Rising Stars. Maisey Yates

      He saw the security guards nudge each other with a smirk, and he knew he and Laura had fooled no one. There could be no doubt what they had been doing.

      Normally he wouldn’t care if people knew he’d taken a woman as his lover. But this was different. This was Laura. And one thought kept going through his mind, no matter how he tried to avoid it.

       He never wanted to let her go.

      Gabriel exhaled. When he’d taken her on the hood of the car, beneath the night sky and in full view of the dark moonlit sea, he’d thought he would die of pleasure. Touching her naked skin, thrusting inside her until she screamed, holding her tight, the two of them joined together as one…

      He shuddered. After that, he should feel satisfied, at least for the night. He should be satiated.

      But he wasn’t. Now that he’d had one taste of her, he only wanted more. And more. He never wanted to let her go.

      Silently, they took the private elevator upstairs to the penthouse. The doors slid open, and he followed Laura inside. They found Maria quietly reading a book by the light of the lamp in the main room, beside the wall of windows two stories high.

      The housekeeper rose to her feet, smiling. “The baby is sleeping, Mr. Gabriel, Mrs. Laura.” And then the older woman got a good look at both of them. She coughed, closing her book with a thump. “I will wish you both good-night.”

      “Thank you, Maria,” Gabriel said gravely, and his former nanny scurried out, the elevator doors closing behind her.

      After she was gone, Laura turned to him, a frown furrowing her brow. “You don’t think she guessed about us, do you? You don’t think she could tell?”

      “Absolutely,” he said, then at her horrified expression, he added, “not. Absolutely not.”

      She sighed in relief. “I’m going to go check on

      Robby.”

      Laura turned and went down the hall. He watched her go, watched the curves of her back and graceful sway of her body in his oversize tuxedo jacket as she moved like music. She stepped into the bedroom and disappeared. Gone.

      His feet moved without thought, and he was down the hall and suddenly behind her in the darkened bedroom. He watched as she crept up to the crib and stood silently, listening to her baby’s snuffling breaths as he slept. Gabriel came closer.

      In the dim light of the tiny blue night-light plugged into the far wall, he could just barely see the sleeping baby. Robby’s chubby little fist was tossed back over his head. His plump cheeks moved as his mouth pursed, sucking in his sleep. Gabriel heard the soft, even breathing of the child in the darkness, and something turned over in his chest. He felt the sudden need to protect this little boy, to make sure he never came to any harm.

      Just as he’d once felt about his family.

      The thought caused a raw, choking ache in his throat. Without a word, he turned and left.

      He stood in the hallway for long moments, shaking. But by the time Laura came out into the hall a few moments later, he’d gathered his thoughts. Come to some decisions.

      She closed her bedroom door softly behind her, then looked at Gabriel in the darkened hallway. “I’m so sorry about Robby,” she said in a low voice. “I never should have lied, Gabriel. I was just so…scared.”

      Clawing back his hair, he gave a sudden laugh. “To tell you the truth, I was almost scared myself for a moment.” He looked at her. “But it was brilliant of you to say I was Robby’s father. It saved the deal. That was a stroke of genius, Laura.”

      Her beautiful face suddenly looked pale. “What?”

      “It was the perfect lie. But don’t worry. If Adriana spreads the rumor I’m his father—and she likely will—I will not deny it.” He set his jaw. “Since your baby’s real father can’t be bothered to give him a name, somebody has to do it.”

      She bit her trembling lower lip. “Gabriel—you never thought…for one moment…that it might be true? That Robby might actually be your son?”

      He snorted. “No, of course not. If Robby were really my child and you’d lied to me all this time…”

      “Yes?”

      He shrugged. “I’ve destroyed men for less.” Reaching forward, he smiled and stroked her cheek, then lowered his head to playfully kiss her bare shoulder. “But I knew Robby couldn’t really be mine. We used protection. And you wouldn’t lie, not to me. Other than Maria, you are the only person I trust in all this world. You are…”

      But then he leaned forward, frowning at her. “You are crying again.” He tilted his head, trying to see her face. “Is it from happiness?”

      She looked away sharply, wiping her eyes. “Yes. Happiness.”

      “Good,” he said. “Now.” He stroked her cheek. “We must celebrate winning the Açoazul deal tonight.” He gave her a wicked smile. “I can think of one way—”

      “No,” she blurted out. “I just need to—I need to…be alone.”

      Turning abruptly, she ran down the hall. He heard the soft whir of the sliding doors as she fled out onto the terrace. When he followed her moments later, she’d dropped his tuxedo jacket from her body. Her strapless gown was barely hanging on her full breasts, askew with the broken zipper.

      “What are you doing?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

      “Just leave me alone,” she said. Her voice was low, almost grief-stricken. “Go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

      Her red dress suddenly fell to the ground, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. He licked his lips, unable to look away from her half-naked body in the white bra and torn panties and thigh-high stockings. “What are you doing?”

      She looked away. “I’m going to take a swim.”

      He smiled. “Wonderful idea. I’ll join you.”

      “No!” she cried vehemently.

      He blinked at her, frowning. “Why?”

      For long moments, she didn’t answer. He could hear the noise and music of the street party below them. She finally said in a low, muffled voice, “I need some time alone.” When he didn’t move, she choked out, “Just go away, Gabriel. Please.”

      Looking away from the illuminated turquoise water of the pool, she stared out at the vast dark ocean beyond Ipanema Beach. He’d seen a glimmer of tears in her eyes. And there was no way they were tears of happiness.

      But she wanted him to leave. She’d made that clear. Setting his jaw, he turned and left her on the terrace, opening the sliding glass doors with a whir and closing them behind him.

      Once inside, he stopped, clawing his hair back with one hand. He couldn’t let it end like this. Did she have so much regret that she’d allowed him to make love to her? He turned around, intending to go back and argue, to plead.

      Instead, he froze.

      He saw her on the moonlit terrace, sitting on a lounge chair, her face covered by her hands. Then she dropped her hands. Squaring her shoulders, she started to roll down her stockings.

      He stared at her, transfixed. She pulled off her garter belt and tossed that, too, to the limestone floor.

      Rising, she stood in the moonlight. Now wearing nothing but her bra and panties, she walked to the edge of the illuminated pool. Ripples of water reflected tiny shimmers of light that moved across her naked skin. Gabriel stared at her as he touched the window, unable to move or even breathe as she stood on the edge of the pool, looking down into the water.

      Then in a graceful movement, she dived in. She stayed underwater for so long that he was suddenly afraid. Sliding open the doors,