She’d been in the beauty salon for the early part of the afternoon, nerves building with each passing hour. The cream dress, encrusted with beads, fitted to perfection and when she’d looked in the mirror before leaving her room she hadn’t recognised herself. The woman Nikolai had met in Vladimir had gone, replaced by someone who looked much more polished and refined. What would Nikolai think of that? Or had it been his intention all along to mould her into the woman he wanted her to be?
She heard Nikolai’s footsteps and nerves filled her so quickly she didn’t want to turn round, but knew she would have to. When she did her breath caught in her throat. She’d seen him in a suit, but never a tuxedo, and the image he created stirred more than just her creative mind.
The fine black cloth hugged his broad shoulders, caressed his biceps and followed his lean frame downwards. The crisp white shirt set off the black tie to perfection, but it was his face which drew her attention far more. Stubble which had been tamed to look effortlessly sexy covered his jawline, emphasising the firm set of his lips. Dark hair was styled into conformity but a few locks were already breaking free and forming curls at his temples.
‘You look...’ he said softly as he stood and fastened his cufflinks, the movement showing off his wrists and designer watch. His dark eyes were full of controlled anger as he sought the words he was looking for.
‘Very different.’ She didn’t want to hear what he thought and finished the sentence for him. All she wanted was to get his charade over with. She hated the pretence of it all.
He stepped a little closer, dropping his arms by his side, making the cloth of the tuxedo cling even more provocatively to him. ‘I was going to say very beautiful.’
‘I’m not so sure about that.’ She blushed beneath his scrutiny and clutched her bag ever tighter.
She was about to walk past him when he caught her arm, the look in his eyes heavy with desire; as much as she wanted to look away, to avoid the way her body sizzled with pleasure, she boldly met his gaze. She stood there, locked in time, waiting for him to say something. He didn’t and finally he let go of her, the connection gone, snuffed out like a candle, leaving a lingering scent in the air.
‘We should go. My mother will be expecting us.’ He turned away from her, as if he’d made a mistake even touching her, and she wasn’t sure what worried her the most: the thought of meeting his mother and stepfather or that he couldn’t bear to look at her.
‘I’m looking forward to meeting her,’ she said as she fiddled with her bag, anything other than witness his obvious discomfort at being around her.
‘There is one thing I need to ask from you.’ He stopped at the door of the apartment and looked down at her. ‘My mother knows nothing of the baby and I’d like to keep it that way. For now, at least.’
He was ashamed of her, ashamed of the child she carried. That hurt her more than anything, but it also showcased the fact that this marriage was nothing more than a deal and she must never fall into the trap of thinking it was anything else.
She frowned and tried to smile, but she couldn’t help but ask, ‘Why?’
‘She believes I am in love. We are in love. I want to keep it that way. I want her to believe we are marrying simply because we fell in love.’ Each time he said the word ‘love’, his voice became harsher, as if he couldn’t bear even naming such an emotion.
So he was ashamed he was to be a father. Was that why he wanted to get married as soon as possible—so that he could make it look like something they’d planned or at least wanted?
She shrugged, trying to hide her hurt at what he’d just said. ‘If that’s what you want.’
* * *
Nikolai watched as his mother hugged Emma, then held her hands and stood back to look at her, as if shocked that he’d finally brought a woman home to meet her. His gaze lingered a little too long on Emma’s glorious body, encased in a gown which caressed her figure in a way that evoked memories of kissing her all over before making her his—truly his.
‘I am so pleased to meet you.’ His mother’s words dragged his mind back from the erotic path they had taken, forcing him to concentrate on the present. ‘I never really believed I’d see this day; and such a gorgeous ring.’
‘A gorgeous ring for a very beautiful woman.’ Nikolai spoke his thoughts aloud before he had time to evaluate them, but when Emma blushed and his mother smiled he knew they had been exactly what was needed.
‘You must of course stay here tonight,’ his mother offered Emma, just as she had done with him earlier in the week, but he’d refused, claiming a need to work the next day.
‘Emma and I will be travelling back tonight,’ he said sternly and felt Emma’s gaze on him. Was she pleading with him to extricate them both from the invitation?
‘I won’t hear of it. How can you enjoy your engagement party if you have to travel back tonight? Besides, I’ve already had a room prepared, so there is no excuse.’
‘I need to be at the office first thing in the morning.’ Nikolai knew his voice sounded abrupt and, if the curious glance Emma cast his way was anything to go by, his mother would know he was making excuses.
‘Nonsense. You work far too hard, and besides, it’s the weekend and you should be spending it with your fiancée. Isn’t that right, Emma?’ His mother smiled at him, using her charm and tactics as she always did to get what she wanted, but he didn’t want Emma pushed into a situation that she clearly didn’t want. Also, staying here at his mother’s house in The Hamptons would almost certainly mean sharing not only a room with Emma, but a bed. The fact that his mother had made a room ready suggested she’d already planned it all out.
‘I don’t have anything with me, Mrs Cunningham.’ Emma’s soft voice caught him unawares, as did the way it sent a tingle of awareness down his spine. He looked at her, at the worried expression on her face, and something twisted inside him, as if his heart was being squeezed.
He couldn’t be falling for her. He didn’t want that kind of complication, especially when she was here to celebrate their engagement only because he’d made a deal which would secure not only her baby’s future but her sister’s. A deal she’d been more than happy to agree on once he’d made her see that refusal would leave her child without a father. Something he knew she was all too familiar with.
‘Well, if that’s the only reason, I can soon sort that out. My stepdaughter is here with her husband and between us both we can loan you anything you need.’
Nikolai’s control on the situation was slipping through his fingers and he was torn between saving Emma from being forced to spend a night in the same room as him and allowing his mother to continue with the illusion that he’d finally succumbed to love.
‘I couldn’t do that...’ Emma began, but before she could finish he spoke over her.
‘Then we shall stay.’ He pulled Emma against him, the fine fabric of her dress no barrier to the heat from her body as it seared through his suit, setting him alight with a desire he had no intention of acting on. Diversion was what he needed. ‘We should mingle.’
At the extravagantly laid tables all around them were friends and members of his family, or rather his step-family. Everyone was enjoying themselves and their laughter mixed with the music from the live performers. He and Emma were the centre of attention, and that was something he hadn’t thought of when he’d put the party planners in touch with his mother and let them loose together. A big mistake.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said as he took Emma’s hand and led her to a table where they could sit and try and keep out