move it higher and slip it beneath the edge of her knickers, to touch her where he hadn’t touched her for so long.

She could sense his impatience, and the thought filtered into her mind that she hoped he would be gentle. Mateo’s birth had been relatively short, but nonetheless it had been a painful experience…

Matty!

She tensed, and her eyes flew open as reality doused her in an ice-cold shower.
What in heaven’s name was she doing?

For a few seconds she was torn between the powerful drumbeat of her desire and the firm insistence of her brain, that told her she must stop this
now
—because allowing Ramon to make love to her would only make an already complicated situation even worse.

‘No!’
Her sharp denial sliced through the air, and, taking advantage of Ramon’s surprise, she pulled out of his arms and stood shaking like a leaf in a storm as she frantically refastened her blouse.

‘No?’

His tone was deceptively soft, but she could sense his anger. It was justified when she had responded to him with such wanton enthusiasm, she thought miserably. She had given him every reason to believe that she was happy to leap into bed with him, but thoughts of Mateo had brought her crashing back to earth. She could not make love with Ramon when she had kept his son a secret from him.

Ramon drew a harsh breath as he fought the urge to snatch Lauren back into his arms and finish what they had started. Frustration clawed in his gut and made him want to lash out.

‘We both know how easily I could make you change your mind,’ he taunted. He stared at her nipples, jutting so provocatively through her blouse, and cursed the throbbing ache in his groin. ‘You say no, but your body says yes,
querida
.’

‘Well, it’s been outvoted,’ Lauren bit out, barely trusting herself to speak as she struggled to regain some sense of composure. ‘You…you took me by surprise, but I don’t want you, Ramon.’

‘Are you sure about that?’ Ramon demanded disbelievingly. ‘I’ve just proved that the fire still burns for both of us.’ She had tormented his thoughts and disturbed his dreams for months, until he had given in to his need to find her again. ‘I want you back, Lauren,’ he admitted roughly.

His voice had softened, and when Lauren stared into his sherry-brown eyes that were so like Matty’s her heart ached. His words were beguiling. Perhaps it was being back here at his apartment, where they had shared so many good times, that was undermining her defences, but Ramon had sounded serious. Did he mean that he wanted a proper, meaningful relationship with her? she wondered, clutching at the fragile green shoot of hope. And, if so, would he want Mateo too? Was there the slightest possibility that they could work things out?

‘I thought you were supposed to marry a woman from the Spanish nobility who would give you an heir to continue the Velaquez name?’ she said shakily. ‘Are you saying the situation has changed?’

Ramon shrugged. ‘No. It is still my intention to fulfil my duty. But that is for the future. For now I want to concentrate on running Velaquez Conglomerates and the Castillo del Toro. I do not wish to have a child yet, and therefore I do not need to consider marriage for several years.’ He paused, and deliberately dropped his gaze to her breasts. ‘But neither do I have any wish to live like a monk,
querida
,’ he drawled softly.

Lauren cursed her body’s traitorous reaction to the hungry gleam in his eyes. So all he wanted was an affair. The little shoot of hope shrivelled and died. Nothing had changed, she thought painfully. She wondered if he realised how insulted she felt to be told that he only considered her good enough to be his mistress, but not his wife.

Admittedly marriage was not something
she
wanted, she thought wearily, rubbing her brow as myriad confused thoughts swirled inside her head. Having witnessed her mother’s devastation after her father had walked out, she had decided that she would never give up her independence for any man.

Plenty of couples lived together without being legally bound in a relationship. But Ramon was not even suggesting a long-term commitment, she thought dully. He simply wanted her in his bed for a month or two—until he grew tired of her. Perhaps if she’d only had herself to consider she might be tempted to bury her pride and accept his offer. Eighteen months ago he had stolen her heart, and she longed to recapture the fun and laughter and the long nights of tender lovemaking that they had shared during their affair. But there was not only herself—there was Matty. And Ramon had stated that he did not want a child yet. She wasn’t sure he would
ever
want a child born to his English mistress.

Her conscience prickled. She had never given Ramon the chance to show how he would react to the news that he had a son. But everything he had said a few moments ago reinforced her belief that he would not want Matty. His strong sense of duty might compel him to offer financial support for his child, but, as she knew only too well, a child needed to feel loved and cherished, and she feared that Matty would find a monthly maintenance cheque a poor substitute for a father.

She dragged her gaze from the sight of him refastening his shirt, blushing when she recalled how she had wrenched the buttons open in her feverish need to touch his naked skin.

‘It would be inappropriate for me to have an affair with you,’ she told him stiffly. ‘You are a client of PGH, and you must see it would be highly unprofessional.’ She walked over to the door, praying that she appeared more in control of herself than she felt. ‘For that reason I think it would be best if you chose another lawyer from the commercial property department to work on your project. There are a number of excellent lawyers at PGH who would be delighted to work for Velaquez Conglomerates.’

