An Heir for the Millionaire (14 page)

F
OR
Xander, the three weeks leading up to their wedding day were some of the most puzzling—and frustrating—he had ever known.

Used to making decisions, to controlling his multimillion-pound production company both here and in America, he found dealing with the complexity of the woman who had agreed to become his wife—in name only!—more challenging than anything or anyone else he had ever encountered.

In response to that telephone call from David James he'd initially had to go to New York for five days. While there he had received a telephone call from Brad Henderson, and the older man had made it clear that he didn't believe any marriage between Xander and the widow of Sam Bridges would ever take place.

Which had been enough of a spur—if Xander had needed one!—to set the marriage plans in motion.

Which was when his troubles with Casey had really begun!

Telling the two children of their plans had gone smoothly enough—although Xander had been a little thrown when Josh, with his mother's candour, had innocently asked if he was going to be his new daddy.

Casey had been the one to smooth over that awkwardness by stating that she thought it better if Josh called him Xander for the moment, and Lauren called her Casey.

But following that Casey had flatly refused to comply with his suggestion that she immediately give up her two jobs at the café and the hotel restaurant, claiming that she still had to live and pay the bills until after they were married.

When he had asked why she hadn't put her house on the market yet, he'd been given the same answer.

His question as to whether or not she had any guests she wished to invite to the wedding had also been met with a negative. Well, he didn't, either.

And she had absolutely refused to even consider his suggestion that she make any changes—either to Fraser House, or the running of it—she deemed fit for the comfort of herself and Josh. She had assured him there would be plenty of time for that later,
if
she deemed it necessary.

This had given him some insight into the reasoning behind Casey not doing any of the things he had asked of her—she wasn't sure that he was going through with the wedding, either!

As a way of showing her he was completely serious about the marriage, he'd had his lawyer draw up the contract Casey had asked for—only to have her request that it be sent on to her own lawyer for perusal.

The bundle of fury that arrived at the house that evening, only two days before the wedding, wasn't what he had been expecting!

He was working on some papers in his study when Hilton announced Casey's arrival. The fact that she was here at all was surprising enough, but the angry glitter in her eyes and the flush to her cheeks were even more so as she stormed into his study seconds later and threw the contract down on his desk in front of him.

‘I can't sign this!' She scowled.

Xander frowned darkly. ‘Why can't you?'

‘Because I can't!' she snapped. ‘Because it's wrong! Because it's—it's damned insulting!' she finished furiously, her hands bunched into fists at her sides as she confronted him across the wide width of the leather-topped desk.

She really was beautiful when she was angry, Xander thought abstractedly, even as he wondered exactly which part of the contract she found insulting.

Her face was less strained than it had been a couple of weeks ago—those dark circles beneath her eyes having disappeared, and the hollows of her cheeks having filled out a little.

But as for what was wrong with the contract, he had no idea.
He had given her what she'd asked for, hadn't he? Financial security for herself and Josh. So what the hell was the problem?

Casey stood her ground when Xander stood up to move round and rest his hips against the front of the desk. But the movement brought him dangerously close to her in the process, making her totally aware of him—of his warmth, of the air of sensuality that he held in control but which was never far beneath the surface whenever the two of them met.

Not that she showed by the flickering of an eyelid that she was in the least disconcerted by his close proximity. Xander Fraser was a man used to having his own way. She had quickly learnt that this last few weeks. But, as a woman who had become used to running her own life, and Josh's, this last year, she wasn't about to cede any of her independence without a fight.

‘Tell me what's wrong and I'll have my lawyer change it,' he promised.

If he had returned her anger, or even if he had spoken to her in that coldly distant tone he sometimes adopted, Casey knew she would have found it easier to maintain her own fury on reading the contract he'd had drawn up.

As it was, she felt a little like a deflated balloon at his reasonable response. ‘I—It's just—
That
paragraph is complete nonsense!' She moved to jab a finger at the offending paragraph in the contract.

She was now even closer to Xander, her arm brushing against his before she moved back abruptly to look at him from beneath lowered lashes.

