Tall, Dark... Collection

Even now, feeling angry and trapped, Bella was still totally aware of Gabriel in the black shirt and faded jeans. Clearly remembered pushing that shirt from his shoulders earlier so that she might touch the warm, muscled flesh beneath it. Unfortunately, she remembered even more distinctly the way that Gabriel had touched her…

She would not, could not allow her emotions, her life, to be ruled by the desire Gabriel made her feel!

She straightened her shoulders. ‘Without your agreement to that last condition I couldn’t even contemplate the idea of the two of us marrying each other.’

Gabriel looked at her from under hooded lids, knowing by the steadiness of Bella’s gaze, the sheer determination in her expression, that she thought she meant every word she was saying, at least. Considering their response to each other in his study earlier today, Gabriel found that very hard to believe. Or accept.

Bella had come alive in his arms. Wildly. Fiercely. Demandingly. How could she possibly imagine they could live together, day after day—night after night!—and not take that lovemaking to its inevitable conclusion?

His mouth tightened. ‘You wish for Toby to be an only child?’

She shrugged. ‘He was going to be that, anyway.’

Gabriel studied her closely. ‘You are a beautiful woman, Isabella; if we had not met again you would no doubt have married one day and had other children.’

‘No,’ she answered flatly. ‘I decided long ago that I would never subject Toby to a stepfather who may or may not have accepted him as his own,’ she explained simply as Gabriel frowned at her.

The mere thought of Toby or Bella ever belonging to another man filled Gabriel with uncontrollable fury. Toby was his. Bella was his!

His hands clenched at his sides. ‘I agree to your last condition, Bella—’

‘I thought that you would,’ she dryly echoed his earlier comment.

‘Like you, Bella, I have not finished,’ Gabriel replied. ‘I agree to your last condition on the basis that it can be nullified, by you, at any time.’

Bella eyed him warily. ‘What exactly does that mean?’

His smile was mocking. ‘It means that I reserve the right to—persuade you, shall we say, into changing your mind.’

Bella had no doubt that what Gabriel meant by that remark was that he reserved the right to try and seduce her into changing her mind any time he felt like it!

Would she be able to resist him? Living with Gabriel twenty-four hours a day, every day, would she be able to withstand a Gabriel bent on seduction?

Did she have any real choice other than to try?

‘You took me by surprise earlier, Gabriel,’ she stated bravely. ‘In future I will be on my guard against—well, against any attempt on your part to renew such attentions!’

She sounded so serious, so firm in her resolve, Gabriel acknowledged with a grudging admiration. ‘I will allow no other men in your life, Isabella,’ he warned her seriously.

‘And will that rule apply to you, too?’ she snapped.

Gabriel eyed her mockingly. ‘My own tastes do not run in that particular direction—’

‘You know very well what I meant!’ She glared her exasperation.

He shrugged. ‘There will be no other women in my bed but you, Isabella,’ he taunted.

‘I’m not going to be in your bed, either, Gabriel!’

Bella did not believe she was going to be in his bed, which, as far as Gabriel was concerned, was a totally different matter. ‘You have named your own conditions for our marriage, Isabella,’ he rasped. ‘Now I wish to tell you mine.’

Her eyes widened. ‘You have conditions, too?’

‘But of course.’His mouth quirked. ‘You did not think that I would allow you to have everything your own way?’

‘Forcing me into marrying you is hardly that!’ she scorned.

Gabriel gave another shrug. ‘You have a choice, Isabella.’

‘Not a viable one!’

‘No,’ he acknowledged simply. ‘But it is, nevertheless, still a choice.’

Bella sighed her frustration, just wanting this conversation over and done with now. She was tired, both emotionally and physically, and she needed time and space alone now in which to sit and lick her wounds. While she came to terms with the idea of marrying Gabriel Danti!

How different it would have been if this had happened five years ago. How different Bella would have felt if their night together had been the start of something that had eventually resulted in Gabriel asking her to marry him. She had been so infatuated with him then, so totally seduced by Gabriel’s lovemaking, that Bella had absolutely no doubts she would have said yes.

Instead, what they were now proposing was nothing more than a business transaction. A marriage of convenience because both of them wished to ensure that Toby’s life, at least, continued in happiness and harmony.

‘What’s your condition, Gabriel?’ she asked.

He didn’t answer her immediately, but instead walked slowly towards her, only coming to a halt when he stood mere inches away from her.

Bella eyed him warily, her nails digging into the palms of her hands as she knew herself to be totally aware of the warmth of Gabriel’s body, the clean male smell of him, the golden lights that now danced in the warm darkness of his eyes as he looked down at her.

‘What do you want?’ she snapped apprehensively, to which he gave a slow, seductive smile. A smile Bella took exception to. ‘I was referring to your condition, Gabriel,’ she added hastily.

‘My condition at this moment is one of—’

‘Your verbal condition to our marriage!’ Bella could see for herself, by the languorous desire burning in that dark gaze as it roamed slowly over the firm thrust of her breasts, and the hard stirring of his body, exactly what Gabriel’s physical condition was!

‘Ah. Yes. My verbal condition, Isabella,’ he murmured, ‘is that, in order to ensure the continued harmony of both your own family and mine, I suggest it would be better if they were all to believe that our marriage is a love match.’

Bella gasped in disbelief. ‘You want me to pretend to be in love with you?’

‘Only in public,’ he qualified.

She glared at him. ‘And in private?’

‘Oh, simply in lust will do for the moment,’ he said softly.

Bella’s gaze narrowed. ‘You arrogant son-of-a—’

‘Insulting my mother will achieve nothing except to annoy me intensely, Isabella,’ he warned her.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she came back sarcastically. ‘My intention was to insult you, not your mother!’

Gabriel was aroused, not insulted. Marriage to Isabella promised to be a feast for the senses—all of them!