Read Online REGENCY: Loved by the Duke (Historical Billionaire Military Romance) (19th Century Victorian Short Stories) by Serena Vale, Tencia Winters - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Serena Vale, Tencia Winters
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like another stroke intensifying further the magnitude of her joyful torture. No matter how hard and how long she resisted it, she cracked up at the end. It was simply inevitable.
“And why are you laughing?” Ricardo asked her. He spoke with a slight accent, most of the times barely noticeable. Except when he got excited like at that moment. It was a certain kind of alien flavor in his intonation. Something Bliss had often noticed before and found always extremely sensual.
“Because that’s crazy talk what you’re proposing Mr. Drago,” she said once she regained control over her lungs, “and crazy talk just makes me laugh.”
A shadow of disbelief tainted his bright blue eyes one shade darker. Bliss did not miss noticing the change. Those sparks of that little anger only transformed Ricardo’s handsome face into something even sexier.
But Bliss did not want to really hurt his feelings.
“Listen Ric,” she added hastily, “why can’t we just play the usual?”
The two of them had known each other for years. Ricardo Drago was a client like any other. Except that he was into bigger, more expensive, more exclusive, and more heartbreakingly beautiful properties than anyone else Bliss had ever helped to buy one in New York.
They were sitting in her favorite restaurant, by far too expensive compared to what she could normally afford. But this was the same restaurant where they always met around this time of the year.
A courtesy of Mr. Drago, her husband.
Now, not really. Her pretend husband. Or more accurately: Bliss, his pretend wife. Things were confusing enough as they were. And now Ricardo expected her to assist him pulling another twist. Marriage? And this time for real.
Ricardo did not answer.
Bliss turned her head and stared somewhere outside through the window. It was getting late, the streets were dark. Cheerful human traffic was moving by silently on the pavement in front of the restaurant while the snow casually descended from the sky in glittering flakes.
“Bliss,” Ricardo’s demanding voice shattered the peaceful interlude, “I have just explained it to you, they do not believe us any longer. They will demand solid proof once they get here.”
Bliss felt like someone forced her awake from the middle of her most beautiful dream. She reacted with a slight amount of forgivable malice.
“Solid proof?” she scolded, “Like what?”
Now that he had her complete attention again, Ricardo eased up a bit.
“Like a marriage certificate,” Ricardo remarked with such an air of nonchalance as if he was talking about tying not a pair of human lives but a pair of shoelaces together. Bliss could not believe it.
“And just how you imagine to get one of those in such little time?” she asked.
Before Ricardo could answer her, the waiter arrived to their table. He had a pair of antlers attached to the top of his head and a blinking red nose fastened in front of his real one. Apparently he dressed like the most famous of reindeers, Rudolf, Santa’s number one little helper.
“How was everything?” he asked politely while collecting the empty plates on the table.
“Just magnificent,” Ricardo answered impatiently.
“Would you care for another glass of wine?” Rudolf asked.
“Yes, please,” Bliss replied immediately. She needed some more in order to handle Ricardo’s unexpected proposal. The waiter politely nodded and looked at Ricardo.
“And for you, Sir?” he asked.
“No, thanks,” Ricardo replied hastily.
“Maybe some dessert?”
Ricardo sighed. Rudolf proved by far too resilient.
“No, thanks, but maybe the lady there.”
Bliss blushed. She managed to keep her weight under control throughout most of the year, but around Christmas she always gained that little extra that just made her uncomfortable.
“I really should not,” she hesitated.
“You must be kidding me,” Ricardo said, “I insist that if you fancy a cake, you order one!”
“But you know…” she tried
“And why are you laughing?” Ricardo asked her. He spoke with a slight accent, most of the times barely noticeable. Except when he got excited like at that moment. It was a certain kind of alien flavor in his intonation. Something Bliss had often noticed before and found always extremely sensual.
“Because that’s crazy talk what you’re proposing Mr. Drago,” she said once she regained control over her lungs, “and crazy talk just makes me laugh.”
A shadow of disbelief tainted his bright blue eyes one shade darker. Bliss did not miss noticing the change. Those sparks of that little anger only transformed Ricardo’s handsome face into something even sexier.
But Bliss did not want to really hurt his feelings.
“Listen Ric,” she added hastily, “why can’t we just play the usual?”
The two of them had known each other for years. Ricardo Drago was a client like any other. Except that he was into bigger, more expensive, more exclusive, and more heartbreakingly beautiful properties than anyone else Bliss had ever helped to buy one in New York.
They were sitting in her favorite restaurant, by far too expensive compared to what she could normally afford. But this was the same restaurant where they always met around this time of the year.
A courtesy of Mr. Drago, her husband.
Now, not really. Her pretend husband. Or more accurately: Bliss, his pretend wife. Things were confusing enough as they were. And now Ricardo expected her to assist him pulling another twist. Marriage? And this time for real.
Ricardo did not answer.
Bliss turned her head and stared somewhere outside through the window. It was getting late, the streets were dark. Cheerful human traffic was moving by silently on the pavement in front of the restaurant while the snow casually descended from the sky in glittering flakes.
“Bliss,” Ricardo’s demanding voice shattered the peaceful interlude, “I have just explained it to you, they do not believe us any longer. They will demand solid proof once they get here.”
Bliss felt like someone forced her awake from the middle of her most beautiful dream. She reacted with a slight amount of forgivable malice.
“Solid proof?” she scolded, “Like what?”
Now that he had her complete attention again, Ricardo eased up a bit.
“Like a marriage certificate,” Ricardo remarked with such an air of nonchalance as if he was talking about tying not a pair of human lives but a pair of shoelaces together. Bliss could not believe it.
“And just how you imagine to get one of those in such little time?” she asked.
Before Ricardo could answer her, the waiter arrived to their table. He had a pair of antlers attached to the top of his head and a blinking red nose fastened in front of his real one. Apparently he dressed like the most famous of reindeers, Rudolf, Santa’s number one little helper.
“How was everything?” he asked politely while collecting the empty plates on the table.
“Just magnificent,” Ricardo answered impatiently.
“Would you care for another glass of wine?” Rudolf asked.
“Yes, please,” Bliss replied immediately. She needed some more in order to handle Ricardo’s unexpected proposal. The waiter politely nodded and looked at Ricardo.
“And for you, Sir?” he asked.
“No, thanks,” Ricardo replied hastily.
“Maybe some dessert?”
Ricardo sighed. Rudolf proved by far too resilient.
“No, thanks, but maybe the lady there.”
Bliss blushed. She managed to keep her weight under control throughout most of the year, but around Christmas she always gained that little extra that just made her uncomfortable.
“I really should not,” she hesitated.
“You must be kidding me,” Ricardo said, “I insist that if you fancy a cake, you order one!”
“But you know…” she tried
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