There was a dark shadow to the squareness of his jaw where he was in need of a shave, and his overlong hair was slightly dishevelled where he'd been running his fingers through it as he'd worked at his desk. Dark hair, that shone with ebony lights… The sort of hair that made Casey long to reach out and touch it, to run her own fingers through its silky length as Xander's mouth once again plundered hers—

Casey gave an inward groan. She'd had a lot of fantasies like this these last couple of weeks—moments when she had found herself thinking of Xander, of the way he had kissed her, caressed her…

Imagining what would have happened if Hilton hadn't interrupted them that evening…

After all her talk of a marriage of convenience between them, her insistence that she wouldn't object to him having other relationships as long as he was discreet, Casey now knew that she found the very idea of Xander being intimately involved with another woman completely abhorrent.

Which was pretty ridiculous when she had absolutely refused to even contemplate the two of
them
having an intimate relationship.

But there was a good reason for that.

A very good reason.

She didn't want Xander to know—for him to discover, just how inept she was at lovemaking. ‘Frigid' was one of the words that Sam had used, along with ‘unresponsive' and ‘cold'.

Sam had not been amused by her inexperience on their wedding night—had been slightly put out that he'd had to be the one to initiate her into lovemaking—and the whole thing had been painful and awkward for Casey. The fact that she had found herself pregnant only three months later had been something of a relief because Sam had claimed to find the whole idea of making love to a pregnant woman repugnant.

Their lovemaking had resumed after Josh's birth, of course, but it had never been something that Casey had enjoyed—more something to be endured.

But she had been attracted to Sam before their marriage—had thought herself in love with him—and look how disastrously that had turned out!

No—no matter how attractive she found Xander, she did not want to repeat the experience with him, to see the same impatience in his face when he found out what a disappointment she was in bed.

Luckily he wasn't looking at her, but at the contract he had picked up, a slight frown between those deep blue eyes as he finally looked up to shake his head. ‘I can't see what the problem is—'

‘There!' Casey moved forward to point to the appropriate paragraph, drawing in a sharp breath as once again she found herself standing so close to him she could smell the musky tang
of his cologne, could see the dark hair that grew lightly on his bared arms beneath the black tee shirt he wore, see the quiet strength of his hands, his fingers long, the nails kept short.

Hands that last night she had actually dreamt of—touching her, caressing her—

‘I still don't see it,' Xander protested. ‘All it says is “the amount of one million pounds is to be paid into the bank account of Casey Bridges, then to be Casey Fraser, on the day of the marriage”—'

‘All it says?'
Casey repeated incredulously, stepping back slightly. ‘A
million pounds,
Xander?'

Xander found himself very aware of the woman standing so close to him. In fact, he acknowledged with self-derision, he had often found himself thinking of Casey lately, when he should have been concentrating on other things.

Apart from Lauren, who was something else entirely, work had always come first with him these last seven years—had been the constant that kept his life with Chloe bearable.

But this past few weeks he had found himself musing about Casey even in the middle of business deals. Found himself wondering about the soft curves of her body, of how it would feel to have her nakedness against him, under him, on top of him. Imagining parting the litheness of her thighs, touching her there, feeling her flower and blossom…

He wanted to touch her, to kiss her, taste her, to watch her face as he slowly, oh, so slowly entered her, and the heat of her engulfed him—

He was doing it again!

Except that this time Casey was standing right here beside him, looking up at him with those huge green eyes, her cheeks flushed, her lips slightly parted, as if waiting for his kiss.

He couldn't fight this any longer, Xander decided achingly, and he reached out to grasp the tops of her arms and pull her hard against him, shutting off her angry words as his mouth captured hers.

He slowly lay back on the desk behind him and took Casey with him, her thighs lying between his parted ones, the softness of her breasts crushed against his chest, as his mouth claimed hers with the fierceness of three weeks' longing.

C
ASEY
had no idea how she came to be lying on top of Xander on his desktop as his mouth plundered hers—none of the fantasies she'd had about him had ever been
this
immediate—she only knew that she felt empowered, above him like this, as she raised her head slightly to nibble and suck his bottom lip, to taste him as he was tasting her.

Xander groaned low in his throat, his hands moving restlessly along the length of her spine as he encouraged her to deepen the kiss. A move Casey denied him as she took her time running the warmth of her tongue against his parted lips.

But it was her turn to groan with pleasure as she felt Xander push her tee shirt up over her back, his hands, those big warm hands, against the bareness of her flesh, spreading fire wherever they touched.

