The Helen Bianchin Collection. HELEN BIANCHIN

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СКАЧАТЬ opened his mouth and playfully nipped her finger with the edge of his teeth before releasing it.

      ‘Food,’ she mocked gently, and began doing justice to cereal and fruit, following it with toast and strong black coffee.

      They made the flight with only minutes to spare, and Hannah divided her attention between the pages of a spellbinding murder mystery and the movies offered on-screen.

      It was late when they landed in Honolulu, and almost midnight by the time they checked into their hotel.

      The luxury suite on a high floor overlooking Waikiki beach was superb, and Hannah crossed to the wide expanse of plate glass and slid open doors onto the lanai.

      A gentle breeze wafted in from the ocean, and the air held the fresh smell of the sea. Twinkling lights outlined the mainland arching towards Diamond Head.

      Miguel moved in close behind her and linked his arms around her waist. His chin rested on top of her head as she leaned back against him.

      ‘It’s magical,’ she murmured softly. Melbourne, home, Camille, seemed so far away. Like a bad dream from which she’d just awoken. ‘Thank you.’

      ‘For what, precisely?’

      ‘Bringing me here,’ she said simply. Taking affirmative action, believing in me…us, she added silently.

      Miguel’s hands tightened fractionally, and he lowered his head to savour the vulnerable hollow at the base of her neck. ‘My pleasure.’

      ‘I’ve reached a decision,’ Hannah said slowly, feeling the heat slipping through her body at his touch. It was like an aphrodisiac, powerful, potent, and electric. She felt malleable, his. ‘If you approve.’

      ‘Are you asking, or telling me?’ he teased, aware of her quickening heartbeat, the way her body was poised between want and surrender.

      ‘I thought—’ She paused, and dragged in a quick breath as his hand cupped her breast and began caressing its vulnerable peak.

      ‘Hmm?’ he queried musingly. ‘What did you think, querida?’

      ‘After Christmas might be a good time to promote Cindy.’

      ‘A sensible decision.’

      ‘I think I’ll keep Elaine on part-time, just to help out.’

      ‘I assume this is leading somewhere?’ Miguel prompted leisurely.

      ‘Babies,’ Hannah ventured with a soft smile. ‘How do you feel about starting our own family?’

      He felt as if someone had punched him in the solar plexus. A child? His mind leapt ahead to a blonde angel the mirror image of her mother. Maybe a dark-haired son who would drive his mother mad with boyish pranks… Por Dios, Hannah heavy with child, the birth… He went pale at the thought of her in pain.

      ‘Are you sure about this?’

      She twisted in his arms as she turned to face him.

      ‘You’re not?’ She searched his features in the half-light, and glimpsed something evident she couldn’t define.

      ‘I can’t think of anything more special, other than you, that you could gift me,’ Miguel declared fervently.

      Hannah felt the slight tremor that ran through his large body, and she wound her arms round his waist and pulled him close.

      ‘Maybe we should go inside,’ she teased lightly, ‘and practise a little.’ A warm chuckle emerged from her throat. ‘Besides, I have a particular reward to bestow.’

      Together they re-entered the suite, closed the door to the lanai, then drew the curtains.

      Their own private world, Hannah mused as she removed her outer clothes and entered the shower. Miguel joined her, and they took their time, enjoying the promise, the anticipation of the loving they would always share.

      During the following few days they delighted in playing tourist. They rode the tramcar, hired a limousine for the day and toured the island.

      Midweek they took a flight out to Maui, and spent a wonderfully relaxing six days in a hotel right on the beach overlooking the ocean. Lovely sunny days walking on the beach, lazing beneath the spread of palm trees reading, listening to music on the Walkman. They swam in the ocean, frequented the hotel pool, played tennis, then dined in one of several restaurants, before retiring to their suite to make long, sweet love through the night.

      Miguel rose early in the morning to use the laptop for an hour, and checked his cell-phone before they went to dinner each evening as a brief concession to the outside business world.

      Hannah didn’t mind. It was enough they were together in a wonderfully idyllic part of the world.

      On their return to Honolulu they shopped in several exclusive boutiques. ‘Retail therapy,’ Hannah teased as she added yet another brightly coloured designer bag to the few Miguel indulgently carried in each hand.

      There were gifts to select for Renee, Carlo and Esteban, as well as something for Cindy and Elaine.

      In one shop she caught sight of the most exquisite little dress for a baby girl, and bought it with Elise in mind.

      ‘Are you done?’ Miguel queried musingly as she emerged from yet another boutique.

      ‘Not quite.’ She had something very special in mind. ‘I don’t suppose you’ll take those packages back to the hotel and give me an hour to shop alone?’

      ‘Not a chance.’

      ‘Okay,’ Hannah said with resignation. ‘But there are conditions.’

      His eyes gleamed and his mouth moved to form a generous smile. ‘And what would those be, querida?’

      She sent him a sparkling glance as she lifted a hand and began ticking off each finger in turn. ‘You won’t question which shop I enter. You’ll remain outside and won’t look through the window. And under no circumstances will you come inside.’

      He tilted his head slightly and regarded her thoughtfully. ‘Bar there being a robbery, or some strange man attempts to chat you up.’

      ‘Hmm,’ she conceded, sending him an impish grin. ‘That sounds fair.’

      She looked no more than sixteen, Miguel ruminated musingly. Her hair was caught together at her nape, sunglasses rested atop her head, her make-up was minimal, her skin glowed a soft honey gold, and, attired in casual linen shorts and a singlet top, she didn’t resemble anyone’s wife.

      Except she was his. The light of his life, his reason for living. It was something he gave grateful thanks to the good Dios for every day. He hadn’t thought it possible to give up your life for another human being. But he’d give up his, for her, in a nanosecond.

      Hannah paused outside an exclusive jewellery store, and turned towards him, her expression serious.

      ‘Remember, you promised?’

      ‘Go, СКАЧАТЬ