The Billionaire's Marriage Mission. HELEN BROOKS

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СКАЧАТЬ were nervous because of the position you were in and I could understand that. A stranger, the two of us alone here…’ The grey eyes wandered over her hot face.

      In spite of her acute discomfort, Beth registered that eyelashes the length and thickness of his were wasted on a man.

      ‘But it’s not that, is it? It’s me. You don’t like me.’

      He didn’t sound at all bothered. Pique added itself to embarrassment. ‘As I said, I don’t know you.’

      He reached for a dish on the table in which three sausages remained. Giving one to each of the three dogs, he placed the empty container in the dishwasher before he said, ‘You don’t lie very well, Beth Marton.’

      ‘I’m not a man, am I?’ It was out before she even had time to think. Damn, damn, damn. She flushed hotly.

      The piercing gaze homed in. There was an ear-splitting moment of silence before he said, very quietly, ‘I see.’

      She wanted to run but she kept her voice low as she stared at him defiantly. ‘What does that mean?’

      He took up the challenge immediately. ‘It’s the answer to why a young woman with your looks and brains is burying herself in the back of beyond for a while,’ he said calmly.

      Arrogant, self-opinionated, supercilious swine. ‘You know nothing about me, Mr Black, so don’t pretend you do.’

      ‘The name’s Travis,’ he said mildly, glancing at his watch before adding, ‘And we’d better be making tracks if we’re going to meet John. I’ve dug out a pair of old flip-flops my sister left here some time ago, by the way. I presume you don’t want to wade through mud if you don’t have to?’

      It was through gritted teeth that she said, ‘Thank you.’

      ‘You’re most welcome.’ He bowed his head, his eyes on her.

      He was enjoying this. She just knew he was enjoying the whole situation. Beth rose with what she hoped was a good deal of dignity. ‘I’ll go and fetch my things from upstairs.’ She paused. Much as she hated to ask, she couldn’t very well let her pyjamas and slippers drip all over his carpet. ‘Do you have a carrier bag I can use?’ she added tightly. ‘I left my clothes in soak last night.’

      ‘Very wise.’ He reached into a cupboard and fetched out a bag. ‘And the flip-flops are by the front door.’

      She nodded and then sailed out of the room with her nose in the air. Once in her bedroom, she closed the door and leaned against it, shutting her eyes for a moment. All this because she had made the mistake of following Harvey outside to make sure he was all right. She must have been mad. If ever a dog could look after himself, Harvey could.

      Levering herself upright, she marched into the bathroom and retrieved her sodden pyjamas and slippers from the basin. They still carried a faint whiff of something unmentionable.

      ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she told herself out loud. ‘Just keep calm and ignore anything he might say. In a little while you’ll be back in the cottage and you need never see Travis Black again in the whole of your life.’

      And that couldn’t happen a moment too soon as far as she was concerned. He might have rescued her—in a fashion—and in a way she supposed he was something of a good Samaritan, albeit a slightly sarcastic and head-on challenging one, but he was right. She didn’t like him. He was too self-assured, too high-handed, and that amusement with which he seemed to view her was downright insulting.

      She was a capable and experienced professional woman who held down a good job and took care of herself just fine. Well, usually. Admittedly last night had been something of a hiccup but everyone had those now and again. He seemed to think she was an empty airhead.

      She stuffed her wet things into the bag, frowning fiercely. And now she had to face this John Turner, who undoubtedly would also think she was a dizzy female who had lost the sense she was born with. Life was so unfair sometimes…

      CHAPTER THREE

      A ROSY-FACED LITTLE roly-poly figure of a man was waiting outside the cottage when they arrived a short time later. He raised a cheerful hand in greeting, beaming, as they exited the Mercedes, apparently not in the least put out at having his Saturday morning messed up.

      ‘Hello, there!’ His jovial voice matched his appearance. ‘What a to-do, eh?’ he said directly to Travis, adding, ‘and you must be Miss Marton? Pleased to meet you, m’dear.’

      ‘I’m sorry about this.’ As Beth shook the little man’s hand she was red with embarrassment. Not so much at having to call the estate agent out but more because she had noticed the somewhat speculative glance he had shot at Travis. John Turner had obviously put two and two together and made ten regarding her overnight stay.

      ‘Not to worry. It’s easy done, locking yourself out. My wife does it all the time. Now, let’s get you back inside, shall we?’ He swung round and opened the front door with the key in his hand, adding over his shoulder, ‘You coming to the football this afternoon, Travis? Looks like it’ll be a good match.’

      ‘Possibly.’ As John Turner stood aside for her to enter the cottage, Travis remained standing where he was.

      ‘Thank you for helping last night.’ Flustered, Beth snapped her fingers at Harvey, who had been sniffing round the garden as she added, ‘Would either of you like a coffee before you go?’

      ‘Not for me, thanks. Million and one things to do.’ The estate agent was already walking back to his car.

      Beth turned to look at Travis, convinced he would want to come in and mentally willing him to say no. And then, when he did just that, she felt a totally unreasonable dart of pique.

      ‘If you need my services again, just don those pink silk things and wave me down,’ Travis added, deadpan, before turning and beginning to walk away.

      Beth stared after him. He was going? Just like that? But then, why wouldn’t he? She had made it pretty clear she couldn’t wait to see the back of him, after all. But still…‘These clothes,’ she called after him. ‘When will you be around so I can pop them back to you after I’ve washed them?’

      He turned at the gate, surveying her through slits of brilliant grey light for a moment or two, his face expressionless. ‘Don’t worry about it,’ he said lazily. ‘Sandra has umpteen pairs of jogging bottoms and T-shirts; she won’t miss those.’

      They were his sister’s clothes? The fact that this gave her satisfaction was a warning in itself. ‘I couldn’t possibly keep them,’ she said primly. ‘I must drop them by at some point.’

      He shrugged. ‘There’s a mail box just outside the gates for any letters and parcels that get delivered when I’m up here. It’s always unlocked. Drop them in there if you must.’ His tone stated she was being unnecessarily pedantic.

      ‘Right.’ She nodded briskly, masking the umbrage she was feeling at his complete disinclination to any more contact. ‘I’ll do that.’ Harvey was whining slightly at her side and she kept her hand on his collar. The dog obviously didn’t want to see Travis leave and she wouldn’t put it past Harvey to go galloping after him if she let go. ‘Goodbye, then.’

      ‘Goodbye, СКАЧАТЬ