The Twelve-Month Marriage Deal

by

www.millsandboon.co.uk

‘
YOUR’RE
expecting
me
to
marry
Vidal Marquez?’

Elena looked at her parents as though they were out of their minds. This was the last thing she had expected when they had asked her to come home. The very last thing. She didn’t know what she
had
been expecting, but it certainly had never entered her head that they would try to persuade her to marry Vidal.

Her already huge brown eyes widened into enormous orbs of shock and doubt and her heart began an unsteady tattoo. It was actually unbelievable; it was insanity of the highest order. How could they ask this of her? How could they even
think
it?

It was her sister who had been going to marry Vidal. They’d been engaged for months. And now her sister had run away! And no one knew where she was. So what had happened? And more to the point, why were they suggesting she take her place? Why was it so important?

None of it made any sense.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, adding highlights to her glossy black hair. It was ironic that it was such a gorgeous day outside and yet here in
her parents’ house her whole world was slowly falling apart.

‘It’s ludicrous.’ She stood tall and proud, her beautiful face flushed with fury and indignation, her golden eyes almost shooting sparks of fire. Her hair, cut just below her ears with a side fringe, swirled in complete disarray every time she shook her head. ‘For one thing I do not plan to get married for a very long time. I have a business to run, in case you’re forgetting. I’ve spent years getting where I am today and I have no intention of giving it up to marry—’ she drew in a deep, unsteady breath at the enormity of what her parents were asking ‘—my sister’s
ex
-fiancé.’

Elena deliberately put great emphasis on the word
ex.
She loved her parents dearly, but for the life of her she couldn’t understand why they were suggesting she take Reina’s place. Plenty of couples split up and there was never a thought of their siblings stepping in.

Actually it was hard to believe that Reina had done this. Her elder sister never put a foot wrong. She herself was the wilful one, the one who her parents sometimes despaired of. When she’d gone to live in Los Angeles they had feared for her well-being. And yet she was running a successful wedding-planner business while her sister had turned her back on the wedding of the year.

She could imagine how hard they had taken the news, Vidal’s family too. The wedding was already in the planning stages. Anyone who was of any note in Spain would already be on the guest list.

‘I’m sorry Reina’s putting you through this,’ she said, privately thinking that it was better her sister had found
out now that she didn’t love Vidal rather than after their marriage, ‘but is this about losing face? Why would you even
think
about me taking her place? Why can’t the merger go ahead without a marriage between the families?’

‘Because,’ answered her father quietly, ‘we fear that without it the deal will be off. We didn’t tell you this before,’ he added unhappily, ‘but—it was an arranged marriage—for business reasons. We all thought that Reina was happy with the situation. We thought she actually loved Vidal, but—’ He lifted his shoulders and let them fall again, his face a picture of sadness and sorrow and fear for the future.

‘Arranged?’ Elena could not believe what she was hearing. The whole situation was getting more bizarre by the second. ‘No wonder Reina ran away. What were you thinking? And now you expect
me
to take her place. No way! Not ever! I don’t even like Vidal! If you want my opinion he’s a pompous, arrogant bas—’

‘Elena!’
Her father’s shocked voice resounded through the room. ‘I will not have that language in my house.’

‘Nevertheless it’s what he is,’ she declared firmly. God, she was seething. This was her worst nightmare. How could they even
think
about asking her to marry this—this…? Words failed her.

She had never understood why they wanted to merge the two banks anyway. Not that she’d ever had any inclination to work in the business; she’d opted for freedom. She loved her parents dearly, but sometimes found their affection stifling.

‘There is another reason,’ said her father, his arm
about her mother’s shoulders now, putting on a united front, ‘and I hate having to tell you this, but—’ he dragged in a deeply troubled breath ‘—the bank is in trouble. We fear that we shall be financially ruined if Vidal doesn’t take over.’

Looking at him, Elena saw the deep lines of strain on his face and the worry in his eyes that she had assumed were because of her sister’s actions, but it now appeared that something more serious was afoot. Even her mother’s face was filled with fear, her brown eyes haunted, sunk more deeply than Elena had ever seen them.

