A Marriage On Paper

“Marry me, Alli, and I’ll make you happy.

“We’ll have good sex, lots of money and even more babies, if you want!”

She laughed through a shimmer of tears. “What a proposal! You’re crazy, Dexter.”

“Can I take that as a yes?” He pulled away to look at her. The car was in darkness, and all he could see was the vivid glitter of her blue eyes.

“I think you can,” she admitted softly.

Who was she kidding? she wondered with a bittersweet satire. The answer had always been yes. She had just been hoping… Her breathing faltered; her mind clouded. She had just been hoping for the impossible…that Dex would say he loved her. But she supposed numbly that you couldn’t have everything….

KATHRYN ROSS was born in Zambia, where her parents happened to live at that time. Educated in Ireland and England, she now lives in a village near Blackpool, Lancashire. Kathryn is a professional beauty therapist, but writing is her first love. As a child she wrote adventure stories, and at thirteen was editor of her school magazine. Happily, ten writing years later, Designed with Love was accepted by Harlequin Mills & Boon®. A romantic Sagittarian, she loves traveling to exotic locations.

A Marriage on Paper

Kathryn Ross

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CONTENTS

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

CHAPTER ONE

HOW was she going to tell him? The question which had wrecked Alicia’s sleep for several nights still nagged as she answered the phone.

‘Dexter Computer Software,’ she said automatically. ‘Good morning, how may I help?’

‘Hi, Alicia, it’s Maddie McDowell here. Put me through to Dex, will you?’

The autocratic crisp tones made Alicia smile. That woman acted as if she owned this business, she thought wryly, but she admired her cool confidence. ‘I’ll just see if he’s available,’ she said in equally crisp tones, before flicking the switch through to the inner office.

‘Dex, Maddie is on line one. Have you time to speak to her?’

‘Of course. Put her through,’ was the immediate response. The deep, sexy drawl of her boss’s voice brought a shiver to her spine. Hell! she thought as she connected the call. Even the sound of Dex Rowland’s voice could turn her on.

She glared at the phone on her desk, as if it was responsible for the emotional turmoil eating her up.

It was a long phone call; the red light seemed to be on for ever. Or maybe it was just that time seemed to be dragging this morning.

She glanced at the clock above Dex’s door. It was nearly lunchtime. She would wait until he had finished this call, then go in and speak to him. This couldn’t be put off any longer.

The light on the telephone went out. This was her chance. She didn’t move. Apprehension wouldn’t let her. Maybe this was too important to blurt out in the office, she thought frantically. She’d have to find a better time.

‘Alicia, can you come in here for a moment, please?’ Dex’s voice echoing through the intercom made her jump.

Running a smoothing hand down over her simple blue shift dress, she stood up and moved towards the door.

‘Hey, great news!’ Dex grinned at her. He was leaning back in his leather chair, his hands behind his head, looking relaxed and happy.

Alicia could only look at him and think how attractive he was. Every time she met those dark eyes she felt as if he stole a little bit more of her heart. It was insidious, it was extreme, but it happened each time he looked at her.

He was twenty-seven, and he had the kind of regular, handsome good looks usually found on the movie screen. Dark hair, neatly cut, a face that was strong, a physique that always made women take a second look. Yet somehow he seemed unaware of the power his looks had over the opposite sex; his mind was usually preoccupied with his work.

Did he have any idea just how much she loved him? she wondered, with a twist of her heart.

‘Maddie loved my designs.’

‘Of course she did,’ Alicia said with a smile. ‘You’re a genius. One day you’re going to design a computer program that will make you wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.’

Dex regarded her steadily for a moment. ‘I love it when you talk dirty, Alicia Scott,’ he drawled with lazy humour. ‘Tell me some more.’

‘Well…’ She put her hands on his leather-topped desk and leaned slightly forward, warming to her theme.

He watched her absently for a moment. Her long blonde hair was drawn back from her face in a ponytail, and she wore no make-up, yet her skin was perfectly clear and fresh, her lips peachy soft, her long lashes naturally dark.

