Millionaire Mavericks: The Oilman’s Baby Bargain. Michelle Celmer

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СКАЧАТЬ she said, feeling relieved. And strangely enough, a little disappointed.

      “What I meant, for example, is that as a part of my business, it’s required that I occasionally attend social functions. As my wife, I will expect you to accompany me, and of course I’ll do the same for you.”

      That didn’t sound so terrible. “I can do that.”

      “You’ll also be expected to host several parties.”

      That was something that she was actually quite good at. “Of course.”

      “And since I’m not particularly fond of seeing my name in the tabloids, or being the source of the latest gossip, I think it should appear to everyone that we’re happily married. If word gets out that this is part of a business deal, we’ll never hear the end of it. I personally value my privacy.”

      Personally, she didn’t give a damn what people thought. But for the baby’s sake, it would be best if they kept up a ruse of wedded bliss, so the child wouldn’t feel unwanted.

      “As soon as we get back to the states we can start house hunting. Or if you prefer, we could build.”

      “What about your townhouse?”

      “It’s too small for our needs.”

      “If you think so,” she said. She had never actually been there, but she couldn’t imagine that someone as wealthy as Mitch would live anywhere that could be considered small. Although she couldn’t deny that the idea of having her own home was a little exciting. All of her life she had lived in her father’s Houston estate or D.C. townhouse. He hadn’t even allowed her to decorate her own room, preferring instead to let a professional choose the decor. She had never had a place that was truly hers.

      “Of course, you’ll be in charge of the household,” Mitch continued. “You’ll be responsible for the hiring and dismissal of the staff.”

      “Will I be allowed to decorate?” she asked.

      The question seemed to puzzle him. “Of course.”

      “I won’t need your approval for every little thing I do?”

      He looked confused. “Is there a reason you should?”

      She had just assumed that, like her father, Mitch would deem her untrustworthy or incapable. Or maybe he was just saying these things to lull her into a false sense of security. Maybe he would be an overbearing tyrant.

       And maybe you’re paranoid.

      “Other than the obvious financial requirements, is there anything specific that you expect from me?”

      She wasn’t sure what he meant by financial requirements. Did he think she would expect him to pay her a salary? “What ‘financial requirements’ are we talking about?”

      “Credit cards, cash. As I assured you, you won’t want for anything.”

      Despite what most people believed, she wasn’t the spoiled, pampered heiress they described in the society pages of the paper. Her father had always provided her with a generous allowance for clothing and essentials, but otherwise kept her on a pretty short fiscal leash. He monitored her credit card statements to be sure that she wasn’t spending his money on anything inappropriate, and he limited the amount of cash she was allowed. She’d always wondered what it would feel like to be financially independent, to not have someone scrutinizing her every move.

      If Mitch did give her financial freedom, maybe this marriage deal wouldn’t be quite as miserable as she’d expected.

      “Come on,” he said. “There must be something you want.”

      Though she was going to wait, he’d left the subject wide open, and she couldn’t resist dipping her toes in to test the waters. “What about children?”

      “What about them?”

      “Well, I know this is just a business arrangement, but I’ve always wanted kids.”

      The dark expression that spread across his face chilled her to her core. He shook his head and said, “I think that would be a bad idea.”

      Oh, this was not good.

      Maybe it was the act of conceiving the baby that he had a problem with. Maybe he no longer found her attractive. Their kiss after the vows couldn’t have been colder or more formal. Maybe she had been so terrible in bed that first time, he had no interest in a repeat performance.

      “If it’s the intimacy you’re concerned about,” she said, “there are other ways—”

      “It has nothing to do with that. I feel it would be unfair to bring a child into a loveless marriage.”

      Her stomach bottomed out. How would he feel if he didn’t have a choice in the matter? Would he insist on a divorce? Tell her father the truth about what happened in D.C.? Or even worse, would he disown his child? Then where would she be?

      A sense of panic filled her. There had to be a way to convince him, to make this right. “Maybe if we—”

      “No,” he said firmly, his mouth set in a stubborn line. “There is no maybe. I’ll give you anything you want, Lexi. Anything but this.”

      Just because they didn’t love each other, it didn’t have to mean their child wouldn’t be happy. Her mind worked frantically on a way to make him change his mind.

      What if she did everything he asked of her and became the perfect wife? Then would he accept the idea of having a child? But is that what she really wanted? To live a lie?

      At this point, did she even have a choice?

      Mitch felt slightly guilty for denying Lexi something she obviously longed for, but she would just have to get used to not getting everything her greedy little heart desired. He was sure that no matter how much she thought she wanted children, she had no idea what kind of responsibility it would be. He knew from experience that spoiled debutantes like her didn’t have time for anyone but themselves. She would grow tired of the burden, just as his mother had, and walk away. He refused to allow his child to grow up unable to count on the one person who was supposed to provide unconditional love.

      They endured the remainder of the nine-hour flight engaged in occasional strained small talk, with Mitch always initiating the conversation. The way she had talked nonstop in D.C., he could only assume that she was now giving him the silent treatment. She probably wasn’t accustomed to people not catering to her every whim.

      Well, she would have to get used to it. He didn’t intend to deny her happiness, but he wasn’t about to pamper or spoil her, either. It was time she began living in the real world.

      After a brief layover in London, which Lexi spent the majority of in the ladies’ room, they boarded a flight for Athens. Lexi fell asleep the minute the wheels left the tarmac and didn’t wake until they landed. A limo met them outside the airport to bring them to the port of Lavrio where they boarded the small passenger ship that would take them to the island of Tzia.

      Two hours later, and sixteen hours after they left Houston, they finally arrived СКАЧАТЬ