Matt's Pregnant Runaway Wife

By Monique DeVere

A Married Second Chance Romance

This might be the biggest risk of her life.

When her whirlwind romance with gorgeous Sicilian-born restaurateur Matteo Giordano culminates in marriage, award-winning pastry chef Sabrina Newton-Giordano thinks she has it all...until Matt refuses to introduce her to his family. Sabrina desires their baby to have the same love she knew from her grandparents, but Matt’s outright rejection of his family could result in their baby never knowing his or her paternal grandparents, something Sabrina will not accept. Until that is, she hits on the perfect solution—run away to Sicily to meet the in-laws!

Matt wants only one thing—to keep his wife and unborn child safe. For a man intent on never allowing anything to stand in his way, it should be an easy task. But Matt hasn’t bargained on how stubborn his irresistible, runaway wife can be. Despite his stern objections, she’s determined to form a relationship with his family. He knows, from past experience, they’d never accept her or the baby. Now Matt is torn between the urgent need to protect his wife and fear of causing her undue stress in her pregnancy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monique DeVere
• Release date: Mar 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005506605

Monique DeVere

Monique DeVere grew up on a plantation on the beautiful island of Barbados, where her childhood was all about exploring and letting her imagination run free. She moved to the UK as a teen and soon fell in love at first sight with her amazing, strong-silent-type husband. They have four beautiful children and four incredible grandchildren.Monique writes sweet ‘n’ spicy romance, and when she isn’t working on the next novel or movie script, she can be found spending time with hubby and family, armchair travelling, creating recipes, reading about health and nutrition, or working on her spiritual growth. She enjoys going for walks, gardening, or simply crazy-dancing around the house. Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can email her at [e-mail], or contact her by visiting her website: www.moniquedevere.com or blog: http://moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk to learn more about her books. You can also visit her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/moniquedevere or follow her on Twitter: @MoniqueDeVere or Instagram: authormdvGet The Forever Deal FREE when you sign up to Monique’s New Release Newsletter Here: https://bit.ly/TFDsignup151220

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Matt’s Pregnant Runaway Wife

by

Monique DeVere

© Monique DeVere 2021

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, products or brand names described herein are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, therefore not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews.

Matt’s Pregnant Runaway Wife

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Monique DeVere

Published by Crystal Swan Publications

United Kingdom

Electronic Edition: March 2021

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Designed by Crystal Swan

[e-mail]

Publishing History

Published by Crystal Swan Publications

Smashwords License Statement

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Back Cover Copy

This might be the biggest risk of her life.

When her whirlwind romance with gorgeous Sicilian-born restaurateur Matteo Giordano culminates in marriage, award-winning pastry chef Sabrina Newton-Giordano thinks she has it all...until Matt refuses to introduce her to his family. Sabrina desires their baby to have the same love she knew from her grandparents, but Matt’s outright rejection of his family could result in their baby never knowing his or her paternal grandparents, something Sabrina will not accept. Until that is, she hits on the perfect solution—run away to Sicily to meet the in-laws!

Matt wants only one thing—to keep his wife and unborn child safe. For a man intent on never allowing anything to stand in his way, it should be an easy task. But Matt hasn’t bargained on how stubborn his irresistible, runaway wife can be. Despite his stern objections, she’s determined to form a relationship with his family. He knows, from past experience, they’d never accept her or the baby. Now Matt is torn between the urgent need to protect his wife and fear of causing her undue stress in her pregnancy.

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Maybe she just belongs in his arms...

A year ago, happily married mom of three, Annabelle DeVaney’s life came crashing down around her. Two weeks ago, she made things worse by running out on her gorgeous husband of ten years. 

Security expert, Linc DeVaney has located his wife hiding out at a beach house in the Florida Keys and he isn’t about to let a few revelations in a diary ruin his marriage. After all, he and Belle had a deal that was supposed to last a lifetime. 

Belle hasn’t forgotten their deal, but how can she stay married to Linc when she’s no longer the woman he married? 

