The Sinful Art of Revenge Page 19

  Her grin widened. ‘Don’t stifle the process. If pop stars can wear raw meat to express themselves, three-year-olds can paint on their mothers.’

  His eyes caught hers, captivated her with the look in them. ‘And what do fathers get for suffering through this … horror?’

  ‘They get to join in—after which they may get a special prize.’

  The enthusiasm with which he shucked off his shoes and folded his stunning body onto the play mat knocked the breath out of her. Stephane, their adopted son, shrieked his delight as his father lifted him off her back, where he’d been indulging in his mummy-canvas, and tickled him.

  Easing herself down from the gentle exercise, she watched Damion. He was the grand prize any woman would kill to win. And he was hers.

  She rubbed her hand across her stomach, unable to believe how blessed she was. For two years they’d seen every specialist in France and America. Each time they’d been told their chances of conceiving a child naturally were impossible.

  With the adoption process already under way, each blow had felt less painful, until in the end they’d given up altogether.

  Then, three months ago, she’d missed one period. Then another. It hadn’t been until she’d missed the third that she’d dared to believe. She was too fragile to give birth naturally, and their daughter would have to be born by Caesarean section, but it was yet another challenge Reiko cherished. Just as she cherished her two boys.

  ‘You’re giving me the look again,’ Damion murmured over their son’s head.

  ‘What look?’

  ‘The one that says I’m about to get mind-bendingly lucky—Argentine-tango-style.’

  Her laughter brought a lazy, sexy grin to his face. But his eyes drowned her in love and devotion.

  Sucking in a breath, she winked. ‘Yep, I think you are.’

  All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

  All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  ® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

  First published in Great Britain 2013

  by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited.

  Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,

  Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

  © Maya Blake 2013

  eISBN: 978-1-472-00189-4