Marriage Bargain With His Innocent (HQR Presents)

by Cathy Williams

  She gathered herself and smiled brightly. ‘Of course...darling...’

  Busying herself pouring another cup of tea killed a couple of minutes, during which time Matias sauntered towards the kitchen table, where she had sat down, and rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. He gently massaged the nape of her neck, then lifted her hair to feather a kiss where his massaging thumbs had been.

  Breathing became difficult. This was totally out of order, she thought furiously. Some semblance of affection might be permissible, but this...?

  ‘What was it,’ he murmured, thankfully straightening, although he kept his hands on her shoulders, ‘that made you fall head over heels in love with me?’

  ‘No idea.’ Georgina lightly covered his hands with hers and gently but firmly prised herself free.

  In response, Matias circled around to take the seat facing her, slightly behind his mother so that he could watch the expression on her face without Rose being any the wiser.

  Georgina ignored him to the best of her ability. She smiled at Rose, although her jaw was beginning to ache from the effort of pretending that this was just a normal conversation.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she registered Matias’s lazy gaze resting on her. Was this his way of punishing her for having put him in a situation he hadn’t invited? Watching her having to flesh out the little white lie that had propelled him into sitting here in his mother’s kitchen, pretending to be someone he wasn’t?

  Rose was looking at her with eager, interested eyes and Georgina felt a flash of anger towards Matias. Couldn’t he see that he was making their inevitable break-up all the harder by laying on the touchy-feely stuff in such abundance?

  She gathered herself. ‘I mean, it certainly wasn’t his engaging humility or his sweet-natured, easy-going personality! You know your son, Rose! He’s challenging, to say the least! And sometimes...’ she smiled brightly at Matias ‘...I’d go so far as to say there’s an arrogant streak there...’

  Matias watched, amused, and then he returned with a wicked smile, ‘Well, my darling, if it wasn’t my soft, soppy nature and my ambitious streak, it must have been my scintillating and exciting personality...wouldn’t you agree?’

  How, she wondered irritably, had sweet-natured and easy-going turned into soft and soppy? How had arrogant and challenging become ambitious?

  ‘Let’s just say,’ he continued, much to his mother’s delight—this was obviously just the sort of familiar banter she enjoyed hearing—‘that I made her heart race and it hasn’t stopped racing since. Wouldn’t you say, my darling, that that just about sums it up...?’

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ‘THAT,’ GEORGINA SAID less than an hour later, once Rose had retired for a brief rest before dinner—which she had prepared even though Matias had told her not to bother, that he would make sure a caterer was on board when they arrived, ‘was awful.’

  ‘You look as though you could do with a drink.’ He poured them both a glass of wine and then stood back to look at her coolly. ‘I had my doubts about this hare-brained idea of yours, but I have to admit that my mother is a different woman to the one I visited three months ago.’

  Georgina accepted the proffered glass of wine and stared moodily into the clear liquid as she swirled it round and round and wondered how a couple of hours spent with a woman she dearly loved could end up being as wearying as if she’d run a marathon up Mount Everest carrying weights.

  But the questions had been exhaustive and had called for a repertoire of invention she had not foreseen when she had embarked on—as Matias had called it—her hare-brained scheme.

  When did they first know...? Where did they go when they met...? Had they met in Cornwall on the sly...? What about getting engaged...? Summer wedding or winter...? What sort of rings did she like...? There was an excellent jewellers not too far away—she knew the one... Oh, don’t mind me...you probably think I’m getting ahead of myself...

  By the time the conversation had settled into something resembling normality Georgina had been wrung out. And Matias hadn’t helped matters.

  ‘I didn’t appreciate your hands all over me,’ she bristled now, sipping her wine and hunching into herself as she looked at him severely over the rim of her glass. ‘I know it’s important that we maintain a...a...realistic...er...front, but you don’t have to touch me all the time!’

  ‘Point taken,’ Matias said piously. ‘Although I thought you might welcome the way I’ve thrown myself into this situation without grumbling.’

  ‘And is there really any need for us to go exploring tomorrow?’

  ‘What do you suggest we do, as a loved-up couple with stars in their eyes?’ Matias returned coolly. ‘Go our separate ways and communicate via email while I’m here? Don’t forget that I didn’t ask to get embroiled in this situation but here I am. Rather, here we are. I propose you go with the flow and cut back on the steady stream of objections.’

  It still got on his nerves that he was doing something he hadn’t banked on doing—especially something he hadn’t generated himself. But Matias had enjoyed himself this evening. His mother’s attitude towards him had been subtly but noticeably different. Less...wary. It surprised him how much he had liked the unexpected thaw when he’d always considered himself as hard as nails when it came to accepting the shortcomings of his relationship with his mother.

  He’d always known that she judged him for the life choices he had made and, crucially, for not being able to attend his father’s funeral. But, despite that, their relationship had meandered along, with neither party doing the other any harm. He’d fulfilled every obligation when it came to supporting his mother financially. Whatever she wanted, big or small, he did not hesitate to provide. And if there was a certain distance between them, then Matias accepted that it was simply the way it was. Irreversible and inevitable and not that unusual when it came to family dynamics.

