Читать книгу Greek Affairs - Кейт Хьюит - Страница 30
CHAPTER NINE
ОглавлениеTHE first thing Katie saw when she opened her eyes that morning was her engagement ring. It sparkled brightly in the early-morning sun, turning fire-gold and blue as she moved her hand.
It was her wedding day—she was going to marry Alexander Demetri! The knowledge crackled inside her with all the force of an electrical current. It was all happening too fast. The confirmation of her pregnancy, and now this. She felt confused, as if she were in the middle of some roller-coaster ride that twisted and turned until she was completely disorientated. All she was waiting for now was its final downward, cataclysmic spin.
But maybe that wouldn’t happen, she told herself as she threw the covers of the bed back and got up. She couldn’t go through with today if she didn’t ultimately believe that things were going to work out.
Late last night as she’d climbed into bed she had phoned her sister to tell her the news. Lucy had been dumbstruck for a few moments.
‘Just because you are pregnant it doesn’t mean you have to get married!’ she’d spluttered. ‘I know our childhood was the pits, but you can’t let the past cloud your judgement for the future.’
‘Lucy, I’m being practical,’ she had told her sister calmly. ‘Bringing up a child alone will be difficult—for one thing my financial situation isn’t great; I’m still paying a huge mortgage on my flat. And Alexi is more or less demanding that we should get married. He wants this child. And he is a very powerful, influential man.’
‘You mean he is blackmailing you into marriage!’
Katie thought about that now for a moment as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Then she looked about her. In the corner was a new suitcase filled with everything she would need for a few days in Greece. Hanging inside the wardrobe was a selection of new suits for her to choose from for the wedding ceremony.
Everything had been waiting for her when she had returned down here last night. Including the nightgown she was now wearing.
She didn’t feel blackmailed, she felt as if she had been purchased, she thought wryly. As if Alexi was treating her like some concubine who was to be kept for his pleasure. Everything felt out of her hands … out of her control.
Alexi always got what he wanted, and he wanted her. But only because of the baby. Those were the facts.
It wasn’t too late to change her mind; the thought stole, unwelcome, into her head.
But the trouble was that she didn’t want to change her mind. She wanted to marry Alexi because she loved him.
She’d admitted as much to her sister before they had gone much further in the conversation last night, and Lucy had immediately relaxed.
‘Why didn’t you say so? That’s different!’
She hadn’t told her sister however that the feelings weren’t reciprocated, that Alexi just wanted his baby. The truth had been too painful to disclose even to a person as dear to her and close to her as Lucy.
She had her pride.
She felt sick suddenly and had to rush towards the en suite bathroom.
Wedding-day nerves or morning sickness? she wondered.
Was she doing the right thing?
That question had kept her awake for most of the night, and it was still zinging around inside her as she showered and then studied the clothes that had been sent down for her. The suits were all very stylish, plain, cream designer creations.
She settled on the first one she tried on because she honestly didn’t have the energy for any more decision-making. It looked good on her anyway; the jacket had a cute design with a heart-shaped neckline, and it was teamed with a straight shift-dress that flattered her shapely figure. It was formal yet low key, which seemed to be in keeping with the situation.
Someone knocked on the door just as she was putting the finishing touches to her hair and make-up, and immediately her nerves swirled in panic in case it was Alexi. It was still early! Hastily she checked the security monitor, but it was just a florist delivering a bouquet.
They were beautiful flowers, pink roses and orchids swirled in a hand-tied design. As she closed the door again she read the accompanying card:
Thought you should have some flowers to accompany you down the aisle. See you at three.
Alexi.
He couldn’t even write a lie on his card, she thought dryly, couldn’t even write the words ‘love, Alexi’.
Not that it mattered, she told herself firmly. It was better this way, better that he should be honest. She took a deep breath of the flower’s sweet perfume, trying to calm her nerves.
There was another knock at the door and she swung it open, expecting it to be some other delivery person. But this time it was Alexi who stood outside. He looked intensely and almost broodingly handsome in a dark formal suit, so much so that she could feel her system going into meltdown as soon as their eyes connected.
‘You’re early!’ she said huskily. ‘Your card said three! Are you checking up on me in case I become the runaway bride?’ She tried to make a joke, but her voice didn’t sound entirely steady.
‘Is that how you feel?’
