The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride by Rachel Lyndhurst Read Free Book Online Page A

She’d noticed his sudden change of subject—she’d touched a raw nerve. “It’s samphire. Some people call it sea asparagus. It does set off a plate of seafood quite prettily.”
    “It tastes like the air smells,” he said thoughtfully as he studied the slender green plant between his fingertips. “Salt and ozone. Nice. It’s a good place here, you know. I could picture a really nice marina development. The views are fantastic and the access to the shipping channels would be a real selling point—”
    “You wouldn’t be the first to have the idea, believe me.”
    “Really? Anyone I’ve have heard of? I do a lot of business over here, mainly in London, but it’s a small world.”
    “ Lady Lidia Skiptree. She owns a lot of land around here. She also spends most of her time in London from what I can gather. Buying stuff. You may well have bumped into each other in The Savoy,” she added with a dry look. “I imagine she’d take quite a shine to you, Ricardo. She has appalling taste.”
    “You don’t get on then?” He rocked back on his heels, the wind whipping his hair into black spikes. “The name isn’t familiar, so I don’t think we’ve met. Which is a pity because she sounds fun.”
    Helen scowled, acutely aware of the flare of indignation she felt at his apparent interest in her. Skiptree, her nemesis. “She’d eat you alive.”
    “There’s no way she could be as bad as one particular Brit that took a shine to me a few years back.” He let out a low whistle as he stared into the middle distance. “She’d make your average bunny boiler look like Tinker Bell.”
    “I rather like the sound of her, in that case. Pity she didn’t finish the job.”
    “Charming.” He glanced up at the darkening clouds. “We’d better be heading back. Our flight is scheduled to leave in three hours, and I still have to ask your father for your hand. Do you think they will be happy with their new son-in-law to be?”
    “I’m sure they will be delighted.”
    Helen turned away and sharply marched back down to the farmhouse. She could hear his breath as he followed close behind. It was like being chased to the ground by the hounds of hell. There was no going back on her immoral deal now. Everything in her life was about to change, and the dull ache in her belly grew stronger with every step.

Chapter Four
    “Welcome to Casa Colina, one of my Spanish mainland bases.” Ricardo gestured towards the enormous building. “Much more private and luxurious than the best hotel in Marbella. And I should know because I own that one too.”
    He dismissed the white chauffeured Mercedes, and took Helen’s arm with the confident touch of a man comfortable in his own skin, master of all he surveyed. There was no denying it was a view to die for. Perched high up over Puerto Banus, the Mediterranean sparkled, and the panorama stretched all the way along the golden coast against a backdrop of dramatic mountains. The house was a slab of blinding white against the deep blues and greens that surrounded it, like a star between sea and sky. It was worth millions. Stepping onto a marble terrace, Helen let the warm breeze fill her lungs, while the Andalucian sun dazzled her eyes and the pungency of Mediterranean herbs tingled her palate.
    “Everything has been made ready for our arrival. Will it do for a few days?” Ricardo asked.
    “It’s amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
    Ricardo chuckled. “You have no idea who you’re marrying, do you? There are more houses like this. It’s one of the ways I make my money.”
    “Oh.” She touched the waxy petals of a pink hibiscus flower. “So you don’t just have a woman in every port. You have a mansion to stick her in as well.”
    He shrugged. “Enjoy it while you can. Carlos Andretti, the designer, and his people are descending in thirty minutes to start on your dress. Then there’s the wedding organizer, so decide what sort of civil ceremony you want. Not to mention