An Innocent, a Seduction, a Secret

The following evening Edie was nervous as they approached the grand and imposing entrance to Sebastio’s friends’ house, which wasn’t far from his apartment.

He’d told her that the host had been one of his closest companions growing up. He was married and had two children. So when they got to the door and she saw a gorgeous couple—him, tall and arrestingly dark and handsome in a classic tuxedo, and her, exquisitely pretty with dark eyes and russet-brown hair caught up in a chignon—both smiling widely, something inside Edie eased.

They looked nice. Intimidatingly gorgeous, but nice.

‘Edie, I’d like you to meet Rafael and Isobel Romero.’

Isobel came forward, smiling warmly, stunning in a long sequinned black gown. ‘Edie, I’m so pleased to meet you. Thank you for coming.’

Edie smiled. ‘Nice to meet you too.’

Rafael introduced himself too, placing an arm firmly around his wife’s waist after they’d done their introductions. It was only then that Edie noticed the neat but very definite bump under Isobel’s form-fitting dress.

The other woman noticed Edie’s look and grimaced, saying sotto voce, ‘I really need to work out my timings better. Being pregnant at the height of an Argentinian summer is not very clever, but somehow I’ve managed to do it every time.’

Edie’s eyes widened. ‘You sound English.’

‘My father was English, and I spent a lot of time in England. By the way, I love your hair. Mine used to be that short too, and I’m seriously considering getting it cut again—it’s so much easier to manage.’

Her husband interrupted them with a growl. ‘No, you’re not.’ He looked at Edie. ‘No offence—your hair is beautiful—but I prefer my wife’s hair long.’

Isobel rolled her eyes, but Edie could see a look of teasing and something much hotter pass between them. She felt a pang of envy at their obvious affection, and just then two small blurs collided with them. A girl of about eight—a mini-me of her mother, with dark hair and eyes—and a little boy of about five. A handsome replica of his father.

Inexplicably Edie felt a lurch in her gut. A sudden hollow sensation. She’d always known that children most likely wouldn’t be a part of her future, but she’d never felt it so keenly before. It was disconcerting to be feeling this here, now, with Sebastio standing at her side. A man who would run a mile from the mere suggestion of family.

Rafael and Isobel introduced them to the children, Beatriz and Luis, who were hopping with excitement at the prospect of fireworks later, and then efficiently dispatched them with their nannies while showing Sebastio and Edie through to the party so they could greet the other guests now arriving.

The sheer opulence of the event made Edie’s head spin. It was being held in a huge marquee in the gorgeous landscaped back garden, lit with a thousand fairy lights. It made her Christmas dressing skills feel very inadequate.

The house was situated on a hill, so there was a spectacular view of the city all the way to the port, where the last rays of the setting blood-red sun were staining the sky. England and its blizzards and winter seemed very far away.

Sebastio looked at Edie. Her eyes were huge. He’d had to physically restrain himself from clamping her to his side in front of Rafael—it had shocked him how suddenly possessive he’d felt, even though he knew his friend was deeply besotted with his wife. But he’d noticed his friend look at Edie speculatively, and he knew it was because she wasn’t like the women Sebastio had brought as dates in the past. He’d felt exposed.

But now any sense of exposure was fast being eclipsed by the fact that Edie was effortlessly drawing lots of lingering glances, with her endless pale legs and lithe body. Sebastio regretted buying her the dress now, even though other women there were even more scantily clad.

He gave in to the possessive surge rushing through him and snaked an arm around her waist, turning her so that she was facing him. Looking up. All he could see were those huge blue eyes and long lashes. That provocative mouth that never said what he expected.

He bent his head and crushed her mouth under his, kissing her deeply.

When he pulled back he noted with satisfaction that it took a second for her to open her eyes, and when she did they were unfocused.

‘What was that for?’ she asked, sounding dazed.

What had that been for? asked a mocking voice inside Sebastio’s head.

He was losing it. He’d never felt the need to stamp his claim on a woman before. And yet he couldn’t stop the honest truth from tripping out of his mouth. ‘Because I can’t not kiss you when you look at me like that.’

Edie really wished he wouldn’t do this. Make her heart flutter with a very dangerous sense of hope. Because it didn’t mean anything. Nor did the fact that she was his first lover in four years. None of it meant anything. All he meant was that he wanted her. Pure physical chemistry. Not emotion.

But by the time the fireworks were illuminating the Buenos Aires sky after midnight Edie was glad she was sitting on the grass between Sebastio’s legs, her back against his chest, so he wouldn’t see the tears welling in her eyes at the beauty of it all.

It wasn’t only the spectacular fireworks taking her attention, though, as Isobel and Rafael Romero were nearby, each holding a wonderstruck child in their arms. A unit of love and family. Edie’s belly actually ached this time, and she put a hand to it, biting her lip to stem the tide of emotion.

Sebastio’s voice came, near to her ear. ‘Okay?’

She nodded rapidly, terrified he’d see something of the turmoil she felt.

‘Ready to leave?’ Sebastio’s voice was rough and loaded with intent.