Passion brought them together. The past might tear them apart.

Family honor demands payback. He craves so much more…

Formula One champion Inigo Velasquez loves fast cars—and faster women. Yet one night with socialite Marielle Bisset has his brakes screeching. She’s beautiful…and the woman who hurt his sister. To Inigo’s family, Marielle’s the ultimate adversary. In his bed, the sultry enigma is so much more. Inigo is used to winning—but can he win Marielle without losing his family?

KATHERINE GARBERA is the USA TODAY bestselling author of more than ninety-five books. Her writing is known for its emotional punch and sizzling sensuality. She lives in the Midlands of the UK with the love of her life; her son, who recently graduated university; and a spoiled miniature dachshund. You can find her online at www.katherinegarbera.com and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Also by Katherine Garbera

Tycoon Cowboy’s Baby Surprise

The Tycoon’s Fiancée Deal

Craving His Best Friend’s Ex

One Night with His Ex

One Night, Two Secrets

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

One Night to Risk It All

Katherine Garbera

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09289-0

ONE NIGHT TO RISK IT ALL

© 2019 Katherine Garbera

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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My parents will celebrate their fifty-second

wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve,

so this book is for them.

They’ve taught me so much about what love

and marriage and family mean,

and I’m so lucky they are my parents.

Love you both very much!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Epilogue

About the Publisher

One

Inigo Velasquez lived life at a fast pace and liked it that way. As the youngest and arguably handsomest of the Velasquez brothers, he enjoyed life to the fullest. No tying the knot and settling down for him. Plus, his career as a Formula One driver kept him on the road and away from his matchmaking mama for most of the year.

He had to give his mom credit, though. It took some real determination to arrange a setup at a party on New Year’s Eve, one that wasn’t even taking place in their hometown of Cole’s Hill, Texas. Back home, Inigo was always on his guard for his mom’s maneuvering, but tonight they were all the way across the country at the Hamptons home of his brother Alec’s baby mama, Scarlet O’Malley. Inigo had mistakenly assumed that his mom’s network wouldn’t be able to produce any potential bridal candidates this far afield.

He had to give her high marks for finding a woman who was hitting all of his hot buttons. She was tall, probably an inch or so shorter than his own five-foot-ten frame. She had long blond hair with some darker streaks that hung down her back. She wore a chemise-type shift dress that was brilliant sapphire blue and complimented her silvery eyes perfectly.

She didn’t let her height keep her from wearing heels, and she was by far the most stunning person in the room. She moved through the well-heeled, moneyed crowd with ease, which made him wonder who she was.

“Mom, you’ve outdone yourself,” he said as his mom came over to him with a glass of champagne in each hand. She handed him one, which he took and knew he’d have to nurse all night. He was already training for the upcoming season, and that meant watching his alcohol intake.

“Thanks, sweetie,” she said. “It’s really only a glass of bubbly.”

“I meant the woman,” he said.

“What woman?”

“Are you seriously going to pretend that the only single woman in the room isn’t here at your behest so that I accidentally meet her?” he asked.

“Inigo, I didn’t invite anyone for you to accidentally meet. I wanted my boys to settle down in Texas. But Mo is the only one who married a Cole’s Hill girl. Diego divides his time between London and Texas, and it looks as if Alec is going to be doing the same, commuting between New York and home. I want my boys close so I can spoil my grandchildren,” she said.

Inigo couldn’t believe how he was the only Velasquez brother still single. Diego, his eldest brother, had married British legacy jewelry designer Pippa Hamilton-Hoff. Alec had Scarlet, and Alec’s twin, Mauricio, was now engaged to his long-time on-again, off-again girlfriend, Hadley.

“So, she’s not for me?” he asked.

His mom shook her head and started laughing. “Honey, it’s amazing that with your ego and inflated head you can even get the helmet on at the start of a race.”

“Ha-ha, Mom. You know it’s not that far-fetched that you’d try to set me up,” he said.

“I know. Which girl is it?” his mom asked.

He nodded in the blonde’s direction.

His mom whistled between her teeth. “She’s a looker. How do you know she’s single?”

Inigo tried to play it cool, like he hadn’t asked around to find out who she was. But his mom, who was watching him, just smiled and shook her head. “You like her?”

“Don’t get any ideas,” he warned her. “I have a big year coming up, and I’m focused on being number one.”

“I know you are, baby. And your father and I are very supportive of that,” his mom said. “But if you like her…maybe you should go and introduce yourself to her.”

“I might now that I know you didn’t meddle to get her here,” Inigo said.

“Might what, son?” his father asked as he came over, putting his hand on his shoulder and squeezing.

“He might go talk to that girl,” his mom said. “Here, finish this for Inigo. He’s training and shouldn’t be drinking.”

“Whatever you say, darling,” his father said, taking the champagne flute from Inigo’s hand. “What a party! Several people have already confused me with Antonio Banderas tonight.”

His mom swiped the glass from his father’s hand. “Obviously you’ve had too much to drink if you think that’s what they said.”

Inigo smiled at his parents joking around with each other. Seeing them together always made him think of relationship goals. But they had gotten together back when life was simpler. Now the world was faster, meaner and more connected. He had to hustle a lot to stay relevant off the track while still winning races on it. There was no time to find someone and get to know them in the real world the way his parents had.

But someday he did want that…when he was like thirty or, hell, maybe forty, depending on how his career went.

