The Vásquez Mistress

She was suddenly so aware of him that her entire body was burning inside. ‘You were giving me an order?’

His gaze was lazily amused. ‘A strongly worded request.’

She could hardly breathe. ‘I have a job to do. I’m working until ten.’

‘I’ll arrange for you to have the evening off.’

Just like that.

The power of a billionaire, Faith thought helplessly. ‘No. That wouldn’t be fair on the others.’ She was swamped with disappointment and suddenly wondered what she would have said if she hadn’t been working. Would she have gone with him? Her insides fluttered with nerves. ‘I’m afraid we’re going to have to postpone my Cinderella moment for another occasion. It’s Eduardo’s night off and we have a mare due to foal any minute. I can’t leave the yard.’

The humour died in his eyes and her words were met by a tense silence. ‘One of the mares is due to foal?’ Easy seduction was replaced by sharp efficiency. ‘Which one?’

‘Velocity.’

He inhaled sharply and ran a hand over the back of his neck. ‘If she is foaling then Eduardo should be here.’ His cool declaration punctured her bubble of happiness.

‘Well, thanks for that vote of confidence. Nice to know you trust me.’

‘It isn’t personal.’

She gave a short laugh. ‘You mean you’d feel like this about any woman?’

His eyes narrowed dangerously. ‘Velocity is my most valuable mare. This is an enormous responsibility,’ he said softly, and she lifted her chin and looked him straight in the eye.

‘I can handle responsibility. I don’t spend my days straightening my hair and applying my make-up. I’ve trained for seven years so that I can meet the responsibility head-on.’ Suddenly she felt angry and frustrated. Maybe she’d been wrong to think she could pursue her career in this part of South America. It was an uphill battle to get anyone to take her seriously. ‘I can handle the work. What I can’t handle is dealing with men who don’t think women are capable of having a career.’ She was so upset she was afraid she might burst into tears. And that would undermine her credibility even further. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.’

Trying not to think about Raul Vásquez, she worked in the stables until ten. Then she went to check on the mare, Velocity, one more time before returning to her room in the staff quarters.

A single glance was sufficient for her to see that the mare was in difficulty.

The groom was in the corner of the stall, his hands shaking as he fumbled with his mobile phone. ‘I can’t get hold of Eduardo. He isn’t answering.’

‘You should have called me, not Eduardo.’ Faith dropped to her knees beside the horse. Cursing herself for relying on them to let her know how the mare was progressing, she reached for her stethoscope.

The groom was sweating. ‘You better not touch that horse. She’s the boss’s favourite mare. If anything happens to her…’ He broke off, panic in his eyes. ‘We need to get hold of Eduardo somehow. If anything happens to the animal, Raul Vásquez will hit the roof. I’ll lose my job.’

Faith gritted her teeth. None of the Argentine grooms had faith in her.

‘At the moment I don’t care about the boss’s temper or your promotion prospects, but I do care about the horse and you need to do as I tell you.’ Keeping her voice calm so it didn’t disturb the animal, Faith gave him a string of instructions but he just stood there, staring at the horse with terrified eyes.

‘If that mare dies—’

‘It will be my responsibility,’ Faith said coldly and then she sighed. ‘Oh for goodness’ sake, just get out. If you can’t work with me, fine, but I need you to find someone who can. I need help and I need it now.’

‘I will help you.’ Raul Vásquez stood in the doorway of the box and the groom shrank into the shadows, too intimidated to even defend himself.

Faith was too worried about the mare to feel intimidated. With barely a glance in his direction, she told Raul what she wanted him to do and he immediately dropped to his haunches next to the mare and spoke to her softly in Spanish.

Faith had no idea what he said but his words had an immediate effect on the frightened animal and finally she was able to concentrate, which was just as well because it was the most difficult foaling she’d ever attended.

Finally the mare heaved a sigh and the foal slipped out onto the straw.

‘Clever girl,’ Faith breathed quietly and glanced up, suddenly aware that Raul was watching her intently.

‘I think you are the clever girl,’ he murmured quietly, a thoughtful expression in his dark eyes as he scanned her face with disturbing intensity. ‘I underestimated you and for that I apologise.’

