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By all accounts, the family had it all: wealth, prestige, good looks. Reviewing the numerous photos of Miles available online, mostly magazines and the occasional news feature on the work he had done with his father’s company, it had been hard to picture him and Clara together. With a blindingly white smile against a deep tan and auburn hair combed back into a slick coif, Miles had oozed confidence and money.
What had Clara seen in him?
“His name was Miles Clemont. He was a consultant for Clemont Oil.” She tilted her head to one side. “But you knew that already.”
“We do extensive background checks on all of our hires.”
“Then you know everything.”
Her voice hitched up the tiniest fraction on the last word. No, he most definitely did not know anything.
“His death must have been hard on you.”
“Yes.”
Flat, emotionless. Anyone who took her at face value would have thought her cold and unfeeling. Most would have missed the rapid blink, the uptick of the pulse beating at the base of her throat. No, Clara was anything but impassive regarding her late husband.
“You were married for only a few months, correct?”
She looked away. “Yes. What does this have to do with our situation?”
“I’m trying to discern the reason for your refusal to see sense.”
Her head whipped back around, her lips thinning as her eyes narrowed.
“See sense? Agree to marry my boss because of a one-night stand?”
His anger flared again. Anger at Clara for her ability to view their brief intimacy with detachment. Anger at her for resisting what should have been a cut-and-dried decision.
And anger at himself for letting one moment of weakness lead to this whole damn mess.
“A one-night stand that resulted in a child, Clara.”
She ran a hand over her hair, dislodging the normally perfectly arranged coif so that a few strands of pale blond hair fell and framed her face.
“Women raise children on their own all the time.”
“They do. But not children who will inherit the throne of Linnaea.”
Her hand drifted down and settled over her stomach. Possessiveness filled his veins and nearly propelled him across the room to her side. He would protect Clara and their child. He might have made a mistake that night in his office. But he would be damned if he made any more that placed Clara in the position his father had placed women in.
“Is the thought of marrying your child’s father truly so abhorrent?”
A tiny vee appeared between her brows. She wasn’t as certain in her refusal as she wanted to appear.
“It’s not abhorrent. It’s... I never really thought about getting married again.”
“Why?”
Her nose wrinkled a fraction, enough to let him know that her reasons weren’t rooted in memories of marital bliss. He made a mental note to call the private security firm that conducted the checks for all of his employees, ignoring the prick to his conscience. He trusted Clara. He did. But after what he had been through as a child with his father, after years of dealing with Celestine’s outrageous behavior, he would not go back through the hell of having another scandal touch his country.
Whether or not he liked it, his future wife’s background needed a second look.
“I used to want a family, but then Miles died, I came to work here, and dating has never been a big priority. I guess I assumed my time had passed.” She seemed to be choosing her words carefully. “Miles and I were very young when we got married. Too young. We could have made better decisions.” Her gaze shifted to him, and steel flashed in her blue gaze. The show of strength sparked the sensual awareness that had never been far out of reach since that night in the gym.
“Many married couples don’t enjoy matrimony.”
The steel melted into something soft and sad. “Some do.” She shook her head. “But you’re right. Many couples don’t.”
