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‘Okay.’ Courage slammed into her veins. ‘Let’s get married. Right now.’
CHAPTER SIX
ELIAS’SSUDDENSMILEwas a dazzling flash of pure triumph that Darcie hadn’t expected. But he turned away so abruptly she could hardly absorb let alone enjoy it. She dragged in a breath as he went out of the room and called something to the receptionist. The man was even more incredible when he smiled, and that wasn’t often enough.
‘Would you prefer gold or platinum for your wedding ring?’ he asked when he returned. ‘You can choose a fine or a heavier set band.’
Darcie blinked at the small collection of gleaming silver and gold rings in the sleek box he’d pulled from his pocket. ‘Did you bring this from your collection?’
She knew he kept a supply of jewellery. The first time he’d cancelled a date early on in her employment she’d assumed he’d ask her to arrange a flower delivery or some such, but when she’d offered to do just that—in an attempt to demonstrate her ability to anticipate his needs—he’d looked miffed and coolly informed her that he dealt with his own personal messes, particularly ‘clean-up’ operations. He’d bluntly added that she wasn’t paid to be some kind of emotional nanny. That’s when she’d seen the stash in his office safe. ‘Clean-up’ clearly meant ‘pay-off’. He had to have a subscription service to a top jewellery house so he’d always have something appropriate to give a date on any occasion—from the first date to final farewell. At the time she’d almost admired his cold-blooded, richer-than-rich efficiency. But today his practical, clinical planning annoyed her.
‘No,’ he said blandly. ‘The driver collected them from a jeweller on his way to pick us up. Choose one, and if it doesn’t fit properly we’ll have it adjusted back in London.’
Darcie just pointed to the first one.
‘Do you wish to vary the vows or use their standard template?’ he asked, his smile audible.
‘Standard template is fine,’ she muttered mechanically.
‘And we’ll just stay as we are clothing-wise.’ He glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘Two minutes and it’s our turn. Are my organisational efforts almost at Darcie Milne standards?’
‘Almost,’ she said stiffly.
Three minutes later it was almost over.
To have and hold... For better. Worse. Richer. Poorer. Sickness. Health. To love...always.
The words on the small tablet the marriage celebrant held seemed to float in space in front of her. That she was audible was a shock. More shocking was that faint smile seemingly glued to Elias’s face. That he was doing this at all astounded her, but that he was amused by it?
Her heart galloped as anticipation burgeoned. They were going to kiss. Actually kiss. Because now they were husband and wife and the celebrant was looking at them expectantly and there was a skinny teenager holding up a camera.
She froze, breathless, as expectation built to unbearable levels. Elias leaned close. So close. Her eyes drifted shut. The brush of his lips on hers was gossamer light. So light and cool and yet there was an infinitesimal hit of—
He lifted away. He was gone and it had lasted less than a second.
Darcie’s eyes flashed open. She stared—shocked and dismayed—because her disappointment was catastrophic. And for a far longer moment than that paltry ‘kiss’ he looked right at her with an intense, but inscrutable, expression.
‘Right,’ he suddenly snapped. ‘Let’s go.’
Darcie nodded, unable to answer.
She was sostupid. He hadn’t wanted her two weeks ago and he hadn’t wanted her now, either—not the wayshewanted. That ‘kiss’ had merely been the symbolic, societally required confirmation of theirdeal, not a demonstration of undeniable lust.
Mortified, she wondered what hell she’d just thrown herself into. Because she ached for the man who was now her husband in name only and she had the horrible feeling he’d just seen that. Shehadto pull herself together.
‘Do we go straight back to the airport?’ she asked desperately.
‘We do.’ He walked with her to the waiting limousine.
‘Good. I need to get back to London as soon as possible.’
There wasn’t going to be a honeymoon. That five-minute marriage ceremony meant nothing more than a means to an end. She shouldn’t feel this crushed.
‘Afterthe meeting for the Williams acquisition,’ he said.
Oh, right. She’d forgotten that. She scrunched into the far corner of the back seat and pulled out her phone to distract herself. He’d done the same, was firing off message after message. Keeping the company running, no doubt.
‘You’re worried about Lily?’ Elias asked after a few moments, his face still focused on his screen. ‘Don’t be. I’ll get the legal team on it right away.’