She shrugged. ‘I feel like I’m in a bit of a daze, to be honest. It’s all happening too fast.’
His lips twisted into an attractive half-smile. ‘If it helps, I feel a bit like that, too.’
‘Is that why we are doing this so fast? In case you are tempted to change your mind?’ She frowned as the sudden thought struck her.
‘I’m not going to change my mind, Katie,’ he told her solemnly.
She felt a prickle of awareness as his eyes slowly swept over her appearance. ‘We’re doing this so fast because of the baby … and because we need time to be together and to adjust to living together before our child comes along.’
He made it all sound so practical, except for the way he was looking at her, as if he were slowly undressing her with his eyes.
‘You look lovely, by the way,’ he told her as their eyes connected again.
‘Thanks.’ She felt shy for a moment … shy and awkward.
‘So, are you going to let me come in?’ He asked with a smile. ‘Or are we going to stand out here in the corridor discussing our life?’
‘Sorry.’ She stepped back and allowed him to enter.
‘There is some paperwork you need to sign before we proceed,’ he said casually as he walked past her, and she noticed for the first time that he was carrying a folder.
‘I thought that the paperwork was signed after the ceremony,’ she said cautiously as she watched him spread the papers out on the table.
‘It’s just a standard prenuptial agreement,’ he told her nonchalantly. ‘Nothing heavy.’
She stared at him, her heart thundering uneasily against her chest. ‘I see.’
‘Don’t look at me like that, Katie. Obviously we have to have a prenuptial. It’s a prerequisite for company lawyers to protect the business.’
‘And the business has to come first.’ She tried to keep her voice flippant, but she was really hurting inside now. He couldn’t have reinforced the cool pragmatism of this marriage any better if he’d taken out a notice in the trading index of the Financial Times.
‘It’s an unavoidable practicality.’
‘Of course.’ She tried very hard to sound as if she didn’t care.
‘So, are you going to sign on the bottom line or not?’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘No.’ He leaned back against the table and crossed his arms. ‘But read it carefully, and if you want something changed we’ll discuss it.’
‘There’s not much time for that, is there?’ She glanced at her watch.
‘It’s a straightforward contract, Katie. With your knowledge of contracts, it will take you ten minutes to read.’
‘And one minute for you to tell me it’s non-negotiable. I’ve seen you in action in the boardroom, don’t forget.’
He smiled at that. ‘We know each other so well.’
When she didn’t say anything to that he reached out and caught hold of her arms to draw her closer. ‘I’m sure you’ll find its terms acceptable.’ His fingers stroked lightly down over her arm. ‘I’m providing you with a more than generous allowance for as long as you remain married to me.’
The gentleness of his caress seemed almost insulting whilst he was talking about finance. Yet to her consternation his touch still made her come alive with a need she didn’t want, with a desire she was desperate to curb.
‘So it’s a kind of payment for services rendered, you mean?’ She slanted her chin up defiantly, but inside her emotions were fragmenting with the knowledge of what those services were.
‘Now who’s being cynical?’ He raised one eyebrow.
‘But it’s true, isn’t it?’
‘If that’s how you want to look at it.’ His voice was cool. ‘I just think it’s for the best that we get everything sorted out, and then we can get on with our wedding—and with our life together.’
For a moment his gaze lingered on her lips. The look sent a yearning need spiralling through her.
She pulled away from him, furious with herself. ‘Well, I suppose I better read it, then.’
Alexi watched calmly as she flicked through the pages, and his eyes drifted down over her body. Her figure was curvaceously enticing in the tight little suit. He couldn’t wait to get her out of it …
‘Unfortunately we are going to have to leave for the airport almost immediately after the wedding service,’ he murmured. ‘It’s a long flight to Athens, so we will have to have our wedding breakfast on board. But on the plus side we will arrive in Athens at a reasonable time of day.’
‘I don’t know why we are bothering going to Greece anyway,’ she said crisply, trying to sound as businesslike as him. ‘Pretending that we need a romantic honeymoon just seems absurd! We both know that this marriage is just a convenient arrangement, nothing more.’
‘That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves.’ He smiled. ‘It’s only a short break, but I think it’s appropriate somehow that our first few days and nights of love-making as man and wife should be in Greece.’
