Reunited By A Shock Pregnancy. Chantelle Shaw
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Название: Reunited By A Shock Pregnancy
Автор: Chantelle Shaw
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современная зарубежная литература
isbn: 9781474087636
isbn:
She had been seduced by Nico’s easy charm and his self-assurance that even back then had sat lightly on his broad shoulders. He had kissed her for the first time that same afternoon while they were sitting in the shade of a lilac tree covered with heavenly scented purple spires. Later she had walked home on air and even her father’s drunken bad temper couldn’t burst her bubble. She’d been in love with a handsome prince who she’d been sure would make all her dreams come true.
Right now, Nico looked as dangerous as the wicked wolf beloved of so many fairy tales. Time shifted to the present and Sienna found herself looking into the glittering gaze of her ex-husband. He was moving purposefully across the dance floor towards her, accompanied by the new Mrs De Conti.
‘Let’s swap. I don’t want to be accused of monopolising your delightful bride,’ he said to Danny, skilfully executing the change of partners before Sienna had time to object.
He swept her across the dance floor so fast that her head spun and her feet barely touched the floor. When she tried to ease away from him, he clamped his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him so that her breasts were crushed against his chest.
‘What are you doing?’ she muttered, struggling to speak with her face pressed against his shirt front. She could see the shadow of his dark chest hairs beneath the fine white silk. The heat of his body was melting her insides.
‘I could ask you the same question,’ he said in a terse voice, and when she glanced up at his face she realised that he was furious. ‘Did you come to Danny’s wedding to cause trouble?’
She was mystified. ‘What do you mean by trouble? What have I done?’
‘Did you give any thought to Danny’s new bride while you were flirting with him in front of the wedding guests?’
‘I was not flirting...’
‘You were all over him like a rash. Dio, you’ve got every male in the marquee panting over you. Why embarrass Victoria like that? Was it to prove that you can have any man you want, including my ass of a brother?’
Sienna sucked in a sharp breath, her temper rising to meet Nico’s. ‘You asked me to come to the reception,’ she snapped. ‘It’s ridiculous to make me out as some sort of man-eater. No one here is interested in me.’
‘I don’t believe you are unaware of the effect you have on men.’
‘I only have an effect on you.’ The words spilled from her mouth before she realised what she had said.
Nico tensed and stared at her, and the hunger in his eyes both excited and appalled her. He was her ex-husband and whatever there had been between them had died a long time ago, she reminded herself. So why did he make her feel dizzy and disconnected from reality?
She was barely aware of the other people on the dance floor. There was just Nico filling her vision and swamping her senses. He was even more dangerously handsome and charismatic than her memory of him but she was determined not to fall under his spell again.
SIENNA ATTEMPTED TO wrench herself out of Nico’s arms and glared at him when he tightened his hold on her waist. ‘I don’t want to dance with you,’ she told him, her fury mixed with panic that she could not control her response to him. She was tempted to dig one of her stiletto heels into his foot. ‘You can’t make me.’
‘Do you want to put that to the test?’ He laughed softly at her fulminating look. ‘You did not have such a fiery temper when you were my wife.’
‘At eighteen I was too in awe of you to say boo to a goose. But I grew up and I’m no longer the girl who worshipped the ground you walked on.’
‘You’ve certainly changed. You are more confident and assertive, and very sexy, cara.’ The unholy gleam in his eyes was part teasing and part male admiration that sent another sizzle of heat through Sienna. Nico dropped his hands from her waist and perversely she wished he was still holding her.
They had reached the door of the marquee, and when she followed him outside she took a deep breath to steady her racing pulse. In midsummer the days were long, and although it was past nine o’clock, darkness was only just falling, turning the sky a soft purple hue. The air was warm and sultry, filled with the mingled scents of roses and lavender that grew in wide beds in the garden. In the distance there was an ominous rumble of thunder.
‘I should go.’ As she spoke, Sienna checked her watch. She would have to walk back to the village where she had left her car, and it would be completely dark when she drove across the moors to pick up the main road that led to the motorway.
‘Come up to the house for a drink.’ Nico’s voice was casual, but when she glanced at him, something about his intent expression made her heart miss a beat.
‘I can’t,’ she said quickly before she gave in to the temptation to spend another hour with him. It was unlikely she would ever see him again after tonight and she resented the little pang her heart gave. She was so over him, she reminded herself sternly. ‘I had a glass of champagne when we toasted the bride and groom and I’ll be over the limit to drive if I have any more alcohol. Besides, it’s a good five-hour trip back to London.’
He frowned. ‘You can’t make that long journey tonight. Why didn’t you book a hotel room?’
She shrugged, not wanting to admit that she’d made a spur-of-the-moment decision that morning to drive to Much Matcham because she’d mistakenly believed that he was getting married and she had been curious about his choice of bride. ‘No rooms were available at The George, or at any of the local B & Bs. I suppose they were all booked by the wedding guests. If I’m tired on the way home, I’ll stop at a motorway services hotel.’
‘You can spend the night here at Sethbury Hall.’ Nico gave her a speculative look when she stared at him. ‘Why not?’
‘I can think of several reasons why it would be a terrible idea for me to spend the night with you.’
‘As a matter of fact I was going to suggest that you sleep in one of the guest rooms,’ he drawled. The amusement in his voice caused a hot stain of embarrassment to flare on Sienna’s cheeks and she was furious with herself for jumping to the wrong conclusion. ‘To satisfy my curiosity, why would it be a terrible idea for us to sleep together? We are attracted to each other and we’re both consenting adults.’
‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ She shook her head and tried to dismiss the erotic images in her mind of Nico making love to her on his huge four-poster bed.
The gleam in his eyes made her wonder if he could read her thoughts. ‘What are you afraid of?’ he asked softly.
That you will break my heart for a second time.
‘I’m not afraid of anything,’ she snapped. ‘I simply think it’s a bad idea.’ She hated that he tied her in knots and without another word she swung round and started to walk along the gravel СКАЧАТЬ