by Kim Lawrence
‘Would you like it if we were fighting over you?’ he teased.
Beth was indignant. ‘What a thing to ask—of course I wouldn’t…’ She stopped, gave a grin and added, ‘Well, not exactly…were you?’
His grin widened. ‘Our conversation that morning left me with the distinct impression you wished it had been Andreas and not me the night before.’
Beth’s jaw dropped. ‘How could you think that?’
‘How?’ Theo stared at her incredulously. ‘You did say you loved him.’
For years Theo had dismissed Andreas’s petty jealousies out of hand. Now, with the situation reversed—and there was nothing approaching petty about the dark emotions he was experiencing—he actually felt a lot more sympathy for his brother.
He had even restrained himself from pointing out such home truths when Andreas had confided that actually he might not be in love with Ariana.
Beth grimaced at the reminder. ‘I thought I was,’ she admitted. ‘But I had no idea then that love needed passion and passion needed love and how rare it is to find the two in one place, or,’ she added, lifting a loving hand to his face, ‘one person.’
‘The point is, I thought the one person was Andreas and I went to discuss the situation with my little brother in a civilised manner.’
Beth rolled her eyes and said, ‘Who threw the first punch?’
Theo grinned back. ‘Andreas did not take kindly to being told that a man who played footsie with one woman was not ready to marry another.’
‘I shouldn’t have told you that,’ Beth said with a wince.
Theo did not agree. ‘You should always tell me everything,’ he rasped, adding weight to the suggestion by fitting his lips to hers and kissing her deeply.
‘No secrets?’ she teased, emerging breathless and blissfully happy from the embrace.
‘None.’
She nodded her agreement.
‘Things actually did not get really nasty until I mentioned the fact that if he cheated on you ever I would crush him like a bug.’
Beth’s eyes were round. ‘You actually said that?’
‘Not those exact words,’ he conceded with a grin. ‘I gave you the censored version.’
‘Did you make him go to New Zealand?’
‘No, it was his idea. I think he was having some doubts about Ariana and he wanted some space to review his options.’
Beth bit her lip and lowered her eyes. Was that what Theo would be doing in a few months’ time? She pushed away the intrusive thought—why worry about an unknown future when you could enjoy today?
‘I actually think,’ he mused, ‘that Andreas waited so long to decide he was dumping Ariana because I told him to.’
‘I react that way when you tell me to do things.’
‘Not always,’ he said. ‘There have been moments when you seemed very eager to please me.’
When he took her hands and pulled her to her feet she came willingly. The wicked gleam in his eyes made her flush, then shiver when he slid his hand up her body, stopping only when he reached her breast.
Her little cry of pain made him drop his hand and look at her with concern. ‘You were lying—you are injured.’
‘No,’ she promised him. ‘I didn’t lie. It’s fine—I’m just a little tender there.’
He watched her lightly touch her breasts and frowned. ‘Why would you be?’ He stopped, the colour draining from his face as he stared at her. ‘You mean you are…’
His eyes dropped to her flat stomach and he swallowed hard.
‘No need to panic just yet. I’m not one hundred per cent sure, but it is possible.’
His eyes lifted to her face. ‘But you think you are?’
Beth stole a look at his face and was comforted to see that he didn’t look too bad, considering the shock she had just delivered. She expelled a gusty sigh, nodded and said, ‘I’m sorry.’
He stared at her. ‘Why would you be sorry?’
‘Well, it’s not like you planned for this to happen.’
Theo took her chin in his hand and forced her face up to his. ‘I did not plan to fall in love with you either, but it is still the best thing that has ever happened to me.’
The simple statement brought tears to her eyes.
‘Some things are meant to be.’
She studied his face warily. ‘So you wouldn’t mind?’
‘Mind?’ he echoed. ‘I’d be delighted.’
Beth felt the last cloud vanish from her horizon.
‘You do realise that a baby with us as parents will no doubt be brilliant and gifted and very very beautiful?’ he told her, his eyes gleaming as they swept her face. ‘And this settles it—why wait? We could get married next week, actually,’ he mused, visibly warming to the idea. ‘Tomorrow.’
‘You want me to marry you?’
He looked amazed by the question. ‘Well, that’s a given, obviously.’
‘Not to me. I thought you wanted an affair, but marriage…? It didn’t even cross my mind,’ she admitted. ‘You’re not saying this because of the baby?’
He shook his head. ‘I want to commit to you. I want to do that legally and for keeps.’
Beth gave up on trying to blot the tears streaming down her cheeks—there were too many. ‘Theo—’ her husky voice was shaky ‘—a woman likes to be asked.’
Without a second thought, he dropped down onto one knee. ‘Elizabeth Farley, will you do me the honour of being my wife?’
She pressed a finger to the dimple in her chin, sniffed and pretended to think about it. ‘Well, let me see…’ She let out a whoop of protest as he leapt to his feet and, with his arms banded around her hips, lifted her high in the air.
‘Put me down, you idiot!’ she shouted as he whirled her around.
‘Not until you say yes.’
‘All right, yes, I will marry you.’
A fierce predatory grin spread across his face. ‘Right answer,’ he said slowly, lowering her but keeping her body very close to his as he did so. When her feet hit the floor, his hand stayed on her bottom.
‘Do I get a prize?’ she asked huskily.
‘You get me.’
‘Nice, but do I get a prize?’ she teased.
‘Actually, now you mention it, I do have. Wait there.’ He vanished through a door and returned a moment later carrying something long and cylindrical. ‘More a wedding present.’
Frowning her puzzlement, Beth slid the papers from the document case and opened them. She stared at the plans, not really understanding what she was seeing, then she suddenly recognised the shape of—Her startled gaze flew to his face.
‘This is my house, though not actually mine any more. I just sold it,’ she informed him. The sale had gone through earlier; she had received the agent’s text on the journey there.
‘I know.’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘I bought the house for you. The architect who drew up the plans has worked on a lot of period properties, but obviously he will incorporate anything you want. Maybe the nursery could be—’
‘You bought my house for me?’
Theo watched with alarm as her lips began to tremble and her luminous eyes filled afresh.
‘If you prefer to live somewhere else—’
Beth blinked back the tears misting her vision and, reaching up, she took his face between her hands. ‘I would live anywhere with you, Theo,’ she declared with a smile that took his breath away, ‘but this is probably the loveliest thing that anyone has ever done for me. But when you bought it you didn’t know I would be coming.’
Her sweet naivety drew a smile from him. ‘Who do you think arranged for you to be here?’
‘Your mother asked me. She said that you—’
‘My mother said what I asked her to.’
‘Then it was a conspiracy.’
‘Most definitely,’ he agreed. ‘And one that worked very well, except for the one fly in the ointment—Ariana.’
‘Were there ever any guests? And your mother and Georgios—there was no work crisis? Were you so sure of me?’
‘I was sure that I did not want to spend another day without you and did not want to share you with anyone.’
She shook her head. ‘You are a very sneaky man.’
‘I am the man you need.’
This arrogant assertion was so Theo that it made her smile. The smile was absent as she corrected him. ‘Want and need,’ she admitted with a husky throb in her voice.
His eyes darkened as his heated gaze hungrily devoured the face turned up to him. ‘I am interested in how much you need and want me.’
Beth was happy to show him and it turned out to be quite a lot!
All the 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 the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
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First published in Great Britain 2010
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Kim Lawrence 2010
ISBN: 978-1-408-91924-8
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Excerpt
Title Page
About the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Copyright