Page 29 of Marriage Bargain with His Innocent
CHAPTER SIX
BEDROOMI’VEPREPARED...
They were supposed to be an item. There was no way Georgina could express to her friend the horror she felt at the prospect of sharing a room with Matias. What young couple, going out with one another, slept in separate bedrooms? Like survivors from the Victorian age?
Melissa would burst out laughing, would think that Georgina was having her on. They lived in a village. How long would it be before gossip did the rounds and someone told someone who told someone else that the ‘loved-up’ couple were as distant as two strangers?
It was a risk that Georgina was not willing to take—not now that they were in the thick of this ill-thought-out charade.
She could barely enjoy the fabulous meal Melissa had prepared. She heard herself making all the expected appreciative noises at the ingredients that had been used in its preparation—ingredients provided by Rose, produce from her farm.
She knew that Matias was laying on the charm. For all his ruthlessness, his indifference when it came to emotions and his coldness, he could be persuasive, and by the end of the evening, with the rain still slamming against the window panes and no hope at all of risking any kind of trek back down the hill to the car, Melissa had joined his fan club.
‘He’s brilliant,’ she whispered, tugging Georgina back while Matias preceded them up the stairs. ‘Honestly, Georgie, I was beginning to despair that you would ever move on after that creep.’
‘Brilliant?’ Georgina asked weakly. ‘He should be the last person you think isbrilliant.’ She laughed to dilute the urgency of what she was saying. ‘He’s the least laid-back, least relaxed person in the world! He’s a workaholic who has no time for much except the business of making money.’
‘I know!’ Melissa smiled. ‘And I love that he doesn’t try and gloss over that fact. Honesty in a guy is so refreshing. And besides, aren’t we both workaholics in our own way?’
‘What do you mean?’
Brilliant? Refreshing? Honest?Suddenly Matias appeared to have attained all the attributes of a saint in waiting.
‘Well, I don’t know about you,’ Melissa said wryly, ‘but try tearing me away from the kitchen! Charlie says that I never have time to go to the movies or have days out because I’m always desperate to try some new idea for a dish! Now, if that’s not being a workaholic, then what is? And I know you can be a slave to your camera. How many times have you told me that you’ve spent a Saturday looking at photos and working?’
‘That’s different,’ Georgina said uncomfortably.
‘No, it’s not. It’s fantastic that you’ve met your soul mate. I can tell there’s a real connection there.’
They’d reached the spare bedroom and Melissa pushed open the door, and Georgina knew in that instant what it felt like to have tunnel vision because all she could see was the double bed.
‘I know you love your space...’ Georgina turned to Matias, who looked right back at her without revealing anything at all ‘...I’m sure Melissa won’t mind if you want to sleep here on your own. I mean, this bed is really tiny—barely any room for two people to share. Matias likes his space...’ She looked at her friend without actually meeting her warm brown eyes, realising, not for the first time, how hard deception could be. ‘Don’t you? Darling?’ She turned to Melissa. ‘He’s a restless sleeper. Thrashes around.’
Share a bed? Inconceivable. Especially when the atmosphere between them was so...so alive with tension. No way!
‘Andyousnore,’ he said. ‘You don’t seemecomplaining.’
‘I love it!’ Melissa was looking between the two of them with bright-eyed interest and delight. ‘I love it that you two are just so comfortable with one another.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of putting our host out,’ Matias said smoothly, nailing the conversation dead.
He strolled towards Georgina and slung his arm over her shoulders. The warm weight of him stirred the melting pot of confusing reactions over which Georgina seemed to have no control. She could feel his skin burning into hers, insistent on making its effect felt.
‘I’ve popped a couple of towels on the bed,’ Melissa was saying, moving into the room and doing her best tour guide impression. ‘There’s lots of hot water—and, Georgie, I know we’re not the same size, but I’ve put a tee shirt in the bathroom and you can use that if you want to...’
Georgina blanched. Matias had moved off to peer out of the window, where the rain continued to launch itself against the panes like bullets.
Her brain was beginning to malfunction. She couldn’t take on board any further nightmares. The fact that Matias was as cool as a cucumber enraged her. Did he think that this was somehow going to play into his hands? No, of course he didn’t, she told herself, because he would never pursue a reluctant woman—far less one who had shot him down in flames.
The door shut behind Melissa, and as soon as it had Georgina folded her arms and looked at him with undisguised horror. In return, he didn’t look in the slightest bit concerned. He wasn’t uncomfortable with the situation at all.
‘Forget it,’ he drawled as he began the process of undressing without so much as a by-your-leave.
‘Forget what?’ Georgina said tightly. The closer he was, the faster her pulses raced and the higher her colour became.
‘Playing the outraged virgin. I didn’t conspire to change the weather and your friend is simply being considerate in offering us a room for the night. I’ve phoned my mother and told her the situation.’
‘I didn’t see you do that!’
