Lusty Billionaires Bundle(23)

‘I’m sure you do. But she’s not only a mother, Zavier, she’s a woman, and women do these things. When she asks—which I can practically guarantee she will—if you don’t know the answer then an Oscar-winning performance isn’t going to save us.’#p#分页标题#e#

‘Libra.’

‘Oh.’ The surprise in her voice was evident. Librans were supposed to be warm, loving, tender. ‘Were you premature?’

‘I was actually on time—to the very day,’ Zavier added. ‘So what sign are you?’

‘Virgo.’

He gave a low devilish laugh. ‘Which proves my point: it’s a load of rubbish.’

And suddenly there were no pages left. No ‘i’s to dot or ‘t’s to cross, just a big space for them to sign and date. And as complicated as it was, as intricate as the details were, even Tabitha, with the legal brain of a gnat, understood the gist of the black writing on the wall. She would love him and adore him, in public at least, never embarrass him or jeopardise his status, never waver from the dictated path of the contract. She could have it all—riches, respect, his body, his bed. But there was just one thing the contract left out. One small detail that hadn’t been addressed by the nameless lawyers who had created this document.

Love.

The one thing that couldn’t be defined, legalised, or rationalised was the only thing missing.

‘It’s a business deal, Tabitha.’ Zavier seemed to sense her hesitancy; his words were surely meant to make her feel better, so why then did her eyes unexpectedly fill with tears?

‘I loan out my heart; you pick up my bills?’

‘Something like that.’ His voice was unusually gentle. Reaching forward, he caught her face in his hand, a heavy thumb smudging away a stray tear that had splashed on her cheek. The surprisingly intimate gesture confused her almost as much as the contract itself. ‘But it is a good deal, Tabitha. Nobody loses.’

Nobody loses. He watched as a frown flickered across her face. How could he say that? How could he look into her eyes and tell her there would be no losers when six months from now she had to walk away?

‘Don’t we need a witness?’ Tabitha asked, stalling at the final hurdle.

‘No,’ Zavier said slowly. ‘We need time.’

The businessman was back. Clicking into action, he stood up, shuffling the contracts together before tossing them into his briefcase. The strangest thud of disappointment resounded in her chest as she realised he didn’t expect her decision just yet, and the thud was coupled with a start of astonishment at her own willingness to sign.

‘Sleep on it,’ he offered. ‘I don’t want you feeling forced into anything.’

Picking up the cheque, Tabitha handed it to him, noticing the tremor in her hand as she did so. ‘You’d better take this.’ She gave a slightly shrill laugh. ‘After all, I might just run off with your money.’

But Zavier merely shook his head, refusing the cheque in her outstretched hand. ‘Oh, I don’t think there’s any need for that.’ His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and though his voice was still soft Tabitha heard the warning note behind it. ‘You wouldn’t be that stupid, now, would you?’ But just as suddenly as the hairs rose on her neck, just as she felt the confines of the contract closing in, heard the warning bells start to ring again, his features softened, an easy smile instantly relaxing his face. ‘Come on, you, I’m starving; get dressed and we can go and eat.’

‘But I am dressed.’ Tabitha shrugged, glancing down at her long bare legs, her pink cleavage spilling out of her wrap-over. ‘What’s wrong? Don’t I make a very good fiancée?’

Zavier laughed, really laughed, and for once it was with real mirth.

‘On the contrary, you make a wonderful fiancée. I’m just wondering how I’m going to survive a three-course meal with you looking so appetising.’#p#分页标题#e#





CHAPTER FIVE




‘WHAT would we tell Aiden?’ They were sitting in a sumptuous restaurant, with waiters fluttering like butterflies, filling her glass, placing vast white napkins in her lap.

‘You’ll tell him nothing.’

Which helped not one iota. Tabitha made a mental note to ring Aiden first thing; the news could only be better coming from her.

‘Or tell him an offer you simply couldn’t refuse came up.’

‘Can I at least tell him the truth—that it’s a business deal?’

Zavier’s eyes narrowed.

‘He’ll know,’ Tabitha insisted. ‘After all, it was his idea in the first place.’