Roses For Sophie (9 page)

‘Those are pretty massive promises. Just how long has your longest relationship lasted?'

‘That's not the point.'

‘How long?' she demanded.

Emerald eyes bored into him and made him feel uncomfortable. Damn it all! Did he even know the answer to that? What did it matter, anyway? He'd never been married when he'd gone from one woman to the next. He willed himself to sit still in his chair and think.

‘A month,' he replied after consideration. It had only lasted that long because he'd been taken hostage and hadn't got around to breaking it off with his lover, but that wasn't something Sophie needed to know.

Her short laugh was pure exasperation. ‘How can you possibly tell me our marriage would work even in the short-term? You can't declare you'd be faithful. Exclusivity in any relationship is easy when the whole relationship is based on something both parties know is transient. As soon as your interest has waned in a woman, you've probably just said “It's over” and moved onto the next woman who's caught your eye.'

Well, that was how things worked, and all his women had known the score so why was it wrong? He'd never cheated on any of them, but he'd never promised commitment before either. He was about to tell her that when she held up a hand to stop him.

Eyeing him cynically, she said, ‘Your record of faithfulness to the partners you've had that last a night, a couple of days, a week or a month is no shining testimony.'

‘I wasn't married then. I'll be making a commitment to you for the duration of our relationship, just like I'm making a commitment to Charlotte. My whole life is going to change,' he argued. ‘You and I would both benefit from being married and we'd be going into this with our eyes wide open. We both understand business deals. Think of it as a business contract. Fidelity and working at making each other happy — both in the bedroom and out of it — are part of the terms until both of us have achieved our goals.'

A blush stained the exposed skin of her chest, but her features moved into an expression of amused disbelief. ‘It's not enough. You can't turn something personal into a business contract.'

God damn it! It was a hell of a lot more of a concession than he'd first been prepared to make. Initially he'd planned to find a woman to marry in name only, and to conduct a series of discreet affairs. Now he was planning marriage to Sophie, there was no way the marriage would be a name-only one. Was Sophie really going to hold out on him when it was just as much to her benefit that she got married? Was she really hoping she'd find love?

‘You've already told me you're planning to stay single for the rest of your life. Think of the benefits in a mutually amicable short-term marriage. It could make your grandfather's dying wish come true and help you get the position of Managing Director that you want.'

‘I have no desire to notch up another divorce. Besides, I don't want to marry you.'

‘I can think of a number of women who would marry me.'

She sat back with an I-rest-my-case expression. ‘I'm sure that's true. Go ask one of them.'

‘I'm asking you.'

‘And I've given you my answer. If I ever decided to get married again it wouldn't be the type of marriage you're proposing, and I don't believe it would be fair on Charlotte in the long-term. She's already lost her parents. You don't want her to have to go through a divorce as well.'

‘Look at the way you're already thinking of her needs. You'd be a fabulous mother.'

Every facial feature froze and she blanched.

Instantly concerned, he reached out for her. ‘Sophie? What's wrong?' What had he said?

The way she shook her head told him the barriers between them had just been raised again. The colour came back to her cheeks and she released a hiss of annoyance. ‘You've just met me. You can't make judgement calls like that when your goddaughter's happiness is at stake.'

Her reaction perplexed him. Cautiously, he asked, ‘Don't you think you'd be an excellent mother to Charlotte?'

‘Of course I'd be an…' Another sound of annoyance as she realised she'd fallen into his trap and was agreeing with him.

‘I'm a very good judge of character.' He was. He'd only made one mistake in his life. That mistake was the very same reason he was prepared to enter a loveless marriage. The reason he'd never entrust his heart to any woman ever again.

One of Sophie's hands tightened into a fist, but when she said, ‘You're impossible,' the words were almost a sob.

His heart took a dive. ‘I've upset you.'
Oh, damn it
. ‘I'm sorry.' Yeah, he'd pushed her, but didn't she see the merit in his proposal? ‘I'm really sorry.'

