Eligible Bachelors: Wife For A Week Part 7

That was a relief. Until a new and wholly unwelcome thought occurred to him. Whether she was out to trap him or not they'd just had unprotected s.e.x. He'd never been so careless with a woman before. Ever! What if she fell pregnant and had a child? His child. There was no way any child of his was going to grow up without a father and, as far as Nick was concerned, that meant marriage. His blood turned to ice; his breath caught in his throat. What had he done?

aAre you okay?' she asked him. aYou don't look so good.'

aI, ah, guess it's unlikely you were protected against pregnancy, what with you being a virgin and all.' He was being wildly optimistic, he knew he was.

aActually, I am protected,' she said. aThat's something we don't have to worry about.'

The breath left his body in a whoosh. Regular breathing resumed.

aCall it a complete stab in the dark,' said Hallie dryly, abut I'm guessing marriage and children aren't on your to-do list.'

aI, uh...' He was still recovering, still trying to regroup. aNo, they're on the list,' he said at last. aThey're just not at the top of the list at this point in time.'

aAh.' She smiled. aGood to know.' And from beneath lowered lashes, aFor what it's worth, I think you're an incredible lover. I'm glad you were my first.' Then she lifted her face to the water and put her hands to her hair in a move so innately sensual he felt the force of it like a punch to his stomach.

Definitely not part of the plan, he thought as he dragged her up against him with a m.u.f.fled curse. And took her again.

Nick soaped up beneath the spray as Hallie stepped from the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She slid him a dreamy smile, followed up with a stern warning for him to keep his distance, as she padded from the bathroom. Not a problem, he thought wryly, because, frankly, he was spent.

Lovemaking had always been a pleasurable pastime for Nick. Sometimes it was slow and lazy, sometimes quick and playful. This time had been different. This time his climax had ripped through him like a tornado, leaving him dazed and shaken. And worried.

So what if she was a generous lover?

So what if towards the end there he'd hardly known who or where he was, only whom he was with? It wasn't as if he'd found The One. h.e.l.l, he was only thirty; he was far too young for that. He had years and years of loving left in him before that happened.

Yeah, whispered his brain. Years and years of mediocre bed play that will never, ever measure up to what you've just experienced with Hallie Bennett.

aNo,' he said fiercely.

Oh, yeah, throbbed his heart. Years and years spent searching for another t.i.tian-haired, golden-eyed witch whose smile warms you through and whose kisses make your soul tremble.

aNo!' Louder this time. This was not happening. Regardless of her sweetness, her savvy, and her thorough understanding of football, Hallie Bennett was definitely not The One.

He wouldn't let her be.

She was lying on her stomach on the freshly made bed, leafing through the travel guide to Hong Kong he'd given her, when he finally emerged from the bathroom. Her trouser-clad legs were bent at the knees, her dainty little feet-clad in strappy little sandals-were crossed at the ankles. Her arms were bent at the elbows, her collared shirt showed a modest amount of cleavage. She looked casual, comfortable and perfectly at ease. Perfectly approachable, which was good because he was about to re-establish the boundaries of their relationship.

Just as soon as he put some clothes on.

She looked up at him and smiled as he crossed to the wardrobe and there was lazy satisfaction in that smile, a woman's awareness. His doing, his alone, for there'd been no one else before him and d.a.m.ned if he didn't relish the notion.

No way. No. This was not happening.

He turned his back on her and dressed fast, deliberately avoiding her gaze as he headed for the sideboard and his business papers.

aI've been thinking,' he said gruffly.

aIt shows.'

He shot her a glance, darkly amused. aI've been thinking we should stick to the plan from now on.'

aFine.'

aI mean, the whole point of bringing you along was so that this kind of complication wouldn't crop up.'

aI know.'

aWe got a bit carried away, that was all. A body has its needs.'

She smiled at that and he had the uncomfortable feeling that she'd antic.i.p.ated each and every one of his defences.

aI promise it won't happen again,' she said, and it was all he could do to keep his jaw from hitting the ground. aThat's what you want to hear, isn't it?'

Well, yes. It was just that he wasn't expecting to hear it quite so readily. Where was the dismay? The protest at having to give up such incredible lovemaking? The businessman in him was relieved. The lover was insulted. The lover, he thought darkly, was the one who'd got him into this mess in the first place. aI think we need a new rule,' he said firmly. aNo more s.e.x.' And then as she sat upright, slid on over to the edge of the bed and winced as she did so, aHow are you feeling?'

aTender,' she confessed, blushing to the roots of her hair. aI don't think I'm going to have any problem complying with your new rule.'

