‘Nikolai?’ she asked and Jess laughed.
‘How many do you have? Of course Nikolai.’ Jess walked around the apartment, taking in the luxury of it all, something neither of them were used to. ‘He arranged everything, right down to the key to get in. He’s amazing, Em, you’re so lucky. He must love you so much.’
Jess’s enthusiasm for her soon-to-be brother-in-law was so zealous it almost brought Emma’s world crashing down. Despite the miles that had separated them, he’d charmed Jess, made her see what he wanted the rest of the world to see. She’d never felt more trapped in her life.
‘He didn’t tell me, though,’ she said, quickly pushing away the doubts, not wanting them to creep in and spoil this time with Jess.
‘Because he wanted to surprise you. He made me promise not to say a word. Have you any idea how hard that’s been the last few weeks, keeping it a secret from you?’
Last few weeks? He’d organised this long before they had the discussion about Jess attending the wedding? Had he done it even before their engagement party? Was that why he’d been so concerned that she had nobody there for her that night?
‘Well, he’s certainly done that,’ she said as she took Jess off to her room, determined not to let Nikolai’s motives spoil this unexpected moment with her sister.
* * *
Nikolai arrived back at his apartment to the sound of women’s voices drifting through the open plan living area from the bedroom Emma had used on her arrival, which her sister would now use. For a moment he was taken aback and stood listening to them, grateful that Jess had managed to keep her arrival a secret. The lack of anyone for Emma at their engagement party had made such a surprise important, but the visit to the hospital had reinforced it.
‘You’re having his baby?’ Jess’s unfamiliar voice was filled with shock and he remained silent and still, waiting to hear Emma’s reply, but none came. Was she smiling and nodding her confirmation to her sister or giving away the truth of it all? Would she let Jess know this was nothing more than a marriage of convenience?
Silence echoed around the apartment for what seemed like hours, but he knew it was merely seconds. He stood still, not daring to move, not wanting them to hear his footsteps on the polished wooden floor. Finally the silence was broken by Jess’s voice.
‘But you love him, right?’ Jess asked, concern in her voice, and Nikolai held his breath, hoping Emma would act the same part she’d acted for his mother, that of a woman in love.
‘He’s a good man.’ Emma’s subdued answer was not at all what he’d expected her to say. It seemed her acting skills were not on form today and disappointment flooded through him. The last thing he wanted was Emma’s younger sister letting slip to his mother that the marriage was not a love match. That would make his mother feel guilty for what had happened in his childhood. The only thing she’d ever wanted was for him to find the real love she had.
‘I thought you wanted true love.’ Jess’s voice lowered so he was hardly able to hear it and right now he certainly didn’t want to hear Emma’s answer. He recalled her light-hearted view on love when they’d first met and knew it must have been true and not the throwaway comment she’d allowed him to think it was. She did believe in love, and was looking for it, but love was something he couldn’t give her.
He strode across the room, his footsteps loud on the polished floor, and perfect for blocking out the answer he didn’t want to hear. He poured himself a much-needed glass of brandy. The voices had gone silent and now he wished he had waited to find out what she thought. Would it be so bad to be loved by the woman who was carrying his child, his heir? Somewhere deep inside him the idea stirred those emotions from the day at the hospital and for a brief moment of madness he wanted exactly that.
‘I didn’t hear you come in.’ Emma’s voice sounded cautiously behind him and he turned his back on the view to face her. She looked pale and he wondered if she was well enough to have Jess here.
‘I’ve only just arrived,’ he said grimly, wishing she didn’t have such an effect on him. With just one questioning look she cracked the defensive shield around him, made him feel emotions, which as far as he was concerned was dangerous.
She walked closer to him and, for the first time since they’d arrived back from their engagement party, she looked shy and unable to meet his gaze. She’d had the same look in her eyes as she’d met him in the hotel lounge the night after the sleigh ride. That shyness hadn’t lasted long. It had soon been replaced by the temptation of a seductress. Had it been that which had pushed his limits of control beyond endurance?
‘Thank you,’ she said softly.
‘For what?’ She looked at him with big green eyes and to see the emotion within them was too much. He didn’t want the complication of emotion in his life. Never. It was why he hadn’t looked at her as they’d seen their baby on the scan.
She smiled shyly. ‘For getting Jess here. You have no idea how much that means to me—and Jess.’
As she said the words a young, dark-haired girl came into the room and smiled, the similarities between the sisters striking. ‘And you must be Jess?’
Emma turned round as he spoke and held out her hand to her sister. ‘We are both grateful for everything, but this is such a surprise. Getting married will be easier with Jess at my side.’
Irritation surged through him. She thought getting married to him was going to be difficult? From what she’d just said, it was obvious Jess was in full possession of the facts; no pretence at love for her sister’s benefit was needed now. Didn’t that show she was as cold and calculating as he was? It certainly proved she was only marrying him because of the baby.
‘You helped me with my mother. It was only fair you got something out of our deal too.’ He then turned his attention to Jess, needing to put some barriers back up between him and Emma, uncomfortable at the effect she was having on him. ‘Did you have a good flight?’
‘I did, thanks. I’ve never flown first class before,’ Jess replied, grinning enthusiastically. He felt Emma’s curious gaze on him, but ignored it, and the way his body warmed just from her nearness. He had to get out of here now.
‘I’ll leave you two girls to it, then. You have dress fittings later.’ Before Emma could say or do anything, he left them alone. It was more than obvious to him now that he had to leave and check into a hotel until his wedding day. His wedding day. After ending his first engagement, he’d never thought he’d ever get married, let alone be a father.
He turned at the door. ‘I’ve booked into a hotel until after the wedding, so you will not be disturbed by my presence.’
‘You don’t have to do that,’ Emma said, alarm in her voice.
‘Of course he does,’ Jess chipped in. ‘It’s bad luck to see each other before the wedding.’
‘In that case, I will go now.’
* * *
Emma watched Nikolai leave, angry that after all she’d done for the benefit of his mother he’d made no attempt to act the part of loving fiancé in front of Jess. He’d looked angry and irritated by her presence and their thanks, and she worried how that would look to Jess. Especially when she’d made every effort to make it appear they were in love when she’d met his family at their engagement party.
Why had he chosen that precise moment to drop the caring façade he’d hidden behind all week? She’d only just told Jess she loved him and that she was happy to be his wife as well as a mother. Then he’d arrived back at the apartment like an angry lion whose authority had been challenged and made it obvious that the marriage was a deal that was going to unite them and definitely not love.
‘I’m not stupid, Em, I know what’s going on.’ Jess’s