Bought For The Marriage Bed

‘You surely don’t expect me to agree to such a double standard?’ she asked. ‘What am I supposed to get out of this arrangement?’

‘You get to keep your child, with a rich husband thrown in as a bonus.’

She let out her breath in a whoosh of feminist outrage. ‘I thought men like you died along with the dinosaurs. Seems I was wrong. So, how are things on Planet Chauvinism these days?’

‘I am not by nature a chauvinist but I am sure it will do you good to be celibate for a while to concentrate on your responsibilities as a mother.’

Ironic laughter bubbled to her lips before she could stop it. Unlike her sister, who had lost her virginity at the age of fourteen, Nina was technically still a virgin. Technically because she firmly believed every modern woman had the right to explore her own body and find out how things worked, although she still wondered what all the fuss was about. The earth hadn’t exactly moved and she’d more or less given up on herself, deciding she was one of those women with unusually low sex-drives. But on principle she wasn’t going to let him have things all his way. He already thought her the biggest tart outside of the red-light district and a perverse little part of her was enjoying every dangerous minute of encouraging him to maintain that view.

‘You find the prospect of being responsible amusing?’ His tone dripped with contempt.

She coiled a strand of her long hair around one finger, hoping he wouldn’t notice her chewed nail as she affected another seductive pose.

‘You’re a laugh a minute, Mr Marcello,’ she said. ‘All this talk of being celibate is hilarious. I haven’t been celibate for ten years and I’m not about to start for you or anyone.’

Anger briefly flashed across his features as he looked down at her. Nina saw his hands tighten into fists as if he didn’t trust himself not to reach out and touch her.

A flicker of sensation unexpectedly erupted between her thighs at the mere thought of any part of his tall hard body touching her. She began to imagine what that firm disapproving mouth would feel like crushed to hers, his tongue searching arrogantly to duel with hers. She felt her breasts start to tingle and, almost without realising she was doing it, her tongue came out just a fraction to sweep over the surface of her lips.

Marc felt the sharp tug of sudden errant desire hit him in the belly like a closed fist punch. He struggled to control it, annoyed with himself for being tempted when he’d been so assured that he would be able to resist her, but something about her struck at him deeply. She positively oozed with sexual confidence, the smoky grey of her eyes and full-lipped mouth making his skin lift in anticipation of feeling her touch.

He decided to strike a deal with her even though he had cause to wonder if he was shooting himself in the foot in the process.

‘Since you seem unwilling to agree to my terms, I am willing to make a small compromise,’ he announced. ‘For the period of one month following our marriage we will both remain celibate; how about that?’

She pursed her lips as if considering it. ‘One month? Hmm…I think I could just about manage that.’

His jaw tightened and she gave him another sexy smile. ‘But no longer or I’ll go out of my mind. But then, from what I hear of you—’ she ran her eyes over him from head to foot as if undressing him thread by thread ‘—maybe you will too.’

‘I think I will manage to contain myself,’ he responded coolly.

‘I take it you don’t have a current mistress?’ She sent him a lash-fluttering glance.

‘I am not currently close to anyone.’

Nina couldn’t help wondering how good he might be when he was close. He was the whole knee-trembling spine-loosening package, even though it irked her to admit it. He was handsome beyond belief, his dark mesmerizing eyes promising explosive passion from within their glittering depths. His mouth was currently stretched into a hardened line of derision but she was in no doubt of its power to persuade if he allowed himself a moment of weakness and brought his head down to hers.

The pram near the window suddenly gave a squeak of protest as Georgia shifted in her sleep.

Marc swung his gaze to the pram before turning back to face Nina, his voice low and deep with concern. ‘Is she all right?’

Sending him a now-see-what-you’ve-done look, Nina went over to soothe her. The mewing cries stopped as soon as her hand stroked Georgia’s tiny legs, the gentle rhythmic movements sending the infant back to sleep within a couple of minutes.

Nina was intensely aware of the watchful gaze of Marc Marcello a short distance away. She could almost sense his cool assessment of her, no doubt weighing up her skills as a mother.

Once she was sure the baby was soundly asleep she turned and faced him, her grey eyes meeting his with as much equanimity as she could.

‘You said earlier you intended to marry within two weeks. Why the hurry?’

‘My father is terminally ill. He wishes to see his only grandchild before he dies. There is not much time.’

‘A fortnight isn’t very long.’ She gave her bottom lip a surreptitious nibble.

‘I will see to all the details. You do not have to do anything but turn up at the registry office.’

Nina knew it was pathetic of her to be feeling disappointed, but if by some quirk of fate she had to go through with this, her lifelong dream of a beautiful white wedding in a city cathedral was going to have to be shelved indefinitely.

‘But what about a dress?’ she asked, trying not to think of Marc Marcello’s motives for marrying her.

‘I have no real interest in what sort of outfit you wear,’ he said. ‘However, I do think it would be highly inappropriate of you to wear white.’ His eyes flicked to the pram and back again. ‘Don’t you?’

She held his gaze for as long as she dared. ‘I happen to like wearing white. It suits my colouring.’

Marc was certain she’d still look stunning even if she was covered from head to foot in a nun’s habit. Her come-to-bed eyes had tugged far too many men into their seductive orbit and he had to make sure he didn’t join their number.

‘Wear what you like; the ceremony will be over within minutes anyway. I will make an appointment with my lawyer to draw up the necessary paperwork.’ He made a move towards the door, slanting a warning look her way. ‘I should remind you at this point that if you wish to pull out of the deal I will have no choice but to activate proceedings to remove Georgia permanently from your custody. And do not think I cannot do it, for I assure you I can and will if I need to.’

Nina wished she could throw his threat back at him but the thought of losing her niece was just too wrenching. She knew he only had to see those fading but still present bruises on Georgia’s tiny chest for the fight to be over right here and now.

She only hoped that maybe in time Marc would see how much she too loved the baby and wanted the best for her. But what would he do if or when he found out the truth?

‘I won’t pull out of the deal,’ she said, wishing her voice hadn’t sounded quite so hollow.

‘No, I imagine not.’ His eyes held hers with a caution reflected in their glittering depths ‘I will, of course, be providing you with an allowance for the duration of our marriage.’

Nina instantly stiffened, but for some reason couldn’t find her voice.

‘What will you do with all that money to spend, I wonder?’ he mused insultingly.

She gave him one of her sister’s casual shrugs. ‘Shop and shop and shop, probably.’

Marc’s lip curled distastefully. ‘You are a complete and utter sybarite. Have you ever done a decent day’s work in your life?’

‘Work?’ She wrinkled her nose in repugnance. ‘Why work when you can have fun instead?’

‘I must be out of my mind,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘You sicken me. I can hardly believe you lured my brother away from Daniela. She postponed the wedding because of you. If you hadn’t come along when you did, Andre—’

‘How typical to blame the woman in the middle,’ she shot back furiously on her sister’s behalf. ‘He didn’t have to sleep with me; he could always have said no.’

‘You hounded him for months,’ he tossed back. ‘He told me how determined you were, how it became impossible to keep you at arm’s length.’

‘I think I can safely say he enjoyed it while it lasted. And I bet you would too. I can guarantee it.’

‘Sorry to disappoint you, but that will not be happening. You know the score and if you put one foot out of place I will use all the weapons at my disposal.’

Nina could well believe it. He quite possibly had cards up his sleeve that could prove to be a little too tactical for her liking. She had two weeks to think of a way out and she was going to do her best to find one, for it was becoming increasingly clear she was seriously outmatched in her opponent.

‘Will any of your relatives be attending the ceremony?’ she asked in an effort to hide her disquiet.