Page 42 of Consequences of Their Wedding Charade
CHAPTER NINE
THEDINNERWASat six-thirty or, as William would have said, ‘six-thirty for seven’, being a stickler to the traditional rules of etiquette. With family, there would be casual drinks before dinner at the kitchen table, but he always took great pride in the formalities of ‘proper dining’ when he had guests, so drinks would be taken in his front room and dinner would be in the dining room, even though there would be just the one guest.
She hoped the evening wouldn’t be too awkward and was already feeling a twinge of sorrow for his disappointment when it had to be broken to him that, whilst he would still be a grandparent, he would not have a daughter-in-law inher.
How did Curtis plan to take care of this situation? He had told her that it would be sorted. How?
Would he have said something to William already? Or would he do as she had suggested, which seemed a sensible route towards demonstrating through action rather than words that they were a couple who were not temperamentally suited for any kind of long-term relationship, whether there was a child in the mix or not.
The promised snow had turned into a flurry of flakes falling steadily by the time she hopped on her bike for the twenty-minute cycle-ride to William’s cottage.
In jeans and her trainers and two layers of jumpers and with her woolly hat pulled low over her head, she was still freezing by the time she finally arrived at the sprawling cottage in its acre of beautifully manicured grounds.
Cold and fifteen minutes late.
She was tugging off her fingerless gloves when Curtis pulled open the door before she had time to press the bell for a second time.
‘You’re late,’ were his first words as he fell back to let her past him, closing the heavy front door on the swirl of snowflakes.
Jess blinked and stared at him. Would healwaystake her breath away like this?
A plain black long-sleeved, semi-fitted T-shirt emphasised the width of his shoulders. He had shoved up the sleeves and her eyes were drawn to the curl of golden-brown hair around the metallic watch strap. His jeans were faded black and he wore a pair of loafers. He looked exactly what he was—a sophisticated, uber sexy billionaire who could snap his fingers and have any woman he wanted.
It seemed just a tiny bit disingenuous that William could actually find it credible that his godson might fall for her.
‘I cycled.’ She pulled off the woolly hat, which was wet from falling snow, and shook out her hair. ‘Took longer than I’d anticipated. The roads are treacherous.’
‘Why the heck didn’t you drive, Jess?’
‘My battery’s low.’
He raked his fingers through his hair with evident frustration. ‘This isn’t going to do.’
‘What are you talking about?’
Still divesting herself of layers of clothing because the cottage was beautifully warm, she was barely looking at him as she spoke.
‘Taking chances, Jess! Look at the weather! It’s snowing. Of course it’s not only going to take longer to get here, but the roads are going to be worse than treacherous! You could have gone flying over the handlebars of that bike! Have you forgotten that you’re pregnant?’
‘Of course I haven’t forgotten, Curtis!’ She damped down the pleasurable warmth from his protective, possessive outburst and reminded herself that this was all about the precious cargo she was now carrying.
‘You should have called me. I would have driven over to fetch you.’
‘I’m perfectly fine to look after myself,’ Jess told him. ‘I’m pregnant, not ill. I made sure to be very careful on the bike.’
‘It’s time you had a new car. I’ll sort that out.’
‘You’ll do nothing of the sort!’
‘Since when does anyone fight over the gift of a new car? I’m rich. You’re having my baby. Stop being so sensitive over small things.’
Jess sighed but accepted the offer. Because he had a very valid point and it was something she would just have to get used to. She wanted her freedom? Then with that would come his inevitable desire to make sure she wanted for nothing, because for her to need anything implied that his child would, likewise, be in need.
Her independence was about to be eroded and she didn’t think that the erosion was going to be a subtle advance.
‘Okay, Curtis, but please, if you insist, then I will choose what I think is appropriate.’
‘Appropriate for whom?’ But he had relaxed and was looking at her with amusement. ‘You’re unique, do you know that?’
