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Chapter 18
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MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Nineteen
Maya.The next morning, Maya sat across from Alex as he watched her eat breakfast. He nodded approvingly when she managed to finish the omelet he had prepared, and he urged her to drink the glass of juice in front of her.Despite her anxiety and uncertainty, it felt good to be taken care of by this man. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure of her place in his world. He was solicitous of her, but at the same time he seemed distant. She wasn’t sure if it was out of deference to her memory loss, and he had no wish to frighten her, or if this was simply the normal course of their relationship.She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled absently. The idea that this could be ordinary bothered her. Surely she hadn’t desired marriage with someone who treated her so politely, as though she were a stranger.And yet, for all intents and purposes, they were strangers. At least he was to her. A flood of sympathy rolled through her. How awful it had to be for him to have his fiancée, a wom
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty
MayaA buzz sounded, and Alex stood and strode to the call box on the wall.Maya strained to hear who he was speaking to, but she only heard his command to come up.He returned to her and sat down, collecting her hands in his. “That was the nurse I hired to look after you. I have a meeting that I can’t miss in an hour’s time.”Her eyes widened. “But Alex, I don’t need a nurse. I’m perfectly capable of remaining here while you attend to your business.”His grip on her hands tightened. “Humor me,Maya. It makes me feel better knowing I’m leaving you in capable hands. I don’t like to think of you having need of anything in my absence.”A smile curved her lips at his insistence. “How long will you be gone?” She hated the hopeful, almost mournful quality to her voice. She sounded pathetic.He stood as the sound of the elevator opening filtered into the living room.“Stay here. I’ll return with the nurse.”Maya relaxed against the back of the couch and waited for Alex to return. His attentiv
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty One
Alex.Alex watched her go and cursed under his breath. He dragged a hand through his hair before he sat down and reopened the laptop. A quick check ofthe browsing history showed she had done nothing more than research memory loss and a few articles about his company. Another check of his files indicated none of his business documents had been accessed.He cursed again. He had reacted badly, but seeing her using his computer had immediately put him on guard. In that moment, he had wondered if her memory loss was all a ruse and she was plotting again to betray him.He propped his elbows on the desk and held his head in his hands. His meeting with the detective in charge of the investigation into Maya’s abduction had been an exercise in frustration. They had little to no information to go on, and the one person who could supply it couldn’t remember.Maya hadn’t been rescued as the news had led viewers to believe; rather, she had been abandoned by her kidnappers, and an anonymous caller
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty two
Maya.Maya stood in the closet of the bedroom Alex had given her, staring blindly at the row of clothing hanging in front of her. She wiped the tears with the back of her hand and concentrated on what to wear.She rummaged through the many outfits, but none of them felt like her. With an unhappy frown she turned to the row of shelves that lined the right side of her closet and saw a stack of faded jeans next to several neatly folded T-shirts.She reached for the jeans, knowing that this was what she felt comfortable in.But when she unfolded the first pair, she saw that they weren’t maternity pants.A quick search of the rest yielded the same results.She turned back around and flipped through outfit after outfit on the hangers and saw that they, too, were not suitable clothing for a woman in the more advanced stages of pregnancy. Why did she have nothing to wear? She glanced down at the bulge of her stomach. While she wasn’t huge, the waistlines of the clothing in her closet were too
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty Three
Maya.The next morning, Maya dressed in one of the chic outfits that had been delivered straight to their penthouse by a local boutique specializing in maternity wear. Alex had insisted she see an obstetrician before they departed for his island, and so, accompanied by Alex and flanked by several members of his security team, they entered the medical building where the doctor’s offices were housed.She felt conspicuous and faintly embarrassed, but she also glowed under Alex’s constant attention and his apparent concern for her well being.To her surprise, there was no waiting once Alex announced their arrival to the receptionist. His security detail remained in the lobby, and Maya smiled at the image of the big, burly men standing amidst a dozen pregnant women.She and Alex were ushered to an exam room by a young nurse who assured them that the doctor would attend them shortly.When the nurse retreated, Alex lifted Maya and settled her on the exam table. Instead of sitting in the chai
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty Four
MayaShe smiled. “You are making it easy.” She settled against him, content. But then an uneasy thought assailed her. She had spoken of loving him, something she couldn’t remember, but felt that she had, but there had been nothing said of hislove for her. Not once had he voiced words of love, and shouldn’t they have come? When she was in the hospital. Weren’t reaffirmations of love common after a scare? Wouldn’t he seek to reassure her that he loved her when she couldn’t remember their life together?She raised her head to ask him, to seek confirmation of that fact, but the question died on her lips when she saw his attention was already focused on the small television screen in the corner of the large compartment of the limousine.She let the question die and contented herself with remaining snuggled into his body. The next thing she knew, they were arriving at the airport.“We are here,” Alex said.She nodded, and Alex stepped from the limousine. He reached in and helped her out, a
