Two-Week Wife

by Miranda Lee

  ‘Are you all right?’ Adam called casually from the bedroom.

  Bianca gathered all her courage, got to her feet, rinsed out her mouth with mouthwash, pursed her lips in defiance of her pounding heart and flounced back into the bedroom, her hands finding her hips as she glared over at where Adam was sitting on the side of the bed, pretending to look totally unconcerned.

  At least...she hoped he was pretending.

  ‘No, I’m not all right, you unfeeling bastard. I happen to be pregnant, with your baby. I also happen to still love you, regardless of that appalling speech you just delivered.

  ‘Before you ask, I haven’t been on the pill since last month. That first time we made love and you didn’t use protection seems to have done the impossible. Made me into a mother. And I have no intention of having an abortion so don’t even ask.

  ‘As I said, I love you and I want to keep our baby, and if you’re halfway the decent man I think you are, you’ll do the right thing and marry me.’

  She scooped in a much needed breath before continuing. ‘Which reminds me—I don’t believe all that garbage about your not loving me. You do love me, Adam Marsden. I have no doubts about that at all!’

  Bianca was taken aback by the black fury which swept across his face. ‘And I have no doubt about that either,’ he snarled, re-sashing his dressing gown as he stood up.

  Bianca suspected the savage action was to keep his hands busy, otherwise they might have reached out and strangled her, so murderous was the look on his face.

  ‘Because of course you’re quite right!’ he grated out. ‘I do still love you—curse my stupid masochistic self to hell! I also thought I knew you pretty well, but not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined you could be this wicked. Or this coldly calculating.’

  Bianca was staggered by his counter-accusations. Wicked? Coldly calculating? Anyone would think she’d deliberately gone out and got pregnant!

  ‘Enough that you used me to back up the lies you told your mother,’ he raged on. ‘Enough that you told me you loved me when we both know you didn’t.’

  ‘That’s not tr—’

  ‘Shut up!’ he roared. ‘I won’t listen to your lies any more. I can see it all now. You deliberately didn’t mention protection that night till afterwards, knowing full well I’d be so carried away by finally making love to you, the only girl I’d ever loved in my whole life, that it would be the last thing on my mind. And you did it because you suspected you were already pregnant by Derek. You were hedging your bets, Bianca. You wanted an each way chance at winning a husband for yourself and a father for your baby.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Oh, don’t play the innocent with me. The wool’s finally lifted from my eyes. You think I didn’t notice the change in you these past few days? You decided you wanted Derek back, didn’t you? You’d grown bored with me. But he wouldn’t have you back, would he? Or marry you!

  ‘You told him about your pregnancy last night and he gave you the shove. So it fell back onto good old Adam to see to the aid of the party. You even thought you’d soften me up with some more sex before dropping the bombshell. One thing I’d like to know, though. Did you try that tactic with Derek last night too? I’ll bet he didn’t knock you back, did he? There again, he isn’t mug enough to love you.’

  Her hand cracked across his face with all her considerable strength. It rocked him, but Bianca couldn’t see anything much through her haze of hurt and anger.

  ‘This is your baby, you fool, not Derek’s!’ she told him, her voice shaking uncontrollably. ‘I never had unprotected sex with Derek, nor any kind of sex at all with Derek for that matter. I was going to that weekend up at Foster, but I changed my mind. I told you before, Adam. I am not promiscuous!

  ‘As for last night, the truth is I fainted down at the gym. Derek was there and insisted on taking me home. He really was very sweet and understanding. He even drove to an all-night chemist and bought me a pregnancy testing kit, then came back and waited while I confirmed what I had already suspected.

  ‘I asked him to stay for a cup of coffee and he told me how happy he was that you and I had decided to stop our silly “open marriage” and have a baby. In case you’ve forgotten, my mother told him we were married.’

  Tears pricked her eyes at the thought. For they would never be married now. ‘I wasn’t trying to soften you up with sex when you came home,’ she said in a strangled voice. ‘I wanted to make love with the father of my baby, the only man I’ve ever really loved.

  ‘If I’ve been different the last couple of days, it was because I was worried that you hadn’t mentioned marriage. I was afraid you might not want our baby. I was afraid you might not want me as your wife. I was...just...afraid...’

  She started to cry then, great racking sobs which shook her body from head to toe.

  Adam’s arms around her sent her collapsing against him. ‘Oh, Adam...Adam,’ she cried. ‘How could you believe all those terrible things about me?’

  Yes, how could he?

  Adam had never felt this rotten or this wonderful all at the same time. No one could have doubted her sincerity just now. The truth had shone from her impassioned face for all to see—but most for him to see.

  She loved him. She wanted to marry him. She was going to have his baby.

  His baby...

  His arms tightened around her. He tried to speak but couldn’t for a while, so he let his hands and lips speak for him as he stroked her back and kissed the top of her head.

  ‘So when are you going to make an honest man out of me?’ he murmured at last.

  Her head rose slowly, heart-rending doubt on her tear-ravaged face. ‘You...you don’t have to marry me, Adam. If you think that I don’t really love you then perhaps we should wait a while to tie the knot...’

