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A chill breeze skated across Leonora’s skin and she shivered slightly. Gabriel’s words circled in her head sickeningly. ‘I think we can be happy together’. Lazaro had said almost exactly the same words just before the engagement announcement.
The truth was no matter what Gabriel said, or how many assurances he provided, she was just a pawn. But then, as he pointed out, so was he in many ways. They were both pawns. Somehow that didn’t give her much comfort.
It was clear now that today hadn’t really been born of a spontaneous desire to spend time with her. It had been a calculated move to make her feel valued. Wanted. Desired. Maybe he hadn’t planned that explosive interlude back at the hotel, but all that confirmed was that they wanted each other.
Leonora cursed herself for being so sensitive. She had to develop a thicker skin if she was going to survive in Gabriel’s world. The fact that she felt a growing intimacy with him beyond the bedroom—worse, a growing friendship—was all just an illusion. Gabriel was looking on her as an investment to nurture.
Leonora pasted on the brightest smile she could. ‘I think we can be happy too.’
Gabriel smiled approvingly.
This was her life now and she had to come to terms with it. To want more... Well, that was just foolish.
In a bid to deflect Gabriel’s attention, because he saw too much, Leonora said, ‘So, tell me about this bid you’re involved in...’
* * *
Ten days after they’d returned from Paris, Gabriel was at the public bid for the market space. A project he’d been working on for over a year.
For a man who wasn’t used to being unsure of outcomes, he didn’t like to admit that the bid might very well go Lazaro Sanchez’s way. The man had come up with a decent plan. A plan that Gabriel could grudgingly respect even if he didn’t agree with all of it.
But for the first time in his life the prospect of losing to someone else wasn’t his main concern. Something else was distracting him and taking precedence over the bid. Leonora.
Things had been slightly off ever since Paris, and Gabriel couldn’t figure it out.
That Sunday they’d spent together had been one of the most enjoyable days Gabriel could remember in a long time. He didn’t have close confidantes. He’d always trodden his own path and had learnt very early on not to trust people. Women or business peers. Everyone wanted a piece of him or to best him.
But he trusted Leonora. Enjoyed spending time with her. Wanted to spend time with her. He never would have taken a day off like that before. It had been years since he’d taken the Métro or just wandered around a museum.
But when they’d returned to their suite after dinner on the Sunday night she’d been slightly withdrawn. He’d taken a call, and by the time he’d gone to bed she was asleep. The first night they hadn’t made love since they were married.
And then, this week, he’d been busy preparing for the bid, and each night when he’d come back to the castillo she’d been in bed, asleep. So he’d hardly seen her. Or touched her. He could feel his hunger for her gnawing away inside him and she should be here by his side today, but she wasn’t.
She’d been pale this morning—out of sorts. She’d said something about period pains and had assured him she just needed to rest. So he’d left her behind.
He’d found to his surprise that the evidence that she wasn’t pregnant had made him feel conflicting things. Because, as much as he knew he had to have children, he was aware that it was too soon. He wanted more time with Leonora. Alone.
And yet they weren’t using protection, so if she wasn’t pregnant this month the likelihood was that it would happen very soon. Unless they made a decision to wait for a while, which would go against one of the reasons for this marriage: to have heirs. To continue the family legacy.
This revelation was disconcerting and it made him feel off-centre.
There was a movement in his peripheral vision and he saw Lazaro Sanchez walk over to where his wife had just arrived. Her bright red hair was distinctive. And the small bump of her pregnant belly.
He had to concede that she was not the kind of woman he would have expected Sanchez to go for. She looked...nice. Kind. She was smiling, and he could see from here that it was genuine. Warm. Leonora had a similar quality but she was more reserved.
Leonora.
He took out his phone and sent her a quick text, asking how she was.
She replied almost instantly.
Feeling okay, thanks. Good luck with the bid. Sorry I’m not there with you. x
To his surprise, that small ‘x’ impacted him in his gut, taking his breath for a moment.
Someone approached him. ‘Señor Torres? It’s time.’
Gabriel saw Sanchez moving towards the stage and knew he couldn’t afford to lose focus now. Sanchez was married, having a baby. Gabriel was also married, and even if Leonora wasn’t pregnant now, she would be soon.
