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The Forgotten Gallo Bride
Natalie Anderson
'Do I know you?'Zara Falconer’s convenient wedding to tycoon Tomas Gallo freed her from her mercenary uncle. She believes their vows were swiftly annulled but, unbeknownst to Zara, a car crash wiped Tomas’s memory before he could release her from their agreement.Grateful to her rescuer, Zara agrees to be housekeeper at Tomas’s English mansion while he recovers. Prowling the corridors is the tortured shadow of a commanding man – who she’s shocked to discover is still her husband!Being in close proximity to Tomas again awakens a powerful longing between them. Will this intense hunger remind him of the ties that bind them?
“Do I know you?”
Zara Falconer’s convenient wedding to tycoon Tomas Gallo freed her from her mercenary uncle. She believes their vows were swiftly annulled but, unbeknownst to Zara, a car crash wiped Tomas’s memory before he could release her from their agreement.
Grateful to her rescuer, Zara agrees to be housekeeper at Tomas’s English mansion while he recovers. Prowling the corridors is the tortured shadow of a commanding man—who she’s shocked to discover is still her husband!
Being in close proximity to Tomas again awakens a powerful longing between them. Will this intense hunger remind him of the ties that bind them?
‘Get in the bath or I’ll put you in it myself,’ Tomas said softly.
That order melted the last frozen part within Zara.
‘Really?’ She couldn’t help smiling at him. ‘How d’you think you’re going to do that?’
He looked up at her for just a moment longer, his focus dipping to her mouth. Then suddenly in one smooth movement, he caught both her wrists in one of his hands and to her astonishment swiftly lifted his jumper and pressed her cold, cold fingers to his bare skin.
She gasped at the shock—and the sensation. She looked up into his face and saw how intently he was gazing at her.
‘Tomas...’ she whispered. Pleading. She couldn’t help it.
He didn’t reply. He just stepped that last inch closer and kissed her.
She moaned in instant delight, despite the fact his kiss was furious. He subjected her to the full force of his anger—and his passion—and both only brought forth the desire she’d tried to hold within herself for so long.
She moaned again, her legs weakening, but he abruptly broke the kiss.
Never had a man made her feel like this. Made her want like this.
He stared down at her silently, his breathing quick, his expression burning. But he didn’t smile back at her.
‘Go and get into the bath,’ he breathed, releasing her completely. ‘Go. Now.’
‘Y-yes,’ she stammered. Then turned and fled.
NATALIE ANDERSON adores a happy ending. So you can be sure you’ve got a happy ending in your hands right now—because she promises nothing less. Along with happy endings she loves peppermint-filled dark chocolate, pineapple juice and extremely long showers. Not to mention spending hours teasing her imaginary friends with dating dilemmas. She tends to torment them before eventually relenting and offering—you guessed it—a happy ending. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with her gorgeous husband and four fabulous children. If, like her, you love a happy ending, be sure to come and say hi on Facebook—facebook.com/authornataliea (https://www.facebook.com/authornataliea)—follow @authornataliea (https://twitter.com/authornataliea) on Twitter, or visit her website/blog: natalie-anderson.com (https://www.natalie-anderson.com).
Books by Natalie Anderson
Mills & Boon Modern Romance
Tycoon’s Terms of Engagement
Blame It on the Bikini
The Throne of San Felipe
The Mistress that Tamed De Santis
The Secret That Shocked De Santis
Mills & Boon Modern Tempted
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
The Right Mr. Wrong
Waking Up in the Wrong Bed
First Time Lucky?
Visit the Author Profile page
at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk) for more titles.
The Forgotten Gallo Bride
Natalie Anderson
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For Toni—thank you.
Contents
Cover (#ufd39bd36-8b3d-509e-93b6-0c2898bd0486)
Back Cover Text (#u34342e87-b5a1-5678-9e01-f1cfdfabf2fc)
Introduction (#u19b55f0f-3a54-5821-a516-6d028474c292)
About the Author (#u335f5f77-ead8-51f6-b960-ddabb6cfae23)
Title Page (#ub2ecd468-3a3c-55a7-8363-be8f8c000eba)
Dedication (#uf7764e27-5268-56ef-9fcb-f77f47c4e4d3)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_7e3473a6-4393-5d96-9c14-587827619386)
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_6f57006d-f164-5996-ae13-428dbdeffdf5)
CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_da9a3f66-d1ee-50a7-bbaa-4b106e7a78b6)
CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_f5521858-ed8d-53bb-b87a-cdf63089d529)
‘Type the security code quickly and get through the gates before he sees you, or he’ll override the system and won’t let you in. Don’t get there after dark or you haven’t a hope...’
ZARA FALCONER SQUINTED through the relentless rain, mentally reciting the long code while struggling to hold her freezing fingers steady enough to tap it into the keypad. Because of the storm clouds the sky had darkened early and Jasper’s warning rang loudly in her ears.
Nervously she entered the last number he’d given her and held her breath, but the heavy wrought-iron gates remained as tight-locked as ever. She glanced back at the keypad, wondering if she should try again. A sudden loud clang told her she didn’t need to.
The gates creaked more as they slowly opened, complaining they were unused to the movement. Zara didn’t trust them to remain open for long. The DO NOT ENTER and TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED signs pretty much gave it away. She hurried back to her car, slithering on the wet path in her haste. She inhaled deeply and tried to move more calmly. She’d only just driven through the gap when the iron gates began to close again behind her, groaning as they locked back into their defensive position.