“Which girl are you looking at?” his father asked when his mom spotted one of her favorite Food TV chefs and wandered over. This party had everyone at it, and frankly it was the kind of shindig that he tried to avoid except when his sponsor made him attend.

Sponsors and family. They were the only two things that he ever allowed to pull him away from racing.

“Dad, you can’t call women girls anymore,” Inigo said. “But she’s the blonde in the blue dress over near the French doors.”

“You know I meant no disrespect,” he said. “Hell, you and your brothers still look like boys to me. Guess it’s my age.”

“Don’t be all aw-shucks with me. If Mom or Bia heard you, you’d be in trouble,” Inigo scolded.

“I know. Maybe I’d better go back and find that lady who thought I was Antonio Banderas,” his dad said.

“I wouldn’t. Unless you want to start the new year with Mom ticked off at you,” Inigo said.

“True. How’d you get to be so smart?” his dad asked.

Well, Inigo hadn’t been drinking all night, the way his father clearly had, which made everything sharper, but he smiled at his father and winked. “From you.”

His father clapped him on the back. “Of course you did. I like your gir—woman. Have you talked to her?”

“Not yet.”

“What are you waiting for, son?” his dad asked. “She’s alone. Go.”

His father gave him a nudge toward the blonde, and at that moment she glanced over at him to see his father pushing him toward her. Their eyes met, and he knew that he was hooked when she shook her head, smiled at him and crooked her finger.

Marielle Bisset had almost skipped tonight’s party. It wasn’t her normal scene, but her good friend and fellow social media influencer Scarlet had been insistent that she at least make an appearance and meet representatives from some of the brands that she’d been working with. Scarlet had been her mentor for the last six months. And once she’d realized that the other woman was pregnant, Marielle realized this might be the chance she’d been waiting for.

Scarlet had taken Mari under her wing when Mari had come back from a disastrous year abroad. Scarlet had been more than a mentor to her; she’d been really good at teaching Mari how to accept her flaws and own her past mistakes so she could be a better person.

She’d been slowly growing her YouTube channel and working on increasing her numbers so that she could become a style guru like Scarlet, but it was hard to build that kind of influence. Marielle had been doing it for a little over a year now and felt like she was just starting to find her own place in the noisy world of influencers.

She’d come back to the Hamptons and her parents’ home after a disastrous affair with a married man that had left her shattered. She shook her head, wishing it were just as easy to shake off how bad she’d felt when she finally realized he was married. She’d been hiding out in East Hampton for the better part of the last five years in between traveling the world and searching for answers about herself. She’d been making peace with her mistakes, keeping a low profile and building her internet-based influencer business. The scandal and hurt she’d caused had left her broken.

Glancing around the room, she locked eyes with a hot guy who was being shoved in her direction by an older man.

He had dark brown hair, but from this distance she wasn’t sure of his eye color. He bore a strong resemblance to the older man, who was laughing. She couldn’t help but smile at them. It was clear that they had a strong bond—probably father and son.

Her gaze locked with the man’s, and she felt a zing go through her. Dang. It had been a long time since she’d felt anything like that. He looked embarrassed, which was cute, so she crooked her finger at him, and he arched one eyebrow at her as he made his way across the room.

“So someone thinks you should meet me,” she said. “But you needed a shove?”

“Uh, no, that’s my dad. And he’s in full-on party mode,” he said, then groaned. “Not that I needed my dad to push me toward you or that I always hang out with my parents.”

She just laughed. He seemed so genuine and real that for a moment she wasn’t sure he belonged here. “It’s okay. Your dad seems like a lot of fun. I haven’t seen you at any of the other parties this holiday season, so I’m guessing you’re not local.”

“No. Texan born and raised. Are you a local?” he asked.

“Sort of. My parents have a house here. I grew up in the city but summered out here,” she said. Oh God, she was rambling. But it was totally his fault. Up close she saw that his eyes were a deep, dark chocolate brown and that he had a small scar in his left eyebrow. His jaw was strong and his mouth firm, but he smiled so easily that it distracted her.

“How do you know Scarlet?” he asked.

“She’s sort of my mentor. She’s been so great about answering all of my questions and helping me to come up with a business plan as an influencer,” she said. Scarlet had been the first person to take her seriously when she’d suggested that she wanted to make a career out of social media. Her father had been disappointed that she hadn’t landed a husband by now.

But that was her dad. Always making her feel like a disappointment. Not like this dude’s dad, who was watching them and smiling in a sweet way. His dad seemed like a really nice guy. Or maybe a silly drunk, she thought as he turned and moved toward the bar. She realized she’d seen him at the bar a few times tonight.

“Your dad is too funny,” she said.

“He’s a mess. He’s just enjoying the fact that all of his kids are here tonight. Normally at least one of us is away on every holiday, so he’s thrilled we all are here.”

“That’s so cute. Usually it’s the mom who’s like that,” she said.

“Yeah, my mom is a newscaster in Houston, so when we were growing up, she was gone a lot and Dad was the one who did all the school pickups. They are both pretty fabulous,” he said. “I’m pretty lucky in that they both made us a priority but weren’t too overbearing.”

“Must have been nice,” she said. As the only daughter in a family of five children, she’d always had a little too much attention from her parents. Her dad had been overprotective when she was younger, but once she was eighteen, he thought that she should find a good man and settle down. He was very old-fashioned about stuff like that.

“What about you? Are you here with anyone?”

“Um, no.”