Great. Just Great. Now he had guilt. This, he remembered grimly, was one of the reasons he'd never taken a virgin to his bed. He didn't know what to do. How to help. aMaybe you should take it easy today, postpone your sightseeing trip. I'm sure Jasmine wouldn't mind.'

aI'd mind,' said Hallie. aI want to see the galleries.'

So much for trying to get her to rest. What was it with women and shopping? Which reminded him. He sifted through his computer case for his spare cash; found it at the very bottom of the case, beneath the computer. aHere,' he said, holding it out towards her. aTake it. You might see something you want to buy at the shops today.'

Hallie stared at the thick wad of money, stared at him. aI thought we agreed you'd pay me at the end of the week.'

Nick nodded. aAnd I will. This is just shopping money.'

aShopping money.' She said it slowly, looking at the money as if it were poison. Looking at him as if he were a snake. aKeep it,' she said, with a bite in her voice that was new to him.

aLook, you're going to the galleries,' he said, thoroughly baffled by her reaction. aI'm a.s.suming that whatever they sell there won't come cheap and, if I know Jasmine, she'll consider your outing a failure unless you find something you can't resist. I certainly don't expect you to use your own money for that kind of thing. Put it in your handbag just in case.'

aNo!' She sounded fierce, looked fragile. aI know you're paying me to pretend to be your wife, and I know I let you buy me clothes for the trip, but you can keep your shopping money. I won't take it.'

aWhy not?' The way he saw it, it was all part of the same deal.

She looked away. aBecause it'd make me feel like even more of a wh.o.r.e,' she said finally.

Nick blinked. Then he scowled. aDon't be ridiculous!' Okay, so his timing could have been better. He shouldn't have offered her money so soon after s.e.x. But she'd seemed just fine about the s.e.x, he thought morosely. Not to mention the ceasing of it. They'd finished that discussion, hadn't they? And moved on. aThis money's got nothing to do with the s.e.x!' he snapped. aDon't you dare think I'm trying to pay you for s.e.x!'

She looked slightly mollified. A little uncertain. But her chin was high. aI'm still not taking it.'

Then they were at an impa.s.se. Because Nick was equally determined that she would. aWhat if I commissioned you to buy me a gallery piece while you were out shopping today?' he said. aWhat if I secured your professional services as an antiquities expert, so to speak? Would that be acceptable?'

aI'm listening,' she said warily.

aBuy me something.' He tossed the money down on the bed beside her.

aWith this much money I could probably buy you Hong Kong Harbour,' she said in a small voice, staring down at the notes scattered across the bedspread. aWhat do you want?'

aYou're the expert. You choose.'

aYes, but a buyer usually has some idea what their client is after.'

Buyer and client now, were they? He should have been pleased that she was going to take the money. He should have been happy she'd finally come to her senses and recognized it as a necessary part of the charade rather than some kind of postcoital pay-off, but he didn't feel pleased. He felt...hollow. aBuy me a vase,' he said. It was the first thing that came to mind.

aFine. A vase it is.'

He watched her shove the notes into a zippered section of her handbag, smile a bright false smile and head for the door. Something was bothering him. Something big.

aYou didn't really think I'd treat you like a wh.o.r.e, did you?' he asked quietly.

She didn't answer.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THERE was something to be said for being chauffeur-driven around Hong Kong in a Mercedes, decided Hallie two hours later as Kai expertly negotiated the traffic with the ease of long familiarity. Jasmine sat beside her in the back seat, cheerfully pointing out places of interest, from museums to major corporations, the Bird Garden to the Goldfish Market. Any other day and Hallie would be embracing the opportunity to shop for antiques with a knowledgeable guide and a chauffeur to boot, but not today. Today her mind was on Nick and his lovemaking. More specifically, on what had happened afterwards.

Good Lord, what a mess.

She'd been expecting Nick to pull back after their lovemaking. She'd started preparing for it the minute she'd stepped from the shower, and she'd been doing all right as they'd re-established the rules of their relationship. She'd been doing pretty well considering that this had been her first morning-after ever. Very well considering her feelings for Nick weren't nearly as casual as she'd made them out to be.

And then he'd acted all concerned for her well-being, and she'd let her guard down and allowed herself to believe, just for a moment, that she meant something to him. That he'd found their lovemaking as incredible as she had. And then he'd offered her the shopping money, and, boy, hadn't she taken that the wrong way? Hallie leaned her head against the window-pane, closed her eyes, and tried to wish it all away. The lovemaking, the misunderstanding, the money...

The sooner she got rid of the money weighing down her soul and her handbag, the better.

aHallie, are you okay?'

