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‘Not just a dreamer,’ he argued. ‘You get things done.’ He slanted her a look. ‘Should I be worried?’
‘I hope so.’
He laughed and their combined laughter rang out in the clean mountain air.
‘I suppose there’s no point in my warning you that I have a very different life in Madrid?’
‘Like me, do you mean?’ she said. ‘I get that.’
‘So, where does that leave us?’ he asked, reining in.
‘Independent but together.’
He smiled. ‘I like the sound of that.
‘You like sex too.’
‘I love sex.’
‘And you love the thought of being a father,’ she said, bringing her horse alongside his, ‘but this has to be something more than that.’
‘How can you say that? How can you even think it?’
Dismounting, he brought her into his arms. ‘Don’t doubt me,’ he whispered against her lips.
Making love in the open air could become a habit Sadie wouldn’t want to kick. They tethered their horses, and by the time Alejandro had gently lowered her to the ground, she was ready. But this time she wanted more.
‘What?’ Alejandro murmured, his dark eyes searching hers. ‘Tell me what you want. I’ll give you anything.’
‘I want everything,’ she said. ‘I want all of you—not just the amazing sex and the banter between us, and certainly not your fabulous lifestyle.’
‘Slaving away in my kitchen, do you mean?’ he teased.
Sadie was in no mood to be distracted. The time had come to tell Alejandro exactly how she felt and take the consequences whatever they might be. ‘It’s all or nothing,’ she said.
Alejandro’s lips pressed down in a way that had always melted her heart. ‘That’s a big ask,’ he said, eyes searching and smiling and speculating, all at the same time.
She smiled and shrugged, to try and make it seem that her whole life didn’t depend on his answer. ‘If your answer is nothing, we can still make plans for the baby. I’ll draw up a schedule of visits, and I promise to consult you on every decision I make regarding our child’s future—’
‘Stop,’ he said. ‘Every decision you make?’
‘I’ll consult you first,’ Sadie protested, thinking that quite fair.
‘On the decisions you make,’ Alejandro repeated, frowning. ‘I think you’ll find it doesn’t work like that.’
‘Then, what will work for you?’ she asked.
Could they really be this far apart? Alejandro wondered.
Yes, because you can’t bring yourself to open up, any more than Sadie can allow trust into her life. Say it—tell her how you feel about her right now or regret the missed opportunity for ever.
‘I love you, Sadie Montgomery.’ Stroking her hair back from her face, he admitted, ‘I’m only sorry it’s taken me this long to tell you how much I love you. I guess I’m no better at expressing my feelings than you’ve been at holding them in today.’
‘I’m one up on you, at least,’ she whispered. ‘I love you more than you know. I can’t believe I found you.’
‘Nor I you.’
‘Poor you,’ she said. ‘I bet you wish you’d dodged out of the way.’
‘Seriously, Sadie, I’m lucky to have you in my life.’
‘But don’t feel obligated,’ she whispered. ‘I can do this without you. No pressure.’
‘No pressure, and none required,’ he confirmed. ‘I’ve no doubt you can achieve anything you set your mind to. But do you want to do everything on your own? I know I don’t. I used to, until you showed me a different way.’
‘A crotchety, combative, challenging way, do you mean?’ she suggested with a cheeky grin.
‘A healthy, vibrant, open way,’ he argued.
‘You love me,’ Sadie confirmed, frowning deeply as she searched his eyes.
‘Yes. Why is that so hard to believe? From now on you can step back sometimes, and I’ll be there to support you. You don’t have to be strong all the time. Parenting between couples is a partnership...or it should be.’
‘You’ve changed,’ she murmured.
‘And so have you,’ he pointed out. ‘We’re both in the process of changing. Baby steps,’ he teased with a smile.
The silence was longer this time. Not for one second did Sadie’s gaze flicker as she studied his eyes. And then she smiled and relaxed. ‘Baby steps with your feet?’
He shrugged. ‘So long as they don’t land in my mouth.’
‘But, what if I can’t?’ she said, frowning again.
‘Can’t what?’
‘Be a good mother?’ she explained worriedly. ‘You have the example of a happy family to look back on and copy.’
‘While you have all the tools necessary to make sure you avoid the mistakes of the past. Come on, Sadie, you’re better than this. You never let anything get on top of you in the past.’
‘Except you.’
He grinned and shifted position, to warm her, and to remind her that theirs was a very passionate relationship. ‘Except me,’ he conceded. ‘You’ll grab the challenge of having a new little person in your life as you have everything else, only this time you’ll have the reward of a small person who loves you as I love you. There are no quick fixes. Just trust me, and in the future you’ll know I was right about you, Sadie Montgomery.’
‘As you said, baby steps,’ she finally accepted with a rueful smile.
‘Plus time, an
d a lot of loving,’ he said as he brought her back into his arms.
* * *
They returned in high spirits. Annalisa was at the flamenco camp with Marissa where she would stay until the heat created by her break-up with the Prince died down. Instead of interfering, as he usually did, he had taken Sadie’s advice and backed off. Annalisa was safe with friends and family in the mountains, which left him free to suggest to Sadie that they should return to Madrid so she could have a doctor check her out, and stay on for a few days at his house in the city. He wanted her to know that his feelings for her wouldn’t change whether he was the Gypsy King, or a member of the Spanish aristocracy.
There was no denying the fact that his life was very different in Madrid, but Sadie was adaptable, and if she wanted this as much as he did, she would accept the compromises they would both have to make. His free time would be limited, but so would hers, and when the baby came they would both have to make changes.
With so many things yet to be settled between them, they slept this last night in the mountains in each other’s arms. He loved this woman and knew now that it was his responsibility to prove that he did with more than words.
* * *
The next day they arrived back at his house in Madrid.
‘I’m surprised,’ Sadie exclaimed as he entered the large, formal drawing room to find her waiting for him.
‘By what?’ he queried, thinking how beautiful she looked, with the natural grace of a duchess and the composure that said, finally, she felt secure, and that fun element that was pure, unadulterated Sadie.
‘I’m surprised to see you looking so relaxed here,’ she explained as he raked his shower-damp hair. ‘I’ve only seen you dressed down like this in the mountains before.’
He noticed her cheeks pinking up as her gaze skittered over him. ‘I don’t wear a suit every day in the city,’ he explained. ‘Can I get you a drink? Water? Juice?’