Guy Hadlow would seize the chance, she thought dismally. She would have to make the excuse to Alistair Gambrill that she did not feel capable of taking on the Velaquez project because of personal commitments. It would almost certainly ruin her chances of promotion, but she could not work with Ramon now that she knew he wanted her back in his bed.

‘I’ll speak to Alistair.’ She opened the door, and was about to step into the hallway when Ramon’s voice halted her.

‘How do you suppose Alistair Gambrill will take the news that I am cancelling the Velaquez contract with PGH?’ he drawled.

‘You’re not.’ Startled, Lauren swung back to face him, imagining with horror the senior partner’s reaction if he learned that the lucrative contact with Velaquez Conglomerates would not go ahead. ‘I mean, there’s no need for that. I’ve explained. There are other commercial property lawyers…’

‘I want
you
.’ His expression was unfathomable, but something in his voice warned Lauren that his threat to cancel the contract with PGH was deadly serious. ‘I will respect your position as my legal advisor and there will be no other relationship between us—unless you wish there to be.’

‘I don’t,’ she snapped.

He ignored her interruption and continued smoothly, ‘My decision to use PGH only stands if you agree to act as my lawyer on the wine bar project. If you refuse then I will find another law firm—which I am sure that both you and Alistair Gambrill would prefer not to happen,’ he added, with a gently mocking smile.

If she was deemed responsible for the loss of a highly influential client her career would suffer irreparable damage at PGH, and probably with other law firms, Lauren thought sickly. Senior lawyers were a tight clique. Doubts about her professional ability would spread, and she would find it hard to get another job in the City.

She stared at Ramon’s hard face and her heart sank. ‘That’s blackmail.’

He lifted his shoulders laconically, utterly unconcerned by her accusation. ‘You should know by now that I always get what I want.’

Oh, yes, she knew all right, Lauren brooded bitterly. Ramon’s reputation as a ruthlessness businessman was legendary. She had no option but to work for him, but if he thought she was going to fall into his bed because he had decided that he wanted her back as his mistress he had better think again.

‘Doesn’t it bother you to know that you’ll be working with someone who dislikes you intensely?’ she said tightly.

‘No.’ His arrogant smile caused her to grind her teeth. ‘But I have to say I’m surprised that someone who dislikes me as much as you say you do could have responded to me with such passion a few minutes ago. Perhaps you don’t know what you want,
querida
?’ he suggested softly.

While she struggled to formulate a reply, he strolled over to the desk and opened a file. ‘These are the details of the office complex in St Katherine’s Dock. I’d like you to start work on the lease agreement straight away. If you’re staying, that is?’ he added, when she continued to hover uncertainly in the doorway.

With as much dignity as she could muster Lauren marched back across the room, sat down at the desk, and immediately focused her attention on the pile of documents, her silence thrumming with fury.

Ramon resisted the urge to brush a tendril of hair off her face, and dropped her hairclip on the desk. ‘I guess you want this back.’

‘Thank you.’ Her voice dripped ice.

He watched her scrape her hair back and clip the honey-gold mass on top of her head, and tried to ignore the sharp tug of desire in his gut. ‘I have a couple of meetings booked for this afternoon, and I probably won’t be back until late.’

‘Then it’s likely I’ll have left by the time you return.’ Lauren lifted her head and met his gaze steadily. ‘I finish at the office at five-thirty. That’s non-negotiable. But I’m happy to take work home to complete in the evenings if necessary.’

Ramon’s eyes narrowed, his curiosity aroused by the quiet determination in her voice. ‘Everything is negotiable, Lauren.’

‘Not this.’ She collected Mateo from the day nursery at six-fifteen every evening, and not even the threat of losing her job would persuade her to work late.

‘I remember that you frequently used to work until seven or eight p.m.’ Ramon paused. ‘Maybe there’s someone you rush home to?’

He was skating dangerously near the truth. She flushed, and tore her eyes from his to stare down at the papers in front of her. ‘We’ve already established that my personal life is not your concern.’

‘Oh, we’ve established a number of things,’ Ramon drawled in a dangerously soft voice. ‘Not least that you are hot for me—much as you want to deny it.’

Lauren’s face burned, and she cursed those moments of weakness when she had responded to his kiss with a hunger that had more than matched his own. ‘As a matter of fact I need to leave half an hour earlier tonight. My mother is arriving from Jersey, and I’ve arranged to meet her at Gatwick.’ She hesitated. ‘I’ve already asked Alistair Gambrill for the time off. I hope it’s all right with you.’