“It might be too forward, but I’m glad you’re here and I hope you will be at midnight,” he said.

“Nah, I’m happy to be here with you,” she said, taking his hand and leading him through the French doors and out on the balcony.

The night air was cold after the warmth of the house, but there were patio heaters stationed every few feet, so it wasn’t unbearable. “Why are we out here?”

“I want to kiss you and didn’t think I should do that in front of your dad.”

He smiled. Damn. He had a really great smile and though she knew she should turn and walk away, there was a big part of her that didn’t want to. It was New Year’s Eve. Surely she could have one night of fun without it being a big deal, right? One kiss wouldn’t hurt.

Right?

She smelled of summer and sunshine as he lowered his head and their lips met. A zing went through him. Was it a warning? But she tasted good, and her lips felt perfect under his. Her kiss wasn’t too wet, and she didn’t try to shove her tongue down his throat the way so many women he kissed did.

She held on to his biceps, and he couldn’t help himself: he flexed his muscles and was pretty sure he felt her smile against his kiss. He had the feeling that he amused her, which was fine with him, because for the first time in a while, he was with a woman who made him feel like he didn’t have to try. He could be himself…heck, after his dad shoving him toward her, he’d sort of had no choice but to just be Inigo Velasquez from Cole’s Hill, not the up-and-coming F1 star. As a Formula One driver he was always aware of his visibility and he was always focused on winning. For this one night he wanted to focus on her.

He had one hand lightly around her waist, and his fingers flexed as he slowly deepened the kiss. In the distance he heard the sound of the party guests counting down from ten.

He lifted his head. “Got one kiss in this year. I want you to be the first kiss of the new year too.”

“That’s why I led you out here,” she said, tipping her head back and studying him. Her long hair brushed over her shoulder, and he lifted one hand to twirl a tendril around his finger. It was soft and light, as he expected.

When he heard everyone yell, “Happy New Year,” he leaned in, brushing his mouth over hers. “Happy New Year.”

She kissed him again. None of the tentative teasing stuff he’d been doing, but full-on kissed him. He pulled her closer into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Loving the feel of her breasts against his chest and her hips nestled close to his, he pressed his hand against her lower back as she sucked his tongue deeper into her mouth.

He felt his engine roar to life and knew that he was going to get from zero to sixty in a nanosecond with this woman. But they were in public. At a party. A party his parents were attending.

He stepped back, keeping his hold on her waist but breaking the kiss. She looked up at him, a flush on her cheeks and neck, her breath coming in quick bursts. “What’s the matter?”

“I think we should get out of here before this kiss gets out of control,” he said.

“Is it getting out of control?” she teased, drawing her finger down the column of his throat and running it around the collar of his tuxedo.

A shiver of pure sensual delight went through him.

He was pretty close to saying the hell with it and leading her to the secluded section of the balcony behind the large potted fir tree. But this wasn’t some foreign city after a race. This was his sister-in-law’s house, where she had family and friends over, and he knew that he had to be discreet.

But then she leaned in, wrapping her free arm around his shoulders, and he forgot about everything but the feel of her in his arms and her mouth under his. Her taste was addictive, and he had the feeling that he might never get his fill of her.

He skimmed his hand down her back. The satin material of her dress was soft but not as velvety as her skin. He cupped her butt and lifted her off her feet more fully into his embrace. She moaned deep in her throat, and his engines roared to life.

Yeah, she had him firing on all cylinders. She was exactly what he needed tonight. Maybe she was the reason he’d given in to the pressure of his family and come along. He needed this kind of fun. Someone who was here for her own reasons, even if she might be trying to get with him to put another notch in her lipstick case.

Just two people with a strong attraction who wanted each other.

It had been a long time since he’d done this. A little over a year. He liked sex, but women were a distraction and he had been focused on winning. But this was one night. A New Year’s gift from the universe.

“Inigo? You out here? Mom needs her New Year’s kiss,” his sister called from the patio door.

He broke the kiss and stepped away toward his sister, determined to hustle her back inside.

“I’ll be right in, Bia. Tell Mom to kiss Dad again. He’s definitely in the mood for it,” he said.

“He’s the one who sent me to find you. Mom won’t leave until she’s kissed all of her kids.”

He heard the woman behind him chuckle and turned back toward her. She wiped his lips with her finger, and he guessed he’d been wearing her lipstick.

“Go on. I’ll meet you inside.”

He nodded and walked away, still in a sensual haze. The last thing he wanted to do was hang out with his parents, but he knew they were sticklers for holiday rituals.

Bianca linked her arm through his, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Sorry I had to pull you away from your lady. I think Dad sent me because he knew the boys would tease you endlessly.”

“Probably. Thanks for that,” he said.

“So who is she?”

He shook his head. “Uh, I didn’t ask her name.”

“Oh, just went straight for the kiss,” Bianca teased.

“Something like that,” he said as they reached his parents. He hugged them both and wished them happy new year.

“Happy New Year, Inigo,” his father said as he hugged him. “Looks like my instincts were right about you and the lady.”

“Dad,” he warned his father. His father was usually more subtle than his mom but they both wanted him to find someone and “settle down.”

“Just happy to see you smiling off the track,” his father said.

“Me too,” he admitted.

Then he bade his family good-night and went to find the blonde temptress he’d kissed earlier.

“I don’t want to push my luck, but do you want to come back to my room?”

“Yes,” she said.

