Page 84 of Bride Under Contract

‘Also,’ he said as he threw off his jacket, ‘Jonathon’s coming in.’

‘When?’

‘He should be here soon.’

‘Now?’ she asked. She was pleased to see Carter, but unsettled by the surprise and the sudden changes. ‘I thought that wasn’t until Monday?’

‘That was the plan, but I might be called back to Janana at any time. It’s like waiting for the smoke at the Vatican. We’ll just get this marriage contract done...’

‘Why?’

‘Why not?’ He shrugged. ‘You have your questions ready?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then why wait?’ he asked, tossing his passport into the safe. ‘I want this sorted.’

‘But why the sudden rush?’ she asked. ‘We can’t get married for another week, so it’s not as if we have a wedding date.’ And perhaps she’d been peeking into his scandalous life too much, because she couldn’t help but ask, ‘Is some scandal about to hit?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I don’t know...’

Something had changed, but Grace didn’t quite know what. And when he stripped off to shower she found herself looking at his back, his chest, telling herself she was being paranoid.

‘It’s to your advantage,’ he said as he dropped his trousers. ‘You get a quarter of a million on signing.’

‘I’ll remember that,’ she said, and smiled, though it faded as he headed off to the shower.

She felt ridiculous for being suspicious, and a bit teary too, and she couldn’t work out why. Oh, other than the fact that she was crazy about a playboy who was only marrying her to release some assets.

And today her period was due.

She pulled on her new knickers and bra, floral and lacy this time, and of her own selection. Then she put on a new dress—a gorgeous russet linen that was cinched in at the waist.

‘New stylist?’ he asked as he came into the bedroom.

‘Yes,’ Grace said as she glazed her lips orange. ‘Me.’

For the first time it was as if he’d actually noticed what she wore, and he ran his fingers through her curls as they were about to head out.

‘You look incredible.’

He looked at her, right into her eyes, held her cinched waist and looked at her glossy lips. ‘Slatternly...’

‘Thanks.’ She smiled. ‘I think...’

‘Come on, then,’ Carter said, and they walked together but apart to the elevator.

It was a different room from the one they’d sat in before, and displayed were different flowers—a huge vase of pink orchids was the centrepiece this time.

‘It’s a late start,’ Jonathon said, all polite smiles.

Carter watched as Grace took out her notepad, and he saw about twenty yellow tabs sticking out...

Of course Grace would be taking this seriously.

So too was he.

---