A Contract, a Wedding, a Wife? Read online

  ‘An “orgasm in food form”, one of my friends calls it,’ she said with a grin.

  There was a small pause, where they didn’t look at each other for a moment and pretended to watch a couple of squirrels running up a tree trunk instead.

  Xavier cleared his throat, reminding himself what a bad idea it would be to act on the kinds of thoughts that had just popped into his head following that comment.

  ‘So tell me what your perfect day would consist of,’ he said, attempting to circumnavigate the strange atmosphere now zinging between them.

  Her brow furrowed as she appeared to think about this for a moment.

  ‘Well, if I could choose anything, I’d probably go for spending the day on a Mediterranean island. I’d eat lunch on the beach and go for a swim in the sea. Then I’d spend the evening having someone servicing my every need.’

  ‘That sounds good,’ he said, smiling at her and noticing how her cheeks had flushed an adorable shade of pink. ‘I think I could probably manage to enjoy a day like that too.’

  ‘Well, maybe we’ll do it for your next birthday,’ she quipped, her face falling as it obviously occurred to her that they wouldn’t be together for his next birthday. Their time, and their marriage, would be over by then.

  ‘When was the last time you had a holiday abroad?’ he asked hurriedly, attempting to sweep past the awkwardness.

  ‘Er...’ She thought about this for a second, looking relieved to have the conversational diversion.

  ‘I guess it was about four years ago, just before my dad died. We went to Brittany on the ferry. It was a great holiday. We were all really happy.’ He saw grief flash across her face and a sudden and acute instinct to make her happy again overwhelmed him.

  ‘You know, it’s probably been that long for me too. I’ve been so focused on building the business, I’ve not stopped to take a proper break.’ He dragged in a breath, throwing caution to the wind. ‘You know, I own a holiday property on Corsica. It’s just been renovated and they’ve completed the fit-out early, so it’s just sitting empty at the moment. We could go and stay for a week.’ He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. ‘It would do us both good to get away.’ He smiled. ‘And there wouldn’t be any solicitors there, checking up on us.’

  Her eyes had lit with excitement as he’d talked and as soon as he finished speaking she blurted, ‘That would be amazing! I’ve always wanted to go there. It sounds like such a beautiful place.’

  ‘Okay, then,’ he said, satisfaction coursing through him at being able to bring back her smile. ‘I’ll arrange for us to go this Saturday. I’ll just need to let my colleagues know.’ He paused and smiled to himself. ‘They’re going to wonder what’s happened to me. I never take time off.’

  ‘I guess they’ll just assume you’re having a honeymoon with your new wife,’ she pointed out with a grin.

  ‘Yes, of course.’ He blinked, realising it was a detail he’d overlooked and feeling pleased it would still fit their story. That solidified it as a really good practical excuse to go.

  Satisfied with his decision, he lay back and stared up at the fluffy clouds floating slowly across the sky above him.

  Yes. Getting some sun on their faces, eating good food and relaxing would be a great thing for both of them.

  * * *

  Soli’s stomach had jumped with excitement as they’d stepped off the plane that Xavier had chartered into the balmy Corsican air. She’d not been able to believe it when he’d led them to a private lounge at the airport and announced in a really matter-of-fact voice that their pilot would be there to greet them soon and they would be in Corsica within a couple of hours.

  Soli’s only experience of being on a plane had been on a family holiday to Spain when they’d gone with a budget airline. This trip had been entirely different, what with the separate leather seats, à la carte food and total lack of general public.

  And then when he’d led them over to a soft-top classic car and loaded their bags into the boot her insides had done a little dance of excitement. The trip to his hillside house had been a thing of joy.

  The cliff-top cottage where they were to stay for the next week was quite a bit smaller than the Hampstead house, but no less impressive. It had been newly decorated in fresh Mediterranean colours and filled with French-style furniture, all of which looked incredibly expensive and dauntingly classy.

  ‘It’s a rental aimed at the high-end market,’ Xavier said conversationally as they walked inside and Soli gasped in delight at the amazing view of the sea through panoramic bi-folding doors. ‘We have our own private cove down there,’ he said, walking to the doors and opening them back so the sweet, briny smell of the sea below them rushed inside and tickled her nose.

  ‘It’s a bit of a walk down a narrow path in the cliff, but well worth it.’

  Soli followed him onto the deck, which housed a couple of comfortable-looking loungers as well as a small dining table with a canopy flapping gently in the warm breeze, and turned to give him a smile that felt as if it might split her face in two. ‘I love it!’ she said, her voice raspy with delight. ‘I can’t wait to explore.’

  ‘Let me show you your room first,’ he said, strolling back inside.

  She followed him through the living area and down a short corridor to where two doors stood opposite each other.

  ‘You’re in here,’ he said, opening the door on the right. They walked inside and stood by the king-sized bed that was dressed with white linen sheets and an abundance of pillows in a soft blue-grey colour.

  ‘There’s an en-suite bathroom over there,’ he said, gesturing to a small door on the right.

  ‘Oh, Xavier, it’s wonderful!’ she said, turning to give him a grateful smile. It was a long time since she’d been this excited about being somewhere and her whole body felt jittery with adrenaline. Or was it that she was nervous about being here with him? The whole place shouted Romance!

