The Spaniard's Baby Bargain

The ball is in your court, you’re in charge, you have control.

Sure, Ariane conceded with silent cynicism. And cows jump over the moon!

Dealing with an ego was part of the job, and she’d dealt with a few in her time. ‘I’d like to keep this as relaxed and informal as possible.’ She deliberately held his gaze. ‘Visual and audio will be edited, and you’ll have control over final content.’

His eyes held a dark intensity that could sear the soul. Could they also soothe?

Oh, hell, where had that come from?

‘I’ll remind you, any attempt at clever journalistic tactics on your part will be met with silence.’

Oh, my. Ariane drew herself up to her full height and took a slow, steady breath. ‘Point taken.’ She even managed a faint smile. ‘Shall we begin?’

An hour later she had nothing more on Manolo del Guardo than what was already available in previous Press releases. Which meant she had to work a little harder.

‘Tell me what it was like growing up in the ’hood.’

The faint smile didn’t reach his eyes. ‘You want I should draw a picture?’ Street gangs, poverty, where survival meant being one step ahead of the law in alleyways where one false move could bring a knife in the ribs…or worse?

‘I imagine it was tough.’

He doubted her imagination stretched as far as the reality. Except he’d managed to get out and move on. Lean years when he’d worked his butt off twenty by seven, taking risks only the brave or a fool would touch.

‘The prime motivation was to survive.’

His voice held an edge of mockery, and a wealth of living lurked in the depths of those dark eyes. Elements she could only guess at.

‘Perhaps you’d care to elaborate?’

‘I don’t see the need to provide a vicarious insight into the days of my youth.’

OK, so he was going to play hardball. ‘Self-protection, or a need to bury your past?’

He didn’t move, yet she had the sensation his powerful body suddenly went on full alert.

The silence in the room became a palpable entity, and she held her breath, waiting for a display of temperament.

It didn’t happen, and there was little she could detect beneath his obsidian gaze.

Supreme control, she registered, and wondered what it would take to break it. A faint shivery sensation threatened to slither the length of her spine at the thought of what direction his anger might take…certain in her mind it would be laser-swift and deadly.

Ariane’s attention was so focused on the man that at first she didn’t register the faint sound of a baby’s cry.

‘You’ll have to excuse me.’ Manolo rose to his feet in one fluid movement and crossed to the door.

It was then she heard the angry wail of a distressed babe, a sound that rose to a crescendo in seconds.

Ariane signalled for Tony to cut, and followed Manolo del Guardo into the foyer.

The sight of him cradling a baby in the curve of his arm caused the breath to catch in her throat.

At that moment he turned, and she stood locked into immobility at the ruthless intensity of his gaze. ‘Your intrusion is not welcome.’ His voice was dangerously soft, and the infant’s wailing increased.

She had the unbearable urge to take the child and attempt to soothe its pain. ‘The camera isn’t on, nor is the sound.’

The fate of Manolo del Guardo’s late wife was common knowledge; so too was the existence of their daughter. Except no photos of the child had reached the media.

‘Ensure it remains that way.’

The infant’s wailing intensified, then subsided into a series of cross, hiccuping cries.

Ariane couldn’t help herself. ‘She has colic.’

‘And you know this…because?’

She wanted to hit him. Instead she held her breath and counted to three before releasing it. She even managed a negligible shrug. ‘We can take up where we left off when you’ve settled your daughter into the nanny’s care.’

‘Difficult, when the girl walked out yesterday, and a replacement isn’t due until mid-week.’

‘I’m sorry.’

Was that genuine concern? Or a polite act? Manolo opted for the latter. ‘We’ll reconvene after lunch.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘At two.’

He headed towards the stairs, and Ariane retraced her steps to find Tony running a review of the morning’s taping.

‘We’re taking a break?’

‘Dismissed until two.’ She crossed to where he stood. ‘What do you think?’

‘So far so good. He’s ice.’

‘And won’t crack?’

He shot her a direct look as the tape went into rewind. ‘Waste of time to even try.’

Ariane viewed the morning’s session with an analytical eye, then retrieved her notebook, made a few notations and returned it to her briefcase.

There was half an hour until lunch, and she felt the pressing need for some fresh air. ‘I’m going to take a walk in the grounds.’

‘And examine the plant life?’

‘You have a better suggestion?’

Tony offered a wicked smile. ‘You could go pound the punching bag in the gym.’

‘Talk to me at day’s end. Although kickboxing is more my style. You could join me.’

‘Sorry, sweetheart. I’m not into masochism.’