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‘But I warn you that I won’t be boxed away like that,’ Malachi continued. ‘And if you try you will soon find the terms I am capable of exacting in response.’
‘What kind of terms?’ she asked, despite herself.
‘You don’t want to know,’ he said ominously.
She ought to feel afraid. Instead she felt something else. Exhilaration?
‘Actually, I rather think I do.’ She lifted her head boldly, her gaze colliding with his and holding it.
The tension stretched between them.
‘Not now,’ he said abruptly.
But she shook her head. ‘Precisely now.’
His black look would have had any number of other people—male and female—cowering, but suddenly Saskia realised that she didn’t feel intimidated or afraid when it came to Malachi. She never had.
She’d thought it was only a physical attraction they shared, but the truth was that she’d always felt safe with this man. Secure. Especially now.
The revelation knocked the air from her lungs.
So what did that even mean?
But then there was no time to ponder it, because he was speaking, and it occurred to her that he was doing what she’d asked and telling her what she’d wanted to know.
‘Our baby is fragile. Too fragile to be put at any more risk than necessary.’
‘I know...’ She murmured her agreement.
‘And, whilst I understand you love your career as a doctor, there is no way I can believe this high-pressure environment is going to be good for this pregnancy.’
She knew that, too. She’d been thinking about little else since those first pains had started during the hectic rush of the major incident.
‘So what are you saying?’
‘I’m saying that after the surgery I will be taking you away somewhere so you can rest and you and our baby will be taken care of. I know you love your job—God knows I understand that better than most—but you will not rush back to it and risk yourself or our baby.’
‘Taking me where?’
‘It will depend how your recovery goes. But if it’s smooth then I have a place in Italy. I intend to take you there.’
‘Italy?’ she echoed weakly.
‘It’s quiet, and safe, and you can rest there without the worries of everyday life. I will ensure that you have dedicated specialists on hand, and your health and that of our baby will be of paramount importance.’
Vaguely she thought she ought to be objecting. Instead all she could ask was, ‘Will you be there, too?’
‘I have no intention of being anywhere else,’ he gritted out.
Something a little too close to relief trickled through her, but she did her best to conceal
it. There was no need for him to find out how dependent upon him she was starting to feel. He was spooked enough at the idea of emotional intimacy with her.
‘Okay.’
‘And we will marry, Saskia. For the baby’s sake. I can assure you of that.’
The worst of it was that she had to bite her tongue not to simply agree to that, too. Even if he was doing it for the wrong reasons, part of her couldn’t help but feel it was the right solution.
