To Make a Marriage(14)

'If only half of it's true-!' Andie gave a snort of derisive laughter.

'Oh, probably half of it's true,' Adam conceded, sitting down beside her  on the lounger, his thigh only inches from the bareness of her own.

Andie was aware of him with every particle of her own body. She had lain  naked with this man, made love with him, made a child with him-how  could she not be aware of him? She knew she couldn't spend the rest of  her life living in close confines with him without-without-

Even so, she flinched as Adam reached out to touch the creamy softness  of her cheek, his hand dropping ineffectually down to his side.

He turned to stare grimly across at the tranquil sea. 'It doesn't augur  well for those future children you mentioned if you're going to do that  every time I try to touch you,' he said bitterly.

Andie paused. He was right, it didn't, but- 'The last time you touched me I got pregnant, remember?' she reminded him.

His mouth quirked. 'Well, that isn't likely to happen again, now, is it?'

She stood up suddenly, moving jerkily away from him. The problem was,  just that light touch of Adam's hand on her cheek was enough to make her  burn with wanting him, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest she  was sure he had to hear it!

Why couldn't she hate this man? It would make life so much simpler. But  what had happened between them three months ago precluded her life ever  being simple again!

Could she marry Adam, knowing that he didn't love her, but felt forced,  because of the baby and his long relationship with all of her family,  into offering her marriage?

In retrospect, what had happened between them that night three months  ago, seemed so childish, the two of them facing angrily up to each other  like a couple of disgruntled children, their lovemaking a result of  that immature temper rather than desire.

If she hadn't become pregnant, would they eventually have fallen back  into that easy friendship that had been so much a part of their lives  for so long?

Somehow she doubted it. But, in reality, it was a question, Andie knew she would never have an answer to …

She drew in a ragged breath, knowing that Adam was still waiting for her answer.

Yes. Or no.

Such simple little words, but one of them would shape the rest of her life. And her baby's …



She was going to say no, he knew it!

Adam had sat watching Andie as the conflicting emotions had flickered  across her face: the anger, the sadness, and lastly the resolve. He  didn't need a crystal ball to know she was going to turn down his  marriage proposal … !                       
       
           



       

Whatever did he do then?

He would have no choice but to publicly announce the baby was his, not  if he wanted to be the baby's father. And he was surprised himself at  how much he wanted that. He had never given any thought to having  children-you had to be with the woman you loved to think about things  like that!-but the mere thought of his child growing inside Andie filled  him with pride, and a strange need to be the sort of man the baby  deserved as a father.

But if Andie refused to marry him, Adam knew that all hell was going to  break loose when he tried to claim his rights as the baby's father. Not  that he was bothered about that on his own account; he had struggled  through much worse-and lived never to tell the tale, to anyone! No, it  was Andie he was worried about. As her husband he could protect her from  any, and all, adversity concerning her pregnancy. He didn't think she  would allow him to do that if the two of them weren't married. In fact,  he would probably become a part of that adversity!

He didn't want ever to hurt Andie-again, that was!-it was just that, circumstances being what they were, he-

'I really have given your suggestion careful consideration, Adam-' the  huskiness of her voice interrupted his racing thoughts '-and I've come  to the conclusion that-'

'Don't be too hasty, Andie,' he interrupted forcefully.

'As a single mother-even one from an obviously wealthy family,' he  added, knowing Rome would never see any of his daughters in financial  trouble of any kind, 'there will still be the problems of coping with  the child more or less on your own, trying to fit work and motherhood  together, of-'

'I've decided to accept your offer, Adam,' Andie put in gently.

'Trying to be everything to the baby and ending up ragged and-' Adam broke off as he realised exactly what Andie had just said.

She was saying yes!

He stared at her, knowing his mouth must literally be hanging open in  his shocked surprise. But he couldn't help that; he was surprised.

He had expected to have much more of a fight on his hands, knew exactly  how independent and strong-willed Andie could be. He had even booked a  one-way ticket over here because he hadn't been sure how long it would  take him to persuade Andie that marriage to him was by far the best  solution. For all of them …

Instead she had said yes to his marriage proposal, not exactly instantly, but not with too much delay either.

He looked across at her with narrowed eyes, suspicion in their silver  depths. 'What's the catch?' he murmured slowly, sure there had to be  one. Although for the life of him he couldn't think what it could be!

Andie laughed softly, shaking her head, her hair a honey-coloured tumble  over the bareness of her shoulders. 'I'm sure that isn't the normal  reply when a woman has just accepted your marriage proposal!'

Adam remained unsmiling. 'This isn't a normal marriage proposal,' he pointed out gruffly.

'No,' she sobered, turning away. 'However, I do accept, Adam,' she told  him flatly. 'And there is no catch,' she added. 'Except-'

'Aha,' he pounced. "'Except" is definitely a catch.' He was frowning  darkly now. 'What are your conditions for accepting, Andie?' he asked  warily.

If she gave their marriage a time period, he couldn't accept; it was  either for ever or not at all. If she asked for a marriage of  convenience, again he couldn't accept; that one time with Andie had  shown him that he couldn't promise never to make love to her again.

He wanted her now, couldn't even look at her without feeling aroused by  her beauty and the smooth perfection of her body. Not that he did intend  making love to her again until they were married, he just knew there  was absolutely no way he could agree to a platonic marriage-because he  would break that promise the minute she was his wife!

She stilled awhile before turning to look at him. At least, Adam  presumed she was looking at him; those wretched sunglasses made it  impossible to see exactly where she was looking!

'Take off the sunglasses, Andie,' he instructed harshly before she could  speak. 'I want to see your eyes, damn it,' he ground out at her  surprised expression.

'The windows to the soul, hmm, Adam?' she responded. But she reached up  anyway and pushed the dark glasses back up into her hair.

'Something like that,' he said distractedly, looking searchingly into  those deep green depths. And learnt nothing. Andie was deliberately  keeping all expression out of her face and eyes …  'You were saying … ?' he  prompted gently, finding himself tensed as if waiting for a blow.                       
       
           



       

Perhaps he was. If Andie's conditions included either of those two  things he knew he simply couldn't accept, then they were going to be in  trouble.

She gave him a wry look. 'Now it's your turn to give this serious  thought, Adam,' she taunted. 'We obviously aren't marrying for the  reason people usually decide to spend the rest of their lives together.  So far, it would appear that neither of us has met that one person we  simply can't live without-'

'If you're talking about falling in love, Andie, then say so!' he  interrupted, not liking the way this conversation was going at all.

She gave a taut smile, shrugging slightly. 'Okay, I'm talking about  falling in love,' she confirmed with sarcasm. 'And until such time as  either of us actually does that, I would want our marriage to be on a  one-to-one basis-'

'Hell, I'm sure you never used to be this evasive!' Adam exploded as he  stood up. 'What you're really trying to say is that if we get married  you would expect me to be faithful-'

'Both of us to be faithful,' she corrected, her expression strained now.

'Until such time as either one of us meets that one person we can't live  without,' Adam scathingly echoed her earlier words, shaking his head as  he came to stand beside her, hands clenched tensely at his sides. 'I'm  sorry, but your condition isn't acceptable to me, Andie,' he stated.

She paled, her cheeks suddenly looking translucent, giving her a fragile  appearance that Adam instantly found alarming. But he couldn't agree to  her condition; it would be like living with a sword hanging over his  head. He had decided long ago, if marriage was ever for him, then it  would have to be for ever. He couldn't-wouldn't-accept less. There was  simply no way he could spend the rest of his life living in fear that  Andie, of all people, might one day fall in love with someone else, and  consequently leave him! No way … !