Two

The suite he’d been given at the O’Malley compound, Maison de Houblon, was in a large guesthouse off the pool. It had a great room with a kitchen and living room area and then a large bedroom that had French doors that overlooked the ocean. But tonight, he was more concerned with the view in his arms.

“I don’t even know your name,” he said.

“Marielle. You?” she asked. There was a lilt to her words, a patrician New England accent that he hadn’t really noticed before this moment.

“Inigo,” he said.

She leaned back and looked up at him. He wondered what she saw.

“Inigo.” She said his name slowly, and he liked the sound of it on her lips.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“‘Ma’am’? There’s the Texas,” she said with a wink.

“I’ll be honest, you’re not going to forget I’m Texan,” he admitted. No matter how much he traveled around the world or hung out with the Italian owners of Moretti Motors, he was still a Texas man at heart. He wore designer suits and handmade loafers at all the press events and prerace functions he went to, but in his downtime, when he was at home, he preferred jeans and boots.

“Good. I wouldn’t want you to be anything other than what you are,” she said, running her hand down his chest, her finger brushing over the studs that kept his tuxedo shirt closed. He felt the warmth of her fingers through the layers of fabric.

“I don’t have that ability. In fact, my boss is always telling me to wait five seconds before I respond.”

“Why?”

“He keeps hoping that common sense will kick in,” Inigo admitted.

“Does it ever?” she asked, running her finger over his bottom lip.

Her touch sent a tingle straight down his spine, making him harden. He pulled her closer, skimming his hands over her hips and holding her loosely. “Nope.”

She threw her head back and laughed, and everything masculine in him sprang to attention, demanding he make this woman his. He caught the sound of her laughter with his mouth, kissing her, and feeling alive for the first time in a long time.

He tucked that fact away for later but knew that he was holding someone special. Someone who was making him realize that there was life beyond the track.

He felt her hands between them, her fingers moving methodically. He heard the sound of the shirt studs as they dropped to the floor with a soft pinging noise. He lifted her off her feet and turned, moving backward until he felt the bed behind him, and then he sat down. She stood between his spread thighs, her hands on his shoulders.

“Moving a little fast, aren’t you?” she asked in a teasing tone.

“I’m sort of known for my speed,” he said, then realized how that sounded. “Not that anyone ever complained.”

She just threw her head back and laughed and said, “Did you stick around long enough to find out if they did, speedy?”

“Yes. I’m not a one-and-done kind of guy,” he said. It had been a really long time since he’d laughed this much with someone. Spontaneously he put his arms around her body and drew her close, the fabric of her satiny dress scrunching up under his arms. He hugged her to him. Just for a moment he wanted to savor this feeling of lightness. Like there was nothing but fun when it came to this woman.

“What’s this?”

“It’s just been a while since I’ve laughed this much,” he said. “Thanks.”

“You’re very welcome,” she said, pushing her fingers through his hair and rubbing his scalp as he tipped his head back and looked up at her. “You’re different.”

“So I’ve been told,” he murmured as her lips came down on his. Their tongues met and rubbed against each other.

She tasted so damned good. He had noted it the first time they kissed, and it was difficult for him to forget. She made him hungrier for more. If hooking up with her made him feel this good, he might have to break his rule about celibacy during the racing season and keep seeing her.

She framed his face with her hands, tipping his head back. The bed dipped as she put one knee on it next to his hips and half straddled him. He fell back on the bed, using his arms around her waist to bring her with him. He liked the way she felt pressed against him from shoulders to waist.

He ran his hands up and down her back, cupping her butt as she deepened the kiss. Though he’d joked about being known for his speed, he’d never been one to rush sex. And it seemed neither was she. She took her time exploring his mouth and moving against him in small subtle movements that made him wish they were naked. But he didn’t want to stop kissing her to remove their clothes.

She circled her finger around the back of his ear, rubbing against the side of his neck, which made him so hot and hard that he thought he would explode.

He put his hands on her thighs. Her legs were firm and the skin soft. She wasn’t wearing hose, so he was touching her bare skin as he spread his fingers wide and squeezed gently.

She shifted her legs against his as he traced one finger up the back of her thigh. She mumbled something against his lips, but he didn’t register the words, just the husky tone of her voice and the way she continued to move against him. Her mouth followed the path of her finger down his neck. His shirt fell open as she moved down his body.

Pushing the hem of her dress up to her waist, he noticed she had on the tiniest black thong. She shifted, kicking off her heels and sitting back as she looked down at his body. He had an intense workout routine to keep in shape. Other athletes didn’t always realize the discipline it took to be a driver.

Marielle seemed to like his muscled chest. She pushed the shirt off his shoulders, and he sat up, shrugging out of first one sleeve and then the other.

He had a tattoo on the inside of his left arm that read, If Everything Seems Under Control, You’re Not Going Fast Enough. She traced the tattoo and arched one eyebrow as she looked back at him.

“Does everything seem under control?” she asked.

“No, it doesn’t,” he said, wrapping one hand in her long blond hair and bringing his mouth back down on hers.

He didn’t want to talk or think about racing right now. He had been steadily getting better on the track, and a big part of him believed that was because he’d quit hooking up with women, but tonight he didn’t want to think about that. It had been too long, she felt too good and it was a new year.

She put one hand between them on his chest. Her fingers spread wide, and her nails scored his skin lightly. He shuddered and felt himself harden further. She eased her hips forward, her center rubbing against the ridge of his erection.

