Page 48 of The Forbidden Cabrera Brother

‘You’re not dreaming.’ He took a chance and slipped the ring onto her finger and then stared in silence because this was the biggest thing he had ever done in his life before. It literally rendered him speechless. He gently stroked her finger before continuing gravely, ‘I had a few days away from everything after you left and I came to my senses. It took me a while. But how could I recognise the symptoms of something I’d never felt before?’

‘You want to spend the rest of your life with me?’ She couldn’t stop staring at the ring, now on her finger, the perfect fit.

‘Why do you think I told you that I would have this conversation in front of your parents? I want to marry you, Caitlin Walsh, so will you say yes?’

‘Just try and stop me.’ She breathed unsteadily, then went over to him and curled herself onto his lap, her arms flung round his neck, loving the tightness of his embrace.

‘The money thing...’ She pulled back and looked at him and sighed.

He reached to shush her but she held his finger in her hand and squeezed it.

Then she stood up and pulled a chair right up next to his so that her legs were pressed between his and she could rest her hands on his thighs. The gleaming diamond, so much a tangible statement of intent, so muchDante, who was a man of such intent, gave her the strength to come clean and broach the topic that had severed their relationship.

‘Where to start? I knew that Alejandro was terrified about coming out. I think he felt that he had gone as far as he could resisting his parents’ efforts to marry him off and, in his desperation, he came up with the idea of me posing as his fiancée, basically to bide time until...until you decided to settle down, which would take the heat off him. It was a crazy idea, really, and I didn’t want to go along with it but I felt sorry for him. He said that it would be a business deal and I refused.’

She felt tears trying to leak out of the corners of her eyes as she thought back to the train of events that had led to her changing her mind.

‘I kept refusing and then two things happened in very quick succession. My parents ran into some terrible financial debt. My dad had been scammed and he’d been keeping it quiet. I found out and basically...he’d been conned out of all his savings. I won’t go into the details, but it was very clever. He was mortified. His pension isn’t huge, and those savings were going to be the foundation for their old age. Of course, I told them that I would help, but shortly after my mother had a heart attack. Stress induced, the doctor said.’ She sighed. ‘And there was Alejandro, with that plan still at the back of his mind. I caved in. I took him up on his offer. So you see, there were debts but not mine and not of my making.’ She paused. ‘Only thing was I hadn’t banked on the guilt. I couldn’t take the money in the end. Maybe if it had all stayed as a business arrangement, but then things happened and I got involved with you... The money is untouched and I intend to force it back to Alejandro as soon as he gets to London. He refuses to let me have his account details so I might just have to show up with a few sacks of coins and bills.’ She smiled. ‘I don’t blame you for suspecting the worst.’

‘You should blame me for everything,’ Dante told her gravely. ‘Most of all for being a fool and almost letting you go. Trust me, I intend to spend the rest of my life making you happy.’ He leant forward and drew her towards him and kissed her.

It felt as if he was coming home. It was just where he wanted to be.

There was a lavish wedding in Spain. Tradition, Dante had told her wryly, was tradition and his parents were finally getting the wedding they had wanted for a while. Both sets of parents hit it off and there was so much parental involvement on both sides that Caitlin wasn’t quite sure just how vital her contributions were.

But it all went off without a hitch. The dress was spectacular, as was the awesome cathedral. Her heart fluttered and her mouth ran dry the minute her eyes found Dante waiting for her with his brother to his right, the very proud ring bearer.

Then, a mere handful of days later, there was a far smaller do close to her parents’ home, where family and friends celebrated the union over a home-cooked meal prepared by the caterer at the one and only hotel in the village.

The honeymoon was wonderful. Two weeks in the Maldives, where all those problems that had afflicted her once upon a time seemed very long ago.

But then, she was living a new life now, with the man she loved.

That very man was right at this moment pouring her a glass of wine while she relaxed on the sofa, a lovely vantage point from which she could appreciate him.

The honeymoon had come and gone. Reality of life with Dante was even sweeter than she could possibly have imagined.

‘We need to sort out where we’re going to live.’ He handed her the glass and Caitlin dutifully rested it on the low coffee table next to her.

‘Now that my brother is jet-setting in his new role, I think London will be my base. Naturally we can return to Madrid whenever we wish, but I feel that this would be more suitable for us, as a couple.’

Caitlin nodded and tried to imagine bringing up a family in a penthouse. Glass and toddlers were not a happy mix. Should she mention that now?

‘And not here.’ He grinned.

‘Since when did you become a mind reader?’

‘It’s called being in love.’

She was wearing some comfy track pants and a baggy top and when she shuffled along the sofa to snuggle against him, the warmth of her little body suffused him with the sort of deep contentment he had never envisaged for himself.

‘Where were you thinking?’ she asked, inclining her head so that their eyes met.

‘To be decided. We can discuss where but I’m thinking within commuting distance from London but far out enough to be surrounded by some open land. And, of course, more in the direction of your parents.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ Caitlin murmured, ‘because we’re going to need a bit of space and a bit of land and less sharp corners and glass surfaces.’

‘We are?’ Dante stilled, his sharp eyes noticing that the wine, her favourite brand, was untouched.

‘I only found out this morning and I wanted to surprise you, my darling...’

‘You’ve succeeded.’ He angled her so that he could kiss her and kiss her he did. Then he looked at her and stroked her face with such tenderness that her heart expanded until it wanted to burst.

‘A baby on the way.’ He couldn’t stop grinning. ‘I love you, my darling. You make my life complete and a baby to come? It couldn’t get any better...’