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Not like Belle.
She was the true knight. She was the one who’d slain the dragon. She was the one who’d saved his soul. He would always be grateful for that miracle.
Tomorrow, they would leave on a two-month honeymoon—bringing baby Emma, of course—on a trip around the world. Belle had planned this reception, so he’d insisted on organizing the honeymoon. “What are your top five dream travel destinations?”
“Paris,” she’d said instantly, then “London.” She’d bitten her lip. “The Christmas markets in Germany. The neon lights of Tokyo. Or maybe—” she’d tilted her head “—a beach vacation in Australia? The Great Barrier Reef?” With a sigh, she’d shaken her head. “I’m glad I’m not the one who has to decide!”
But as it turned out neither did he. Because they were going to see everything. Emma would be a very well-traveled baby before she even had her first bite of baby food.
Their family would see the world together, all of them for the first time. It would all be new to Santiago, too. Because this time, he’d be leading with his heart.
In the ballroom, Belle came up to the sofa, smiling. “You boys having fun?”
“Yes,” they all said cheerily, and in Kassius’s and Darius’s case a little tipsily. Belle grinned at Santiago.
“Want to help cut the cake?”
“Absolutely.” He rose to his feet, their sleeping baby still tucked securely against his chest. With his free hand, he suddenly pulled his wife close and kissed her. Not a little kiss, either. He kissed her long and hard, until they started getting catcalls and whistles and cheers from the guests, and he felt her tremble in his arms.
She drew back, her eyes big. “What was that for?”
“It’s the start of a whole life loving you,” he whispered, cupping her cheek. “I wanted to do it right.”
Belle leaned her head against his shoulder, and for a moment, the three of them stood nestled together. Then they heard someone yell, “Come quick! The kids are coming at the cake with spoons, and there’s a dog close behind!”
Laughing, Santiago and Belle, with their sleeping baby, went to cut the cake. And as they were toasted and cheered by their family and friends, he looked down tenderly at his wife, who smiled back at him, her eyes shining with love. And Santiago knew, for the first time in his life, that he was finally home.
* * * * *
EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT
Natasha Pellegrini and Matteo Manaserro’s reunion catches them both in a potent mix of emotion, and they surrender to their explosive passion. Natasha was a virgin until Matteo’s touch branded her as his and when Matteo discovers Natasha is pregnant, he’s intent on claiming his baby. Except he hasn’t bargained on their insatiable chemistry binding them together so completely!
Read on for a sneak preview of Michelle Smart’s book
CLAIMING HIS ONE-NIGHT BABY
The second part of her Bound to a Billionaire trilogy
‘For better or worse we’re going to be tied together by our child for the rest of our lives and the only way we’re going to get through it is by always being honest with each other. We will argue and disagree but you must always speak the truth to me.’
Natasha fought to keep her feet grounded and her limbs from turning into fondue but it was a fight she was losing, Matteo’s breath warm on her face, his thumb gently moving on her skin but scorching it, the heat from his body almost penetrating her clothes, heat crawling through her, pooling in her most intimate place.
His scent was right there too, filling every part of her, and she wanted to bury her nose into his neck and inhale him.
She’d kissed him without any thought, a desperate compulsion to touch him and comfort him flooding her, and then the fury had struck from nowhere, all her private thoughts about the direction he’d taken his career in converging to realise he’d thrown it all away in the pursuit of riches.
And now she wanted to kiss him again.
As if he could sense the need inside her, he brought his mouth close to hers but not quite touching, the promise of a kiss.
‘And now I will ask you something and I want complete honesty,’ he whispered, the movement of his words making his lips dance against hers like a breath.
The fluttering of panic sifted into the compulsive desire. She hated lies too. She never wanted to tell another, especially not to him. But she had to keep her wits about her because there were things she just could not tell because no matter what he said about lies always being worse, sometimes it was the truth that could destroy a life.
But, God, how could she think properly when her head was turning into candyfloss at his mere touch?
His other hand trailed down her back and clasped her bottom to pull her flush to him. Her abdomen clenched to feel his erection pressing hard against her lower stomach. His lips moved lightly over hers, still tantalising her with the promise of his kiss. ‘Do you want me to let you go?’