For all that, she wasn’t what you would call beautiful in the conventional sense of the word. She was more striking. Back home in America they would have described her as ‘preppy’, because she certainly had class. There was something about her that captured attention and held it. Perhaps it was the large blue eyes, the high cheekbones…or maybe it was just that she was tall and had a fabulous body which she held ramrod straight.

‘Henry Banks and George Mitton are hungry to sign you up…the letters are in your in-tray. Their esteem for your talent is very evident in the fact that they’ve both rung twice this morning, wanting to know when you’ll get back to them.’

Dex grinned. ‘Changed days, eh?’

‘Certainly are.’ There had been a time, not so long ago, when the prestigious firms belonging to Mitton and Banks would have asked, Dex who? Now they were sitting up and paying respectful attention. It was all very promising.

She leaned even further across towards him. ‘So, who are you going to choose?’

‘Neither.’ His eyes moved to the round neck of her dress. He could just see the creamy lace of her bra. It distracted him. ‘Madeline McDowell has come up with the most interesting offer.’

‘Really?’ She straightened. This knowledge disturbed her. Why, she had no idea. This was business…this was Dex’s world and he excelled in it. She merely took letters and phone calls and organised his office with brisk efficiency. That was it.

‘Do you want me to draft a letter to Mitton and Banks? Politely turn down their offers but keep your options open?’

‘Nope.’ His eyes moved to the buttons at the top of her dress. He reached out and caught her small wrist in his large hand. ‘That’s not what I want at all.’

She could hear the sexy innuendo in his voice very clearly as his thumb stroked the soft skin on the underside of her wrist. It was the only contact with her body, and yet she felt as if her whole body suddenly caught fire.

‘So, what do you want?’ Her voice was shyly hesitant, not at all steady.

He tugged at her hand, compelling her to walk around his desk. At the same time he pushed his chair backwards.

‘I think you know,’ he murmured.

‘This isn’t appropriate behaviour for the office.’ She tried to sound disapproving, but she made no effort to desist when he pulled her down on to his knee.

‘I know,’ he admitted huskily. ‘But I’ve told you before not to come to work looking so damned sexy. You’re a distraction.’

She looked down at the pale blue shift dress she wore. It wasn’t remotely sexy. It stopped at a sensible length, just above her knee, and it skimmed her figure in a way that wasn’t even slightly revealing. ‘I’m not a distraction at all.’

‘Aren’t you?’ He trailed one finger down the side of her face. The effect was so devastatingly sensual that she felt her body starting to respond to him in a very strong manner.

His finger trailed down her neck and traced the neckline of her dress. It created little shivers of sensation inside her that were deliciously tormenting. ‘Then it must be the heady mention of success. That will turn me on every time.’

‘I’ll have to remember that,’ she murmured huskily, and reached to kiss him.

At first her lips were gentle, uncertain, then he took control and the kiss deepened, became fevered with desire. Her fingers raked through the dark thickness of his hair as she pressed herself closer.

She felt him unbuttoning her dress, felt the cool caress of his fingers against her heated flesh. His hand closed over the rounded peak of her breast, brushed it with masterful, erotic strokes until she felt hard darts of wanton passion taking her over completely.

The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted them. ‘Damn!’ He broke away from her.

She wanted to tell him to leave it. She wanted him to just continue kissing her, caressing her. Wanted everything else to go away.

Their eyes met. ‘I…I can’t answer it,’ she said unsteadily. Her breathing was uneven, her mind chaotic.

He reached out and picked up the receiver from the desk in front.

‘Dex speaking.’ His voice was crisp, businesslike. Alicia found herself marvelling at his composure. No one could have guessed that two seconds ago he had been as out of control as her. Or had he? She frowned.

‘What this afternoon?’ he asked, sounding very alert.

His other hand left the rosy, aching hardness of her breast to reach for his desk diary. ‘Well, I had a lunch appointment, but it’s nothing I can’t reschedule for later,’ he murmured. ‘OK, see you then.’

Alicia started to straighten her clothing. She was buttoning up her dress as he put the phone down.

‘Sorry, Alli.’

‘That’s OK.’

‘That was Maddie. She’s set up a lunchtime meeting with a banker friend of hers.’

