Tall, Dark... Collection. Carole Mortimer

      But what else had he expected—presenting her with that gaudily over-the-top ring?

      That she would gather it up with greedy hands, no doubt, she recognised heavily.

      But she had hated that ring, and all that it represented, on sight.

      Couldn’t Nick see that…?

      ‘Will you be able to return the ring and get your money back?’ she prompted abruptly as they approached Nick’s car.

      ‘Don’t worry about it,’ he dismissed tersely, opening the car door for her.

      It was a beautiful, low red sports-car—the sort of car that Hebe had only ever seen in glossy magazines. The sort of car you would expect a man like Nick to drive. And this was only the car he owned and drove while in London. Goodness knew what other cars he had in Paris and New York!

      ‘This is a nice car,’ she offered placatingly once they were both safely seated inside, aware of the impending visit to her parents tomorrow, and that she hadn’t spoken to Nick about it yet.

      She still had to ask for his help in convincing her parents this was a love-match rather than a marriage of convenience. Nick’s convenience!

      He nodded curty. ‘I’ll buy you one like it, if you like.’

      She drew in a sharp breath. ‘And why would you want to do that?’

      ‘Oh, cut the act, Hebe,’ he told her uninterestedly. ‘I’m really not convinced.’

      That she wasn’t after his money or the expensive gifts he was deliberately offering her…

      ‘Fine—buy me the car,’ she accepted heavily, knowing that nothing she said or did would convince this cynical man she wasn’t just after his money. ‘As long as you accept that in another six months you’ll have to pry me out of it with a tin opener!’ she muttered sarcastically.

      When she was nearly eight months pregnant with their baby…

      The baby that had become so real to her during her hours alone at the flat today.

      Everywhere had been so quiet and peaceful, so much so that Hebe had been able to hear her own heartbeat, had imagined the tiny heartbeat inside her. She had laid her hands protectively on the flatness of her stomach and mentally tried to reach inside and talk to that flickering life.

      And she had been sure she received the echoing answer—I’m here…

      She glanced at Nick, wishing she could share that with him but knowing she couldn’t—that he wouldn’t understand the wonder she felt at the life growing inside her. Without being sexist, she supposed no man could completely understand the miracle of it all.

      Especially when that man believed the pregnancy was only a means to an end as far as she was concerned.

      ‘I’m sure you’ll cope,’ Nick dismissed impatiently, weary of every damned thing turning into an argument.

      This wasn’t just a battle, it was a minefield!

      And Hebe obviously sensed that too, staying silent on the drive back to her apartment—a still empty apartment as they had only been gone an hour or so. She removed her jacket before eyeing him warily.

      ‘What?’ he prompted tersely, the tension finally getting to him.

      She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue before answering him.

      Something Nick dearly wished she hadn’t done as he found himself fascinated by the sensuality of the movement, his gaze locked on the pink edge of her tongue as it moved softly over those highly kissable lips.

      Lips he desperately wanted to kiss!

      At least on that level he could reach her, could understand her, and give her something they both got satisfaction from.

      The type of satisfaction he had craved since he had parted from her twenty-four hours ago. Just thinking about her caused a stirring in his body, and the cold shower he had taken before coming over here earlier had done nothing to alleviate his discomfort.

      But before he could take the step needed to pull her into his arms and make love to her, Hebe, unaware of his rising desire, began to answer him.

      ‘I need to talk to you about this visit to my parents tomorrow,’ she began awkwardly.

      Ah. Yes. Nick could see how this was going to be a problem for her.

      ‘No need,’ he dismissed dryly. ‘I take it your parents wouldn’t be too happy if they knew the real reason we’re getting married? That it would be—preferable if they believe we’re actually in love with each other?’

      Colour heightened her cheeks. ‘They—they wouldn’t understand this situation at all.’ She grimaced.

      No, he didn’t for a moment think that they would understand their daughter’s calculating machinations. Any more than his own parents would. Although he had no doubt that they would welcome Hebe into their family. The fact that she was expecting their grandchild would be enough to ensure that.

      They would probably like Hebe for herself too, though, he admitted grudgingly. She was a warm and likeable woman apart from the fact that he didn’t trust her motives at all—she might have refused the ring, but surely that was just because she didn’t want to have to marry him to get her hands on his money. She certainly hadn’t created such a fuss about his offer to buy her a sports-car. And once they were safely married she would no doubt be willing to accept a damn sight more than that!

      Hebe was a mercenary little gold-digger, and the sooner he accepted that the better off he would be!

      He shrugged. ‘That isn’t a problem for me, Hebe. But how do you think you’ll cope with pretending to be in love with me?’ he added tauntingly.

      Hebe kept her lashes lowered over her eyes, her expressive golden eyes that she knew would show him at that moment that no pretence was necessary where she was concerned. In spite of everything, she did love Nick. To the point of distraction.

      She already loved the baby growing inside her too.

      And maybe, maybe after they were married, with time, Nick might even come to love her?

      Or was she just living in fantasy land?

      Probably, she acknowledged self-derisively. But that fantasy was all she had to cling to at this moment.

      Because she was going to marry him. She now saw it as the only chance she had of showing him she wasn’t the woman he thought she was.

      Starting with drawing the line, a very firm line, at what gifts she would accept from him and what she wouldn’t. Their baby wasn’t for sale, and neither was she—and the sooner Nick realised that the better!

      Her face was deliberately expressionless as she looked at him. ‘I’m sure I’ll cope too,’ she derided. ‘After all, we both know how charming you can be when you choose!’ she added cuttingly, remembering exactly how charming he had been that evening six weeks ago.

      Charming enough for her to believe he really was interested in her.

      How naïve she had been…and she was certainly paying for that naïveté now!

      ‘I’m very tired, Nick,’ she sighed. ‘If you wouldn’t mind going now, I think I would like to go to bed…?’ she added warily as he stared at her broodingly from across the room.

      He wasn’t staying here tonight, if that was what he thought. Her bedroom door was remaining shut against him until after they were married! Hopefully by then she would have convinced him of her innocence, at least.

      ‘I don’t mind at all,’ he finally answered with hard dismissal. ‘I didn’t get to finish my dinner earlier, so I think I’ll go and get myself something else to eat,’he added dryly.

      Hebe gave him a sharp look, stung by his easy acquiescence