Hallie straightened up, opened her eyes, and smiled at the younger girl who was looking across at her in concern. aI'm fine. Just a little tired.'

aDid you not sleep well? Was the bed uncomfortable?'

aNo, no. The bed was very comfortable.' Sharing it was the problem. aIt's probably jet lag kicking in. I'll be okay. Really.' With a determined breath she focussed on the younger girl and their outing. aSo tell me, where's your favourite place in the whole city?' she asked.

aThe Lucky Plaza food hall,' said Jasmine promptly. aThey have the finest selection of food in the city. You can try a little of everything! I usually do.'

aWe could go there for lunch,' said Hallie.

Jasmine looked uncertain.

aYour father would not approve of your choice of eating venue,' said Kai in his quiet, implacable way.

aI'll ask him,' said Jasmine, lifting her chin in a defiant gesture that was vaguely familiar. A quick conversation on her mobile and it was done. aHe said yes,' she told Kai sweetly.

Hallie watched with interest as Kai's gaze clashed with Jasmine's in the rear-view mirror, his stony, hers limpid. It was like water meeting rock; the rock endured but the water was fluid and tricky, not to mention flawlessly beautiful and surprisingly strong-willed. Jasmine held Kai's gaze in silence until finally he turned his attention to the road. The smile Jasmine slid Hallie was impish. Hallie returned it in full.

aSo when would you like to eat?' asked the younger girl. aOne o clock?'

Lucky Plaza was a well-maintained seventies shopping complex. Inside was clean and nondescript with a worn look that spoke of many feet. Nothing special, thought Hallie, until they reached the food hall and she discovered that here was where the people of Asia came together to celebrate food.

aSee? I knew you would like it,' said Jasmine, accurately judging her fascination. And to Kai, aAnd she hasn't even tried the food yet.'

He steered them towards an empty table in a corner and sat them down unceremoniously, his gaze not on Jasmine but on two dark-suited Asian gentlemen standing by a nondescript staircase some twenty metres away. aStay here,' he told Jasmine.

aGo,' Jasmine waved him away. aWe shall make our food selections while we wait for you.'

Hallie watched as Kai strode towards the staircase, according the staircase sentries the barest of nods before taking the stairs. aSo what's with the sentries?' she asked. aWhere's Kai going?'

aTo pay our respects,' said Jasmine. aOne does not enter another's territory without observing the formalities.'

aWhat territory? You mean Triad territory?'

aOh, no,' said Jasmine hastily. aKai would never allow us to go there. Lucky Plaza is owned by another of Hong Kong's criminal organisations. They are...less than Triad but still worthy of respect. You can see why I had to ask my father if it was appropriate to bring you here.'

Yes, well, she did now. So much for thinking Kai's objection to the lunch venue was a simple power play. aHow long has Kai been with you?' she asked.

aAlmost ten years. Ever since my mother was killed during an attempted robbery at a fuel station. I don't think my father ever forgave himself for not taking better care of her.' Jasmine sighed. aHe's determined to take better care of me.'

aI know the feeling,' said Hallie. aMy mother died of cancer when I was six. My father grieved and retreated into his work so my older brothers took on the task of raising me. I have four of them.'

aFour older brothers,' said Jasmine in fascinated horror. aWere they protective of you?'

Hallie nodded. aThey still are. It drives me insane.'

aBut surely now you're married they would expect Nick to a.s.sume the role of protector,' said Jasmine.

Oh, yeah. She'd forgotten about Nick, her husband.

aWell, yes,' she said awkwardly. Lord only knew if her brothers would change their ways if she really were married. No potential suitor, upon meeting all four of them, had ever been brave enough to stick around.

aHe looks to be a wonderful husband,' said Jasmine with a wistful sigh.

Who? Nick? Hallie suppressed a nervous giggle. Who knew? aNick's deceptive,' she said finally. aHe gives me the freedom to make my own mistakes.' Like making love to him that morning. aBut when you get down to it, he's a lot like my brothers. He likes his own way.' The ashopping' money in her handbag was a perfect example.

Jasmine frowned.

aOf course, he's still a big improvement on my brothers,' Hallie added hastily. Mustn't forget she was supposed to be his wife. aI don't feel nearly as trapped.' This was true. Probably because she knew she'd only agreed to the dutiful wife charade for a week.

aI feel trapped,' said Jasmine pensively. aSometimes all I can think about is finding a way out. When Nick first came to visit I saw him as an opportunity for escape. Of course, he's handsome and kind as well; a woman could do worse than be married to such a man...And you must understand, I didn't know he was already married.' Jasmine looked away, her face reddening. aI tried to seduce him,' she said in a small voice. aYou should have seen his face. He was horrified.'

aOh, Jasmine...' Hallie didn't know whether to applaud the younger girl's initiative or berate her for trying to sell her future so cheaply. aThere has to be another way.'