by Nina Croft
She’d met some interesting people, worked on projects in different countries, on different continents, in Africa and Asia. Taught English in schools, helped build wells. Finally, she’d come home with a better understanding of what she needed to move forward, and the contacts to help her find the people to do it. She’d set up the organization and named it after her father, whose money made it possible.
The outer door banged, and she glanced up from her laptop. Her heart jumped, skipping a beat, which was weird and unwelcome. Then she heard her grandmother’s clipped tones through the door, and her heart sank.
She’d only been five when her mother and father had been killed in a car crash. She could still vaguely remember them—hazy memories filled with the warmth of their love. Which was just as well. Without those memories, she might have grown up believing that love was a myth, at least for her. Or maybe that she was unlovable.
She’d certainly never felt even the slightest smidgen of warmth from her grandmother. But over the years, she’d come to recognize that her grandmother was not a good woman. She was selfish and manipulative…and all the family Lexi had.
She let out a sigh as the door opened, and straightened her shoulders as Sadie ushered them in, her grandmother at the front, Daniel close behind. Usually, they waited for her annual visit to New York to make their fiscal requests. Money must be short.
Fixing a smile on her face, she waved a hand at the seats in front of her desk, and then she rose to her feet as they sat down. She wandered over to the window and peered out through the blinds. Her office was on the first floor of a converted house in what had once been a posh residential area but had now been taken over by a number of small businesses. The rent was expensive, but the position was good. There was a crescent of garden below, a lawn with a bench, bordered by a shrubbery. She caught sight of Josh heading across the road toward her. He’d gotten changed and wore dark pants and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
He looked good, but he’d looked better half naked. It was a real shame to cover up a body like that.
He moved with an easy grace, though as she watched him, she could tell he was favoring his right leg. Should he have been sparring if he’d recently broken it? He needed someone to look after him. Clearly, he wasn’t capable of it himself.
Sadly, it wouldn’t be her. Because whatever he believed, she was a no-strings sort of girl. All she wanted from him was sex. Really. Even if he did make her feel all warm and fuzzy.
Without that phone call, she was convinced Josh would have kissed her. He’d been so close. Even now, the memory of his touch lingered on her skin. And it was scary how much she’d craved that kiss.
She exhaled long and loud. The interruption was probably for the best. A kiss would only blur the lines between fantasy and reality even further. She wanted a real husband as little as Josh wanted a wife.
Especially a husband like Josh.
In her dreams, he’d known his place—in her bed and not in her business. In real life she guessed he wouldn’t be quite so amenable. She’d had one person controlling her life; she wasn’t about to let anyone else have a say.
And she had an inkling Josh would have a lot to say. He was clearly bossy as well as gorgeous. She sighed as he disappeared into the building below her.
“Have you heard a word I’ve said, Alexia?”
She sighed again and turned around. “No.”
Shock flashed across her grandmother’s face. Lexi had always taken great care to treat their meetings with scrupulous politeness. It was ingrained in her. Her grandmother had always had an uncanny ability to hit where it hurt, and no scruples about using that talent, so Lexi had learned at an early age not to antagonize her.
“Things not going well with your…husband?” Daniel asked
Had she heard a slight question when he used that word? Did they suspect all wasn’t rosy between her and Josh? Sometimes it amazed her that she’d kept the pretense up for so long. Though, it did help that there was usually an ocean between them.
She wasn’t quite sure what would happen if they discovered the truth. Her father had made vast amounts of money before he died. His own family had wanted him to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a lawyer, which hadn’t interested him in the least. So he’d gone into business with Uncle Jamie, who had provided the start-up money. He’d been a brilliant entrepreneur at a time when fortunes could be made in the emerging internet markets.
After he’d died, the money had been put into trust for her, with her grandmother in control until Lexi was twenty-four, or until she married. If they found that her marriage had been a sham, her grandmother would likely try and get back that control. While Lexi didn’t think she would succeed, she guessed it would tie the money up, and she had a number of ongoing projects. She needed that money.
So they couldn’t find out the marriage was a sham.
The door opened and there he was. He stood for a moment, taking in the occupants, one eyebrow raised.
Earlier, he’d threatened to go talk with her grandmother. He wouldn’t, would he?
She bit her lip and shot him a pleading glance.
He gave a small nod, and a smile curled his sensual lips. “Sweetheart,” he murmured. Then he strode into the room, straight toward her, wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up on tiptoes, and lowered his head. Time seemed to slow and her surroundings vanish as his lips parted on hers, and he kissed her like he would never get enough.
He was such a good actor.
Then his tongue pushed into her mouth, filling her with the taste of spice and coffee and something unique. She twined her tongue around his to taste him better, her hands coming up to sink into the silky hair at the back of his skull and hold him closer. She became acutely aware of her breasts pressed against his rock hard chest, her nipples tightening, and a steady throb starting between her thighs.
Oh my.