The words were dangerously tantalising. And she suddenly wondered how she was going to maintain this cool, pragmatic pretence when he finally did take her into his arms to claim her as his wife. The very thought made her burn inside with trepidation. If she wanted to be left with any scrap of pride or dignity, she was going to have to try. So she flicked him a glance from shimmering blue eyes and strove for some dismissive kind of reply. ‘You mean, where better to consummate things than in the hub of your business empire?’
He just smiled at that. ‘Indeed!’
Katie picked up the pen he had left next to the documents and for a few moments she hesitated.
Could she really do this? The question niggled persistently. Could she really pretend that her feelings weren’t involved? That her emotions weren’t in turmoil?
But not being with him was going to be worse, she reminded herself bleakly. And she had a child to consider.
With a shaking hand she signed her name quickly on both pages. ‘There.’ She turned to face him. ‘Now you’ve got what you want.’
‘Not quite, Katie. But nearly,’ he told her, his eyes warm with a promise that made her blood turn to fire.
The roar of the jet increased as the pilot brought the aircraft down from thirty-thousand feet to circle the skies above Athens, ready for landing.
Alexi folded his papers away and looked across towards Katie. She was in the seat opposite, and she had been fast asleep for several hours.
Hardly surprising, he thought. Their time in New York had been eventful to say the least. He found himself remembering the shimmering vulnerability in her blue eyes as he had placed the wedding band on her finger in the chapel.
The wedding service itself had taken about twenty minutes, yet that one moment kept replaying over and over through his mind with an insistent force that was very disconcerting.
He didn’t know why he should keep thinking about it because he had no doubts about this marriage whatsoever. He wanted this child with a fierce certainty, and he believed a child needed both parents. He also fervently wanted Katie in his bed. Marriage was the perfect solution.
He allowed his eyes to move leisurely over her flushed countenance, taking in the soft curve of her lips and the dark, thick eyelashes. She looked so young and beautiful.
Suddenly her eyelashes flickered open and their eyes connected.
‘Afternoon, sleepy head.’ He smiled at her.
For a second she smiled back, a warm, sleepy smile that reminded him of the way she’d looked at him the very first time they had ever made love.
He remembered he’d gone over to her apartment on the pretext of discussing work. But they had both known that the work was secondary to the desire that had been swirling between them in the office all day. One kiss had led to another, and suddenly he had been carrying her through to the bedroom. He’d stayed until the early hours of the morning and even then he hadn’t wanted to leave. He hadn’t been able to get enough of her.
He remembered her telling him how extraordinary she felt when she woke up and found him across the pillow from her. ‘It’s a bit like a dream,’ she’d murmured.
‘An X-certificate dream,’ he’d laughed, and that had made her blush and get annoyed. And then he’d kissed her some more …
‘What time is it?’ she asked now, and he pulled his thoughts away from the provocative memories.
‘Almost two-thirty, Greek time, we’re waiting for clearance from air traffic control to land.’
‘I can’t believe I’ve slept so long!’ She brought the chair back upright.
‘It was a long flight, and you were obviously very tired.’
Katie nodded. Emotionally exhausted was how she felt; otherwise there would have been no way she would have conceded to sleep.
She swallowed hard as the memories of their wedding rushed through her mind. The ceremony had been so fast, and the number of people who had been there had surprised her. All of them had been employees, people who had just wanted to wish them well in their new life together, people who thought they were madly in love and told them that they made a perfect couple.
Katie had been painfully aware that Alexi looked mildly amused by some of the comments, and she had felt completely self-conscious. Especially when Alexi had kissed her at the end of the ceremony and everyone had applauded.
The thought of that kiss made her grow hot all over again; it had been extremely sensual. She had thought, when they’d got on board the company jet to leave, that he would have kissed her again … but he hadn’t. In fact there were staff on board, and they had been served a delightful meal sitting at a table laid with the finest silverware.
It all felt somehow bizarre.
‘You’ve been doing some work,’ she noticed now as she looked across at the papers strewn out in front of him.
‘Yes, I thought I would get it out of the way and then we can relax for the next couple of days and nights.’
The words flicked through her mind with disconcerting emphasis.
Alexi watched as she brushed a hand nervously over the cream suit, remembering the shy acquiescence of her kiss at the end of the wedding service.
So far it had taken all his self-control to keep his hands off her.
But he wanted the first time they made love as man and wife to be in Greece, for it to be special, leisurely …
‘What’s on the itinerary for the rest of the day?’ she asked suddenly.