  Except it wasn’t.

  His mother had embraced him. She had teased him. Had laughed with genuine warmth. Her guarded affection had been replaced with an open show of love and it had felt like the reconnection he had never imagined possible.

  And as for the touching that Georgina had talked about... He’d liked that as well.

  She wasn’t bony, like the catwalk models he was accustomed to dating. Her skin was soft and smooth, and those intermittent touches had put him in mind of what it might feel like to touch a real woman—which was a phrase he would have scoffed at only days ago.

  He liked the smallness and the roundness of her...he liked the way her breasts were generous and lush...he liked the shapeliness of her legs. Touching her had definitely not been a hardship.

  ‘Your mother doesn’t expect us to be all over one another!’ Georgina was protesting now, heatedly.

  ‘She didn’t look distraught at the sight.’

  ‘Well, I won’t be joining you for dinner tonight.’ She stood up and primly smoothed her hands over her trousers. ‘I have stuff to do.’

  ‘Stuff? What stuff?’

  ‘None of your business.’

  ‘Oh, but everything’s my business now that we’re a couple...’

  ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’ Georgina gritted.

  Matias delivered a cool, mocking smile. ‘Enjoying?’

  Georgina flushed, because of course he wouldn’t be enjoying anything. He’d been shoved into playing a part with a woman who got on his nerves most of the time and whom he didn’t fancy at all. He would rather steer clear of her. Instead, where was he? Having to put on a show of physical affection for the sake of his mother.

  ‘I have a job coming up,’ she said, opting for a conciliatory tone. ‘I’m photographing some food for an up-and-coming young local chef. It’s a good job because she’s going to be using some of your mother’s produce—that should be free advertising for the farm. I need to start working on my templa
tes.’

  Matias grimaced. ‘I’ve never seen your work,’ he mused. ‘I’ll have to put that right. And, for the record, while I’m here I’m going to use the opportunity to try and persuade my mother to leave this house. It’s too big. Naturally there are memories, but isn’t that what photo albums are all about?’

  Georgina shot him an incredulous look from under her lashes. ‘You’re impossible, Matias. How can you be so cold and unfeeling? Not that anyone would guess with that touchy-feely show you put on for your mother. You’re a brilliant actor. But... I’m really glad you can see a difference in your mum. I know you got dragged into this, and it helps that you can see why I ended up doing what I did. Anyway...’

  She stood up and hovered for a few minutes.

  ‘I’m going to head off now, before Rose comes down. She’ll understand. She knows that I have a lot of prepping to do before the shoot the day after tomorrow.’

  She hovered some more. She hesitated for just a little too long. Watching him. Paralysed by the surreal nature of events, torn by weird, conflicting emotions that she couldn’t rationalise.

  The sound of Rose’s voice made her start.

  ‘You’re going? But, my darling, where are you going?’

  It took a few moments for Georgina’s brain to sluggishly register that Rose, who should have been safely tucked up having a nap, was now looking at her and waiting for an answer.

  The only thing Georgina could stammer out in response was, ‘Home. You know...work... But of course I’ll be back tomorrow...’

  ‘What Georgie is trying to say...’ Matias neatly stepped into the breach, moving to gather her against him ‘...is that she’s going home to finish up what she has to do but she’ll be joining us for dinner.’

  ‘Er...’ Georgina’s voice trailed off.

  ‘Darling,’ Rose intercepted briskly, ‘I’ll have none of this nonsense about you two being apart while you’re down here. Never you mind my sensibilities! I wasn’t born a century ago! I do realise that young people in love actually share beds! You could have Matias’s bedroom here, but I think you might enjoy the privacy of staying at your place, Georgie.’

  She beamed and Georgina tried hard to beam back and appear delighted.

  ‘You don’t want a middle-aged woman getting underfoot.’

  ‘Er...but... Matias...? Didn’t you say that the whole point of you coming down here was to see your mum?’

  ‘And I will,’ Matias soothed with infuriating calm. ‘But of course my mother is right. It makes complete sense for us to be in the same place.’

  He moved to give his mother a peck on the cheek. She looked delighted. While she, Georgina, contemplated a scenario she hadn’t banked on in a million years.

  Share a house? With Matias?

  On the one hand at least she would be able to dispatch him to the furthest bedroom from hers, because his mother wouldn’t be there keeping tabs on the loving couple, but still...

  Share a house?

  ‘You look a little anxious, Georgie.’

  Rose stepped forward to reach for Georgina’s hands, which she clasped warmly. Her sharp eyes reminded Georgina that recoiling in horror at the prospect of sharing her space with the guy she was supposed to adore wasn’t going to do.

  ‘But I do understand that you want to finish some work tonight—and, yes, give Matias some time to be on his own here with me.’ She looked at Matias with a smile. ‘That’s the sort of lovely, understanding girl Georgie is. Always putting other people ahead of herself.’

  ‘An absolute angel,’ Matias murmured, tightening his hand on her waist and giving it an affectionate little squeeze that made her stiffen in response.

