His Wedding-Night Heir Read Online Free PDF Page B

said sardonically.
    'Deciding what to do about it was trickier." He paused. ' There
    was a lime, you see, when I thought you might come back.
    That you might find living with me marginally preferable to
    slaving away in various greasy spoons.' The grey eyes met
    hers. 'But you never did.'
    'No,' she said. 'Because I thought I was free. It never occurred
    to me that I was simply on the end of a long rope."
    There was a silence then he said, 'What made you come here?'
    She shrugged. 'It's the same as any other place. Audit
    seemed—anonymous.'
    He said drily, 'It's about to undergo a revival. Someone's
    decided the town has commuter possibilities. Hence Guoners
    Wharf.'
    'And hence your presence here, too.' Her voice was taut.
    'It seemed too good an opportunity lo miss,' he said slowly,
    and she knew he was not referring to the development . Or not
    solely. And felt her heartbeat falter in panic.
    She said hurriedly, 'Eastern Crest—is that a new acquisition? I
    didn't recognise the name...'
    'Well, darling,' he drawled, 'you haven't been around much,
    keeping up. And without you to divert my attention I've had
    more time to devote to acquisitions and mergers.' He paused.
    'And if you'd recognised the name, you'd have done—what?'
    There was another silence, then she said wearily, 'I don't
    know. Running and trying to hide has clearly been futile. And
    I suppose we needed to meet eventually, to discuss what to do
    about the divorce. But why at this particular time?’
    'I was told you were seeing someone,' Nick said
    expressionlessly. 'So it seemed an opportune moment to
    intervene. Your colleague, Mr Matlock, appeared upset to
    hear you were married,' he added pensively. 'I do hope,
    darling, you haven't been making promises you're not entitled
    to keep.'
    'I'm "seeing" no one,' Cally said through gritted teeth. 'And
    Kit has no reason to feel aggrieved. So you could have easily
    saved yourself the inconvenience.'
    'Yet, as you say, we needed to meet—to talk about the future.
    So this became the time—
    and the place.' His smile was brief and without warmth. 'And
    apart from the implicit defiance in your voice and body
    language, you've hardly changed at all, my love.'
    'Perhaps the defiance was always there,' she said. 'But you
    didn't notice.'
    'I noticed a hell of a lot,' he said quietly. 'And I was prepared
    to make allowances. Only you never gave me that chance.
    You preferred to bolt as if I was some kind of mad axe
    murderer.'
    'No,' she said. 'Nothing so dramatic. Simply because I wasn't
    going to live my life on your terms.'
    His brows lifted. 'Did I impose any conditions? I can't recall
    them.'
    'You made me become your wife,' she said, her throat
    tightening. 'That involves—obligations.'
    'Ah,' he said softly. 'In plain words, you didn't want to sleep
    with me.' He gave her a meditative look. 'Admitted! We didn't
    have a conventional courtship, but you never gave the
    impression at the time that you found me particularly
    repulsive.'
    Cally bil her lip. 'Well, you know now.'
    'In fact,' Nick went on, as if she hadn't spoken, 'mere were
    moments when the indications seemed distinctly favorable. Or
    did I imagine that?'
    No, thought Cally, a tide of unwilling colour rising in her
    face. You didn't imagine it—damn you.
    She said stiffly, 'You'd naturally prefer to think so, of course.
    You wouldn't want a dent in that irresistible image of yours.'
    'If I'd ever been conceited enough to entertain such a notion,'
    he returned icily, 'you'd have shattered it for ever when you
    ran away.'
    'But I'm sure you've had consolation,' she flung at him, and
    could have bitten out her tongue. She had not meant o say
    that.
    'Why, darling—' Nick's tone changed to mockery '— did you
    really expect me to soothe my wounded feelings by staying
    celibate?'
    'And do you really expect me to care—one way or the other?'
    As long as I'm not there to see it...
    The thought flashed, unbidden, and was instantly suppressed.
    Even