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Table of Contents

Other Titles by Monique DeVere

Back Cover Copy

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Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Why Not Try

British English and Slang Glossary

Meet the Author

Chapter One

"How long did you think it would take me to find you?" The low growly voice beside Sabrina’s left ear, and the warm iron clamp of a man’s hand on her arm as she exited Giordano’s kitchen sent hot bolts of shock, trepidation, and desire shooting through her. Every single hair on her head and the fine ones all over her body stood on end.

Busted!

And it’d only taken two and a half weeks for her husband of almost a year to locate her in Sicily—his birthplace—where she’d been infiltrating the family he’d refused to let her meet. She’d only done so because his stubborn resistance to letting her in emotionally had forced her to take matters into her own hands. That, and her need to uncover the truth. She’d vowed never to let anyone keep her in the dark again. She knew, from bitter experience, how shattering it could be and she didn’t want to go through the same ordeal ever again. She’d tried to be patient, had given Matt time to come around, but he’d continued to shut her out. Just like Paul had until she’d discovered the heartbreaking truth he’d been keeping from her.

Stifling a horrified gasp, she kept a firm grip on the ceramic heat deflector plate loaded with the pizza she’d been in the process of delivering to table twenty-two and slowly pivoted to face the man she’d all but run away from eighteen days ago.

At the sight of him, goosebumps tingled over her skin, and a familiar heat uncoiled low in her belly, making her aware of her body in a way she hadn’t in almost three weeks. A supreme male, Matt exuded self-assurance and power. At thirty-four, six-foot-two, and toned to perfection, Matteo Giordano was melt-a-girl-in-her-heels hot. But it hadn’t been his body with his striking year-round tan or square-jawed gorgeousness that had attracted and dazzled Sabrina when she’d first met him three years ago at his restaurant in London, where she’d been working as a pastry chef. It had been his amazing eyes. The mixture of green, brown, and amber hues had captivated her. She’d never seen eyes quite that colour, or the way they managed to convey intelligence, warmth, passion, and authority all at once. Eyes that changed colour depending on what Matt wore or the type of lighting he was in. Eyes that had told her from the first moment they met how much he wanted her.

Eyes that now observed her with an angry, hazelnut hue.

Matt...

He inclined his head, hair a rich brown worn tapered at the back and sides fell short of perfection due to a rakish lock at the front that always did its own thing. He raised a dark, imperial eyebrow.

Indeed. With a perfunctory glance around the cosy, mostly unoccupied restaurant, Matt shoved his hands into his tailored charcoal trouser pockets, the action bringing her attention to his lean hips and muscled thighs. His uncontained sexuality made her so very aware of how much she missed him. He’d removed the matching suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to reveal strong, tanned forearms that had her longing to feel them wrapped around her. Boy, did she miss him. Would you like to tell me what you’re doing here? The slight Sicilian accent never failed to tug at something deep inside her.

She disguised her visceral reaction with a bravado she wasn’t feeling. Matt looked ready to explode. Really, she couldn’t blame him. She’d left a note reassuring him that she hadn’t abandoned him; she just needed a bit of time. She could see now the vague note had been a mistake.

Aware of the lack of privacy, Sabrina lowered her voice. At the moment? Working.

Matt’s gaze turned flinty, and a muscle pulsed in his jaw. Is this a game to you?

No. This was one of the most important things she’d ever done. Even though her insides shook so violently she was sure her entire body vibrated hard enough to loosen the stone tiles beneath her feet, she pasted on a smile for the sake of anyone who might be watching the exchange and raised her voice to a polite pitch in an effort to avoid causing a scene. There’s a vacant table over there. Take a seat and I’ll be right with you.

Sabrina.

She ignored Matt’s commanding tone and, on shaky legs, headed to the couple who’d been patiently waiting for their meal. She would’ve been pretty witless not to anticipate Matt coming after her.

Here you go. Sabrina placed the pizza in the middle of the table-for-two. Enjoy.

Thanks. The couple, blond, sunburned, and obviously newlyweds, didn’t take their eyes off each other long enough to even glance her way.