  ‘Perhaps tomorrow you two can go off and do something exciting together. It’s so beautiful around here at this time of year! I know you probably think you should drag me along wherever you go, but please don’t.’ Her face shadowed for a few seconds, but then the smile returned. ‘Why don’t you head to Padstow and explore? I could even make you a picnic to take to the beach. When was the last time you were at a beach, Matias?’

  She looked at her son, tentative and affectionate at the same time, breaking new ground, making Georgina feel that it would be a sin to rain on the older woman’s parade.

  ‘A century and a half ago...’ he drawled.

  So it was decided. The details of this wonderful day out floated around Georgina’s head. She tried to think It’s all for a good cause—just look at how great Rose looks compared to a few days ago... Instead, the only thing she had in her head was an image of Matias in her house, in a bedroom, in the shower...sharing her space. An intruder in her life and one she had invited—an intruder who could make her break out in a cold sweat and remind her of a time when she had idolised the ground he walked on.

  Eventually Rose left the room, and the first thing Matias said, dropping his arms and walking away from her, was, ‘Do I make you nervous? Because you were behaving like a cat on a hot tin roof just then.’

  ‘Of course you don’t make me nervous.’ Georgina cleared her throat and let loose a brittle laugh, very conscious of the burning patch of skin he had touched and of those amazing eyes now pinned to her face. ‘I just didn’t expect your mother to...to...’

  ‘To suggest we actually do what most people would do, given they were in a serious relationship? Inhabit the same bedroom?’

  Georgina squirmed and reddened. ‘I thought she would be...might be...relieved not to have to confront that...er...reality... Plus, how are we to demonstrate the decline in our relationship if your mother isn’t around to witness it?’

  ‘Did you think the occasional woman I’ve brought here over the years was primly shown to a bedroom on another floor when I came to visit? And as for my mother seeing first-hand all the differences between us... Well, there will be time enough to demonstrate those. In the meanwhile, this is a tonic for her and I have no intention of whipping it away just yet.’

  ‘You’re not exactly being helpful, Matias.’ Georgina drew in a sharp, impatient breath and he raised his eyebrows.

  ‘Nor are you,’ Matias responded, without skipping a beat. ‘If concern for my mother is top of your agenda, then you should be embracing her enthusiasm for us to spend all our available time down here together, instead of trying to figure out how fast you can disillusion her.’

  ‘That’s a far cry from you refusing to even get involved in this whole charade!’

  Matias opened his mouth to dismiss her snide but perfectly understandable interruption. Instead he found himself saying, sotto voce, and with a sincerity that cut right through all his usual weary cynicism, ‘I’ve lost touch with my mother over the years. Taken care of the essentials and visited only as a matter of duty. Time has wreaked destruction over the years...and my values are so different from my parents’... Hell.’ He raked his fingers through his hair and flushed darkly, for once caught on the back foot. ‘Reconnecting with her, even in these utterly fake circumstances, isn’t something I’m plotting to destroy before it’s even really begun.’

  ‘Matias...’

  ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  The conversation was closed. She could see it in his shuttered expression and hear it in the finality of his voice. He’d opened up and already he was regretting it. She was filled with such an intense craving for this moment of shared confidence to be prolonged that it terrified her.

  ‘I’ll make sure a guest room is prepared for you,’ she muttered—a reminder more to herself than anyone else of the boundary lines within this little game of theirs.

  He returned a clipped nod.

  * * *

  Being out of his suffocating company for a handful of hours should have come as blessed relief, but instead Georgina spent the evening unable to concentrate on anything. She prepared one of the guest rooms for Matias, realising as she did so that she hadn’t
actually been into this particular bedroom since her parents had left. It was dusty and smelled airless.

  She aired it all. and then had to fight down thoughts of Matias in the bed. How could these disturbing feelings still have lodgings inside her? Was it the oddness of their situation? Were there still embers of those flames that had been ignited all those years ago that had never been entirely doused? What had she unleashed with this ill-conceived plan of hers?

  Following that thought through to any kind of conclusion made her quail with apprehension. So instead she sat at her desk and brought her computer to life, scrolling through the extensive archives of food photos that had inspired her in the past and making rough notes on what sort of vibe she wanted to get for her young chef.

  But her mind was a million miles away. Things were no longer reassuringly black and white. There was an ocean of grey in between and she was realising that she was a very poor swimmer...

  The following morning she chose her outfit carefully. Casual cotton, ankle-length khaki trousers and a simple white ribbed tee shirt which she tucked into the waistband of the trousers. The same sandals she had worn the day before. Cool, easy to wear clothes put together in a way that gave her shape, brought out the best in her. Clothes that afforded her some measure of the control which she felt she needed—because the minute she was with Matias, playing this stupid game, control seemed to slip through her fingers like water through the holes of a colander.

  She heard the buzz of the doorbell and a surge of nerves washed over her, but she was as cool as a cucumber when she pulled open the door to see Matias, lounging against the doorframe, finger poised to ring again, even though she’d answered the door in seconds.

  It was another brilliant day and he was in a white polo shirt and a pair of low-slung faded jeans that lovingly hugged the muscular length of his legs. Her eyes drifted helplessly to the dark hair on his forearms and the way that dark hair curled around the dull matt silver of his watch strap.