  He smiled back at her with the genuine, wide grin that always made her tummy flutter whenever he decided to trust her with it. ‘I’m glad you like it.’ He huffed out a breath, frowning down at the floor before looking back into her eyes. ‘I wanted to say thank you—for all the support you’ve given me recently. It was above and beyond the call of duty and I want you to know I really appreciate it.’

  She suddenly felt a bit shy. ‘It was my pleasure. Anything to help.’

  The air between them felt prickly with emotion. Or was she imagining it?

  Something in his expression made her breath catch in her throat.

  ‘You know, you’re the most genuinely caring person I’ve ever met,’ he murmured, taking a step closer to her.

  Soli was suddenly intensely aware of how alone the two of them were, and how close to the enormous, inviting bed.

  Heat throbbed through her, making her head swim.

  ‘Thank you,’ she breathed through numbed lips. She suddenly wanted to kiss him so badly her whole body ached with it.

  The look in his eyes mesmerised her, keeping her suspended in a state of such intense longing she knew she had no hope of escaping from it. It wouldn’t take much to be close enough to touch him. Just one more step. She could feel the heat radiating from his body and his enticing scent filled her nose, making her mouth water.

  His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed and her gaze flashed down to it for a second.

  The break in eye contact seemed to shock him out of whatever state he was in and he gave a rough cough and took a step backwards, sweeping his hand towards the door.

  ‘Okay, well, I’ll grab the bags from the car and you can get settled in. We should go out for dinner. There’s a lovely tavern in the next town with magnificent views of the harbour. It’s quite a sight.’

  It was as if he’d brought the shutters down on his emotions.

  ‘That sounds wonderful
,’ Soli said quietly, her stomach sinking with disappointment at his sudden change in demeanour.

  ‘Good,’ he said, giving her a jerky nod and swiftly leaving the room.

  She flopped down onto the bed and took a few deep, steadying breaths.

  Perhaps this holiday wasn’t going to be as relaxing as she’d hoped after all.

  * * *

  The tavern was as magnificent as Xavier had described and Soli had a hard time choosing what to eat from the comprehensive seafood menu.

  ‘I don’t usually eat fish. I’ve never learnt to cook it because Domino has an extreme aversion to the smell,’ she said, her mouth watering at the thought of the meal she’d just ordered. She’d been hesitant to ask for the lobster—she’d always wanted to try it—but Xavier seemed to have sensed her worry and told her to order whatever she wanted. So lobster it was, with a large glass of crisp Sancerre, which he’d recommended.

  She was in heaven.

  ‘So, I thought tomorrow we could explore some of the coves. Maybe take a picnic lunch with us. I have a small motorboat moored in our cove which we can take along the coast,’ Xavier said, putting down his wine glass and fixing her with his tingle-inducing gaze.

  ‘Oh, wow! I’d love that!’ she said. This whole set-up was like something from the movies.

  The smile he gave her made his eyes twinkle and she took a hurried gulp of her own wine to calm her suddenly racing pulse.

  She needed to remember that this wasn’t real. They were just pretending.

  At least he was.

  She wasn’t so sure about herself any more.

  * * *

  They slept in late the next morning on Xavier’s insistence and ate a light breakfast before strolling down the winding path to their cove and climbing into the boat.

  The turquoise sea glittered in the late morning sunlight and Soli laughed with joy as they sped through the gentle waves to the other side of the island and one of the other secluded, and usually deserted, coves that Xavier knew about.

  Once there, he brought the boat in to shore and tied it to a large rock, making sure it wouldn’t float away before helping Soli out. Her hand was warm and firm in his and for a moment he contemplated not letting go of her and pulling her towards him instead.

  To do what, he wasn’t sure.

  No. He was. But he couldn’t allow himself to think like that. They’d made a pact and he needed to keep to it. For his own sanity.

  After exploring the small cove, where Soli scrambled over the rocks and stood on the largest one with her hands on her hips and her curls blowing in the wind—eliciting in him the strangest feeling of lightness he’d ever experienced—they settled down onto the picnic blanket he’d brought and tucked into the food his housekeeper had stocked the fridge with.

  Once they’d finished he lay back on the blanket with his hands behind his head and gazed up at the azure-blue sky, letting the heat of the day wash over him. It had been a very long time since he’d felt this relaxed—even though an undercurrent of crackling energy still pulsed through him. Something he couldn’t quite identify, though he had his suspicions.

  ‘Phew! It’s so hot!’ Soli said next to him. ‘I think I’ll go for a swim. Want to join me?’ She looked at him expectantly.

  ‘Not right now,’ he said, unwilling to move from his comfortable position. ‘You go ahead.’

  He tried not to watch as she took off the light summer dress she’d been wearing to uncover a cherry-red bikini.

  Tried and failed.

  He also tried to keep his gaze off her as she skipped down the golden sand to the water and tentatively dipped her toes in.

  That was a lost hope too.

  ‘It’s warm,’ she called back, sounding delighted with the discovery.

