A REASON FOR MARRIAGE

He had been both angry and hurt the day he had insisted she would continue to redesign the interior of his apartment-and now he had found he was the one being punished, as day after day he was forced to suffer the cold professionalism of her manner towards him. None of which was helped by the fact that every time he walked into his apartment his senses were bombarded with…well, with the presence of Sara.

He could see her influence now everywhere he looked in this newly furnished and decorated room: the pale terracotta-coloured walls adorned with bold coloured paintings of islands, the carpet the color of the Sea in summer, the deep rust color of the comfortable sofas and chairs adorned with many scatter cushions in colors of blues and greens and yellows, the curtains draped at the huge picture windows in those same rich colors.

Such boldness of color should have been too much, and yet somehow it not only worked but it also seemed to fill a hole in Simon’s soul. A hole that Sara had not only seen and recognised in him, but addressed and filled with this warmth of color… He turned to her now.

“It’s…amazing,”he said huskily.

“In a good way or a bad way?”

Simon gave a rueful smile as he recognised the wariness in Sara’s tone. “A good way, of course.” He stepped further into the room and allowed those warm colors to seep into his inner being, filling him with a sense of peace and tranquility.

Sara heaved a deep sigh of relief as she felt the heavy weight of responsibility lift from her shoulders. She watched Simon’s pleasure in his surroundings; as she had imagined, the richness and boldness of the earth tones suited Simon perfectly, bringing that same warm richness to his eyes and his swarthy, chiseled features as he strolled about the room.

She still couldn’t believe she had been so stupid as to believe the series of lies she’d heard about him. Although, in her defense, she had started to doubt them shortly after meeting Simon. She knew now without a shadow of a doubt what the real truth was, and she’d never imagined that she’d ever have befriended a man like Simon ever in her life.

Befriend?

Sara would hardly class the fantastic, earth-shattering lovemaking she and Simon had shared as ‘befriending’ each other!

God, just remembering the depth and feeling of that lovemaking now was enough to make her nipples tingle and tighten, to make her clench and unclench between her thighs. She straightened abruptly. “I’m pleased you’re happy with it.”

“That would be an understatement.” Simon turned to look across at her from between narrowed lids. “Praise where praise is due, Sara: you’ve done a fantastic job on this room.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

She avoided meeting that piercing gaze. “Let’s hope you’re as pleased with the rest of the apartment once it’s finished,” she dismissed briskly as she looked around for her shoulder bag.

“Perhaps we should have a glass of champagne to celebrate? Oh, come on, Sara,” he drawled dryly as she turned to him with wide eyes. “I can’t be the first satisfied customer who has wanted to toast the success of your hard work?”

He was the first satisfied customer that Sara had gone to bed with. And since Bruce, Sara knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was absolutely no comparison between the two men. Bruce had been a selfish lover, whereas Simon was a generous one. And those memories weren’t helping her in the least to keep this meeting on a business footing!

“I really do have to go-” she said,

“Do you have a date this evening?”

“No, of course not,” she answered with irritation.

“Have you heard from Bruce Bennet?”

Sara drew her breath in sharply. “I’ve spoken to Bruce again, yes,” she confirmed guardedly.

Simon looked at her from between narrowed lids, having absolutely no idea what thoughts were going on behind those shuttered brown eyes. “I believe I asked you to tell me-”

“If I had any further trouble from Bruce. Which I haven’t,” she added firmly.

“We spoke. Nothing more.”

“About what?”

She gave a pained frown. “As I’ve said before, I don’t believe that to be any of your business-”

“That’s bull-” He abruptly broke off his angry response, aware that he had been about to voice an unacceptable expletive. His jaw was tight as he continued between gritted teeth, “As the man who helped you to pick up the pieces after your last conversation with your ex-fiance, I happen to think it’s very much my business!” His eyes glittered darkly.

A blush heightened Sara cheeks. “I believe I’ve already thanked you sufficiently for the…assistance you gave me that weekend.”

“I sincerely hope that was not a reference to our lovemaking, Sara,” he bit out coldly.

“Of course not!” she gasped.

“No?”

She gave another pained wince. “Simon, I’ve already thanked you several times for your kindness the evening I met Bruce again at his father’s house. And it’s because of that kindness that I refuse to argue with you now-”

“Then what are you going to do with me?”

She blinked. “Sorry?”

“Not half as sorry as I am!” Simon muttered grimly under his breath. He spoke more loudly. “I asked what are you going to do about me, Sara?”

She gave a puzzled shake of her head. “I’m sorry, but I still don’t understand what you mean…”

No, Simon could see by the blankness of Sara’s expression that she really didn’t understand-that as far as she was concerned theirs was now a purely business relationship. Which was exactly what Simon had implied it was going to be three weeks ago. Before he had been forced to live every day in this living hell of wanting Sara, of being driven quietly but surely out of his mind with the knowledge of that desire for her, while she obviously had had absolutely no difficulty in resuming their previous business relationship, shutting out all memory of their hours of intimacy.

Or perhaps she hadn’t shut them out at all? Maybe she really had just forgotten them altogether? It was an idea Simon found totally unacceptable.

He gave a shake of his head. “Is this what you do, Sara? Is this what your engagement to Bruce Bennet did to you? Did you have a couple of dates with Mark Forbes too, a night in bed together, and then not only discard him as unimportant but forget about him altogether?”