He groaned as his hips jutted up against her. Oh, damn. This was going to be harder than he thought. It had been too long since he’d held a woman in his arms, and his body seemed to be on autopilot. Like when he was on the final lap and saw the finish line, he was ready to go. He reached between their bodies, intent on freeing himself, finding a condom and driving himself home inside her.

But the back of his fingers brushed against her underwear, and he felt her heat. She made a little sound at the touch against her intimate flesh, and he turned his hand, cupping her and rubbing just the tip of his forefinger between her legs. She spread her thighs farther apart, and he leaned back to give himself more room as he ran his finger around the edge of her thong panties and then dipped it inside, finally pushing his entire hand into the front of her underwear and caressing her. He parted her, tapping her clit lightly. She moaned, and her fingernails dug into his chest a little deeper. He tangled his other hand in her hair and brought his mouth down on hers.

He kissed her as he continued to tap against her, her hips moving subtly. Then she tore her mouth from his and reached for the hem of her dress, drawing it up and over her head, throwing it behind them.

He saw her breasts, small but perfectly naked, and her tiny nipped-in waist. She reached between their bodies and undid his belt and then slowly lowered his zipper.

“I want you naked,” she said.

“Me too. Are you on the pill?”

“Of course I am. I don’t like taking chances.”

“Me either,” he said.

She shifted off his lap, and he pushed his pants and underwear down his legs. By the time he was naked, so was she. She turned back to him, standing there in front of him completely bare, and he took a moment to appreciate how lovely she was. She wasn’t built like a supermodel but was more of a real woman. Her legs weren’t especially long but seemed just right to him. She had a birthmark on her left side that was shaped like a paint splotch; he couldn’t help himself and caressed it, tracing the shape. She had a belly button ring, which he fondled as he used his other hand to draw her back into his arms.

She fell against him, and he rolled over so she was under him. She put her hands on his waist and then squeezed as she ran her hands down his sides. He honestly wasn’t sure how much more touching he could handle before he came on her belly, which wasn’t how he wanted this to end, so he took her hands in his and stretched them up above her on the bed.

He watched her carefully to see if this bothered her, but she just winked at him. “Maybe I’ll let you tie me up later.”

His hips jerked forward at the thought and he could only nod; words were beyond him at this moment. He held her wrists with one hand and drew his index finger down her body, starting at her forehead. She had a pert nose that he couldn’t help dropping a kiss on as he drew his touch down farther, over her lips and her neck and then around the full globes of each breast. He lowered his mouth to one of her nipples while he teased the other one with his fingers.

Then he moved lower, tasting her belly button ring with his tongue, and felt her undulate against him as he moved still lower. He fanned his fingers out and cupped her, running his finger around the opening of her body and then bringing it up to tap against her clit again. She shifted against him, her legs going wider as he brought his mouth lower, wanting—needing—to taste her. He had to let go of her hands, but he felt enough in control that he thought that would be okay.

He was wrong.

She tasted better than anything he’d ever tasted before. He couldn’t get enough. His tongue flicked over her and then his entire mouth ate at her most intimate flesh until she shoved her hands in his hair and held his head to her body as her hips thrust upward against him.

She rocked against him again and again and then called out his name as her orgasm rolled through her.

He lifted his head and looked up her body. Her head was thrown back and her chest was heaving, her nipples tight little buds. Her hips were still rocking slightly, and he knew he’d never forget how she looked right now. He moved up her body, letting his chest brush over her mound and then her stomach and her breasts. He braced his weight with his hands on either side of her shoulders. She opened her eyes, looking up at him with that silvery gaze of hers, but up close her eyes were silvery gray.

“Well, hello there,” she said.

“Hi.”

She twined her arms around his shoulders and leaned up to whisper directly into his ear. “Are you going to take me now?”

His hips moved against her, the tip of his erection finding her opening. He met her eyes and leaned down to kiss her, letting her taste herself on his lips.

“Yes,” he said against her mouth as he drew back his hips and drove himself deep inside her.

She was tight when he entered her, and he waited to let her adjust to his size. She wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her upper body so that her hard nipples brushed against his chest each time he drove into her. He wanted her passion to build to climax again, but now that he was inside her, it was the same as being strapped into the cockpit of his race car—there was no stopping him. The light had flashed green for go, and he had one objective in mind.

He rode her hard, driving into her again and again, and as he felt the sensation running down his back that meant he was closer and closer to his orgasm, he reached between their bodies, flicking at her clit to help her along. She arched under him, her nails digging into his shoulders.

“Inigo,” she cried.

The sound of his name on her lips triggered his orgasm and he started to come, thrusting into her until he was empty and drained. She arched against him repeatedly, and when they were both still, he rolled to his side, lying on his back next to her.

The air in the room was cool compared to the heat of her body next to his. He already wanted to be back inside her. He turned his head on the bed and found she was looking at him.

“Was that slow enough for you?” he asked teasingly.

“Yes, speedy. You were just right,” she said, rolling close to kiss him. “Want to join me in the shower?”

She trotted toward the bathroom, and he just lay there staring at the ceiling. His mother always said that fate brought people into his path when they were meant to be there. And he was struggling right now not to make this more than a New Year’s Eve hookup.

Honestly, that was all he had time for, but something about Marielle made him feel lighter, made him feel…stronger. Like he could conquer anything.

It could be because it had been more than a year since he’d gotten laid, but he wasn’t convinced.