Alicia’s eyebrow’s rose. ‘She works fast!’

‘Yes, she’s quite a woman.’

The admiration and respect in Dex’s voice caused a stir of jealousy to rise inside Alicia. She didn’t like the feeling at all and she tried to squash it. ‘Just as long as you remember that I’m the woman you’re having the affair with,’ she reminded him with a smile, her voice light.

‘There’s no chance of my forgetting that,’ he murmured warmly. His hand went to her breast. ‘You’ve covered yourself up,’ he admonished sternly, rubbing gently over the silkiness of her dress. He smiled with satisfaction as he felt her body hardening instantly beneath his touch. ‘How about finishing what we’ve started here later on tonight?’ he suggested gently.

‘I think that’s a wonderful idea.’ Immediately she felt better. ‘You know it’s our anniversary tonight?’

He looked at her in puzzlement.

‘Twelve months since you head-hunted me from MacDales.’ She grinned. ‘Surely you hadn’t forgotten?’

He laughed. ‘Sorry, I had. But I do recall that I had to wait a full six months before I got the rest of your body.’

He grinned as he noted that he had embarrassed her. He watched the bright flush of colour under her skin. The misty uncertainty in her eyes reminded him of how young she was; just twenty.

‘Trust you to remember that date.’ She straightened his tie with tender attention to detail. ‘Better get back to work,’ she said crisply, and pulled herself away from him.

‘We’ll continue this discussion later.’ He smiled. ‘I’ll come around to your place about eight, all right?’

She nodded.

‘Will you dig last year’s accounts out of the file for me, Alli?’ he asked as she made her way towards the door. ‘I have a feeling I might be needing them soon.’

‘Yes.’ She closed the door behind her and took a deep, shaking breath. What was she going to do…what the hell was she going to do? The question beat inside her. She could have told him when he was kissing her. There was just the two of them here; there couldn’t be a better time. Now she had succeeded in putting it off again.

She went across to the filing cabinets and got out the figures Dex had asked for. Then she sat down and tried to concentrate on her work.

Half an hour later Dex emerged from his office. She noted he had put the jacket of his suit on and had combed his hair neatly back into place. ‘Will I do?’ he asked with a grin as he caught her scrutiny.

‘Very impressive,’ she answered with a laugh. ‘No one would ever guess that I had you all mussed up a little while ago.’

‘Good.’ He went across to the window and looked down towards the street. ‘Maddie’s here. I’d better go.’

‘Good luck.’ She watched as he walked towards the door.

‘Dex?’

He looked around at her a trifle impatiently.

‘You forgot the figures.’ She held the folder out to him.

‘Hell. Thanks, Alli. What would I do without you?’ He took them from her outstretched hand, flashed her a very attractive smile. ‘I probably won’t be back this afternoon. You can knock off early if you want. Just make sure the answer machine is on.’

The door closed behind him. Something made Alicia get up and go across to the window.

Despite the fact that the Australian day was at its hottest, Maddie had the top down on her silver Mercedes. Looking directly down at her, Alicia could just see the top of her dark hair, cut in a silky bob, and the fact that she was wearing a bubble-gum-pink dress that showed a provocative glimpse of the tops of her legs. As she watched Dex emerged from the building and got into the car.

Maddie reached across and kissed him on the cheek. They talked for a minute, then as she swung the car out from the kerb he took his jacket off and tossed it on the back seat.

Alicia leaned her forehead against the glass and watched as they disappeared down the busy road. Dex’s car was parked at the kerb, further down the street. The sight of it brought a smile to her lips. It was no wonder Maddie had picked Dex up; she wouldn’t have liked to be seen in his practical old vehicle. For some reason this made her feel better.

Dex deserved this break. He was the most ambitious man she had ever met, and he had worked extremely hard for success. Had ploughed all profits, all savings into his designs.

She had meant it when she had called him a genius this morning. He was talented and he had a sharp mathematical mind. She was certain that this new computer game he had developed would change his fortunes, open doors for him. And if Maddie held a few keys to those doors then that was great. She was happy for him.