The atmosphere in the box was charged with tension and for a moment they just stared at each other. Then she suddenly realised that he was wearing a dinner jacket. ‘I’m sorry I interrupted your evening,’ she said stiffly, hating herself for caring that he’d clearly found another woman with whom to spend his evening.

It could have been her.

Remembering the sleek, beautifully groomed women who had vied for his attention during the polo match, Faith wondered which of them had caught his attention. Then she gave herself a mental shake. It could never have been her. Men as rich, successful and handsome as Raul Vásquez wanted trophy women, not career women.

Descending back to earth with a bump, she gave a tired smile. ‘Your mare is going to be fine, Raul, but I’ll stay with her tonight just to make sure. Thanks for your help. It made all the difference.’

‘You are planning to sleep in my horse’s stall?’ At some point he had undone his top button and she caught a glimpse of bronzed male skin and a hint of curling dark hair.

‘Yes.’ Faith looked away quickly. He was impossibly masculine. ‘That way if anything happens, I’ll be here.’

He frowned sharply. ‘You have been working since six this morning.’

‘I’ll take tomorrow off. I don’t want to leave until I’m sure she’s all right.’ Her attention was back on the mare and her foal. ‘You should understand that. From what I’ve heard, you’re the original workaholic.’

‘That is different.’

‘Because you’re a man and I’m a woman? Don’t start that again, Raul.’ Suddenly exhausted, she just wanted him to leave so that she could stop dreaming. ‘I won’t leave halfway through a job. And you were obviously in the middle of dinner or something, so perhaps you’d better go back to the woman in question in case she gives up on you.’

There was a long silence. ‘You hide behind your job, don’t you?’ Raul asserted. ‘Why is that?’

‘I don’t hide. But I love my job, if that’s what you’re asking.’ She glanced at him briefly and then looked away again, her heart thumping and her mind spinning fairy-tales.

‘This thing between us—’ his voice was soft ‘—it frightens you, doesn’t it?’

She was too honest to pretend she didn’t know what he was talking about. ‘Yes, it frightens me. Because it’s not real. The mere idea of you and I is—’ She waved a hand. ‘It’s crazy. I mean, we couldn’t be more different. You’re used to women who spend all day making themselves beautiful. I’m a working girl. I love my career and I definitely don’t want a relationship.’

‘If you don’t want a relationship, then you are my perfect woman,’ he drawled softly. ‘What about fun, cariño? Do you object to having fun?’

The colour poured into her cheeks. ‘Raul—’

‘Why are you blushing? When it comes to your job you are supremely confident, but whenever we are alone…’ He stroked a leisurely finger down her cheek. ‘Why is it that you are so confident with my horses and so shy with me?’

‘Blame it on the testosterone again. I’m not used to macho men.’ She tried to make a joke, but he wasn’t smiling. Instead his gaze was curiously intent.

‘You are very inexperienced, aren’t you?’

‘I’ve had boyfriends,’ she muttered defensively and a smile played around his firm mouth.

‘But what about men, cariño? Men are a whole new experience for you, isn’t that right?’

She gazed at him, her heart pounding and her mouth dry. ‘What does “cariño” mean?’

His smile widened and he strolled towards the door. ‘I’ll teach you tomorrow,’ he answered softly. ‘Along with the facts of life. Finish your job and get some rest. You’re going to need it.’

CHAPTER TWO

SHE spent the night with the mare and emerged from the box to find Raul Vásquez in conversation with Eduardo.

Raul turned his head and looked at her and the look of blatant masculine appreciation in his dark eyes made her stomach flip. ‘You are now officially off duty and you’re coming with me.’ He took her hand firmly in his, said something in Spanish to Eduardo and led her towards the helicopter pad at the far side of the polo fields.

‘I was going to bed,’ she mumbled and he flashed her a smile of such devastating charisma that for a moment she was blinded.

‘That can be arranged.’

She didn’t know whether to laugh or gasp with shock. ‘I really don’t do this sort of thing—’

‘What sort of thing?’ His eyes teased her and she glanced at the sleek lines of the black helicopter and then back over her shoulder towards the safety of the estancia.

‘I don’t fly off into the sunset with men I don’t know.’

