Marriage by Deception by Sara Craven Read Free Book Online Page B

her room, and went out, slamming the front door behind her.
    As she went down her steps she looked in her bag, checking that her library card was there, so she only realised that someone was standing by her railings when she cannoned into him.
    Startled, she looked up, her lips framing an apology, and stopped dead, gasping as she found herself staring at Sam Alexander.
    ‘What are you doing here?’ Her voice sounded husky—strained. ‘How did you find me?’
    ‘I went to the address on your last letter.’
    ‘Oh,’ she said numbly. ‘Of course. And Pam’s mother told you…’
    ‘Eventually she did,’ he said. ‘Although she wasn’t too pleased to hear her home had been used as a mailbox.’
    ‘Why did you come here?’ She was shaking, nerves stretched tautly. Shock, she told herself. And embarrassment, as she suddenly remembered what she was wearing—gardening gear and no make-up. She wailed inwardly. Because she was rattled, she went on the attack. ‘And why aren’t you at work anyway?’
    ‘Why aren’t you?’ he countered.
    Ros resisted an impulse to smooth her hair with her fingers. She didn’t want to look good for him, for heaven’s sake. ‘I—I took a day off.’
    ‘And so did I. So that I could find you. Because we didn’t make any arrangement to see each other again.’ He paused. ‘In retrospect, that seemed a bad mistake.’
    She lifted her chin. ‘Then I’m afraid you’ve made another one, Mr Alexander.’
    ‘Sam,’ he told her quietly.
    ‘Dinner was—nice,’ she went on. ‘But that’s all there was. And it has to stay that way.’
    ‘Why must it? You decided to reply to my ad.’
    ‘A decision I now regret—bitterly.’
    ‘I see,’ he said slowly. He looked past her at the house. ‘Are you married? Is that the problem?’
    ‘Of course not.’ Indignant colour flared in her cheeks.
    ‘You were so cagey about your personal details, it seemed a possibility.’ He gave her a meditative look. ‘Living with someone, then?’
    ‘I told you,’ she said curtly. ‘My sister. Now, will you go, please, and let us both get on with our lives?’
    ‘But that’s not how I want it,’ he said softly. ‘You see, I really need to find out about you, Janie. Last night was just a taste, and it made me hungry. And I’m convinced you feel the same, although you’re trying to deny it.’
    ‘Oh, spare me the psychobabble, please.’ Ros drew a deep breath. ‘Everyone’s entitled to have second thoughts.’
    ‘A word of advice, then. There’s no point in describing yourself as “Looking for Love” if you run for cover each time someone shows an interest in you.’ His face was solemn, but the turquoise eyes held a glint that the gold-rimmed glasses couldn’t disguise. ‘That contravenes the Trades Descriptions Act and involves a serious penalty.’
    She’d assumed she was too tense to find anything remotely amusing in the situation, but she was wrong, she realised, as she bit back a swift, reluctant smile.
    She said, ‘Which is?’
    ‘That you let me see you again.’
    ‘You’re seeing me now.’
    ‘That’s not what I mean.’
    She said, ‘Mr Alexander—has it ever occurred to you that it takes two to make a bargain—and that I might not find you attractive?’
    ‘Yes, it’s occurred to me,’ he said. ‘but I’ve dismissed it.’
    ‘You,’ she said, ‘have an ego the size of the Millennium Dome.’
    ‘And also a very good memory,’ he returned pleasantly. ‘I retain this very vivid impression of how youfelt in my arms—how you reacted. And it wasn’t repulsion, Janie, so don’t fool yourself.’
    She bit her lip. ‘You took me off guard, that’s all.’
    ‘Excellent,’ he said. ‘Because those defences of yours are a big problem for anyone trying to get to know you—to become your friend.’
    ‘Which is naturally what you want.’ Her tone was sharply sceptical.
    ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But not all I want.’
    ‘What more is there?’ It was a