Page 26 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

‘I told him that we would be visiting Bongeun-sa Temple this afternoon and he was delighted that you are taking interest in culture here,’ she explained lightly.

‘And are we truly planning to make this trip?’ Nic enquired, angling up one sardonic brow.

‘Obviously.’ Her eyes assailed his, her lovely face serious. ‘It wouldn’t do not to go as you’ll probably be asked for your impression of the site at your next meeting. I’ve been before on several school outings and it’s a lovely relaxing place, right in the heart of the city.’

‘Did you also mention that this is our honeymoon?’

Lexy went pink. ‘That would be too personal for sharing but I would imagine that the chairman is already aware. This company is his life’s work and although he does not have a family to pass it on to, he wants to sell to a businessman he regards as good, and the “traditional family man with children” image will serve you well here.’

Nic nodded, appreciating how astute she was, how efficient. How that bled into her less presentable flaws he had yet to discover, he brooded.

They returned to the house for lunch and spent some time with their children before heading back out to the Buddhist temple, which had an amazing location, set as it was in the very heart of the towering glass city skyscrapers, perfectly preserved on a hillside filled with vast and ancient trees.

‘I would have brought the children but there’s too many steps for the pram,’ she explained rather guiltily.

‘The house has a massive garden. Easier to entertain three babies on the spot,’ Nic quipped, staring down at her as she stood in the shade, her silky hair catching a flickering strand of sunlight and gleaming gold, her eyes translucent in colour. His hand came down on her shoulder and he felt her tense as he bent his dark head.

In a sudden movement, Lexy twisted away just as an elderly monk came down the steps with a wooden staff, studying them as he passed with a frown. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, her lips tingling as though he had actually touched them with his. He hadn’t, but there had been a certain heat in his gaze that had spelled out his intention.

Nic had straightened, strong tension etched in his strong jawline. Dismayed, Lexy reached for his hand and laced her fingers through his. ‘Out of respect,thisis as close to friendly as we can get as this is a sacred site,’ she proffered apologetically while wondering why she was bothering to explain, because surely he should not even betryingto kiss her! She fell off that mental high horse as soon as she recalled kissing him the night before in their bed and her face turned red as fire.

An unexpected laugh of understanding was wrenched from Nic and he glanced at her. ‘Relax,glykia mou...you’re as red as a traffic light but I’m not on the brink of dragging you into the bushesyet. Who knows what condition or mood I’ll be in within another couple of days?’ he teased.

As she attempted to release his hand, his fingers merely tightened their hold and she gave up before an unseemly tussle could occur. Nic definitely didn’t appreciate being told what he could and could not do with a woman, she registered, particularly one to whom he was married. And she supposed that, even in a slightly twisty way, she could understand his reasoning.

After all, what hadhegained from their marriage? Full access to Ethan, Ezra and Lily and legal rights over them. Mel, ever the lawyer, had ensured that Lexy was well acquainted with those facts before she’d reached the altar. Even so, Nic had given up far more than Lexy. He had enjoyed total freedom, unfettered by anyone or anything, and he had surrendered that freedom to marry her.

Lexy, on the other hand, had gone from rags to riches and had escaped much of the daily slog of raising three demanding babies. In short, prior to their marriage, she had hadnofreedom to lose. So how did Nic feel now, stuck with a platonic partner in his bed? He was a man who was probably accustomed to enjoying sex whenever or wherever that desire took him. He was not used to sudden celibacy being forced on him.

‘I have a question,’ Nic murmured as they slowly climbed the steep steps of the temple.

‘What do you want to know?’ she asked, removing her footwear to enter the shrine.

‘Why did you sleep with me on our wedding night?’ Nic enquired, smooth as glass.

In the act of bowing to the custodian greeting them, Lexy winced, gritted her teeth and flushed miserably while wishing that he had chosen a more private moment for such an inquiry.

But then Nic could be very impatient. It had been a struggle for him to talk at the slow, measured pace of the elderly chairman and show that deference for age that was expected in Korea. Now a thought had occurred to him and he had plunged impulsively right in with it, even though the surroundings were inappropriate. Annoyed by his candid question and put on the spot, Lexy simply ignored it while inside the temple cymbals clashed, small bells rang and soft chanting began. He dealt her a fulminating appraisal and she ignored that as well, watching while he paced restively back and forth through the vacant space behind her.

Lexy’s temper raced up through her like a rocket ship. He only listened when he wanted to listen, only talked when he wished to, and had pushed her away when she had given him considerable encouragement the night before. It didn’t matter what she did, somehow healwaysfound fault! Her teeth ground together and her chin came up, anger darkening her more usually calm gaze.

Without a word she joined him again to walk back to the car.

‘You’ve got nothing to say to me...atall?’ Nic shot at her in a decidedly scornful undertone.

Lexy felt like a pot on a stove ready to boil over and she couldn’t contain that indignation. Whipping round on a quiet curve of the path, she breathed, ‘I slept with you because an unconsummated marriage can be set aside as invalid in some circumstances. And naturally, when we’re going for a divorce, it wouldn’t be inmybest interests to risk that. Happy now? Gold-digger wife right here!’

As she stared defiantly up at him, Nic’s darkly handsome features froze and he lost colour below his olive skin. Sudden shame and mortification engulfed Lexy as they walked back in tense silence. What a thing to say to him when they were supposed to be doing the mature thing and sticking to a civilised truce! Why did Nic Diamandis make her act like a volatile teenager? It took a great deal to make Lexy lose her temper and he kept on bringing out that side of her and she hated it! She had lied to make a point, to save her pride, to pretend that she was cunning and mercenary. She had preferred him to believe that rather than the unlovely truth that she was simply a pushover for him.

‘Did your best friend of a lawyer tell you that you had to sleep with me at leastonce?’

‘No, Mel didn’t, actually. I read it some place a year or two back,’ she admitted wearily, relieved to tell the truth about something. ‘I don’t even know if it’s still a legal requirement these days.’

She stepped into the luxury vehicle that glided next to the kerb to pick them up and sidled along to the far end of the rear seat. Chagrin held her fast and then just as suddenly as she had lost her temper, the anger was gone and she breathed out slowly. ‘I was lying,’ she told him reluctantly. ‘I was annoyed with you and so I lied. That was wrong, particularly when we’re trying to work out how to navigate this marriage peaceably.’

Nic was stunned by that wholly unexpected speech, that fierce quality of sincerity that powered her and the sheer honesty it carried. Brilliant dark eyes locked to her flushed and unhappy profile. ‘You’re admitting that you were lying?’

‘Why wouldn’t I? The reason I gave—about an unconsummated marriage—was untrue and hurtful as a motivation and I shouldn’t have said it,’ Lexy conceded heavily. ‘I slept with you because I wanted you and for no other reason.’

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