‘You can spend your day sleeping in your room and then you can eat dinner with the grooms, if that is what you would prefer.’ He paused and his gaze drifted to her mouth. ‘Or you can have dinner with me.’

She licked her lips. ‘Where?’

‘Somewhere we can talk without disturbance.’ He opened the door of the helicopter and she scrambled inside, wondering what on earth she was doing.

This wasn’t her life.

She didn’t climb into helicopters with dangerous billionaires.

While she was wrestling with self-doubt and nerves, Raul settled himself in the seat next to her and flicked several switches with swift, confident fingers.

Faith stared at him. ‘You’re flying it?’

‘I’m a control freak,’ he confessed in a dry tone. ‘I prefer to be in the driving seat and anyway, for what I have in mind, I don’t need an audience.’

His words sent a shiver of anticipation through her body. ‘I don’t know why you’re doing this. And I don’t know why I’m doing this either.’ She licked her lips. ‘I don’t own a silk dress or diamonds.’

‘Then we’ll have to do something about that.’ He turned towards her and there was laughter in his wicked dark eyes. ‘Relax.’ His voice was surprisingly gentle. ‘You’re going to have a nice time. This is my thank-you for saving my horse and my apology for not having more faith in you. You were impressive.’

His praise was as surprising as it was welcome. ‘Your groom didn’t think so. Perhaps you could have a word with him.’

‘That won’t be necessary. He no longer works for me.’

‘You fired him?’ She was shocked. ‘Isn’t that a little extreme?’

‘You asked for his help. He didn’t give it.’

Faith felt a flash of guilt. ‘I didn’t mean to get him fired. Shouldn’t you give him another chance?’

‘I gave him one chance. I employed him.’ His smile didn’t falter but there was something in his eyes that hinted at a more ruthless side of him. The side that had made him a billionaire by the time he was thirty.

Sensing that the subject was best dropped, Faith glanced around her. ‘Where are we going?’

‘You’ll find out.’ Without answering her question, he turned his attention back to the controls and the helicopter lifted into the air.

Terror soon turned to exhilaration as they swooped above the pampas. ‘The view is amazing from up here,’ she breathed, her eyes fixed on the landscape beneath her.

They flew over grassland, interspersed with lagoons and wetlands. Occasionally Faith saw cattle being herded by men on horseback, but this was a vast landscape and the sheer size of it took her breath away.

Eventually a large lake came into view and Raul landed the helicopter.

‘We’re here. This is the boundary of the estancia.’ He jumped down from the helicopter and led her towards a luxurious lodge that nestled between water and trees. ‘My secret hideaway.’

Faith stopped dead, her heart bumping against her chest. ‘We’re alone here?’

He turned, his eyes on her face. ‘Does that bother you? Are you nervous?’

She swallowed. ‘Maybe. Just a little.’

‘You were alone with me on the pampas on that first day,’ he said softly, strolling back towards her and taking her face in his hands. ‘And you weren’t nervous then.’

‘That was an accidental meeting.’ The skilled brush of his fingers set her pulse racing and nerves fluttered like butterflies in her stomach. ‘I don’t do this sort of thing, Raul. I shouldn’t have come.’

‘Stop panicking. You haven’t done anything yet,’ he pointed out gently. ‘And you won’t be doing anything you don’t want to. All I ask is that you allow yourself to be spoiled. This is a thank-you for having saved my favourite horse. Treat it like a spa day.’

‘A spa day?’

His mouth hovered tantalisingly close to hers and then he stepped away and smiled. ‘I want to spoil you. And we’re not alone here. You can shout for help any time you feel the need and a hoard of staff will come running and beat me away with sticks.’

He led her up a few steps, onto a wooden deck that was suspended over the water and into a large bedroom filled with natural light. ‘This is your room. Have a rest, you deserve it. When you’re ready for a massage or whatever takes your fancy, just pick up the phone and dial zero.’

Faith blinked. Her head was full of questions but she had no chance to ask any of them because he’d left the room.

It was like being dropped into paradise.

She slept in the enormous, comfortable bed and then lay in the shade on the deck while a girl rubbed scented oils into her skin, the skilful stroke of her fingers removing all the last strands of tension from Faith’s body.

