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Chapter Fifty six
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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 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 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 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 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 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 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 one
Chapter One. She needed a man. Preferably one with one with one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to spare. Maya Baker stared into the small homemade campfire in the middle of her living room floor and wondered if she had officially lost her mind. The piece of paper in her hand held all the qualities she dreamed her soul mate should posses. Loyalty, intelligence, humor, a strong sense of family and love for animals. A healthy income. Maya grabbed a bottle of cabernet sauvignon and thought about her dilemma. Het flower shop was mortgaged to the hilt. The Cafe expansion would take careful planning anr there wasn't a dime to spare. She looked over the Victorian loft apartment and easily calculated there was nothing to sell. Not even on ebay. She was twenty seven and probably should be living in a stylish condo, with stylish designer clothes and a date every weekend. Instead, she took in homeless dogs from the local shelter and bought chic scarves to update her outfits. She beli
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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