“Are you coming?” she asked, leaning around the door frame from the bathroom.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, jumping off the bed and heading toward her.

It seemed like it might be her and not just sex. But then, one night wasn’t going to change his life. His mom might be a big believer in fate, but he’d never seen its proof in his life.

He showered with Marielle, taking his time to wash her, making sure he explored all the places on her body that he might have missed when he’d made love to her earlier. They did it again in the shower and then dried off and curled up in the big king-size bed in the guesthouse. He held her in his arms as she slept and watched her. Tomorrow everything would be different. The holidays weren’t officially over until January 2, but he had a session at the simulation track and if this was going to be the year he unseated the current champion, then this night was all he’d have with her.

He watched the clock and held her, pretending for a moment that things were different, but as much as he enjoyed having her in his arms, he knew that he wanted something more from life. He wanted the title of champion, and these emotions she stirred in him would distract him from his goal. Something he couldn’t allow.

Besides, if they were really fated to be together, then she’d come back into his life at another time.

He drifted off to sleep just before dawn and only woke when his alarm went off at ten in the morning. Marielle rolled over and looked up at him from under tousled hair. “Why is your alarm going off?”

“I have a family breakfast. Do you want to come with me and meet the gang?” he asked. “Scarlet will be there.”

“Yes, I think I would. I better dash out to my car and grab my overnight bag so I have something to wear other than last night’s dress,” she said.

“Why do you have an overnight bag in your car?” he asked.

“Just in case. I liked to be prepared. If I get too tipsy to drive, I can always stay at Scarlet’s,” she said as she got out of bed and stretched before pulling on her dress.

“I like that dress,” he said.

“I do too, but it’s really better for nighttime,” she said.

“Agreed. Which car is yours? I’ll get your bag,” he said. She told him, and he went out to retrieve it.

They got dressed together, which was fun. He wanted her again, but he didn’t want to give in to the craving, so he forced himself to make do with a kiss and held her hand as they walked to the main house. But as they entered the house, they didn’t exactly receive the warmest of greetings.

“Oh my God. Who invited her?” Bianca said, standing up from her seat as they entered the enormous living area. There was anger in her voice. Inigo wasn’t sure who Bianca was referring to at first but noticed she was staring at Marielle.

“What’s going on?” he asked his sister.

“I should be asking you that. What are you doing with Jose’s mistress?”

Three

Bianca… Jose’s ex-wife was here? She hadn’t seen the woman in more than five years, and she’d worked hard to put that horrible day out of her mind. The moment she’d discovered her lover Jose was married had been one of the worst in her life. Seeing Bianca now, all the guilt and shame came rushing back. There was something akin to hatred in the pregnant woman’s eyes, and the look on Inigo’s face made it clear he wasn’t too pleased to find out she had this connection to his family.

To be fair, she’d had no idea who Inigo was when she’d slept with him, but now seeing him next to Bianca, she put the pieces together. They were obviously related. And she now vaguely remembered that Jose had mentioned he had a protégé he thought would do great things in Formula One. Was it Inigo?

“I guess I should be going,” she said.

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” Bianca said. “Who even invited you?”

“I’m Scarlet’s friend,” Marielle said.

She knew that the woman had cause to be upset with her, but she wasn’t the only one to blame. Jose had told Marielle he was divorced, and she had been stupid enough to believe him. She soon realized it wasn’t his only lie when she’d caught him in bed with another woman—a woman he’d been seeing for years. She’d felt like a fool, falling in love with another woman’s husband. Seeing Bianca brought back all of those feelings of self-loathing that she’d hoped she’d moved beyond.

“Scarlet’s my sister-in-law,” Bianca replied.

Of course she was. “Honestly, I had no idea that you would be here. That part of my life was over ages ago, and I’m not proud of my role in what was going on in your marriage.”

More people were entering the room, including Inigo’s parents, and then Scarlet and her assistant, Billi Sampson, came in. Marielle looked at her friend, who was visibly pregnant and still looked very sleepy.

“Scarlet, thank you for inviting me last night. I’m afraid I have to run this morning, but I’ll be in touch later,” Marielle said, walking out of the room.

Inigo didn’t try to follow her, which was probably for the best. He had been fun last night, just what she needed to distract her from her own problems. But obviously neither of them had intended for it to be the beginning of a relationship.

Yeah, right.

But she knew that it was over. There was no way she could have any kind of relationship—not that she was looking for one—with the brother of the woman whose husband she’d slept with.

Ugh.

Her mom was always going on about reaping what she sowed, and damn, this was a pretty rotten crop to reap. But this trouble was of her own making. When she thought back to the woman she’d been when she was twenty-one, she cringed. She’d been so shallow. So into her own pleasure and her own life that she had been unable to see past Jose’s lies to the family that she was hurting. It wasn’t that she was so much wiser at twenty-six, but damn, she was a little smarter when it came to men. Or at least she’d thought she was.

No more hookups with men whose last names I don’t know, she thought. Yeah, let’s make that rule one for the new year.

The engine of her Corvette roared to life. She put the car in Reverse and spun out on the gravel drive as she tried to get away from the house and all the people inside it. But there wasn’t a car that had rolled off the assembly line that would go fast enough to take her away from herself.

She had that way of doing this more often than she wanted to. She knew it wasn’t her fault—how in the world had she ended up at a party with Jose’s ex-wife? That was never supposed to happen. She’d followed the teachings of a well-being guru, who had advised her to write a letter apologizing. The guru had said that would bring forgiveness from the universe.

