The Twelve-Month Marriage Deal by Margaret Mayo Page B

had seemed like a good idea at the time. He had wanted this woman beyond reason. But now that he was getting to know her, reason was beginning to step in, and he began to question whether he had done the right thing.
    He had taken her away from her job and her friendsall because of his own very selfish needs—needs that were growing and expanding in a way that he had never expected. She was an incredible lover, and had given every impression that she enjoyed the intimate part of their relationship as much as he did—until she’d spoken those damning words!
    So was it really all an act? Was it just a job to her? How would he ever know? If it was then she had to be a very consummate actress to perform the way she did. Could he demand it of her again without thinking of the words she had spoken?
    This was turning into a nightmare. And he had to do something about it. He needed to persuade her that her feelings were very real. Otherwise he couldn’t go through with this—charade—any longer. He did not want her to feel that she had to act when they were making love. Her words had made him uneasy and it was not something he was used to.
    ‘I thought we would eat out tonight,’ he said when she eventually returned to the house. ‘At a favourite restaurant of mine, which I feel sure you will enjoy.’
    Elena’s smile was weak and definitely not enthusiastic, even wary perhaps, which made him wonder whether he was doing the right thing. They needed time together, though. Somewhere on neutral ground where they could relax and she wouldn’t feel that she was being led into an even deeper and darker corner.
    When Elena came back downstairs an hour later his heart did a strange leap. She looked amazingly beautiful in a soft amethyst dress that clung to her curves in all the right places and sent dark arrows of need through his groin. All of a sudden he didn’t want to dine out, hewanted to rip the dress off and ravish her until they both ran out of energy.
    Of course he did nothing of the kind. He smiled politely. ‘You look stunning, Elena. Shall we go?’
    Elena tried her hardest to remain distantly polite, but it lasted for less than five seconds. Vidal was the most amazing lover and after such intimacy how could she ignore him? Her feelings scared her if the truth were known. Scared her to death. But it was surely better this way than to have to suffer a sexual relationship that did nothing for her? It had been wrong to say she was doing a job, because there was no way on this earth that making love with Vidal could be called a job.
    It was a pleasure.
    A sheer, insatiable pleasure.
    While she had been showering and getting ready to go out Elena had told herself that relaxing and enjoying the time she spent with Vidal was the only way to get through the coming year. Fighting him would be pointless. She would always be the loser, he was too gutwrenchingly sexy to ignore.
    Her nerve ends were sensitised when he took her elbow and carefully helped her into the waiting limousine. She felt as though there were a time bomb inside her waiting to go off. It was a strange, inexplicable feeling. And Vidal was adding to it by being so attentive.
    Thankfully it was but a short ride to the restaurant, which was elegant and historic and one she had never been to before. With grand architecture and original features, it had a rarefied hushed atmosphere so that she felt compelled to talk in whispers.
    ‘This is beautiful,’ she said as Vidal indicated that they wished to be shown straight to their table. Was it coincidence that it was in an alcove that set them apart from other diners? She swept the thought away. Vidal clearly wanted this evening to be special so she mustn’t question his choice.
    It wasn’t about angering him again, it was about building bridges, getting to know each other better. At least that was what she assumed Vidal had in mind. In his house with his staff always hovering it was difficult to get any real