Instantly, Elena folded her in her arms, holding her trembling body close. Her mother had always been such a strong woman that it hurt to see her like this.

Her parents’ bank was a private one, whereas Vidal dealt in corporate banking. Theirs wouldn’t be the first one in trouble that he had bought. They were talking about a merger, but Elena knew very well that if Vidal got his hands on it, it would be the end of the road for them. All she could hope was that he was offering them a fair deal. Though why she had to become a part of it Elena had no idea.

‘So,’ said her father firmly a few seconds later, ‘you will do this? It’s not only for ourselves, you understand, but our employees too. Some of them have been with us for a very long time. We owe them to do the best we can.’

Elena screwed her face up and shook her head. ‘I can’t, I’m sorry, but you’re asking the impossible.’ Surely they realised the absurdity of her marrying a man she did not love, a man she hadn’t seen in years, a man who did nothing for her whatsoever?

What she could remember of Vidal Marquez was that he had always thought himself a cut above everyone else, even as a child. Therefore it went without saying that he would be unbearable to live with. No wonder Reina had got out while she could.

Her heart felt heavy when she saw her father’s arms go round her mother as she almost collapsed. They were making this so very difficult. She loved them to death, didn’t want to do anything to hurt them, but marrying a man she didn’t even like was too big an ask.

When she saw that even her father, usually such a strong man, had tears in his eyes, she said quietly, ‘Are you sure there isn’t any other way of saving the bank?’

Her father shook his head. ‘None at all.’

She closed her eyes and let her breath out on a deep sigh. ‘I really don’t want to do this,’ she said quietly, ‘but—I don’t like seeing you two so worried either. I’ll give it some serious thought. Though I’m not actually promising anything, you understand.’

Faint relief shone on their faces and they both put their arms around her.

Elena did not see how she could do as they asked, though. It would mean putting her whole life on hold, maybe even cancelling it altogether. She loved what she did and had thought when her mother called and said she was needed at home that it was to help plan her sister’s wedding—not her own!

Tension reigned in the Valero household for the next few days. Elena hated seeing her parents’ distress, but she hated even more the thought of marrying a man she did not love. There must be some other way to save the bank.

Vidal had always looked down his nose at her. There
was eight years’ difference between them and as a child he had always considered her of no consequence. Vidal’s younger brother, Fernan, was more her own age and he had been her constant companion, while Reina had been friends with Vidal. It was why she had not been surprised when their engagement had been announced. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that it was not a love match.

‘You are coming tonight?’ asked her father over breakfast on Saturday.

‘To the charity dinner?’

He nodded. ‘Your mother and I think it important that we go. We need to keep up appearances. We don’t want anyone to know that we’re in any kind of trouble.’

‘Of course I’ll come,’ she said immediately. ‘Will the Marquezes be there?’

‘I imagine so,’ said her father.

Her heart did a little hop, skip and a jump. It meant that Vidal would be there too. Was he aware that her parents were attempting to pair her up with him? And if so, what were his thoughts on the matter? She imagined that he would be as horrified as she was. Unless getting his hands on their bank was far more important than marrying for love. He’d done well for himself, she’d heard. His banking organisation was now the biggest in Spain. And she would face the man himself in just a few short hours.

Vidal could not take his eyes off the strikingly beautiful young woman who had just entered the room. Of its own accord his heart leapt and he instantly wanted to
get to know her. She was tall, slim and very, very elegant, confident in the knowledge that she looked good.

Her short, dark hair revealed a long, slender neck around which a choker glistened with black gemstones. Her skin was soft and honeyed and he knew that he had to hold her, to touch, to feel—to enjoy!

Two thin straps that matched the necklace held up a black dress that moulded her body in such a way that each movement she made showed off the rounded curves of her breasts, each sway of her hips emphasised the pertness of her bottom.

He felt himself growing hard. This woman needed serious investigation.

