Maverick had his turn to cuddle the tiny bundle, letting its hand latch onto his finger, feeling the strength of her grip, and he was totally bewitched. She was so utterly defenceless and yet, like the tiny hand around his finger, already she had a powerful grip around his heart.
‘So what do we call you, little one?’ he asked.
‘Nell knew that too,’ Tegan offered. ‘She’s our Christmas gift. We should call her Holly. Holly Eleanor, after your gran.’
‘Holly Eleanor? I like it.’ He looked into the peaceful face of his wife, her beautiful face calm now where previously her features had been contorted with pain, her hair waving in curls around her face where before it had been slick with sweat. Never had he had more admiration and respect for a person than he did now.
‘You were truly magnificent back there,’ he told her. ‘I wanted to do something, anything, to help you but there was nothing I could do.’
She responded with a dazzling smile that made him feel good all the way down to his toes. ‘Just having you here holding my hand was all the help I needed,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’
‘No.’ he said. ‘Thank you. You saved me. Last Christmas I was nothing more than a cynical businessman—“self-aggrandising”—isn’t that how you put it?’
She laughed. ‘Oh, my, did I really say that?’
‘And you were right. All I cared about was Royalty Cove and making it a success.’
‘And you cared about Nell! But Royalty Cove is a great success. Otherwise why would Zeppabanca want to take the concept to Italy?’
‘Well, they’ll be taking it there without me. I’ve suggested Rogerson head the deal this time.’
‘But it’s what you wanted. It’s what you were working towards all along.’
He shook his head. ‘Only because I didn’t know what was really worth chasing. I don’t need more money, not now I’ve found you. You’ve taught me there’s something far more precious—your love—love that comes from the heart. And I love you for saving me, Tegan, with all my heart and soul. And today, with your gift of Holly Eleanor, I love you more than ever.’
Her eyes glowed with happiness. ‘You’re the father of my child. How could I not love you? But then I feel sometimes that I’ve always loved you, and that I was just waiting to meet you.’
‘I’m so glad Morgan decided to go to that wedding,’ he murmured, drawing closer. ‘Remind me to thank her next time I see her.’
He wound his free arm behind his wife’s neck and pulled her in close for a kiss, their child squirming in protest between them.
Tegan broke the kiss with a laugh. ‘What’s wrong, little Holly, are we ignoring you?’ she asked, placing her own hand under the child alongside Maverick’s, and gazing down at the face of her baby. ‘You know, I do believe this coming Christmas is going to be even more special than last year’s.’
Maverick didn’t doubt it. ‘With you in my life,’ he told her, ‘every single day is going to be special.’
And it was.
The Spanish Duke’s Virgin Bride
By Chantelle Shaw
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
‘I ASSUME this is some sort of joke?’
Duque Javier Alejandro Diego Herrera swung away from the castle window that afforded stunning views of the Andalucian countryside and glared at the elderly man in front of him.
‘I assure you I would not make a joke of such a serious matter,’ Ramon Aguilar replied stiffly. His silver moustache bristled with indignation, but the nervous shuffling of the documents in his hands betrayed his tension. ‘The terms of your grandfather’s will are most specific. If you do not marry before your thirty-sixth birthday, control of El Banco de Herrera will be awarded to your cousin Lorenzo.’
Javier swore succinctly, his dark brows drawn together and his olive skin stretched taut over his sharp cheekbones. ‘Dios!’ he spat. ‘As my grandfather so often commented, Lorenzo is as feeble as a small child. He has no drive, no ambition. Tell me, what does he have that led Carlos to believe he would make a more credible successor as president of the bank than me?’ Incredulity and disbelief were giving way to a level fury that emanated in waves from his lean, whipcord body. In his anger the new Duque was a truly awesome sight and Señor Aguilar cleared his throat nervously.