  ‘No no,’ he denied swiftly as panic rose in his heart. ‘I don’t want to wait. I want you as my wife as soon as possible.’ That rebellious pout to her lips had begun to worry the life out of him.

  ‘No, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I think we definitely should wait a while...till you’re sum...’

  Adam groaned, then sighed his resignation to her stubbornness. He could only blame himself, he supposed. And his lack of faith in her. Besides, he’d waited this long. He could wait a little longer.

  ‘But meanwhile we will be moving into a house together, won’t we?’ he said, trying to sound masterful.

  ‘But of course! We have a dog and a baby to consider.’

  Adam smiled wryly as he thought of that damned dog. Still, he guessed a family wasn’t a proper family without a dog. He’d have to sell the penthouse if they were going to buy that really great house near the beach they’d looked at the previous weekend. Which was a shame. He’d really enjoyed his times there with Bianca.

  But that didn’t mean he couldn’t find other places to take her. He had a feeling he’d better not ever get complacent where Bianca and sex were concerned. She’d liked the bad boy side of him far more than she would probably ever admit. He’d rather liked it himself.

  He made a mental note to find out all the plush and decadent-looking hotels around Sydney where a man could take his lady-love for a night of sin. Maybe he would suss one out for tonight.

  ‘What are you smiling at?’ she asked suspiciously.

  ‘Nothing. I was just thinking I’d like to take you out somewhere to celebrate tonight. A hotel, perhaps. We could have a romantic candlelit dinner, break open a bottle or two of champagne, then retire to the honeymoon suite.’

  ‘But we’re not honeymooners!’

  ‘Who cares? They’ll think we are. All the men will stare at you and envy me like mad. Which reminds me...there’s a certain red dress I bought which I’d like you to wear...’

  EPILOGUE

  A WARM November sun was shining when Bianca finally emerged from the house and walked sedately down their backyard along the strip of red carpet laid especially for the occasion.

  Adam st
ared at her and thought he’d never seen her look more breathtakingly beautiful or ravishingly radiant. Her white bridal gown was classically elegant, made of silk, straight and slender, with an off-the-shoulder neckline and a cleavage on display which made his heart beat a little quicker.

  Having a baby had matured Bianca’s figure somewhat.

  She wasn’t wearing a veil—Adam was privately surprised he’d talked her into a long white dress—though her long black hair was braided down her back with delicate white flowers set into each twist. The pearl choker and earrings he’d bought her as a wedding gift looked superb against her tanned skin.

  And well they should, he thought wryly. They had cost all of his winnings so far this year. Over thirty thousand dollars.

  Bianca had no idea how much they had cost. Or how much he still gambled. She’d worry if she knew. But Adam knew what he was doing, and it gave him great pleasure to be able to afford to lavish such an expensive gift on her on this marvellous day.

  Still, perhaps it was time to give some of the gambling up, especially the races. It was becoming more and more difficult to return a profit there, and, frankly, it was far too time-consuming.

  He might even give up the casino as well. After all, he no longer had any need of extra money, having recently accepted a new job at Brisbane University which involved a considerable rise in prestige and salary. A house went with the job as well, which meant they could rent out this house while they lived up there.

  Bianca was very excited about the move. She loved new places and new ‘adventures’.

  Bianca...

  God, how he loved her—now more than ever. Perhaps because he was now absolutely certain that she loved him back, with a love that would last. She’d been right to make him wait. Marrying her today was going to be the best day of his life—other than the day his son had been born, of course.

  He sent a quick glance over to where fifteenmonth-old Tony was sitting next to his grandmother in the first line of chairs, his small chubby arms wrapped tightly around Lucky’s scruffy, fluffy neck.

  Adam’s face filled with loving exasperation. They were inseparable, those two. He’d nearly had a fit when Lucky had first leapt up over the railing into Tony’s cot a couple of months back, and settled down for an afternoon nap with his young master. But every time he’d tried to eject the dog, his son had screamed.

  Dog and boy won the day, though never had a dog been so scrupulously wormed—or more often—not to mention bathed. Bianca called him an old worry-wart, and perhaps he was. Someone in the family had to do the worrying. Bianca certainly didn’t. She was an eternal optimist.

  He smiled over at his son, who smiled back, a wickedly naughty little grin which heralded that he was more his mother’s offspring than his father’s. Lord knew what would happen once Tony reached the terrible twos. He shuddered to think.

  ‘You’re supposed to be looking at the bride,’ Bianca hissed as she reached his side.

  ‘I was checking on your son,’ he whispered back. ‘Seeing if he was behaving himself.’

  ‘Why is he always my son when you feel he needs checking on?’

  Bianca smiled up into Adam’s sheepish face and thought he had never looked so handsome, or so adorable. She reached up on tiptoe and kissed him.

  ‘Hey,’ he objected softly. ‘That’s supposed to come afterwards.’

  She laughed. ‘So’s having children.’ ‘Children?’ He eyed her warily. ‘Are you trying to tell me something?’

  ‘Could be. I haven’t sighted a period for four months, and last night the line of my favourite test went blue again. On top of that my boobs are killing me, and while I was getting ready this morning I fainted. You know I never faint.’