After the massage, she sat and gazed across the tranquil water of the lake while someone tended to her nails and another did her hair.

There was no sign of Raul and when she eventually walked back into her room, she wondered how she was supposed to contact him.

A splash of colour drew her eye and she glanced towards the bed, her eyes widening as she saw the beautiful silk dress laid carefully on the cover. The exquisite fabric shimmered in the late-evening light and Faith stepped towards it, puzzled. Had Raul left this for her? And then she saw the diamond necklace, draped almost casually across the bodice, the stones sparkling and glittering like shards of ice.

She was so stunned that it took her a few moments to notice the card. Her fingers shaking, she opened the envelope and read the dark, bold scrawl: Every woman deserves to be given a silk dress and diamonds at least once in her life. Enjoy. R.

Completely out of her depth, Faith stared at the dress and the necklace. It was an enormously generous gift. Obviously she couldn’t possibly accept it.

She stood for a moment, her lip caught between her teeth, her eyes on the dress. Tormented by indecision, she stepped away from the bed and then immediately stepped back again. Then she let the dressing gown slip from her shoulders, the feminine side of her completely unable to let her ignore such a gorgeous dress.

She was just going to try it on. Nothing more than that.

Just for a minute.

The silk slithered over her skin and she gave a moan of indulgence as she realised that it was a perfect fit.

How had he guessed her size?

Feeling as though she was living someone else’s life, Faith fastened the dress and then tried to secure the clasp of the necklace. Strong fingers covered hers and swiftly finished the job.

Stifled by sexual awareness, she turned slowly and found herself looking into Raul’s laughing eyes.

‘So how is your day going?’ His fingers lingered at the base of her throat. ‘Do you feel properly thanked?’

‘I can’t possibly accept any of this.’

‘Of course you can. It is nothing.’

To him, maybe, but she suspected that the necklace alone was worth more than she earned in a year. ‘I’m just trying it on, that’s all. And then I’m taking it straight off.’

‘Why would you want to do that?’

‘Because this is not my life.’

He turned her gently until she was facing the mirror. ‘So who is that, if it isn’t you?’

Faith barely recognised herself. Her hair fell past her shoulders like sleek, polished gold, the diamonds glinted against her pale skin and the dress hugged her figure. She felt like a princess. ‘Maybe I’ll wear it just for this evening.’ She almost laughed at her own weakness. ‘But then I’m giving it back.’

Acknowledging her internal battle, Raul smiled. ‘We’ll have dinner on the terrace. The view is very pretty.’

‘So do you do this often?’

He dismissed the staff with a discreet movement of his head and reached over to pour her another glass of wine. ‘Eat dinner? Yes. All the time.’

‘No, I mean—’ She glanced down at herself. ‘Play the part of the fairy godmother.’

‘It’s fun buying gifts for a woman who appreciates them.’ He watched her across the table. ‘You’re not eating. Aren’t you hungry?’

Her stomach was churning so badly that she just couldn’t touch the food. ‘No. No, I’m not. Sorry. It looks really delicious but—’

He gave a slow smile. ‘You don’t need to apologise for the fact that I’m putting you off your food. I take it as a compliment.’

‘You’re very sure of yourself.’

‘And you’re very nervous, and I can’t understand why. Don’t they have men in England?’

Not men like him. ‘I’ve been too busy working to notice men,’ she said lightly and his eyes narrowed.

‘You are very dedicated to your work. Why did you choose to become a vet?’

‘I always wanted to. My father was a vet and I grew up helping alongside him. Even when I was small, he’d involve me in some way and he always encouraged me.’

‘He is proud of you, I’m sure.’

Faith hesitated. ‘He and my mother died two years ago,’ she said quietly. ‘That’s one of the reasons I came to Argentina. I missed them so much and I knew I needed to do something different. I thought combining travel with work might be the distraction I needed.’

‘What about marriage and babies?’ His tone was casual but when she looked at him his gaze was sharp and incisive as if the answer to that question mattered to him. ‘When women think about the future it almost always contains a wedding ring.’

‘That’s a typically Argentine-male comment,’ she teased, giving up on her food and putting her fork down. ‘Be honest—you don’t think a woman can do anything except stay at home and breed, do you?’