Casey's hands tangled in the dark thickness of his hair as she kissed him hungrily, her lips apart as he returned that hunger, his tongue plunging into her hotly as she squirmed her hips against his hardened thighs.

Xander broke the kiss to push her tee shirt completely out of his way before his hands moved about her slender waist and he easily lifted her slightly above him, so that his tongue circled and licked the hardened nub of her bared breast.

Casey arched her back as her breasts tingled and swelled to the caress, gasping breathlessly as Xander drew the tightened nipple into the heat of his mouth, sucking and licking, that tingle spreading to her thighs as she moved rhythmically against him.

He was so hard against her, his hardness rubbing against the heated centre of her even as his mouth continued its attention on her breast.

She was on fire, her eyes closed, her breathing ragged, the heat between her thighs becoming unbearable as Xander's hand cupped and captured her other breast, his thumb moving caressingly against the hard tip in the same rhythm as he sucked its twin.

‘Xander, I can't—!'

‘Yes, you can,' he assured her gruffly as he released her to roll over, so that she was the one now lying on the desktop, his gaze held hers as his hand moved to unsnap the button on her denims, before reaching beneath to unerringly seek the centre of her need.

As soon as he touched her there Casey arched against him, wanting more, wanting something—

Xander's mouth claimed hers even as he found her centre, his thumb moving softly against the swollen nub even as his fingers touched her moisture, circling but not yet entering.

Casey breathed shallowly, her eyes closed as she gave herself up to the pleasure she could feel deep inside her—a pleasure that spread and warmed, burned as Xander increased the rhythm of his caress, as his fingers finally entered her to move in the same rhythm.

She couldn't take any more—felt as if she were about to explode with pleasure—needed, needed—

She gasped, her eyes wide, as Xander satisfied that need with the firm caress of his thumb. Casey exploded around him in spasms of unrelenting pleasure as she stared up at him in the sheer wonder of her release, the whole of her body throbbing with the ecstasy he'd made her feel.

Xander watched her unashamedly as she found her release, his caresses continuing until he was sure she was completely spent, until he had given her every last moment of pleasure.

Then he bent his head to once again claim her lips with his, his caresses soothing now, gentling, as he smoothed her tee shirt back over her breasts before entangling his hands in the silkiness of her hair, his lips moving to kiss the tiny shell of her ear before trailing down the column of her throat to the tiny pulse throbbing at its base.

Casey moved restlessly beside him. ‘But you didn't—' She drew in a shaky breath. ‘You haven't—'

He raised his head to look down into her stricken face. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes darkened by dilated pupils, and she couldn't quite meet his gaze. ‘I don't need to,' he assured her gruffly.

And he didn't. What had happened just now, seeing and feeling Casey's pleasure, had been the most erotic experience he had ever had in his life. The throbbing of his own body was sweet evidence of that.

Casey's skin was like velvet, her breasts so small and perfect, so responsive to his hands, lips and tongue.
All
of her was so responsive that he felt that to take his own pleasure would ruin something that was already perfect.

‘I don't need to,' he repeated huskily, smiling down at her as his hand moved to lightly caress one pink cheek.

Casey stared up at him wordlessly. Why didn't he need to? Sam had always—

Now wasn't the time to think about Sam, or their marriage!

Xander had just—

No,
she
had just climaxed—for the first time in her life.

Ever.

And it had been the most wonderful experience she had ever known. She had never dreamt—never realised—

What must Xander think of her?

She had come here to tell him that one of the details in the contract he'd had drawn up outlining the terms of their marriage was unacceptable to her, and had ended up having an orgasm on his desktop!

Not only that, but Xander had obviously found her lack of control so shocking that it had killed his own desire!

She turned her head away. ‘Would you let me up, please?' She spoke quietly.

‘Casey—'

‘Just let me up, Xander!' Her voice rose forcefully as she turned to glare at him.

Sighing, he complied, standing up to look away as she moved to adjust the fastening of her denims.

Casey swayed dizzily as she stood up, her legs feeling weak from the onslaught that had just racked her body, still aware of that tingling sensation between her thighs.

She closed her eyes briefly, wondering how she was ever going to be in Xander's company again without remembering—remembering how she had—

‘I have to get to work,' she told him abruptly.