  ‘Except when you’re pregnant.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  Bianca was moved by the sight of Adam’s joy as he grasped her hands and squeezed them.

  ‘We’d better get married, then, don’t you think?’ he said thickly.

  The celebrant noisily cleared her throat, indicating that she really did wish to marry this strange couple some time this century. Why they wanted everyone to think they were merely renewing their marriage vows, she had no idea! She knew for a fact that this was their first marriage ceremony. Still, hers was not to reason why—especially when she’d been paid so well for the small deception.

  They finally stopped whispering and laughing, and the bride nodded for her to begin. She sighed and did so.

  ‘We are gathered here on this lovely November afternoon, in this beautiful garden, to witness Adam and Bianca’s renewal of their marriage vows. Bianca and Adam have written special words for the occasion. Adam?’

  Bianca’s heart contracted fiercely as Adam turned to take her hands, his face very serious all of a sudden.

  ‘Bianca, my darling;’ he said, his voice quavering a little. ‘This is a very special day for me. A day which marks the beginning of the rest of my life with you as my wife. I promise always to love you. I will never be unfaithful to you. I promise to treasure you all the days of my life, my darling. Bianca, my love, I am yours.’ And he bent to kiss her.

  ‘And you, Bianca,’ the celebrant prompted, suddenly having difficulty in stopping herself from crying. How had she ever thought this couple strange? They had to be the most romantic, most in-love pair she had ever seen in her life!

  ‘Adam, my darling,’ Bianca began, just as shakily. ‘I cannot hope to match those beautiful words. I am speechless with humility and wonder that you love me as you do. I...I am not worthy of you...’

  Several people watching drew out handkerchiefs and there was much sniffling. Bianca’s chin lifted and her eyes shone with love.

  ‘But I will endeavour to be worthy,’ she went on strongly. ‘I promise always to love you. I promise always to be faithful to you. I promise never to let you down. You can count on me, my darling, just as I know I can always count on you.

  ‘You gave me this beautiful gift today,’ she said, fingering her pearls. ‘But you gave me a greater gift the day you first gave me your friendship, then your undying love. Thank you, my husband.’ And she reached up to kiss him.

  Then celebrant decided to abandon her prepared script. It just didn’t seem to fit this touching moment. ‘I wish to say I have never seen a couple so much in love,’ she said, her eyes awash. ‘And I am proud to pronounce them man and wife. May their lives be as long and as wonderful as their love for each other.’

  Everyone stood up and clapped. It was much better than everyone crying. May lifted Tony up on the chair so that he could see better.

  ‘Mum-Mum, Dad-Dad,’ he said.

  ‘Yes,’ May murmured as she dashed away her own tears. ‘And it’s about time too.’

  Did they honestly think they had fooled her all this time? She’d found out long ago they weren’t really married, when she’d been staying at their unit that fortnight and picked up a photo album containing all those photographs of Adam’s sister’s wedding. She’d quickly guessed the reason for their deception and been very touched by it. But she was much better now. The doctors had given her a clean bill of health last month. The cancer was beaten.

  Still, it wouldn’t do to let on to Adam and Bianca that she knew the truth. They’d gone to so much trouble to keep deceiving her, with all their friends and Adam’s relatives in on this special day. Besides, it wasn’t as though she hadn’t always been confident in their love and commitment to each other.

  No, she would not tell them. Let them have their little secret. It didn’t matter now that they were really married.

  ‘Mum?’ Bianca said, coming up to her with shining eyes and an adoring Adam on her arm. ‘Before we get distracted with the party afterwards, we wanted to thank you again for minding Tony while we go on our second honeymoon.’

  ‘My pleasure, darling. Tony and I will have such fun together, won’t we?’ She glanced up to find Tony had scrambled down from the chair and was running down towards his sandpit in the far co
rner of the garden, Lucky’s little legs going hell for leather after him.

  Bianca laughed. ‘He’ll make sure you sleep at night, that’s for sure. Oh, and we have a little present for you which we hope you might like.’

  ‘A present for me? But you don’t have to reward me to mind my grandson!’

  ‘No, it’s not that kind of present.’

  ‘Really? Now I’m intrigued. Well, what is it? Tell me.’

  ‘There’s going to be a little brother or sister for Tony some time in the New Year. Your guess is as good as mine when.’

  May didn’t know what to say. Her heart swelled to overflowing proportions and she hugged Bianca, looking at her proud son-in-law over her daughter’s shoulder. ‘Well done,’ she told him, her eyes swimming. ‘Oh, well done!’

  P.S. It was a girl. And they called her May. Her arrival instantly turned her devil of a brother into an overly protective guardian angel. He insisted on sleeping in her room every afternoon, just in case his “lil sissie” needed something. He also insisted on his big brave guard dog joining them. Adam scowled while Bianca smiled, but boy and dog won the day. As they always did.

  ISBN : 978-1-4592-6235-5

  TWO-WEEK WIFE

  First North American Publication 1998.

  Copyright © 1997 by Miranda Lee.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented. including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.