She slowly circled the room, talking and laughing as she met people she knew—and was introduced to those she did not. She was vivacious and exciting, confident in her skin, walking with the grace of a female panther. He wondered if she had claws to match. There was something about her that was oddly familiar. Yet he could not recall ever having met her before.

‘She’s grown into quite a looker, hasn’t she?’

Vidal turned and realised that his father had been watching her also.

‘Who is she?’

‘Why, Elena, of course. I’m surprised you didn’t recognise her.’

Elena! Elena Valero! Surely not? ‘I thought she lived in America?’

His father nodded. ‘She does. She’s home on a family visit.’

Now he knew who she was he could see the young
girl she had once been. But what a transformation. From gauche to graceful. From plain to sensationally, heartstoppingly beautiful. From stick thin to enticingly slender with curves in all the right places.

Dios!
His heart tapped out a rapid tattoo. She had turned into a magical creature who was in danger of sliding beneath his skin with the stealth of a viper. Reina had rarely spoken about her sister so he’d not really thought about her in all these years. Now she filled his mind and he couldn’t wait for her to finish circling the room and reach his side.

Would she fail to recognise him? Or had he perhaps not changed as dramatically as she had? How many years had it been since he’d last seen her? Six since she went to America. But even before that he’d been too busy getting on with his life to take any notice of her. As far as he was concerned she’d been a wild child. Thoroughly spoilt, totally conceited, no interest in anything except herself.

He could not take his eyes off her, though, and suddenly she turned and looked at him, nothing more than a fleeting glance before she resumed her conversation. But it had been enough to heighten his desire even further.

Her eyes were enormous in her elfin face, but there had been no recognition. She’d felt him watching her, that was for sure, it had been a critical stare, but she had no idea who he was.

Nevertheless it felt like a lifetime before she reached his side. A lifetime in which he had enticed her into his bed, undressed her slowly, allowing his eyes to appreciate every inch of her amazing body before finally
making crazy, fantastic love. Thank goodness she couldn’t see his heart hammering like a mad thing within his chest.

‘Vidal!’ She held out her hand.

So she did know him! All this time she had known exactly who he was—giving her the advantage! And the cold glare she had sent in his direction had been condemning rather than curious. He was none too pleased at the thought. In fact, he was rather annoyed.

‘Well, well, well, if the little girl hasn’t grown up.’

Immediately the words were out he knew that it had been the wrong thing to say. He wanted to bed her, not offend her. But hell, he’d been caught off guard and it was not a feeling he was accustomed to.

Elena lifted her chin and glared, beautifully, her eyes, more gold than brown at this moment, exquisitely fierce. ‘How many years has it been since we last saw each other?’

‘Quite a few,’ he admitted, wondering what it would really feel like to have this woman beneath him. Heavens, he hadn’t felt like this since he was a teenager and in love for the first time. His body was infused with a heat that threatened to overcome him.

‘Exactly,’ she retorted sharply. ‘You’ve changed, I’ve changed. Is it so remarkable?’

‘I almost didn’t recognise you.’ He wasn’t going to tell her that he had failed to do so. Oh, no. He had no intention of putting himself down in her eyes. ‘May I be permitted to say that the transformation is sensational?’

He didn’t let his eyes move from hers. Just listening to her voice caused an ache in his gut. It was soft and
lilting, like the finest music.
Infierno,
this woman was sending threads of temptation through every fibre of his body. He had never met anyone who had ignited his fire so suddenly and so thoroughly.

‘Thank you, kind sir.’

It was a mocking comeback and it didn’t please him. ‘I hear you’re on a rare visit to your family.’

‘Rare?’ Her back stiffened and she stood just that little bit taller. ‘Just because you and I haven’t bumped into each other, doesn’t mean that I don’t come home often.’

‘But not as often as you should.’ Cold grey eyes looked into hers. ‘What I’d like to know is why you felt the need to move to America in the first place. Doesn’t life here satisfy you? According to your sister, your parents were heartbroken, and I can perfectly understand why. Maybe they didn’t say anything to you. You saw it as an adventure, but they felt that you were turning your back on them.’