Jed glanced at her, realising the thoughts which must be teeming through her mind. After all, what he’d just put to her had come as a complete shock—she had never had any designs on him, or his wealth, which was something he’d had to battle with from other females for most of his life. Thinking briefly of his ex-wife, he curled his lip dismissively. Ella and the woman standing so close to him were like chalk and cheese!
The afternoon started to slip by, and presently it seemed to Cryssie that this was just another meeting that he’d called. They sat apart, not touching now, and Jed broached one or two other topics relating to work—which calmed Cryssie down and made her feel less uneasy. But she knew that he would expect her to make a decision, and that he didn’t like being kept waiting!
But he wasn’t going to get her answer that quickly! He’d presented her with the biggest crisis she’d ever had to face, and she needed time to think it out. And who could she ask for advice? she thought miserably. Certainly not Polly. For the first time in a long while Cryssie felt lonely and insecure. The future which had seemed so straightforward now appeared fraught with impossible upheaval and drama. Jed Hunter’s input had seen to that!
As if reading her thoughts, he said, ‘I’m going to be out of the office tomorrow, and part of next week, so that’ll give you some time to yourself—to make up your mind.’ He smiled darkly at her troubled features. ‘Just take a step back, Cryssie, and relax. Look at the whole picture. You’ll begin to see that I’m right about this. About us.’
Of course Mr Always Right was never wrong, she thought, staring up at him, at the strong mouth and determined jaw. But if she did agree—and it was a big if—what would everyone think? And did that matter any more?
Suddenly he said cheerfully, ‘I’m going to take you out for dinner tonight—we’ll eat early so as not to be late getting back. Are you hungry?’
‘No,’ Cryssie replied promptly, completely robbed of any appetite.
‘Well, that’s too bad,’ he said. ‘Because after any important discussions I’m always starving!’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Go and tidy up, and I’ll book a table somewhere rather special that I know.’ When she didn’t move, he pulled her roughly to her feet. ‘Come on—I promise you that you won’t be able to resist what’s on offer. And it’ll be a small celebration to mark the next important step which I hope you’ll be taking!’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE following Wednesday evening, sitting in the room which he used as his office at Shepherd’s Keep, Jed stared at his computer with blank eyes. The several meetings he’d attended over the previous few days had been productive enough, but throughout his time away from the area his main and overriding thought had been his proposal of marriage to Cryssie—and her refusal! That was not going to be the last word on the matter—even though he knew he had some way to go to make her see the validity of his plans. But…he’d succeed. Oh, yes, he’d succeed.
He got up and moved across to stare out of the window. The gardens looked equally lovely at night-time, he thought briefly, etched out as they were by beams from the spot lights. He knew Cryssie would love seeing it like this…her child-like reaction would be spontaneous. Here would be the perfect setting to make her change her mind, he mused.
His jaw clenched at his own situation—a situation he’d never imagined he’d find himself in. Trying to convince a female that he was good marriage material! Women had always found him attractive—he’d known that since his teens—and he’d enjoyed every minute of the attention he’d got. He was also aware that wealth—for which he had to thank his parents—was a powerful aphrodisiac. But the big downside was that those two advantages brought their own problems, and meeting so many members of the opposite sex had made him realise that it would never be easy to choose one woman whom he could trust—and tolerate—and who would be useful to him. And who didn’t have her eye on the main chance. He admitted that he’d thought Ella would fit all his criteria when they’d first got together, but no one could have guessed how that would turn out!
He turned away, annoyed that his ex-wife had crept into his thoughts. It was Cryssie whom he had to win over, and getting to her through her family seemed the way to do it. Because he knew that they would always come first. He shrugged. He didn’t care which route he used, just so long as he got there in the end.
His mobile rang suddenly, interrupting his reverie.