She switched her windscreen wipers onto a faster setting and put her headlights on full to try to see more clearly where she was going. Her breathing quickened as the wet gravel crunched beneath her tyres. Big, barren branches from the large trees overhead obscured the bruised, weeping sky. She inched her battered old car down the long driveway, taking the corner at the end. That was when she had her first glimpse of the large Georgian manor that was his home. With its two stories of imposing bricks and empty windows, it was a vast, gloomy obstruction at the end of the drive. The whole building was in darkness save a feeble light gleaming in only one low window.
Her heart pounded as she pulled up right in front of the mammoth front door. She’d been driving all day and couldn’t quite believe she was finally here. She’d tried to imagine this moment every day for the past year, envisaging all kinds of possible scenarios—maybe she’d bump into him on the street, or maybe they’d be at an event together and see each other across a room, or maybe he’d come to find her...
She’d really had no idea how it was going to happen or indeed if it ever actually would. But then Jasper had found her and basically got on his knees and begged her to visit the man to whom they both owed so much. Jasper’s tired appearance and desperation had surprised her. He didn’t know she needed no real encouragement to see the man who’d changed her life so drastically. She wanted to. Secretly she’d been aching to for months.
So now here she was with her shoes and jeans wet, her hair a straggly mess, and she was late...but she was here.
She grabbed her bag and got out of the car but, despite running to the door, only got more drenched. She no longer cared. She was too busy wondering how he’d react to seeing her again. Would he smile and laugh? Would he look concerned and caring? What would he say?
Unable to suppress the scared-but-excited shivers running up and down her spine, Zara rang the doorbell. She bit her lower lip but she couldn’t stop the shy smile from slipping across her face. They’d had such a short encounter, but it had changed everything in her life. She’d relived those precious moments every day since. And every day she’d longed for just a few more.
She didn’t hear any footsteps over the thumping of her own pulse. It seemed that the door just silently swung open without any warning. And then he was standing in the doorway frowning down at her.
Tomas Gallo.
All she could do was stare.
He was taller than she remembered, and leaner-looking in his faded black jeans and thin black sweater. His hair wasn’t now cut in that perfect, almost preppy, businessman’s style, instead it was longer, a jet-black unruly mess with a hint of curl that ended just above his collar. Despite his olive skin, he was pale. There was no Caribbean holiday tan on him now. Not that devilish smile either. He hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and the stubble emphasised the sharp edges and planes of his jaw. He looked harder, unhappier. But his eyes were the same—still that beautiful dark brown. The soulful kind of eyes that you could look into for ever, but still never understand the secrets they held. And there were definitely secrets. Even more of them.
He was so striking and so unforgettable. In that one second he stole her breath—and her heart—all over again.
‘What?’ he snapped as she stood there speechlessly staring at him.
Her shy offer of a smile froze.
‘How did you get in here?’ He glared down at her, clearly expecting an immediate answer.
She wasn’t able to give him one. She wasn’t able to speak at all. She watched him closely for a hint of recognition in his eyes, but there was only mistrust—and building anger.
‘I don’t know how you got inside the gates,’ he added roughly, ‘but the gardens haven’t been open to the public in almost a year.’
‘I’m not here to see the gardens,’ she finally managed to answer.
‘Then what are you doing here?’ He continued to glare at her. There was no recognition, no softness, no humanity.
The smile faded from her lips altogether. Awkwardly she stared back up at him. Jasper had said it was better to arrive unannounced. That he wouldn’t tell Tomas she was coming. But did he really not remember her?
She knew she’d changed, but it was only clothes, a new hairstyle...she didn’t think such superficial things would have made that much difference.
‘I don’t want whatever it is you’re selling.’ He began to shut the door.
That galvanised her into action. She’d not driven all day in such horrendous conditions to be given the brush-off in the first two seconds. In that way, she had changed.
‘I’m not here to sell you anything,’ she said, boldly stepping forward and blocking the doorway. ‘I’m here to help you.’
For a beat he looked stunned before snapping back, ‘I don’t need help.’
Defiantly she stood exactly where she was, uncaring that she was getting wet; she was not walking away from this just yet.
‘Yes, you do,’ she argued, taking another step forward right into the doorway. ‘Jasper sent me to you.’
Jasper had told her Tomas was still recovering from the accident. That he needed more help than he liked to admit. And while Tomas might not want her assistance, she owed him for more than he’d ever know and she wanted to pay him back for that.
He looked her over again, more slowly that time. There was still not the recognition in his expression that she’d expected, but as she watched something else emerged—something raw.
‘I don’t need or want your help,’ he said slowly, cynicism harsh in his eyes.
She tried not to be insulted, but she failed. ‘You don’t even know what I can do for you.’
‘I’m not interested in anything that you think you can do for me, sweetheart.’ A bitter smile curved his lips as he glanced over her again. He looked so thoroughly and slowly it was as if the rains had stripped her naked and he could see every tiny intimate detail of her body.
Embarrassed heat stormed through her as his gaze lingered on her breasts. She fought hard to control her reaction to his perusal but sensual awareness circled around her, fogging everything.
‘Excuse me?’ she choked, stunned at her own horrendous reaction.
‘What is it you’re offering?’ he asked. ‘A massage?’
