Obligation To Love. Catherine O'Connor

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СКАЧАТЬ is a lifetime’s commitment. The promises taken in church are not only made by husband and wife to each other but to God. Have you any idea of what type of maturity is needed to take on such a commitment?’ Andros demanded, remembering with painful clarity his own experience.

      Hayley swallowed once more. He was being deliberately aggressive, but to respond would only antagonise him further. ‘I understand your reluctance; they are both young. But they seem ideally suited and so very much in love,’ she explained with a gentle plea. The spots of tears that had fallen on the desperate letter she had received from Melissa confirmed the depth of her feeling, Hayley thought wistfully.

      ‘Love!’ Andros grated down the phone in disbelief. Hayley had never felt such contempt from another in her life and she shuddered at his bitterness.

      Hayley paused for a moment, surprised by his venom, then she snapped back, ‘Yes, love! Isn’t that the usual reason for marriage?’

      ‘Your naïveté surprises me,’ his dark voice mocked. ‘Surely you do not believe your sister loves Dimitri?’

      Hayley was about to protest, but Andros continued forcibly, ‘I do not doubt she is fond of him—but love!’ His cruel laughter seemed to crackle down the line, and Hayley felt herself struggling to control her growing annoyance at his attitude. She had never experienced love herself—except perhaps a silly dalliance of puppy love when she was a young teenager; she had never regretted her actions since, but had known even then that there had to be more. She pushed her own thoughts quickly to the back of her mind.

      ‘Mr Christos, I think you are doing both Dimitri and Melissa a great disservice. I can appreciate that perhaps, at your age, the extreme passions they feel for each other may appear transistory, but I...’

      ‘At my age?’ he roared, and Hayley winced as she held the receiver away from her now-burning ear. She couldn’t understand the words he was cursing in his native tongue, but she knew it was not complimentary. She had definitely touched a nerve there, she thought.

      ‘Please accept my apologies; I didn’t mean to offend you. I fully understand the respect your culture gives to age and the wisdom that has been acquired by living a long life.’ Hayley knew she was babbling but she felt she had to make amends. So many people seem to like to pretend they were younger than they were. A harmless little lie would obviously make him feel better.

      ‘You respect my age?’ Andros asked, his voice quieter but still full of infinite mockery.

      ‘I—I think allowances should be made,’ Hayley said carefully, not wanting to fall into any trap. She could almost sense the smile that had crept across his face at the tentativeness of her answer.

      ‘I see, but the allowances you make do not mean you agree with my decision?’ Andros’s voice had grown even lower and a deep, almost forbidding quality echoed through the receiver.

      Hayley braced herself and replied, ‘No, I cannot agree with your view, but I am more than willing to discuss the marriage. Perhaps—’

      ‘You could persuade me?’ he cut in briskly. Hayley’s nerves quivered as he flung the words at her like a challenge. She faltered momentarily before answering.

      ‘I think that once your mind is made up it would be difficult to change,’ she admitted, her pale cheeks darkening as she thought of Melissa.

      ‘You’re right,’ he responded finally.

      ‘However, I should love to come to visit you and discuss any problems. I feel sure we can all come to a suitable agreement,’ she said sweetly, her heart already racing at the thought of meeting such a man, images of an old Godfather figure fleeting through her mind.

      ‘I shall send for you,’ was his abrupt reply.

      ‘Thank you, but I’m more than capable of making my own arrangements,’ Hayley replied in her most officious tone. The last thing she wanted was to be in his debt. It might force the balance in his favour.

      ‘As you will be my guest, I will make the arrangements,’ he said curtly.

      ‘I’ll have to arrange my leave with work—’ began Hayley, but again he cut in immediately, as if frustrated by her lack of understanding.

      ‘I have told you,’ he informed her crisply, ‘I shall make all the necessary arrangements.’

      Hayley wanted to protest, but she could say no more because the phone line went completely dead. She glared at the receiver, her eyes bright with annoyance. No wonder Melissa seemed so distraught; he hardly seemed an approach-able man. She sighed: she wished her parents were still alive and she then would not have this responsibility.

      CHAPTER TWO

      HAYLEY was dreading the flight. She walked almost reluctantly to the first-class departure lounge with leaden feet. Her holdall was flung carelessly across her shoulder and she paused hesitantly at the doorway. She stared in at the plush surroundings, feeling like a small child who had interrupted an adult dinner party, effectively blocking the entrance.

      ‘Excuse me,’ a deep, velvety, warm voice said, as a slight pressure was applied to her back to encourage her to move. Hayley jumped at the touch; she could feel the heat from the man’s hand penetrating through the thinness of her new suit and sinking deep into the very core of her being. She spun round in alarm at the electric charge, her pale blue eyes wide with surprise. She felt a rush of blood to her face, staining her high cheekbones with a taint of red. Her blush deepened further when she was confronted with the most handsome man she had ever seen. His thick hair shone like polished jet and his ebony eyes glistened as he smiled at her. His sensual mouth widened to reveal the whitest of teeth. Hayley swallowed nervously, stepping back to allow the man to pass. She was aware of his gaze as his dark eyes rested on her for what seemed an eternity. Her eyelashes fluttered downwards as she attempted to hide the turmoil she felt. A shiver of unexpected delight trickled down her spine.

      ‘After you,’ he offered, an odd inflexion in his voice, which carried the hint of a foreign accent. He extended his arm towards the inside of the lounge. Hayley was wildly perplexed by her inability to move. But then she managed to mumble her thanks and stepped inside. Her shoulder-bag slipped, catching on the door, and fell to the ground; she had forgotten to zip the top and an array of items spilled out noisily across the floor. She dropped down immediately in a mad scramble to retrieve her belongings. The gentleman lowered himself down too on his haunches in one single fluid movement; his rhythm was smooth and controlled. Hayley cast a covert glance as his hands—large, strong hands, with long tapering fingers that were perfectly manicured, and with a mat of dark hairs crisscrossing their backs on tanned skin. He passed Hayley back her travel pills with a charming smile and yet Hayley, with some primitive awareness, sensed danger. She felt confused—alert but disturbed—and she coloured again with embarrassment as he continued to look at her. She took her sickness pills from his firm hand and shoved them quickly back into the depths of her bag. His eyebrows rose in amusement at her actions.

      ‘You do not travel well?’ he commented graciously, his deep voice matching his tough physique perfectly. Hayley took a deep breath before replying.

      ‘They’re a precaution.’ Her voice faltered. ‘Just in case,’ she explained self-consciously. His face looked knowing and he inclined his head before moving away, the smoothness of his movements strangely at odds with his size.

      After a pause, Hayley looked around, wondering where the attractive СКАЧАТЬ