‘It’s what most women want. Don’t you?’

‘No. Not right now. In the future? Who knows?’ She glanced towards the stillness of the lake. ‘The future feels miles away when you’re out here. I’m too young to even think about that. I have my whole career ahead of me. In another ten years or so, maybe.’ She shrugged. ‘It just isn’t what I want. I love my job.’ She watched the sunset, admiring the shimmering red glow that was reflected in the still water of the lake. ‘What about you? No wife? No babies?’

Something flickered in his dark gaze. ‘Absolutely not.’

‘You mean, you don’t want it now.’

His long strong fingers tightened ruthlessly round the wine glass. ‘I don’t want it ever. Remember that, Faith.’ There was a steeliness in his voice that made her look at him more closely but his handsome face revealed nothing.

She frowned, sensing undertones that she didn’t understand and feeling puzzled by them. ‘Why would I need to remember it?’

‘It’s just something that I like to make clear,’ he said softly, ‘early in a relationship.’

Heat rushed through her body. ‘Are we having a relationship?’

‘I don’t know,’ he replied softly, his dark eyes fixed on hers. ‘Are we?’

CHAPTER THREE

Ten months later

‘SHE just stepped in front of the taxi without looking. According to a man who witnessed the accident, she’s lucky to be alive.’

Lucky?

Lying in the hospital bed, listening to those words, Faith decided that it was better to keep her eyes closed. She didn’t feel lucky.

‘Any news on next of kin?’ The doctor spoke again and Faith felt the dull pain inside her intensify to serious agony.

No next of kin.

She’d lost everything and it was hard to know whether her injuries were more severe on the outside or the inside.

‘None. She had no identification on her when she was brought in—they assume someone must have stolen her bag. Her dress was expensive, though,’ the nurse murmured enviously. ‘Some flashy designer label I couldn’t afford in a month of Sundays. Take it from me, she’s either got a good job or a very rich and generous boyfriend.’

‘Well, we can’t discharge her until we know she has a home to go to. It’s very inconvenient because she’s blocking a bed.’ The doctor sounded impatient. ‘Someone should have missed her by now.’

Only if someone cared, Faith thought bleakly. In her case, no one did.

‘Faith? Are you awake?’

Resigning herself to the fact that they wouldn’t go away until she’d spoken, Faith reluctantly opened her eyes and the doctor gave a wintry smile.

‘How are we today?’ He spoke in the faintly patronising tone that he obviously reserved for patients.

‘I’m fine.’ No point in telling the truth. ‘Much better.’

‘I expect you’re longing to go home.’

Home? Where was home? For the past year it had been Argentina and she’d thought…

Faith turned her head away, realising with a sickening lurch of horror that she was going to cry. The misery had been bubbling up inside her for days and suddenly it felt almost too enormous to hold back.

With a huge effort of will, she tried to focus her mind on something neutral. She wasn’t going to think about Argentina, she wasn’t going to think about the fact that she didn’t have a job or a home any more, but most of all she wasn’t going to think about…

She gave a tortured groan and curled into a foetal position, her thoughts so agonising that she just wanted to remove them from her head.

‘Are you in pain?’ The doctor leaned towards her, frowning. ‘I can give you something for it.’

Not for this type of pain. Faith squeezed her eyes tightly shut. ‘It’s all a hideous mess.’

‘Your head? It’s nothing that time won’t heal. Your hair will cover the scar.’

‘Not my head,’ Faith muttered. ‘My life.’

‘She’s obviously worrying about her head—how’s the wound, nurse? Everything healing?’

Realising that no one was remotely interested in how she really felt, Faith kept her eyes closed, wishing they’d go away and leave her alone.

‘Last time I saw it everything was healing beautifully,’ the nurse said briskly. ‘It will be a very neat scar.’

On the outside, maybe, Faith thought to herself. But on the inside it was a deep, ugly gash that would never heal.

Clearly oblivious to the true extent of his patient’s trauma, the doctor gave a nod of approval. ‘You’ve made a remarkable recovery considering the condition you were in two weeks ago. We need to start talking about discharging you.’ He cleared his throat and glanced at the chart again. ‘You need to go home to family or friends. You can’t be on your own at the moment.’