But would he be happy when he discovered that he was going to be a father in a little under seven months’ time?

CHAPTER TWO

THE air-conditioning wasn’t working in the apartment. Alicia had struggled to fix it for the last hour, but to no avail. The heat was making her feel a bit sick.

‘Never mind,’ she said brightly to her sister. ‘Dex will be here soon and he’ll be able to sort it out.’

‘I wish he’d hurry,’ Victoria moaned. ‘I’ve got a load of homework to do, but in this heat all I want to do is fall asleep.’

Alicia glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock. Maybe if she phoned Dex he would come over early. She picked up the phone and dialled his number.

There was no answer from his apartment. Where could he be until now? Surely still not discussing business with Maddie?

‘I’ll get you some iced water,’ she said to her sister as she put the phone down. ‘Maybe that will help.’

Victoria pulled a face. ‘It would be a better help if you knew how to do these formulas.’

‘I’ll have a look, but maths isn’t really my subject.’ Alicia went over to the fridge. The cool air that hit her when she opened the door was a relief. She felt like leaving it open and pulling their chairs over to sit in the open doorway.

The apartment was far too small for the two of them. There were two tiny bedrooms, with a bathroom between, and then this kitchen-cum-living room. That was it, but it was all Alicia could afford. She was supporting Victoria through school, and that took all her extra cash.

She glanced over at her sister as she threw her pencil down on the kitchen table. ‘This is impossible,’ she groaned, raking a hand through her long blonde hair in frustration.

‘It can’t be that difficult.’ Alicia poured their drinks and went to sit next to her. Although there were only three years between them, Alicia acted more like a mother towards Vicky than a sister. It had been that way since Alicia was just nine years of age and their parents had died in a car crash.

From that first night when they had found themselves at Albany House Orphanage she had felt protective and responsible. She had been the one to comfort Vicky, had remained strong and put on a brave face. It had been a first lesson on how to hide her feelings. Thinking about someone else meant you didn’t have to concentrate on your own feelings of grief, your own fears. In a way it had helped ease the pain of loss. It had certainly made her grow up quickly.

When Alicia had been old enough to leave Albany House she had taken Vicky with her. Now they were quite happy here in this apartment…usually, anyway, when the air-conditioning was working and Alicia didn’t feel quite so nauseous.

They struggled on together with the maths project. It was difficult, and they were both so absorbed in it that Alicia didn’t notice how late it was getting. It was almost nine when Dex finally arrived at their door.

‘Hi, sorry I’m late.’ He reached to kiss her cheek.

‘Are you?’ She glanced at her watch and her eyebrows rose, but she said nothing.

‘God, it’s hot in here! What have you done to the air-conditioning?’ Dex strolled over to the control box on the wall.

‘Nothing. It just won’t work.’ Alicia watched as he opened it up, studied the timing on it, turned a few buttons and snapped it down again.

Cold air gushed from the vents instantly. ‘Your sister is hopeless when it comes to anything mechanical.’ He grinned over at Vicky in a conspiratorial kind of way.

Vicky smiled back at him. ‘Thanks, Dex. You don’t know anything about formulas, do you?’

‘Let’s have a look.’ Dex sat down next to her and pulled the books closer so he could read them.

‘That air system is damn well temperamental,’ Alicia defended herself swiftly. She felt suddenly helpless. Why did Dex make her feel like that…as if her life wouldn’t run smoothly without him? She didn’t like the feeling. She had always been independent, needed no one…until she had met him.

‘This one isn’t right.’ Dex pulled a pen through a line of figures. ‘Look, there’s a very simple way to do this.’ He proceeded to do in five minutes what had taken them half an hour.

Alicia wrinkled her nose. ‘Coffee, Dex?’

‘Thanks, that would be good,’ he murmured without looking up.

‘Not for me, Alli,’ Vicky said swiftly. ‘I’m going to have a shower and an early night. I’m shattered.’

Alicia made the coffee, half listening as Dex very gently and patiently explained to Vicky where she had gone wrong with her work. She’d have to tell him about the baby tonight, she told herself forcefully. As soon as Vicky had gone for her shower she would break the news.