As soon as the question left her lips she regretted it as she saw the way his eyes swept over her figure.
‘I’m going to take you home, take you out of that lovely little suit, and, well, just take you … and take you,’ he murmured huskily.
The words made her cheeks glow with bright colour, and he smiled. ‘You blush like a virgin, do you know that,’ he told her teasingly.
‘Well, I’m certainly not a virgin,’ she told him gruffly. ‘In fact anything but, considering my condition.’
‘Ah, yes, how is Junior?’ He smiled.
‘OK. At least not making me feel ill … which is an improvement, considering how I felt first thing before our wedding.’
‘Hopefully he will behave himself for the next few months and allow you to relax.’
Katie didn’t feel like she would ever be able to relax again. Her eyes flicked back to the paperwork open in front of him.
‘I don’t know about that. I have a stack of work to get through in the next few months. I should be doing some now, too.’
Alexi laughed. ‘It’s OK, you’re with the boss, you can play hooky with impunity—at least for the next few days.’
She smiled.
‘And if you are not up to continuing with your work, Katie, you only need to say. I’ll find someone else to take over from you.’
‘Of course I’m up to it!’ She looked at him in consternation. She needed to keep busy … and she needed to keep her independence. ‘And I intend to keep working even after our baby is born,’ she told him firmly.
Alexi shrugged. ‘That’s up to you,’ he said. ‘But there is no need, I assure you.’
‘Well, I think there is.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘I think there is every need for me to be completely independent from you financially. I don’t even want that allowance you have drawn up for me—I don’t want anything from you.’
He raised an eyebrow at that.
‘I mean it, Alexi.’ Her voice shook slightly. ‘I don’t want your charity.’
‘Charity?’ He frowned. ‘Katie, you’re my wife and the mother of my child,’ he told her softly. ‘Charity doesn’t come into this. I want you to be well taken care of.’
‘I can take care of myself!’ she maintained stiffly.
For a moment Alexi watched her, puzzled by the fierceness of her stance. Now he came to think about it, her attitude had always been one of very determined self-reliance. He’d admired her for it in the past, but now he started to wonder at its root cause. What was behind that vulnerable need to be completely in control of her life?
‘As your husband I want to protect you, Katie. And I can afford to keep you,’ he added teasingly.
‘No need—but thanks.’ Her smile was over-bright for a moment. Yes, he wanted to protect her and care for her now, because she was carrying his child, but what happened if the pregnancy went wrong—if she lost the baby? The idea swirled suddenly in her mind. It was very early days, anything could happen! And if she did lose the baby would he suddenly be suggesting a quickie divorce? She wouldn’t be surprised.
All the more reason to remain as independent and as emotionally strong as she could, she told herself firmly.
Silence fell between them, and Katie glanced out of the window. The sky was a clear cobalt-blue, and below she could see the glitter of the sea and the gentle curve of the Greek coastline. It looked like a gloriously hot day.
She wondered if Alexi would be taking her to his apartment in Athens. He’d told her about it, but she had never visited. Her one and only trip to Athens had been strictly work-related. Although he had taken her out to lunch, she’d spent most of the time with him at the offices and then she had jetted straight back to London alone because Alexi had been going to visit one of his younger sisters who’d just had a baby.
Katie remembered that she’d told herself at the time that she hadn’t wanted to accompany him, hadn’t wanted to meet his family. But deep down she admitted now that she had been disappointed he hadn’t extended an invitation.
The memory made a curl of hurt stir somewhere deep inside.
The pilot’s voice interrupted her thoughts. ‘We have clearance for landing, Mr Demetri. Ten minutes.’
She would have to stop thinking about the past. OK, Alexi hadn’t thought enough of her to introduce her to his family, but now she was his family!
It was the future that mattered, not the past … and maybe one day Alexi would grow to love her.
As she looked across at him that hope shimmered inside. It was the only thing keeping her positive. ‘So, where are we going to stay whilst we are here?’
‘I own a house out near my parents’ place. I thought we would spend our few days there.’
‘Fine.’ She shrugged.
‘It’s been sitting empty for a while, but I rallied some cleaning staff, and it should be aired for us.’
The engine noises were accelerating again, and Katie could feel a weightless sensation in the pit of her stomach as the plane started to descend, and she started to think again about the night ahead.