Modern Romance Collection: August 2017 Books 5 -8. Jennie Lucas
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that’s why you were still in bed at ten o’clock the next morning,’ Cortez murmured in an odd voice. ‘I thought you lazed around every morning and left Harry to be cared for by the nanny.’
‘Lack of sleep was probably a contributing factor when I developed a kidney infection,’ Elin confided. ‘Harry had been restless for a few nights before the fund-raising party for Lorna’s Gift. When I’m tired my immune system seems to shut down.’
Cortez was still holding the pram handle and Elin caught her breath when his fingers brushed against hers. She looked down at his darkly tanned fingers next to her much paler ones, and memories flooded her mind of his hands roaming over her body, caressing her breasts and slipping between her legs. She was appalled when she felt a molten sensation there, where a year ago his skilful touch had given her unbelievable pleasure.
‘We should go back to the house before Harry wakes up for a feed,’ she said stiltedly, praying that Cortez did not notice her flushed face. She felt hot with shame and a helpless longing that made her angry with herself. How could she want him after the way he had treated her? Where was her self-respect?
‘Another time I will give you a tour of the bodega,’ Cortez offered. To Elin’s relief, he seemed unaware that her hormones were in meltdown. ‘Not all the grapes from these vineyards are used to make Felipe & Cortez sherry. About a third of the crop is sold to other wineries.’ They had reached the gate in the wall, and he held it open to allow Elin to push the pram through to the garden before he continued speaking. ‘Tomorrow evening I am hosting a party for F&C’s shareholders and clients. A few media representatives have also been invited. At the party I intend to give a press statement announcing that Harry is my son.’
Elin’s heart dropped like a stone. ‘Why now? I mean...there is no rush, especially as nothing has been decided yet about who will have custody of him.’
‘Whatever happens in the future with regard to arrangements for where Harry will spend his childhood, and with whom, I want to publicly recognise that he is my son.’ Cortez frowned when he saw her dismayed expression. ‘I’m not going to drop out of his life, however much you might wish that I would,’ he said in a hard voice. ‘I want to be a full-time parent to him while he is growing up.’
‘So do I,’ she cried emotionally. ‘But you want to take Harry away from me.’
‘That’s not true. I accept that he needs you, certainly while he is so young. At the party I will introduce you as the mother of my child.’
Her brows rose. ‘Aren’t you worried I’ll turn up in a drug-fuelled haze, out of my head on whatever substance you think I snort up my nose, or inject into my veins?’
To Elin’s surprise Cortez looked uncomfortable as he raked a hand through his hair. ‘I have realised that I was wrong about you, and you are not in fact a drug-user,’ he said gruffly. ‘The stories about you in the tabloids seemed to prove that you had a drug habit. But it is now clear to me that you take motherhood seriously.’
‘My commitment to Harry has never been in doubt,’ she said furiously. ‘But you refused to believe he was your son when I first told you.’
His jaw hardened but his response was controlled, as if he was forcing himself to remain calm in the face of her angry condemnation. ‘I now have proof that Harry is mine, and tomorrow evening I will make it public knowledge that I am his father. You do not need to worry that I am one hundred per cent committed to my son.’
* * *
Cortez smiled at the CEO of a brandy production company which was an important client of Felipe & Cortez Vineyards, and realised that he had no recollection of the conversation he’d had with the other man for the past ten minutes. Over Señor Santana’s shoulder he watched Elin chatting to another client, and he gritted his teeth when he noted that the guy looked dazzled by Elin. Cortez understood how that felt.
Desire had jack-knifed through him when he had knocked on her bedroom door fifteen minutes before the guests were due to arrive to escort her downstairs. The day before, he had suggested that he could order an evening gown for her from an exclusive boutique in Jerez, but she had declined his offer, saying she’d brought a dress with her from London that was suitable to wear to the party.
Elin’s idea of suitable was not the same as his, Cortez brooded as his eyes followed her obsessively when she moved around the room, stopping frequently to speak to guests. Her long sapphire-blue dress was a deceptively simple silk sheath with a diamanté belt that showed off her tiny waist. The halter-neck style left her shoulders and back bare and her blonde hair was swept up into a chignon, revealing the slender column of her white throat. In truth, the gown was elegant and sensual rather than overtly sexy, but Cortez hated the fact that every man in the room was looking at her and no doubt fantasising about her. He would feel happier if she were wearing a shroud. This possessive feeling was new and unwelcome and he felt irritated that she was the only woman who had such an effect on him.
When she had opened her bedroom door and given him one of those cool smiles of hers that never failed to set his teeth on edge, he had come worryingly close to sweeping her into his arms and carrying her over to the bed. He had wanted to strip her dress from her body and kiss her mouth and her breasts until he heated her up and she turned into the sensual siren who a year ago had begged him in a throaty whisper, that still haunted his dreams, to make love to her.
He forced his mind to the present when his PA came over and told him that everything was ready for him to make a statement to the press. He had asked the nanny to bring Harry downstairs when the baby woke for his ten p.m. feed. Barbara walked into the ballroom and Cortez strode over and took his son from her. As he lifted Harry into his arms, Elin materialised at his side. Her tension was almost tangible.
‘Let me hold him,’ she muttered. ‘He hasn’t long been fed, and he might be sick on your tuxedo.’
‘I don’t give a damn about my jacket.’ He stared at his son and Harry stared right back with his big, dark eyes flecked with gold. The baby’s rosebud mouth curved into a smile of recognition and Cortez silently repeated his vow that he would willingly sacrifice his life to protect his little boy.
The room fell silent as he made his way to one end of the ballroom, where a group of journalists were assembled in front of a microphone. There was a ripple of interest from the audience as he stepped onto the podium holding the baby in his arms. He held out his hand to Elin and she hesitated before she walked up to stand beside him.
He had given prior instruction that the press conference would be conducted in English for Elin’s benefit. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the continued success of Felipe & Cortez, which is reflected in the latest rise in profits, makes me very proud. But I am even prouder to introduce my son, Harry Ramos.’
The news was met with murmurs of surprise and interest from the guests. Cortez’s PR team had arranged that the press could ask a few pre-arranged questions, but as the session drew to an end a journalist stood up and asked an unplanned question.
‘Do you have any plans to marry your son’s mother? And, if so, when will the wedding be?’
Cortez smiled to hide his irritation with the journalist. ‘Miss Saunderson and I are not prepared to make a statement with regard to our personal situation yet,’ he said smoothly.
‘Miss Saunderson is English, and I am sure that your shareholders would like to know if you will continue to live in Spain, Señor Ramos, or if you plan to move to England to be with your son and his mother.’
‘Felipe & Cortez’s shareholders can be assured that I will continue to be based in Spain and my commitment to the company and also to my role as CEO of Hernandez Bank is unchanged.’
‘Will your son also live in Spain?’
‘Of course. Harry is my heir and when he is older I hope he will develop the same passion that I have to grow the best grapes and produce the best sherry for which F&C is renowned.’
‘But you do not intend