She had to resist the urge to rub up against him like a cat in need of stroking, and she had a flashback to his hands on her body last night, his long, clever fingers inside her.
The kiss slid from her lips, along her cheek, and he nibbled at her ear, his breath feathering against the sensitive skin. “If you don’t want to seriously embarrass me in front of your visitors, you might want to stop kissing me now.”
She didn’t want to stop. His hands slid down her back and pulled her tight against his hard body, and she could feel the growing length of him against her stomach. If that was supposed to persuade her to back away, it wasn’t working. God, he felt good.
She closed her eyes for a second, gathered her willpower, and stepped away.
Josh gave her a rueful smile and then moved and propped himself on the edge of her desk. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face the other two people in the room. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten they were here.
Daniel had a vaguely lascivious expression on his face, which made her a little queasy. Her grandmother had a pinched look, which she knew from experience did not bode well.
Wiping her hands down the sides of her jeans, she plastered a smile on her face. “Sorry,” she murmured, “but…” But what? She gave up and went around her desk, sat down, and rested her hands in her lap. “You said you needed to talk to me.”
Daniel cleared his throat as though about to speak, but her grandmother got in first. “This is family business, Alexia,” she said with a pointed glance at Josh.
“You can speak in front of me, Grandma,” Josh said, and Lexi almost choked. “After all, we are family. How is it Lexi and I can help you?”
He sat on the edge of her desk, one leg swinging, an almost amused expression on his face. She didn’t think anyone had ever found her grandmother funny before.
She waited for one of them to speak, though she was pretty sure what they were going to say.
“Daniel’s gallery has met with a few issues recently. We need a little cash injection and thought you would like to help.”
/> She opened her mouth to ask how much, because, really, what else was there to say, but Josh spoke first.
“What issues?”
Daniel looked startled at the question. “A couple of deals that didn’t work out. I need a little outside investment to see me through a difficult patch. I’m sure Lexi can spare the money.”
“What are the usual loan terms? I’m taking it this isn’t the first time you’ve borrowed money from my wife.”
Her grandmother pursed her lips. “Alexia is family. I’m sure you understand that, Joshua. We don’t speak of terms with family.”
“I don’t believe Daniel is a relative.”
“He’s her step-grandfather.”
Josh straightened his shoulders. “And I’m her husband. You’ll agree I have slightly more say in the matter. Up until now, Lexi has been overly generous. But money doesn’t last forever, and we need to check that the investment is solid. So if you could send us a written report, we’d be happy to consider it. Now, I’m sorry, but Lexi and I have a luncheon date.”
He stood up, strolled to the door, opened it, and stood waiting.
Lexi watched in silence. Finally, her grandmother rose to her feet, and Daniel followed her out. Neither looked happy, and Lexi had to bite back a grin. This wouldn’t be the end of the matter. No doubt she would hear more. But for now, the two of them had been silenced.
For a fake husband, Josh was a true protector. Which was so not helping her control those warm fuzzy feelings.
As the door closed behind them, she leaned back in her chair and let out a huge sigh.
“Do you usually give them money when they ask?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It’s complicated. Anyway, I have a lot and they don’t.” Her grandmother had once pointed out that if Lexi had never been born, then the money would have all been hers. She’d been eight at the time. She suspected that her grandmother would have been happier if Lexi had died in the car crash with her parents.
“And they are my only family.” She didn’t know why she was trying to justify herself to Josh. It was her money. She could do what she liked with it. Hadn’t that been the whole point of marrying him in the first place? She didn’t need him to come along and tell her what she could and couldn’t do.
He shook his head, his expression still disapproving. “You’re right. It’s your money. Let’s go get some lunch. I’m hungry.”
“Okay. And thanks for…not giving me away to grandmother. I know she suspects something.” She got up, grabbed her bag, and then the laptop. She’d give her little presentation over lunch.
…
“So,” he said as they settled into a booth in what Lexi had described as her favorite pizza place. “Does your grandmother ask for money often?”
“Once a year.” She nibbled on a breadstick. “I visit once a year, and they ask once a year.”
“And you always give it to them.”
She nodded. “It’s easier. And if I do, they leave me alone the rest of the time.” She must have seen something in his expression. “She is my grandmother.”
Perhaps it wasn’t so bad not having any family. Though that wasn’t quite the truth. He had a mother somewhere, but unlike Lexi, he’d cut her out of his life. She’d tried to contact him once, but she’d eventually gone away when he’d made it clear he no longer considered her family. Then there was his sister—except he no longer had a sister. His mother had seen to that.
Which one of them was right? Him or Lexi?
It occurred to him that both of them were as screwed up in their own way by their families. After all, it was hardly normal for an eighteen-year-old to enter into a marriage of convenience with a total stranger, however much money was involved. Besides, he was starting to believe that whatever else motivated his wife, it wasn’t money. Suddenly he had an inexplicable urge to understand what made her tick.
“So tell me,” he said. “What’s with all those people at your house? Don’t they drive you crazy?”
