Or so she thought. Until minutes later, when she joined Rafe at the altar and changed her mind. There, with the eyes of the world watching, together they exchanged their vows, and she could not believe that anything would ever come close to that feeling.
‘I love you,’ he murmured, as he drew her to him for the bridal kiss that would seal their agreement and their future together. And, as he drew her deeper into the kiss, to the delight of the entire congregation, she knew it to be true, and that the Beast of Iseo had finally been tamed.
VALENTE’S BABY
Maxine Sullivan
About the Author
MAXINE SULLIVAN
credits her mother for her lifelong love of romance novels, so it was a natural extension for Maxine to want to write her own romances. She thinks there’s nothing better than being a writer and is thrilled to be one of the few Australians to write for the Harlequin Desire line.
Maxine lives in Melbourne, Australia, but over the years has travelled to New Zealand, the UK and the U.S.A. In her own backyard, her husband’s job ensured they saw the diversity of the countryside, from the tropics to the outback, country towns to the cities. She is married to Geoff, who has proven his hero status many times over the years. They have two handsome sons and an assortment of much-loved, previously abandoned animals.
Maxine would love to hear from you and can be contacted through her Web site at www.maxinesullivan.com.
To the three men in my life—
my husband, Geoff, and sons, Anthony and Kevin.
You are my heart.
One
“You’re a father.”
Matt Valente broke into a grin as he sat down on the hotel bed. “I didn’t know I was pregnant.”
“Don’t be smart, Matthew,” Cesare Valente snapped down the telephone line. The founder of the House of Valente perfume dynasty was clearly not amused. “Remember Lana Jensen?”
The smile dropped from Matt’s lips. “She was my top accountant a while back, so yeah, I should remember her.” That perfect body … that beautiful face … those Nordic blue eyes hinting at a Scandinavian heritage that seemed as clear as crystal but were in fact deep and hiding lies.
“She had your baby.”
A baby?
No way.
The only thing she’d had was him.
They’d both been a little tipsy at the office Christmas party and she’d taken advantage of his inebriated state to seduce him. They’d made love on the sofa in his office.
Not that he’d been any less to blame for succumbing to her charms, despite her giving him the come-on for months, her blue gaze skittering away every so often, teasing him with a sensual game of cat and mouse.
Afterward he’d regretted not keeping to his golden rule of no personal involvement with office staff. As chief financial officer for the family business, he didn’t need any complications in the workplace.
“I don’t believe it. She’s lying.”
“I saw the child with my own eyes, Matt. I was in my Mercedes waiting for the light to change when Lana crossed in front of me pushing a small child in a stroller. I checked out the birth certificate. Your name’s on it.”
Matt’s hand tightened around the phone. “Dad, that’s a breach of privacy.”
His.
Hell, if his name was on that birth certificate he needed to sort it out.
“Matt, I did what needed to be done. And that included a background check on Lana.”
Matt’s lips twisted. “Why am I not surprised?”
“It was necessary. She’s the mother of my grandchild.”
“And she’d suitable?” he asked with a touch of sarcasm.
“As far as I’m concerned, yes. Her parents are dead, and she has an uncle who lives in France and is a respected businessman. Do you want to know more? There’s some other information on her family. I can send you the report.”
“No, thanks.” He knew all he needed to know about Lana Jensen. More than enough.
And he needed to make his father see sense.
“Dad, look, you can put any name on a birth certificate. I didn’t think you’d fall for that old trick.”
“She’s a Valente, figlio mio.” Son of mine. “She looked just like you. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
Something odd bounced around in Matt’s chest. “It’s a girl? Er … I mean, she’s a girl?”
“Yes. And I’m delighted. It’s about time we had another little girl in the family.”
Matt grimaced. Girl or boy, it didn’t matter to him. “Well, I’m not.”
“You will be once you see her.”
“Who said I was going to see her?”
“She’s my granddaughter, Matt. If you don’t go to her, then I’ll bring her to you.”