She handed Dex his coffee, then sat down next to Vicky, watching as she finished off her work.

Dex glanced across at her. She looked tired, he thought. He’d have to stop putting so much work on her. Sometimes he relied on her too heavily in the office. She was just so efficient, the best secretary he had ever had. He’d have to tread warily; he didn’t want to lose her.

He looked from Victoria to Alicia. In some ways they were so alike. Same delicate features, same long, naturally blonde hair. Both wearing shorts and T-shirts. Alicia didn’t look much older than Vicky…and Vicky was just a kid really.

‘How’s that?’ Vicky slid the book over towards Dex and he looked at it.

‘It’s exactly right. You’re brilliant,’ he enthused.

‘No, you’re brilliant,’ Vicky told him with enthusiastic emphasis. ‘I don’t know how Alli and I would manage without you.’

He shook his head. ‘You’d manage,’ he said quietly.

Something about the way he said those words made Alicia’s heart squeeze painfully. Maybe they would have to after she’d told him her news. The thing was that Dex didn’t love her. This was just an affair. It was wild, exciting, passionate…but it wasn’t serious. He had made it clear on several occasions that he didn’t intend to settle down and get married. Once he had said that if he did it would be when he was much older, when everything in his life was running smoothly.

‘You mean when you’ve got your pipe and slippers you’ll get a wife to match?’ she had retorted, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

He had laughed. ‘Something like that.’

‘Have you ever been serious about any of your girlfriends, Dex?’ she had asked suddenly.

His expression had changed. ‘I was engaged once…years ago.’

‘She must have been very special.’

‘She was.’ For a moment he’d been quiet, as if far away. ‘Clare and I were childhood sweethearts. We were the same age, grew up together, graduated from university together. I knew from a very young age that one day I would ask her to be my wife.’

Alicia remembered feeling hurt for a while. It was all right Dex telling her he didn’t want to get serious; she could accept that. She enjoyed their relationship, loved being with him. She was happy with the way things were—after all, she had Vicky to think about. But finding out that Dex had been in love once, had asked that woman to marry him, had made her feel disconsolate, made her wish that she could stir up such powerful emotions within him.

‘So what happened? Why didn’t you marry her?’

‘She died in a car crash on her twenty-third birthday. The morning we were to be married.’

The words had been simply said, with little emotion, yet the expression for one unguarded moment in the darkness of his eyes had been one Alicia would never forget. Her momentary pang of jealousy had melted into compassion. She knew what it was like to lose someone you loved.

‘These days I want to put all my commitment into my business,’ Dex had continued rapidly, as if speaking about work helped to chase the emotional shadows away from his mind. ‘Push my career to the limits, and play the stakes to the highest possible levels. If I had a wife and responsibilities I couldn’t take those kind of risks.’

She had gone along with him. ‘I can understand that. I don’t want to get married either. I’m twenty, Dex…I want a career and travel, success and excitement…’

She had meant those words at the time, but they echoed mockingly in her mind now.

Vicky cleared away all her books as if she was beating the clock, dumped them in her bag and headed for her room. ‘I’m just going to make a phone call,’ she muttered over her shoulder to Alicia.

Alicia looked across at Dex. He was still wearing the suit he had worn to the office today, she noted. Had he come straight from his meeting with Maddie? If so it had been a hell of a long meeting.

He met her eyes.

‘You realise that you’re a know-it-all,’ she told him lightly.

‘I prefer it when you call me a genius,’ he said with a grin.

She grinned back at him. ‘How did your meeting go, genius?’

‘Couldn’t have been better.’

‘Would you like a glass of wine to celebrate, instead of that coffee?’

‘No, thanks. I’ve already had a glass of champagne, and I’ve got to drive home.’

She very nearly said, No, you haven’t. You can stay here. But she stopped herself. It didn’t sound as if he wanted to stay. ‘It must have been a terrific outcome if you celebrated with champagne?’

‘Nothing is signed yet,’ he answered cautiously. ‘But I’m quietly confident. I have to go to Perth week after next—meet some of Maddie’s associates. I’m hoping to sign a deal while I’m there.’