  He gave up and turned to rest on his side, watching her splash around, grinning from ear to ear as she went deeper into the water.

  Her body was lithe, but curvaceous, imperfect in places—and wonderfully real for it.

  It had to be the most alluring sight he’d ever seen.

  She was magnificent, standing tall and proud in the waves as they gently lapped at her thighs. The very picture of female beauty.

  A sense of contentment washed over him, taking him by surprise.

  Being here with Soli felt so very right.

  He was both amazed and pleased by how much he’d found he enjoyed sharing things with her. Being an only child, he wasn’t used to sharing, so he was surprised to find how much he actually liked it. Soli took such joy in being introduced to new things too and she seemed to genuinely enjoy them. The women he usually dated were well used to the high life and didn’t tend to comment much on the places he took them or the gifts he bought, so it had been wonderful to see Soli’s genuine appreciation. It made him feel as though he was making a valuable contribution to her happiness, and her life. Something he’d never experienced before with a partner.

  She was so full of wonder and enchantment with the world, despite the trials she’d been through in her life.

  He’d never met such a positive person and it thrilled him to his core.

  What was he doing, anyway, just lying there alone? He should take her lead and go and enjoy himself in the water.

  With her.

  Pushing himself up to standing, he walked swiftly across the hot sand, feeling acute pleasure as the cool sea rushed over his feet and lapped against his legs. He waded towards where she was bobbing about in the water and when she turned and saw him coming her face broke into a smile.

  Euphoria swelled in the pit of his stomach, then rushed up through his chest, taking his breath away.

  ‘The water feels incredible against your hot skin,’ she called, moving forwards to meet him.

  All he could think about at that moment was what it would feel like to touch her slick skin and feel her incredible body pressed against him.

  Her smile faltered as he got closer and he realised that the longing he was feeling must be showing on his face.

  ‘Are you okay?’ she asked, reaching out to him and putting her hand on his shoulder. Before he knew what was happening a particularly strong wave had pushed her towards him and their bodies connected, their mouths only inches apart now. The feeling of her pressed against him tipped him over the edge and without another thought he dropped his mouth to hers, sliding his hands around her waist to steady them both.

  Everything else faded away as the sensation of her soft lips under his took over his entire awareness, plunging him into a state of desire so intense it left him breathless. Instinctively he deepened the kiss and felt her respond, opening her mouth so he could slide his tongue inside. She tasted just as sweet as he remembered, but also salty from the seawater, and he let out a groan of pleasure deep in his throat. Her body was slippery and smooth against his and he pulled her closer to him, losing himself in pure physical indulgence.

  He’d wanted to do this for so damn long.

  His body responded as his desire deepened, hardening and pressing into her with obvious intent.

  ‘Oh!’ she gasped against his mouth and the sound of her surprise shocked him out of his erotic daze. He pulled away abruptly, suddenly furious with himself for allowing his need to override his common sense. What was he doing? He couldn’t kiss her like this and expect everything to stay the same between them.

  But did he really want it to?

  Yes. They couldn’t afford to let their agreement slip; it wasn’t sensible.

  ‘Sorry,’ he muttered, drawing away from her and noting with a sting of regret how shell-shocked she seemed by his sudden withdrawal. ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’

  ‘No. Okay,’ she rasped, her confusion clear on her face.

  ‘I’m going for a swim, then we should think about getting back to the house,’ he said gruffly, diving underneath the cool
water before she had a chance to answer him, praying it would bring him back to his senses and extinguish his driving need to swim right back and kiss her again.

  * * *

  ‘You know, you’re very mature for your age. I guess that comes from taking on so much responsibility when you were so young,’ he said to her later, back at the house, while they sat on the terrace gazing out over the water, sipping their second large glasses of wine, trying to pretend that the kiss hadn’t really happened.

  She turned to shoot him a startled smile. ‘Do you think so? Most of the time I feel like I have no idea how to be an adult.’

  He gave her a wry smile back. ‘I think most people feel like that. We’re all just making it up as we go along.’

  ‘That’s good to hear.’

  There was a small pause where they just looked at each other.

  ‘I’m...er...just going to get a glass of water. This wine’s going straight to my head,’ she said, standing up quickly and stumbling as she caught her foot on the chair leg.

  Xavier shot out a hand to steady her, rising from his chair so he could take her weight.

  She gazed up into his face, an expression of embarrassment clouding her face. ‘Sorry,’ she whispered.

  ‘No need to be sorry,’ he said roughly, hyper-aware of his pulse throbbing in his throat. She smelt wonderful, like sunshine and fresh air and her own distinctive sweetness, and he drew in a great lungful of her scent, his chest swelling with a longing so powerful his whole body rushed with it.

  ‘Soli...’ He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say. A thousand thoughts flashed through his head but words wouldn’t form in his mouth.

  So he kissed her again. Hard.

  She let out a small gasp of surprise, but didn’t pull away. Instead she wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him closer to her, forcing their bodies together.

  And then his hands were in her hair and his body was responding in all sorts of inappropriate ways, but he couldn’t stop himself this time. Didn’t want to.

  From the desperate sounds in her throat, it seemed as though Soli was having the exact same problem.