But it had been useless. Antonio had been furious at her interference, and he’d broken up with his mistress anyway. On Christmas morning, too. Well, at least the girl still had the camera as a parting gift.
Hana looked at him now beneath the cherry trees.
“You’re right,” she said in a low voice. “I do know you. It’s probably for the best you don’t want to be part of our baby’s life. You’d be a horrible father, and we both know it. And as a husband—” She rolled her eyes heavenward, as if there were no words.
For a moment, Antonio’s face was shocked. Then he looked inexplicably offended. “Horrible seems rather a strong word—”
She held up her hand to stave off his protest. “I’m just agreeing with you. You’re incapable of being a father. You have absolutely nothing to offer us except money. And since I don’t need that, there’s nothing more to discuss, is there?”
Antonio opened his mouth. Closed it. Finally, he said tightly, “I apologized. Why are you still attacking me?”
“Attacking? You should be glad!”
He ground his teeth. “Glad you’re telling me I’d be a poor excuse for a father and an even worse husband?”
“Glad I’m not trying to change you!” She shook her head. “You can move on with your life, Antonio. Get your air routes into Asia. Expand the company worldwide, gather more billions into your bank account. I won’t bother you.” She lifted her chin. “You won’t be my baby’s father, you’re no longer my boss. You’re not my lover, nor even my friend. So I think we can agree there’s no reason for us to ever see each other again.” She stuck out her hand. “Goodbye, Antonio.”
He looked down at it. She felt the sizzle from his gaze, and suddenly realized her mistake. She tried to pull her hand back, but it was too late.
Antonio took her hand in his larger one.
Just that simple contact, palm to palm, caused her to gasp. Electricity sizzled through her, from her scalp to her toes.
His expression changed, and his hand tightened on hers.
“I can’t let you go,” he said quietly.
“You can’t?” she breathed.
“Maybe I won’t be a good father. Maybe I can’t be a husband. But I still don’t want to let you go.” Antonio pulled her closer, searching her gaze intently. “Stay with me, Hana. As my mistress.”
“Mistress?” The word was slippery on her tongue, causing a flood of desire to pulse through her blood, tightening her nipples as tension coiled low and deep inside her. Mistress. “For how long?”
He gave her a sensual smile, lifting his other hand to her cheek. “As long as we want.”
Barely able to breathe, Hana stared up at his handsome face, his dark eyes, his sculpted cheekbones, the five o’clock shadow on his hard jawline. His cruel mouth.
As long as we want.
He meant as long as he wanted, she realized. A month. A week. Even a night. She’d seen it play out, time and time again. Hadn’t she just been pitying those foolish women who fell for him, just seconds before?
And yet she’d never expected to be asked. Not like this. It felt strangely difficult to refuse, with his dark eyes burning through her as the memory of their night together pounded through her blood.
“And the baby?” she said hoarsely.
Antonio shrugged. “We’ll see. Maybe I could be some kind of father to it. Who knows?”
Maybe? A father to it?
A shudder went through her. Maybe had nothing to do with her idea of family. Family was forever. Family was all a person had to cling to in a chaotic, uncertain world.
What he was talking about was something else entirely. He was a petulant boy, not wanting to be parted from a toy.
Hana ripped herself away from the temptation of his touch. “You can’t just amuse yourself for a while and then toss us aside when you’re bored. I won’t let you do it. Not to me and definitely not to the baby!”
He stared at her incredulously. “Don’t you understand, Hana? I’m offering to let you live with me. That’s more than I’ve ever offered any woman.”
Antonio actually believed he was offering her something precious. She saw that in his handsome face. He expected her to squeal with delight, throw her arms around him and scream “Yes!”