Read The Price of Scandal Online
Authors: Kim Lawrence
The Price of Scandal (17 page)
Unable to resist the temptation, she pressed her face into his chest, breathing in the scent of his body.
Severo struggled to control several conflicting impulses as he gazed down at the bright head pressed to his heart. ‘Marrying me would be
settling
? This is not a term I am familiar with,’ he lied through clenched teeth.
A muscle clenched beside his lean jaw as she shook her head mutely and burrowed even closer into him, unable to bring herself to break the contact even though she knew she should.
‘You consider me second best to what or who? I seem to recall that you told me several times that I
was
the best.’
Hands curled into his shirt, she tilted her head back and looked into his face. The tears trickled unchecked down her cheeks. ‘I’ve offended you. But you
are
the best, but this isn’t about sex. I’m not actually a very sexual person.’
This solemn declaration drew a burst of laughter from Severo. ‘You don’t believe that, Neve.’
Her eyes fell from the challenge in his. ‘I did before I met you.’ Emotion swelled in her chest and she pushed it away, saying, ‘That’s not relevant. You’re not offering to marry me to get me into bed—you don’t have to.’ She slipped into his bed every night; it allowed her to maintain the illusion of freedom, but it had become a freedom she no longer wanted.
Astonishment flashed across his face. ‘Are you offering to be my mistress but not my wife?’
‘Isn’t that what I am already? This isn’t about what I’m offering.
You’re
offering marriage because of the baby. Well, the thing is I’ve done the convenient marriage thing once. This time I want the real thing. Maybe it does make me selfish,’ she admitted. ‘But it’s true.’
‘You don’t know the meaning of selfish.’ How had he ever thought otherwise? ‘You are an innocent. The world,
cara
, is a dangerous place for innocents.’ He looked into her face and felt a rush of love so intense that it felt as if a hand had reached inside his chest. Miraculously she had survived until he came along without someone taking advantage of her generous trusting nature—it really was a mystery. ‘You need someone to keep you safe.’
‘Oh, Severo,’ she choked, reaching for the handkerchief. ‘That’s such a lovely thing to say, but you don’t have to say things like that. We’ll work something out and—’
‘If I take the money will you marry me?’
‘It doesn’t work that way. You’re welcome to the money.’
He framed her face with his hands. ‘I don’t need the money. I need you.’
Neve closed her eyes, wishing with every fibre of her being that she could allow herself to take what he said at face value.
‘And I need to marry for love.’
‘Then do.’
She looked up at him, confusion written in her pale features. ‘How is that possible?’ she whispered, not daring to believe what she was seeing in his face.
‘Marry me, Neve. Marry me because I love you.’
She looked at him through the tears that trembled on her eyelashes and shook her head, not daring to believe what he was saying.
‘Is it possible?’ she asked wistfully.
‘It is impossible for me not to love you!’ he declared. ‘I prided myself on the fact I did not
need
any woman, and I was right. I do not need
any
woman, I need
you
, Neve and not just in my bed, though the sex with you is nothing short of miraculous. I need your face to be the last thing I see before I fall asleep. I need your face to be the first thing I see when I wake up. I need to hear your voice, your laugh. I need you in my life so I am asking you again. Marry me, Neve.’
‘You always know what I am thinking so you already know that this time, Severo, the answer is yes.’
He pulled her into a crushing embrace. When they broke apart some time later he pushed her a little away from him and looked at her, his expression sombre.
‘I think we should start as we mean to go on with no lies between us. With that in mind I feel I should confess.’
What was he going to say? A hundred possibilities ran through her head. She took a deep breath and, steeling herself for the blow to come, squared her shoulders.
‘Tell me. It doesn’t matter what it is, it won’t come between us.’
‘I’m very glad to hear you say that,’ he admitted solemnly. ‘The rumours in the paper.’
She gave a relieved sigh. ‘Oh, it’s just money. I thought it was serious.’
He grinned and said, ‘
Dio
, but I love you. No, I have to confess,
cara mia
, that the reports of my financial ruin have been slightly exaggerated.’
‘Seriously—you’re not broke?’
‘Not even slightly,’ he confessed with a grin.
‘Then you don’t need my money?’
He held open his arms and she stepped in, smiling as they closed tight around her, and Neve felt she had finally found her real home.
‘The only thing I have ever needed is you.’
‘I suppose you already know I feel the same way?’
‘I have an inkling, but I think I’d feel happier if you showed me.’
Neve had no problem with this plan, none at all.
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
First published in Great Britain 2010
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18–24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Kim Lawrence 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4089-1949-1