Xander turned slowly to look at her, frowning as he saw the closed expression on her face—her eyes unreadable, her mouth set hard with determination. ‘Don't you think we need to sit down and talk more than you need to go to work?' he finally suggested.

‘Talk about what?' she challenged.

Yes—talk about what? Xander wondered as he continued to look at her.

The last half an hour might have been the most incredibly erotic experience of his life, but it obviously hadn't meant the same to Casey…

He drew in a deep breath before moving quickly away from her. He was afraid of what he might do if he didn't!

‘So I'm supposed to ignore what just happened, huh?' he growled.

She blinked, swallowing hard before answering. ‘I think that might be for the best, don't you?'

It wasn't a question, and Xander didn't bother granting it an answer. If she could forget what had just happened then he would obviously be wasting his time talking about it.

‘Just put in whatever you want that paragraph to say.' He held out a pen and the contract without looking at her, his clenched hands returning to his sides as he resisted the impulse to reach out and kiss her senseless as she made the necessary adjustment.

Despite the sexual attraction that existed between them, Casey obviously regretted having given in to that attraction. She was making it perfectly clear that she didn't want a repeat of it, either, that it had meant nothing to her.

All this marriage meant to Casey—all it would
ever
mean to her—was financial security. And the sooner he got used to that idea the better.

‘Fine.' He nodded as she placed the adjusted contract back down on the desk. ‘As Josh and Lauren won't be at the wedding on Friday, I think it would be a good idea, after you and Josh have moved in here tomorrow afternoon, for the two children to stay up and have dinner with us. I know it's a school day the following morning,' he continued as she would have spoken, ‘but they need to feel a part of this.'

Oh, God. She and Josh moved in here tomorrow afternoon…!

How could she go through with this after what had just happened?

But how could she not? She had already handed in her notice at her two jobs—had already finished at the café earlier today. This was the last evening she would be working at the hotel. Her own and Josh's things were packed back at the house, ready to move in here tomorrow.

In less than forty-eight hours she was due to become wife to Xander.

A man she had just discovered could so easily take her to the heights of pleasure.

A man she had come to like these last three weeks.

A man she had come to…love?

She gave him a startled look.
Did
she love Xander? Had she fallen in love with the man who was only marrying her to provide a mother for his daughter, to stop his father-in-law from attempting a custody suit for that daughter?

Could she really have been so stupid?

‘What is it now?' Xander asked wearily as he watched the play of emotions cross Casey's face. ‘After what just happened, you want it actually written into the contract that we maintain separate bedrooms? Fine.' He nodded. ‘You want it in writing that there won't be a repeat of just now? Again, fine,' he snarled. ‘Now, if you wouldn't mind, Casey, I have some work to do, too.' He moved pointedly to sit back behind his desk, too tired, too bone-weary now, to engage in any more verbal battles with this woman this evening.

Casey's face had first flushed, and then paled at his outburst. ‘That won't be necessary,' she told him coldly. ‘Just the adjustment I've made will be quite sufficient.'

‘Then don't let me keep you. I would
so
hate for you to be late to work,' he added. And he knew he sounded so like Lauren when she was in a fit of childish pique that he was surprised Casey didn't tell him to grow up.

She didn't—simply giving him one last pained look before turning on her heel and making a dignified exit, her head held high.

What an idiot he'd been, Xander instantly berated himself.

Had he really thought, when Casey had come here to complain that a million-pound settlement on her wasn't enough, that the two of them making love would make any difference to her completely financial motivation for marrying him?

He was a fool.

Not only that, but he had been so beguiled, so enchanted with Casey's loss of control, that he hadn't even wanted to find his own release in the warmth of her body—had found her pleasure more than enough to satisfy him.

He was worse than a fool.

Chloe had used her body to manipulate and control him too. Until he had become wise to her machinations and refused even to share her bed any more.

He couldn't believe he had fallen for that trick a second time!

How much more than a million did Casey want? How much did she think that sexual encounter was worth?

Xander's eyes glittered angrily as he picked up the contract. But his anger quickly turned to a puzzled frown when he looked down at the adjustment Casey had made.

That whole paragraph concerning the settlement of money directly on Casey on the day of their marriage had been completely erased, with firm, black strokes of his pen!

Casey didn't personally want
any
settlement of money from him.

He didn't feel angry or puzzled any more—he felt stunned!