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter 25Zuri’s wide, innocent eyes didn’t fool Maya, and she felt the beginnings of a headache drumming in her temples. She pulled her hand from Alex’sand merely walked away, having no desire to listen to the mewings of his assistant any longer.“You are welcome to stay, Zuri. I do hope you will have dinner with us tonight,” Alex said politely as Maya mounted the stairs.She really had no idea where she was going, but upstairs seemed as good a place as any, and it would put her solidly away from the source of her irritation. She was nearly to the top when Alex overtook her.“You should have waited for me,” he reproached. “I don’t like you navigating the stairs by yourself. What if you were to fall? In the future, someone will escort you up or down.”Her mouth fell open. “You are not serious!”He frowned, clearly not liking her tone of disbelief. “I’m very serious when it comes to your well being and that of our child.”She blew out her breath in frustration as Alex escorted her fr
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Twenty six
Chapter 26MayaSomehow, between the visit with the physician and a very long, relaxing bath, Maya had managed to forget all about Zuri’s presence at the house. When Alex walked into their bedroom to escort her down the stairs, she smiledwelcomingly.He stopped in front of her and studied her for a moment. Then he brushed his lips across hers and folded her hand in his. “You look beautiful. Your color is much better, and you look rested.”“The good doctor has proclaimed me fit as a fiddle. So there’s no cause for concern.”“That is good. Your health is important to me.”He tucked her arm underneath his, and they headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs. As they neared the bottom, Maya looked up and saw Zuri standing in the entrance to the formal dining room.Maya stiffened. The woman was immaculately turned out in a designer dress that molded to every single one of her curves. She looked down self-consciously at her own very casual slacks and maternity blouse. She felt a sudden
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MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Epilogue
“No.” Alex shook his head, his face contorting with agonized concentration as he recalled every detail of the last time he had seen his daughter. “At least, I don’t think so.”“You don’t think so?” the policeman pushed, and Emma could have slapped him for his insensitivity. But Alex was calmer, explaining Alex’s problem in ameasured voice, but his voice was loaded with pain.“My daughter has problems—behavioural problems.” Katrina opened her mouth to argue, but Alex stood firm, shaking his head at Katrina, clearly indicating that now wasn’t the time for futile denial. “She doesn’t react in theusual way—you never really know what she’s thinking. Look, you have to tell your colleagues that they could be just a metre away from her, could be callingher name, and she won’t answer them, she won’t call out...” His voice broke for about asecond and Emma watched as he attempted to recover, his eyes closing for an agonising second as he forced himself to continue. “You have to tell them that
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter sixty two
She gave tiny gasps in her throat as her fingers knotted together in his hair, as still he teased her more, histeeth grazing the silk, his tongue moistening her more, and even if it was everything she wanted, it still wasn’t enough. Realisation hit her that, despitewhat had taken place in the garden, she’d never seen him naked. Need propelling her, she pulled back a touch, saw the question in his eyes as slowly he stood up. Her fingers, nervous at first, but bolder as desire took over, wrestled with thebuttons of his shirt, pushing the sleeves down over his muscular arms. Closing her eyes in giddy want, her pale breasts pressed against his chest. She felt thenaked silk of his dark skin against her, skin on skin, as she opened his belt and unzipped his shorts. She held her breath in wonder as Alex now shed thegarments that stood between them, and if he’d been beautiful before, he was stunning now.Never had she seen a more delicious man, his body toned and muscular, his dark, oliv
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter sixty one
“It would have,” Emma said softly, watching his wince of regret at her refusal to accept it, actually grateful when Katrina and Hugh ducked inside theemerald canopy and broke the painful moment, because whatever Alex was trying to say it was too little, too late—even a garden full of flowers wasn’tgoing to fix this.“Join us for a drink,” Hugh offered. “Alex’s just about to put Alex to bed...”“I’ve got too much to do here.” Emma smiled as she shook her head. “But thank you for the offer.”“I think we might have to stay over.” Katrina pretended to grimace. “Hugh’s had a couple too many champagnes to drive.”“I’ve had one,” Hugh said, but Katrina had clearly already made up her mind.Emma was tempted to tell her that she needn’t bother, that Alex didn’t need to be guarded on her final night here, but instead she offered her goodnights andheaded to the mountain of tools that needed to be sorted.“You really ought to think about finishing up,” Alex called. “There’s a storm brewing and
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter sixty