Marielle thought she needed a refund, because all she could see as she raced down the road was the look on Bianca’s face as she’d recognized her, and it certainly hadn’t resembled forgiveness.

She pulled into the drive that led to her family’s mansion and slowed the car, fumbling on the visor for the garage door opener. She parked the ’Vette next to her father’s classic Porsche and sat there for a minute, realizing that she was on the edge of tears.

She took a deep breath, fumbling in her purse for her phone and that meditation app that her brother had gifted her for Christmas. She opened it and closed her eyes, listening to the soothing voice and pretending the heat on her cheeks was the sunshine the app’s moderator was talking about and not tears.

But in her heart the truth was strong, and she knew that she hadn’t forgiven herself for those long-ago mistakes. Thank God she hadn’t run into Jose’s son. The little boy his wife had been pregnant with while he’d been telling Marielle that she was his soul mate. If she’d been older…

Or not as dumb, she thought.

This wasn’t working. She dashed her hand over her cheeks and turned off the car, getting out and standing there for a minute. She smelled cigarette smoke and looked up to see her eldest brother, Darian, standing there watching her. “I wasn’t spying, just giving you space.”

“Thanks,” she said, walking over to him and taking the cigarette from his hand, dropping it on the ground and putting it out with the toe of her shoe.

“You’re supposed to be quitting.”

“I know. I didn’t take a drag, I was just holding it,” he said. “What’s up with you?”

“Ran into one of my past mistakes this morning. It’s hitting me harder than I expected,” she said.

“Why? You know you’re not that woman anymore,” he said.

Why?

She shrugged, but Inigo’s face danced through her mind. She’d liked him. He’d been fun, and he’d made her feel like she was enough.

“What were you doing with her?” Bianca asked as she and Inigo watched Marielle drive away.

“She’s the girl…the one I told you about last night,” he said, trying to put together the two images he had in his head. Jose’s mistress had always seemed someone cold and calculating. While he had never seen his brother-in-law with the woman, he had assumed that she’d manipulated Jose into the affair. Jose had been his idol. Inigo had wanted to be Jose when he grew up. But this…

Marielle hadn’t seemed like the type of woman…who would what? he asked himself. Cheat? Have sex with a man? She’d been fun, and he hadn’t thought of anything but the heat between the two of them. He had put it down to a year’s worth of celibacy, but honestly she was hot and sexy and he had wanted her again this morning. Maybe that was what had caused Jose to cheat.

“Her? Couldn’t you have picked anyone else?” Bianca asked.

Inigo’s heart was breaking at the pain and humiliation he heard in his sister’s voice.

“I had no idea who she was to you, Bia.”

“Fair enough. But I never want to see her again,” Bianca said. Just then Derek Caruthers entered the room, rushing to his wife’s side.

“Bianca, are you okay? I’m sorry I wasn’t here with you.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad we’re leaving this morning. I’m ready to get back home,” she said. “I never thought I’d see her again.”

“I’m sorry,” Scarlet said. “I had no idea you two knew each other or the circumstances. Did you know?”

She pivoted on her husband, Alec, who just wrapped his arm around her and hugged her close. “Of course I knew he’d had an affair with Marielle. I didn’t know you knew her.”

Inigo just walked out of the room. He was angry. All of the emotions that he’d felt when Jose had died, and he’d learned the truth, came back. He knew that wasn’t a healthy space for him to be in and ignored his father’s calls and his brothers as he first walked and then ran back to the guesthouse where he was staying. He changed into his running gear and left the house through the glass doors that led to the beach. He was vaguely aware that it was cold, and a light rainy snow was falling, but he didn’t feel any of it.

He only heard the pounding of his feet on the pavement of the path that was empty on this wintry January morning. He concentrated on each step, trying not to allow any thoughts in his head, but it was hard to keep them out.

He had always had a gift for attracting relationships that were toxic, but this had to totally take the cake. He’d found the one woman in the world he really couldn’t be with. It would destroy his family if he was with her.

And yeah, it had been a fun hookup, but there was another part of him that wondered if this was his way of making sure that nothing distracted him from racing. From winning. He’d always been the kind of athlete that pushed everything aside to win. And he was close to being the champion, which had been his one goal since he’d started in the Formula One junior program at fourteen.

He also felt the pain of realizing that his idol had feet of clay. That he was human and real and that he hadn’t been perfect. The cold air felt like a blade in his lungs as he continued to run, and he veered off the path and into the small town, where everything was closed. No one was out this early on New Year’s Day.

Just him.

Just the man who had too much on his mind and no easy way to sort it out. Should he just let Marielle go? Should he try to get vengeance for Bianca? He couldn’t help it, but that thought had entered his mind. Maybe it was that he felt she’d fooled him too. She had to know who he was. But how could she have? He’d been on a different circuit that year when Bianca had been pregnant and Jose had cheated.

Many times Inigo had wondered if he’d still been shadowing Jose, would his brother-in-law have thought twice about cheating?

At the end of the day, was he to blame? He’d pursued winning at any cost, and had turning his back on Bianca and Jose that year been part of the other man’s downfall?

He had no way of knowing. Jose was dead, and Bianca had never wanted to talk about it.

He stopped running, leaning forward to put his hands on his knees, his breath still sawing in and out of his lungs. His exhalations were loud in his head but didn’t drown out his thoughts. He could fix this. Make up for anything he might or might not have done back in the day.

