‘Cassia.’ His face darkened. "Would you prefer if I told people how we came to be married?" that you betrayed me and I took advantage of meeting you again to take a convenient wife?She shook her head miserably. An ache formed in her throat as he put two hands on her arms and pulled her close again.She hated herself for reacting, even now. Her head felt heavy as she looked up.He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. ‘We do have a real marriage, Cassia. As real as it can be in this day and age. We have great sex—’His words tore at her. "Yes, but that’s all." If we didn’t, you would have divorced me as soon as you could after the wedding, and I wish you had, believe me.Two bright spots had appeared on her cheeks, and Calix could feel her chest heaving against his.Cassia couldn’t tear her gaze away from his. The room had disappeared, they could have been anywhere. Heat coiled in her belly like a live wire, her breasts tingled and pushed against the fabric of her dress. Cali
With easy strength, he lifted her up, her legs automatically coming around his waist, and with her back resting against the door, with one smooth movement, he surged up and into her, piercing her moist silken flesh with his. She gripped his neck and stifled her gasp of pure pleasure against his heated skin and the corded muscles that spoke of his effort to control himself.Time and time again, he thrust himself into her heart, taking them both on a roller-coaster ride more intense than ever before. When he thrust upwards for the final time, Cassia’s whole body shook with the violence of her orgasm and shook still as he threw back his head and allowed himself to spill into her, his release unending. It took a long time for the room to right itself or for either of them to have the strength to extricate themselves. Calix lowered her gently back down, and Cassia’s legs couldn’t hold her up. They buckled, and she would have fallen if he hadn’t caught her and swung her into his arms. She b
When Cassia woke up, it was nearly lunchtime. She didn’t panic; she knew she and Cécile had a day off today to recover. Needless to say, the bed was empty beside her. She sank deeper. The glorious feeling of knowing she had finished a job well done made her smile. But it wasn’t long before her thoughts turned back to Calix. She groaned and rolled over, burying her head under a pillow.After a few minutes, she sat up on the edge of the bed and, finding her robe to pull on, stood up. The intense wave of dizziness that struck her made her sit down again quickly. What was that? On an instinctive reflex, her hand went to her belly. Then, just as quickly as the dizziness had hit, she felt nausea rush over her, fast and urgent. She just made it to the bathroom in time.When she had finished retching into the toilet, she stood up and washed her face. She had an awful certainty about what was wrong. And she didn’t even question that it could be something else. The past few days, the intense ti
Getting out of the four-wheel drive at the villa the next day and watching Thea come down the steps made a vivid sense of déjà vu wash over Cassia. She held onto the vehicle door to steady herself. She had felt nauseous again that morning but had managed to make it to the bathroom without Calix hearing her. She had to keep her secret. Had to. If he found out before the divorce, he’d insist she stay married to him. She knew him too well now.At least if they were already divorced, he couldn’t march her back up the aisle, and as for her uncle... She could feel the blood leave her face. She couldn’t think now about what she’d do if he threatened them again.Thea came and embraced Cassia, looking at her closely. Cassia felt a quiver of panic. Could Thea see her secret? But the moment was gone as Thea led them inside. This time there were no questions about bedrooms, and both their bags were left in his bedroom.That night, Cassia made a pact with herself as she lay in Calix’s arms. After
Cassia was struggling to breathe through the intense pain. ‘I can't… Calix… I'm unable to breathe or move.For a moment, when Cassia pushed weakly at Calix’s chest, he thought she was still fighting him. He looked down. She was pasty. The same color as the previous night at the restaurant. Panic slammed into his body, even as he tried to rationalize what could be causing the same reaction.He lifted her up into his arms and strode through the house, an unbidden and constricting fear making him feel uncoordinated. He bellowed for Thea, and when she appeared at the top of the stairs, he instructed her to call the doctor.After Cassia had thrown up, he brought her over to the bed and sat there, cradling her in his lap, until the intense, violent shaking calmed somewhat, until the storm had passed and she could breathe again. She was so limp that he felt a shard of ice slice through his chest. He was about to shout for Thea again when the doctor appeared at the door. The relief he felt wa
Cassia got up and walked up into the hall from the kitchen. Calix was coming down the stairs."I had been looking for you..."She nodded jerkily. "I think we need to talk."‘Yes.’ He was grim. ‘We do.’This is it. He’s going to tell me about the divorce, and I know I should tell him about the pregnancy now, but if I do...‘Cassia?’ He was looking at her intently.She faced him squarely and drew up reserves of strength from somewhere.‘Yes?’"Let’s sit down."He took her hand and led her over to the sofa, sitting down beside her. Putting a little distance between themOh, God, he’s going to be nice about it. This is so much worse...Cassia felt the bile rise and had to take deep breaths to will it down.‘Cassia. The doctor told me what he thinks happened last night—that it was some form of a panic attack.The abject and pitiful relief that washed over Cassia when he didn't bring up divorce right away made her want to burst out laughing.She nodded her head and focused on his face. His s
He gently cupped her cheek, the look in his eyes, his tenderness melting something inside her. She tried to fight it.‘I know… "I know that now.""I’m so sorry, Helena was so beautiful..." He had to have loved her. Perhaps still…Something twisted in his face, and a hard look came into his eyes, making Cassia shiver inwardly. "She was not beautiful, Cassia." The day before the announcement, I went to her apartment and witnessed something... awful. She was there with a group... He shook his head. Believe me, you don’t want to know. My only regret about that marriage falling through was the collapse of the merger...The guilt washed through her again. If I hadn’t followed you that night and tried to kiss you, none of this would have happened. "You wouldn’t have had to work so hard to rebuild the company; my parents wouldn’t have been so cruel."She shuddered and wanted to hold a hand up to his cheek. "When my parents sent you out of the house..." Her voice died away. The tears in her ey
Something flashed in her eyes, brief but intense. She quickly masked it, but not before he saw it.‘Please.’ She tried to pull free of his arms. "Just let me go.""Not until you tell me what’s happened." When I left, you were sitting on that couch, not moving a muscle. A different Cassia with warm eyes not this cold stranger in front of him.Cassia quailed under his look. But if I tell him, then he’ll know...But he’ll know anyway, a little voice reasoned, when the solicitor calls back when he doesn’t hear from Calix. All you have to do is pass on the message...Cassia shrugged again and averted her gaze. "Your solicitor rang."Calix was confused. How could that have had this effect? Then he closed his eyes and groaned inwardly.He opened them again and clutched Cassia’s arms even harder. "What did he say?"She looked back up. "Just that he wants you to call.""I don’t believe you."Anger rushed through her. She shook in his arms. ‘Fine. He said that if you want your quickie divorce,