Sophie half covered her face with one hand, took a deep breath and seemed to pull herself together. ‘So you should be. You're awfully pushy, Logan Jackson.' She summoned a small smile but it was clear she was working hard at it. ‘Do you ever take no for an answer?'

‘Rarely.' He couldn't smile back at her. ‘It wasn't my intention to upset you.'

Although she shrugged his apology aside, he got the distinct impression that part of her struggled to keep emotion at bay. What had he said that had caused her so much grief?

‘You've got to admit the chances of us meeting here tonight are just amazing. You need to convince your grandfather you're in a relationship, and I need to convince the court of the same thing. What are the odds of that? Don't you feel that the dice is rolling in our favour?

This time her smile seemed genuine. ‘I'm not a gambler.'

‘Maybe just this once you should be.' He held her gaze with his own. ‘We do this, you get to be MD, and we make two people we love very happy.'

The look she gave him was part assessment, part exasperation. ‘Part of me is tempted. You have a talent for making something that is so complex seem so simple.'

‘It can be as simple as we make it.' This time he raised a hand to silence her objection. ‘I understand this is all happening too quickly for you. What can I say? I'm a make-things-happen kind of guy.' He smiled and deliberately made his posture relax, even though his brain was frantically trying to think of new ways to persuade her. ‘If we'd been introduced by friends tonight and I'd asked you to have dinner with me tomorrow night, what would you've said?'

She only hesitated for a second. ‘Yes.'

‘Then, Sophie, will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?'

‘You really do like to make things happen, don't you?'

‘Absolutely.'

Her eyes flew upward as though she were looking to the heavens for divine direction as to whether she should accept or decline his offer.

‘Have dinner with me and let's just get to know each other better,' he urged.

As she let out a deep breath, her face broke into another completely dazzling smile. ‘I'm not going to marry you. As long as you can accept that, I'd love to have dinner with you tomorrow night.'

‘That's a start.'

One perfectly arched eyebrow lifted. ‘That doesn't mean you're going to wear me down and have me fall neatly into your plans. I'm sure you usually get your way, but I'm not going to be persuaded to change my mind.'

‘Honey, I can see you're no pushover. I've never had to work this hard in my life to get a woman to go on a date with me!'

Sophie laughed again. Her green eyes flirted with him. ‘Then spending time with me should be good for you. I have a sneaking suspicion your ego could use some deflating.'

Feeling as if he were on the verge of winning a major battle, Logan was energised and challenged. He'd never felt so stimulated by conversation with a woman, nor had he ever felt so much anticipation at the thought of making a woman his lover. ‘I have a sneaking suspicion you're just the woman to do it.'

‘Okay. We'll have dinner tomorrow night. If we both want to see each other again, and if you want to come away with me for the weekend I'll think about doing it — this weekend, I mean,' she clarified.

Deliberately misunderstanding her, he said, ‘You're going to make me wait until the weekend to do it?'

‘You know very well what I meant. If we both want to spend more time together then I'd be happy to take you to the Hunter Valley for the weekend, but I'm definitely not going to agree to marriage, even as a temporary arrangement.'

She's as good as mine.
‘That's all I'll ask of you for now,' he told her.

As she ran the tip of her forefinger idly around the rim of her wine glass, she said, ‘We'd have to work up some story of how we met, and just how long we've been seeing each other.'

‘Would you like to order coffee here while we do that or would you like to come back to my apartment and work out our back story?'

He watched her gulp. Saw she was tempted, but that she asserted control. Realising she wanted to act in a conventional way rather than giving into those burning desires which flared at him from her eyes made him all the more determined to break her barriers down. Every instinct told him Sophie Hamilton would be well worth the wait.

She leaned forward and said in confidential tones, ‘Logan, I think you should know that I'm not necessarily like the women you usually date.' Her manner was awkward and self-conscious. ‘I haven't had a string of lovers through my bed. I've always been very wary about getting close to a man because of who I am.' Closing her eyes briefly, she seemed to be summoning up courage. Finally she said in a rush, ‘The only men I've ever slept with I've been engaged to.'

