Read Online Reckless Night in Rio by Jennie Lucas - Free Book Online

into a stable home with two parents. I’m disappointed in you, Laura. You should have been careful.’
    Laura stiffened. ‘Careful like who? Like you?’
    ‘Yes.’
    She longed to have the satisfaction of wiping that scornful, judgmental look off his face. She wondered what he would say if she told him that he was the father.
    But she knew the satisfaction would be short-lived. If he knew Robby was his child, he might feel duty-bound to take responsibility for a child he couldn’t love, and be pinned down to a domestic life he’d never wanted. And he would hate not just Laura for that, he’d hate Robby, as well.
    She had to keep the secret. Had to. Leaning back against the black leather seat, she pressed her lips shut. Just a few more hours , she told herself desperately. Tomorrow she and Robby would be on the plane back home, a million dollars richer.
    ‘I thought family meant everything to you.’
    She opened her eyes, blinking back tears. ‘It does.’
    ‘I thought you were better than that.’
    ‘Don’t you think I want a father for Robby? Don’t you think I want to give him the same loving family I had?’
    ‘So why didn’t you?’ Gabriel took a deep breath and said in a low voice, ‘Badly done, Laura.’
    She started to deliver a sharp retort; then stopped when she saw the stark expression on his face.
    ‘Why are you like this?’ she said. ‘Why do you care so much?’
    ‘I don’t,’ he said coldly.
    ‘You do. You’ve always acted like you despise the idea of matrimony and commitment and children—all of it. But you don’t,’ she said softly. ‘You care.’
    Gabriel pulled the Ferrari to an abrupt halt. He didn’t look at her. ‘We’re here.’
    Blinking in surprise, she saw they’d arrived at the enormous, exclusive Zeytuna boutique in the Leblon district. Her door opened, and she saw a young, smiling valet in a red jacket. Gabriel handed him keys, then held out his hand to her.
    ‘Come,’ he said coldly. ‘We haven’t much time.’
    Reluctantly, Laura placed her hand in his, and felt the same shock of sensation, the brush of his warm skin and strong grip of his fingers around hers.
    ‘Are you cold?’
    ‘No,’ she said.
    ‘You’re shivering.’
    She ripped her hand away. ‘I’m just afraid we will fail. That I will fail.’
    ‘You won’t.’
    She looked down at her tight black dress, seeing her big hips and oversize breasts and a belly that was far from flat. She thought again of competing against Adriana da Costa in a bikini, and shuddered. ‘I don’t see how.’
    Gabriel’s sensual lips curved up into a smile. ‘Trust me.’
    He folded her hand over his bare forearm as if she were a medieval French princess and he was her honored chevalier. He looked down at her with eyes of love, and even as she told herself that he was only practicing, this time the shiver was not in her body, but her heart.
    Pretending to love him was too easy. She was playing with fire.
    Just a few hours more , she told herself desperately. Then she’d never see him again. Her family would never need to worry about replacing parts on the tractor or losing their home after a bad harvest. They’d never need to panic when a glut on the market suddenly lowered prices of wheat to nothing. Her family would be safe. Her baby would be safe.
    Her baby.
    Laura swallowed. This was the first time she’d left Robby with a babysitter since he was born. It felt strange to be away from him. Strange, and dangerous to feel this young and free, with Gabriel beside her. He smiled down at her, and for an instant she was lost in his eyes, so dark and deep against his tanned skin.
    It would be so easy to love him when he treated her like this. Even after she went home, she knew she would always remember his low, husky voice saying, ‘I want you, Laura, more than any woman. I’ve always wanted you.’ She would feel the heat of his body against hers when he’d seized her on the terrace and kissed her. She had new