He could have Marielle and publicly dump her. Would that even bother her? She’d been a married man’s mistress.

But even as the thought formed, he knew that it didn’t matter. She needed to know that the Velasquez family weren’t to be toyed with. The rational part of his mind warned that there was more to the story than he knew. That the “facts” he had came from the dirt that Alec had dug up on her on the internet. Most of the mistresses had been named but Marielle hadn’t been on the list.

But he could only listen to his gut and his heart. His heart remembered the paleness of his sister’s face as she’d seen him standing next to Marielle. His gut remembered the strident tone that Marielle had used before walking out. His body remembered her twisting under him the night before.

He could have it all. The woman he lusted after and revenge for his family.

Hiding at her parents’ house wasn’t ideal. The maids were in and out of her room, her mom sent a tray with lunch, and then her dad knocked on her door. And finally, Marielle faked needing to visit a friend having an emergency and left. Her brother was in the garage again when she came downstairs, and she got it. She wished her problems were as easy for the world to see as Darian standing there with an unlit cigarette. But hers were different.

She was the one with a weakness for men and making dumb choices…could that be called addiction too?

She left in a cloud of muddy snow as she sped away from her problems. There was a wistful sort of regret that engulfed her as she got on the Long Island Expressway and headed back toward Manhattan.

Dang.

This must be how Inigo felt when he was racing. There was a certain freedom from everything but the road and concentrating on the path ahead of her. Maybe she should take up driving professionally.

As soon as the thought popped into her head, she hit an icy patch and her car hydroplaned for a minute, fishtailing wildly on the road. She took her foot off the gas as she saw her life flash before her eyes.

Damn.

She slowed the car and pulled onto the shoulder. Her hands were shaking, and her heart was racing. She didn’t want to die. She sat there. The silence in the car made her ears ring, and finally she turned on the radio. “About Last Night” was playing, so she flipped the station and heard Debussy’s “La mer.” Yeah, classical was good. Just what she needed right now.

She dug into her purse and found her phone. Scarlet had texted her.

Are you okay? I wish you hadn’t left like that.

What could she say?

I’m not great. I’m sorry. I could tell I was freaking her out, and you know I’m not good in those situations. I hope I didn’t make things awkward for you.

Scarlet and Siobhan had been the first women friends she’d genuinely had in years, and she hadn’t wanted to screw it up. But maybe she had. Maybe she should stop trying and just enjoy the train wreck that was usually her life.

You didn’t. Well, it was awkward, but I feel like both of you were freaked. If you want to talk, I’m going to be in the city until Friday. Let’s have coffee…by that I mean you drink the coffee and I smell it and pretend that I’m having some.

Marielle felt a wave of relief go through her.

Thank you. I’d love that. I’m heading back to New York now. My parents’ house was stifling. I’m sorry again for this morning.

I know the feeling. No problem. Can’t wait to catch up.

She tossed the phone back into her bag before she asked for Inigo’s number. A part of her felt like she should say something to resolve the situation with him, but another part—the smarter part—knew there would be no resolution. She could keep him in her memories as a fun night. And that was all.

Her phone rang, and she glanced at the caller ID. It was her friend Siobahn Murphy, who was the lead singer of Venus Rising. The two liked to party together, and she was always down for a good time. Just what Marielle needed at this moment.

“Hey, girl, happy New Year,” she said as she answered the speakerphone and got back on the road.

No more driving fast to outrun her problems. She sat in the slow lane going a respectable speed.

“Hiya. Scar texted me,” Siobahn said. “What the hell happened?”

“I’m not sure. I mean, I met this cute guy and he was funny and flirty. Even his dad was funny, encouraging him to talk to me. We kissed at midnight…it was hot,” Marielle said. More than hot. It had made her see him as more than a hookup. She had to be honest with herself. She hated the way things had ended with Inigo. But she doubted there was any way back from the current situation.

“Yeah, and then?”

“Then one thing led to another, and I spent the night with him,” she said.

Siobahn wasn’t fishing for lurid sex details. But there was no way to explain the thing without mentioning that.

“Then this morning he invited me to breakfast with his family, and I knew Scar would be there, so I was, like, sure,” Marielle said. Then she walked in and saw Jose’s wife staring at her like she was the most loathsome woman on the face of the planet… Maybe she’d skip mentioning that bit to Siobahn. “And…”

“I know. You don’t have to say it. I’m in Manhattan. Come to my place. We can eat ice cream or drink wine or do whatever you need. Don’t go to your place alone,” Siobahn said. “You need someone to remind you that you aren’t that woman anymore.”

“Thanks,” she said. She had changed a lot from who she’d been at twenty-one, and it had been a long hard road with lots of pitfalls. But she had changed. She hadn’t made peace with all of her past, but one thing she had made were good friends like Siobahn. She’d been the one who’d introduced her to Scarlet and had started her on this path.

“I’ll text you when I’m close.”

“I’ll be here. I’m eating leftover ham, which isn’t healthy, but I’m a bit hungover,” Siobahn said.

Marielle had to laugh. She didn’t drink like that anymore but remembered those days. She hung up with her friend, realizing that Bianca might never forgive her, but Marielle had to find a way to forgive herself. She couldn’t keep beating herself up for old sins.

Not saying it would be easy, but she was going to definitely make that one of her resolutions.

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