“I love it.” At his look of disbelief she continued, “I always wanted a big family.”
“You don’t have any brothers and sisters? What about Harry and Melissa.”
She pulled a face. “Luckily, they didn’t come into my life until I was seventeen. Before that, it was just me and grandmother, and whichever husband she had at the time. She had a lot of them, and they all ended badly, so I decided a long time ago that I was never going to get married—not for real anyway. So this is my way to have a family.”
“You just collect them?”
She grinned. “Sort of. I inherited the house from my maternal grandmother, and Jean already lived there. She’s an artist and has a studio in the garage. There didn’t seem any point in asking her to move out. The others sort of…turned up. They’ll move on when they’ve got their lives together a little more.”
Their food arrived, and they were silent for a little while. Lexi attacked the pizza with enthusiasm, eating with her hands. She caught him watching her and licked some sauce from her fingers. “What?” she asked.
“You’re not what I expected.”
She picked up another slice of pizza and looked at him over it. “What did you expect?”
He shrugged. “Some little rich bitch who wanted money so she could party harder.”
“And are you so sure I don’t party?”
She certainly didn’t spend her money on clothes or jewelry. “Why did you marry me?”
She put down the half-eaten slice of pizza and stared off over his left shoulder while she gathered her thoughts. “To piss my grandmother off.”
Whatever he’d been expecting it wasn’t that. He’d be the first to admit he didn’t know his wife well, but she didn’t come across in any way malicious.
“I told myself I had all sorts of other reasons,” she continued, “but deep down, at rock bottom, I did it because it was the one thing I knew would hurt her.” She gave a rueful smile. “She was never particularly fond of me but she did like my money and while I lived with her she had access to income from my trust fund. I think she and Daniel had this weird idea that they could persuade me that marrying Harry was a good idea. They thought they had six years to wear me down.”
The thought of them pressurizing her to marry that prick had his hackles rising. “But something must have triggered it.”
A flash of real emotion crossed her face. Anger or sadness. Maybe a mix of both. “She killed my dog.”
“What?”
“She had him put down while I was in my last term at boarding school. Jasper was old—he’d been a present from my dad, the last thing he gave me before he died—but he was still healthy. I’d argued with her—she wanted me to move to New York when she married Daniel. I’d told her that I wanted to stay in England—I’d been offered a place at Oxford.”
“So she had your dog put down?” What a bitch!
“She was making a point. Unfortunately it wasn’t the point she intended. I decided then that she wasn’t having any more control over me.” She nibbled a piece of pizza. “Then Daniel suggested that he could prevent her from doing anything like that again if I was a little friendlier with him.”
Shock flashed through him, followed by a wave of anger, and his fists curled on the table. “What?”
She grinned at that. “Yeah. Never going to happen. Anyway, at first I thought I’d let them go off to New York. I’d take my place at Oxford. I could get a job, leave the whole horrid mess behind and forget about them. But then I needed some money, and she wouldn’t release it.”
“What for?”
“Well, not partying. I used to volunteer at this rescue center. They had a fire and were going to have to close down. I wanted to help. My grandmother thought it a bad investment. I talked to Uncle Jamie, but he didn’t think the trust could be broken.”
She’d finally finished the pizza and sat back with her glass of red wine. She sipped it. “I was so angry. I’d ne
ver felt like that before. Furious. I told Uncle Jamie that I was going to find a man to marry me. He didn’t believe me at first, but I must have convinced him—or scared him enough to take me seriously. He said he’d find me someone suitable. Someone who wouldn’t try to cheat me or take advantage of me.” She cast him a pointed look. “Or try and divorce me before my twenty-fourth birthday.” She smiled sweetly. “That’s you.”
James Frobisher had been his commanding officer in the SAS. One of the few men Josh truly admired.
“So, you see,” she continued. “You really do have an obligation. You promised me five years and five months. You’re a man of honor—Jamie said so. You’re duty-bound to not let me down.” She gave him a narrow-eyed stare. “Certainly not for something as shallow as no-strings-sex.”
He hated that she had a point, but she did. When he’d decided this, he’d presumed that whatever reason she’d married him no longer existed. He’d thought he would get no opposition.
But Christ, he wanted that sex.
He had a flashback to the feel of her hot, tight pussy around him, her little moans as she came so sweetly for him. He shifted in his seat.
“So did you save your dogs’ home?”
She gave him a wide grin. “I did.” After swallowing the last of her wine, she put the glass on the table, then bent down and rummaged in her bag, pulling out a laptop. “I wanted to show you some of the work we’ve been doing.”
“We?”
“My team. I set up a registered charity a few years back. We provide funding for all sorts of things, including a string of no-kill rescue centers around the country. But stuff overseas as well. We build schools, train teachers, employ vets who work in places where the animals would likely not get any treatment otherwise. We’ve dug wells, planted trees, trained farmers.” She tapped a few keys on the laptop, then turned it around and pushed it toward him.