“No.” His single word hurt her even more, if that were possible, his refusal to soften it cheapening her more than she’d thought possible.“So what was that all about?” Emma asked, gesturing to where they had lain, where he’d found her, held her, made love to her, forcing the confrontation,steeling herself to hear the confirmation of her worst fears. “What just happened there, Alex?”“Sex.” Black eyes stung her, a warning note in his voice telling her she’d crossed the line. His lips set in a rigid line as she shook her head, refused histake on the history they’d so recently created.“It was more than that and you know it,” Emma rasped, shocked by his callousness, reeling from the ferociousness of his sparse summing-up, yet refusing to buy it, because she knew there was more to him, had witnessed the real Alex only moments before, and all she knew was that she wanted himback. “Alex, please, don’t do this...” Emma attempted, her hand reaching out for his arm, but he recoiled as if s
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Fifty nine
Only now did his lips release hers. Any sooner and she would have begged him to stop, would have halted things.But now she was putty in his skilled hands, pliable, warm, willing to move, to let him do with her what he wanted, and, oh, how he did—kissing the pulseleaping in her throat as she wriggled out of her top. The second her breasts were free, his tongue paid them the attention they deserved, tender attention, kissingthe swollen, needy tips in turn, his finger retracing his steps, working downwards now. Her stomach tightened in renewed tension as he slid down the zip of her shorts, but for the first time since contact he spoke, the liquid deep tones of his voice not breaking the spell but somehow deepening it.“Don’t hold onto those thoughts, bella, just let them come and go.” Repeating the words she had said to him, but with entirely different meaning this time. Andshe tried, really tried to just relax as his hand cupped her bottom and lifted her enough to slip off the shorts
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Fifty eight
What?” One eye peeped open.“Abdominal breathing,” she explained, but from the two vertical lines appearing over the bridge of his nose Emma knew she was talking to the hopelessly unconverted.“You don’t move your chest,” Emma explained. “Remember when Alex wasa baby and you watched her sleep?”The frown faded a touch, a small smile lifting one edge of his mouth.“Babies know how to relax,” Emma said. “They instinctively know how tobreathe properly.” “Like this?” Alex asked, dragging in air, and Emma watched as he struggled with the concept. His stomach was moving but so too was his chest.“Almost. Look, I’ll help you. Just push against my hand.” Sitting up slightly, she instinctively moved to correct him. She’d shown this to numerous friends,knew how to show him simply, but her movements were hesitant, her hand tentative as it reached out towards him, hovered over the flat plane of his stomach, knowing, knowing where this could lead, wanting to pull back, to endthis dangerous game,
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Fifty seven
***Six years laterI’m sorry to have disturbed you.”“It’s fine.” Emma attempted, struggling to sit up, slightly disorientated andextremely embarrassed that Alex had found her in the middle of the day, hot and filthy in nothing more than the skimpiest of shorts and a crop top, lying on a blanket with her eyes closed. Absolutely the last person she was expecting to see at this hour, he was dressed in his inevitable dark suit, but there was a slightlymore relaxed stance to him. He held a brown paper bag in one hand and he didn’t look in his usual rush—his usually perfectly knotted tie was loosened, the top button of his shirt undone. But his dark eyes were shielded with sunglasses making his closed expression even more unreadable if that were possible.“You’ve done a lot.”“It’s getting there.” Emma nodded. “And if I keep going at full speed, I could still be done by early next week.”He didn’t say a word, he didn’t have to. Just a tiny questioning lift of his eyebrow from behind his
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Fifty six
Ironically enough, Maya discovered she was in labor halfway down the stairs.Alone. She gripped the banister and doubled over as a contraction rippled acrossher abdomen. Wasn’t labor supposed to start out slow?She wanted to laugh at the fact that fate was obviously cursing her for trying to sneak down the stairs without Alexknowing. While he’d relented abouther taking the stairs in the earlier stages of her pregnancy, now that she was so close to her due date he’d once again insisted she not walk the stairs alone. He’d go insane now that she was nine months pregnant and, if the pain ripping out her insides was any clue, about to deliver.She stood on the step, holding on to the railing and taking deep breaths. She’d have called out if she weren’t so busy sucking air through her nose. Besides,Alexwas busy with endless calls as he and Theron worked out Theron’s relocation to the New York offices. Theron was taking over operations there soAlexcould remain in Europe. They had been ti
MY CONTRACT MARRIAGE Chapter Fifty five
Alex wasted no time in finalizing plans for their wedding and preparing for them to travel to the island. He single-handedly rearranged his business schedule, made sure everything Maya could possibly need was purchased, though they’d already shopped for her wedding gown. She stood in awe of all hecould accomplish in such a short time.The authorities questioned her now that she’d regained her memory, and she spent several exhausting hours providing them with the few details she couldremember. The kidnappers hadn’t harmed her and had actually shown her consideration when her pregnancy became obvious. They had watched her,knowing she was close to Alex , and had struck when the opportunity arose. They’d asked for a small ransom, certain they would get it with no fuss.When no ransom had been forthcoming, they abandoned the kidnapping andarranged for Maya to be found.It was the realization that Alex had ignored the ransom that had pushedMaya beyond her limits. It was that moment in
