The Disobedient Virgin

“Perhaps it’s because I’m the only one who knows the real Joaquim Ramirez.”

“I said—”

“Don’t call you that. I know. I just don’t understand the reason.”

Jake’s jaw tightened. “I’ll tell you the reason. It’s because the name reminds me of who I really am. A rich man’s bastard.”

Cat’s eyes widened. “Oh, Jake—”

“That’s why I had to agree to find you a husband.” His hand fell away from her. “All my life I thought the man who sired me died a hero, died before he could come back and marry my mother. A few weeks ago I found out the truth. He abandoned her. Left her to have me, raise me, alone.”

“Jake—”

“I also learned that he spawned two other bastards,” he said bitterly. “Do you understand, Cat? I have brothers out there somewhere, but the only way my father’s lawyer will give me their names is if I complete this—this travesty of a guardianship and find a husband for you.” His hands closed on her shoulders and he hauled her to her toes. “How could I have known I’d fall in love with you? How in hell could I possibly have known that?”

She stared at him. “What?”

“I said I love you, damn it! I love you more than I ever dreamed a man could love a woman—and what good has it done? You slept with me. Now you’ve agreed to sleep with Lucas—”

Cat’s hand whipped through the air. She hit Jake hard enough to make his head snap back.

“I hate you,” she sobbed. “Hate you, hate you…”

Jake caught her in his arms and crushed her mouth beneath his. When she struggled, he clasped her face, tunneled his fingers into her hair and held her captive to his kiss.

“Hate you,” she sighed, when he lifted his mouth just long enough to change the angle of the kiss, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

A long time later, he leaned his forehead against hers.

“Say the words, sweetheart,” he whispered.

“I love you,” Cat said softly. “I love you with all my heart.”

Jake shuddered with relief. Then he drew her close, held her tightly against him and knew that he would never, ever let her go.

“All I agreed to do with Lucas was live under his roof for six months,” Cat said. “He was sure I’d change my mind about the divorce once I got to know him.” She drew back a little, enough so she could see Jake’s face. “I told him he was wrong and he said he’d take his chances. That was his demand, Jake. Mine was that we’d live together as friends. There would be no sex. Lucas said he’d abide by that. He gave his word of honor.”

His word of honor. Jake knew that Lucas would be bound by it.

He’d been wrong. About Cat. About Lucas. About everything but what really mattered.

His love for Catarina.

Jake cleared his throat. “Cat?” He tilted her face to his. “In all this time you’ve never asked me how much money you’re going to inherit.” He paused. “It’s twenty-five million dollars, sweetheart.”

Her eyes widened. “So much? I never dreamed—”

“That’ll buy a lot of independence.” He hesitated. All this had only just come to him. Would she agree to it? For the first time in his adult life Jake Ramirez was scared. “Cat. I love you.”

Her eyes glittered with tears. “And I love you.”

“I want you to be my wife.”

There were no more beautiful words in the world than those—but they broke Catarina’s heart.

“Oh, Jake, I can’t. I can’t! If I do—”

“If you do, you’ll lose that money.” His mouth was dry. “I understand. But you won’t lose your independence, honey. I’ll see to that. I’ll support you as a good husband should—and I’ll make you a gift of the same amount your parents left you. You can put it into a bank account under your own name. I’ll have no access to it, no rights, no…What?”