The Mediterranean's Wife by Contract

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‘Well, let me spell it out. If you are waiting for me to propose marriage, it’s not going to happen. I can’t offer you that kind of commitment—it’s not who I am.’

The cold, arrogant comment made her eyes widen with fury and gave her the strength to pull away from him. ‘Well, it’s a good job, because it’s not who I am either. I’d have turned you down flat.’ She gave a shaky incredulous laugh. ‘I don’t want a marriage proposal from you! I’m an intelligent woman, not a na?ve fool. And we hardly know each other, for heaven’s sake.’

‘Good, we are both of the same mind, then. And I know very well that you are an intelligent woman, Carrie.’ His voice was quiet, his gaze flicking over her, noting the rise and fall of her chest, the way she moistened her lips as his eyes touched them.

‘I also know that you want me…’

The husky, confident words made her senses swirl. He was right she did.

There was still a part of her that wanted to say, Yes, OK, let’s give this a whirl, but for what? She certainly didn’t want a marriage proposal from him, but she did need more from him emotionally than he seemed prepared to give.

She hated his cold arrogance—hated the way he could look at her like that, tell her he just wanted her for his bed, and still turn her on.

If she stayed, she could end up as a kept woman totally dependent on his every whim! She wouldn’t even be able to get a decent job because she didn’t speak Greek.

And then he could simply discard her for his next conquest when he got bored and she would be left without any fallback position.

She took a deep breath.

‘The timing isn’t right for us, Andreas, and we both know it.’

The fact that she could look at him with such emotion in her eyes, such warm need, and yet still turn him down enraged him; it also reminded him forcibly of things he didn’t want to remember. Such as how he had no right asking her to fulfil his needs when he could never meet hers.

He’d made a mistake coming here. Asking her to stay had been crazy and he’d known that all along. Even if he just made her his mistress he would be in too deep—before he knew it they would be back at this crossroads and the relationship would have to end. Better that it was done now. He should have done it days ago, he told himself angrily, for her sake as well as his. He needed to burn all bridges and forget her.

‘And when would you deem the time to be right, Carrie? When my business deal has paid off? Are you planning to save your virginity for the highest bidder?’

‘I can’t believe you’ve just said that!’

He was unrepentant as he watched the furious fires of anger and hurt burn in her beautiful eyes. He needed to do this.

‘Don’t worry about it, Carrie—we’ve had a bit of fun. And you were right, your innocence did intrigue me—I admit I wanted you and I know that, despite what you might say, you wanted me too.’

Carrie felt as if he had just struck her. ‘Yes, well, hell would have to freeze over before I’d stay here and be stupid enough to give myself to someone like you!’ she retaliated furiously.

He smiled. ‘Actually, that’s not true. I know I could have had you any time.’

With that he turned for the door, leaving her speechless with rage.

CHAPTER FIVE

Two years later

CARRIE stood out on deck as the high-speed ferry skipped across the glittering blue of the sea. In the distance she could see the small island of Pyrena drawing closer, shimmering in the hazy heat of the Greek sunshine, and memories tumbled painfully through her mind.

It was two years since she had first come here on holiday with Jo. And she could still recall every detail of that summer so vividly it was as if it were just yesterday.

Now it was hard to believe that Jo wasn’t going to be waiting for her on that quay.

Even though they’d been mainly apart for the last couple of years the strong and enduring bond of friendship between them had never been broken. Jo had always been there in the background with emails and phone calls…

And Carrie had been back to visit her on the island three times and on each occasion Jo had been waiting eagerly for her.

And now she was dead…and Carrie could hardly bear it.

The island was clearer now; Carrie could see the familiar purple mountains, the secluded golden bays, the stunning scenery inevitably reminding her of Andreas, and the time they’d spent together.

Hastily Carrie turned her mind away from that. She didn’t like to think too deeply about Andreas. Even under happier circumstances the recollections of him made her emotions twist—which was crazy considering it had meant nothing, whereas Jo and Theo’s relationship had been the real thing.

The last time Carrie had visited the island had been just after Jo had given birth to her daughter six months ago. The couple had been ecstatic and more in love with each other than ever.

Lilly’s christening had been only three weeks ago, a time of celebration and happiness.

Carrie hadn’t been able to make the christening. She’d been dealing with a vitally important contract at work and her boss had refused to give her the time off, had needed her to go to Hong Kong to sort things out for him.

But Jo had still wanted her to be Lilly’s godmother, and had arranged it in her absence.

‘I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have to watch over my precious little girl,’ she’d told Carrie in their last conversation. ‘We may not be blood relatives but you are a part of my family and this is very important to me.’

It had been important to Carrie too—she’d taken the honour very seriously.

And now the words kept playing over and over in her mind. Because by the time she’d got back from Hong Kong to London there had been a letter waiting for her telling her that Jo and Theo had been involved in a car crash and that they’d both died instantly. The letter had been dated just four days after the christening.

The view of Pyrena blurred under the weight of Carrie’s tears. Firmly she brushed them away. Since receiving the news from Jo’s solicitor she had done nothing but cry and it wasn’t helping. She had to be practical now, for Lilly’s sake.

Jo and Theo had no family except for Andreas. Lilly was with him at the moment. But Carrie was worried about the situation, because, as she well knew, Andreas wasn’t a family man; a six-month-old baby wouldn’t fit into his bachelor life! And, besides, by the sounds of things he was still as deeply involved with business as ever. Certainly every time she had visited the island he’d been away overseeing some important deal or other.

So what would become of Lilly, orphaned and alone?

The question had kept Carrie awake at night. And it haunted her days now. In desperation she’d even got Andreas’s number from the solicitor and rung to see if he could shed any more light on the matter.

It had been her first contact with him in over two years. And the conversation had been very strained. Just thinking about it now made her temperature rise. He’d been very offhand with her.

For a few moments they had talked about Lilly and about Theo and Jo. And when Andreas had mentioned his brother’s name there had been a raw note in his voice that had made tears immediately spring into her eyes. But he had cut short her whispered words of sympathy. And then he’d swept on and told her with brutal disregard for her feelings that there was no point in her coming back to Pyrena and that Lilly was none of her business!

The ferry slowed as it approached the harbour, and as the sea breeze died the heat of the day throbbed with an incredible force that almost matched the heat Andreas had stirred up inside her.

He always had been able to rouse extreme reactions within her. When they’d first met, those reactions had been purely passionate—an instinctive response to an extremely attractive man.

But back then she had been young and foolish. She’d learnt her lesson.