She remembered when she and Matt had been the same. When she’d been too caught up in the whirlwind romance to notice he never once mentioned his family, or even suggested they fly out to Sicily to meet them. And she’d ignored the warning bells when Matt had refused to invite all but a few of his close friends to their small, intimate wedding in the garden of his mansion. She came from a large close-knit family who meant everything to her, and she failed to understand why Matt hadn’t wanted his family at the wedding. He’d refused to invite even his parents and she’d force herself to respect his wishes. But, three months ago, when she’d discovered she and Matt were having a baby, she’d known she couldn’t sit around and do nothing to get to know the family who would be part of her baby’s life. The family who, as far as she could tell, had no idea she existed, that Matt was married, or that he was going to be a father in five-and-a-half months and they’d be grandparents. When she’d tried to talk to him about her feelings and find out why he was so against her meeting his family, he reacted the way he always did—grew stony and shut her out. No matter how hard she’d tried, Matt wouldn’t budge on the topic. He didn’t seem to notice, or even care, how much he was hurting her. So, feeling he’d left her no other choice and, for her baby’s sake, she’d hatched a plan and had snuck off to Sicily the minute Matt had left Somerset for New York on a business trip.

As formidable as he was, she’d known he wouldn’t have been able to force her family to divulge her whereabouts. But Matt was not a man without resources; she’d only hoped he would’ve taken longer to find her.

Heaving in a few steadying breaths filled with the flavourful smells of baked pizza dough, olive oil, tomato, and herbs surrounding her in the dining room, she pasted on her polite-for-the-customers smile and headed to the corner table by the window where Matt had parked himself. Retrieving her handheld POS ordering machine from her apron pocket, she stopped beside Matt’s table.

She had no idea how to handle this situation with him. Even after months of marriage, his refusal to introduce her to his relatives indicated that he didn’t really accept her as part of his family. And this was not the place for them to have any kind of meaningful conversation. As far as anyone looking on could tell, she and Matt were strangers. Maybe that’s the way she should handle this. After all, he hadn’t arrived and introduced her as his wife.

What can I get you, sir?

Sabrina—his tone deepened to an icy pitch—I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I suggest you end it right now.

Game, sir? She knew she was pushing it, but she was ticked off with him for making something as simple as introducing her to his family so difficult. For making her feel unacceptable, like she meant nothing to him, not even enough to let her meet his family even though she was the mother-to-be of his child. I don’t know what you mean.

"Sabrina. Yeah, he was angry and getting angrier if the audible grind to his teeth was any indication. Get your things; you’re coming home with me."

In an effort to avoid making a scene, she kept her voice hushed. No.

He narrowed those amazing eyes. What did you say?

"I said no, Matt, I’m not ready to return to the UK. I’ve hardly had any time to get to know your parents or your sister and I’m not leaving until I have."

That muscle ticked in his jaw, warning her he was barely holding onto his temper. Did you tell them who you are?

What if I did? She hadn’t. As far as anyone knew she was Sabrina Newton, a back-packing tourist working her way around Europe. She’d often wondered how his parents would react if she’d introduced herself by her married name instead of her maiden name. She was sure they’d welcome her more warmly if they knew she was Sabrina Newton-Giordano, wife to Matteo and soon-to-be mother of their first grandchild. But she hadn’t told them who she really was for the simple fact she believed it was Matt’s job to introduce his wife to his family. Yet she still needed to get to know them—even if as a tourist passing through.

Remorse twisted her insides each time she lied to the Giordanos and she couldn’t wait for the day when she was free to be honest with them. She’d hoped Matt would see sense and do the honours but the look on his face and the prickly vibes coming off him told her she very well might have underestimated the whole situation. Which wasn’t hard to do since she really had no clue why Matt refused to speak about his family. She didn’t even know whether he was in contact with them. She certainly hadn’t gotten that impression these last few days. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones flooding her system, but she’d never felt more defiant.

Would you finally introduce me as your wife? Or are you too ashamed of me to admit to your sweet mamma you married a common English girl? Up until she’d arrived in Sicily, she hadn’t considered that Matt’s reluctance to introduce her to his family might stem from a desire to save his parents the distress of finding out he’d married outside of their wishes. It shouldn’t hurt, but it did. Since landing on the Giordanos’ doorstep and wangling a job as a waitress in their pizzeria, she’d discovered the Giordanos had an only son who they were hoping would one day return home to Sicily