Holy hell!
He only just bit the words back.
She'd only had two lovers.

‘So,' she continued, ‘even though I won't deny I'm attracted to you, please don't expect me to jump into bed with you. I'm going to need to feel very comfortable with you first.'

An hour ago a statement like that would have had every warning bell in his head clanging. In fact a statement like that coming from any other woman would still have him backpedalling out of the possibility of a relationship as fast as possible. Perversely, her admission pleased him. This woman was like no other he'd met. Sophie Hamilton was different in a way that was…special. Something indefinable swelled in his chest.

‘We'll take things as fast or as slowly as you feel comfortable with,' he told her, and he meant it. Their end destination was marriage because it would suit both of them and he believed he could make it work. He'd prefer it to be sooner rather than later, but he'd do everything he could to court her.

Melissa had done him a huge favour not turning up for dinner tonight and whoever it was who was supposed to have arrived deserved a thank you. Fate had done the rest. Sophie was going to agree to be his wife and he was going to obtain custody of Charlotte. With every beat of his heart he believed it was a
fait accompli
.

Sophie hurried down the hallway of her penthouse suite in the luxury block of units at Point Piper.

‘You look sensational!' her friend and neighbour, Sue, exclaimed. ‘How do you feel?'

‘Nervous!' That was the understatement of the year.

‘Completely understandable,' Sue said as she got up off the comfortable couch. ‘You've never really played the dating game.'

‘I've dated,' she protested.

‘Seriously?' Sue pulled a face. ‘A high school prom date with Jake and a few trysts with your louse of a fiancé years ago, do not constitute dating!'

It was true. Sophie hadn't even been on proper dates with Jake before they'd married. At high school, they'd really just gone along to functions together because their families and friends mixed in the same circles and it was convenient.

‘Now, my friend, let me pour you another glass of wine and make sure you're all confident to step out on the town with Mr Jackson before I high-tail it back to my apartment.'

‘No more wine. He'll be here any moment.' She slid her feet into her court shoes. ‘I don't want to be reeking of alcohol, and you've already plied me with two glasses. It's going to take more than alcohol to calm these nerves.'

‘Sorry. Used the last of my sedatives last night so I didn't get too hot and bothered when I watched the latest Hugh Jackman film!'

‘Very funny.' Sophie glanced quickly in the mirror to assure herself there was no lipstick on her teeth. ‘Are you sure I should leave my hair out?'

‘Definitely. Let it down, literally and figuratively. No confining it into your usual French roll and,' she sent Sophie a conspiratorial wink, ‘no confining yourself full-stop.'

Sophie gulped. ‘I'd planned to get home early enough to soak in the bath and re-do my nails. Of all the days for meetings to run over.'

Sue's laugh was mocking. ‘Oh, listen to yourself. When do you ever get home early?'

Another truth. But what did she usually have to come home to?

Sue looked at her watch. ‘Okay. Last-minute checklist. Clean sheets and condoms?'

‘Sue!' Sophie picked up a cushion off the lounge and threw it at her friend, and they both laughed.

‘Seriously, Sophie. Last night you came waltzing into my apartment dreamy and flushed like I've never seen you, and I hear all about this extraordinary mix-up. This is fate and the heavens are smiling on you.'

Sophie couldn't help smiling herself. ‘It is pretty unreal, isn't it?'

‘The whole time I've known you, you've been shy of relationships, thinking that guys are asking you out or paying you attention because of your money. Enter Mr Drop-Dead Gorgeous Billionaire Jackson. Definitely time to throw your inhibitions to the wind and grab what fate's handed you. No way I'd fantasise over Jackman if I could have Jackson!'

The buzz of the apartment's intercom had Sue doing an excited little jump while Sophie's tummy flipped. Logan was right on time to collect her for their dinner date.