Lifelong Affair

He spoke with an inner bitterness that caused

Morgan pain—because he spoke from personal experience! Now she knew the reason for his aloofness, his solitariness. There had once been a woman in his life, a woman he loved, who had used her body to blackmail him in the relationship. Only rime would show him that she wasn't like that, that she was as weakened by wanting him as he would be in wanting her.

'I accept all your conditions, Morgan,' he rasped coldly, distant from her now. 'I'll inform my mother of our marriage in the morning-'

At least she would be spared the other woman's wrath for one more night. But what about Alex's

coldness? She put out a hand to him. 'Alex '

He evaded that hand without being too pointed about it. 'I have some work to do now,' he dismissed abruptly.

She nodded. 'I shall be free of all commitments in

America in two weeks' time. I '

'Does that include Sam?' His eyes were glacial. 'Of course,' she flashed. 'I intend being a faithful wife, Alex. You may do what you please.'

His hand was painful on her arm as he swung her round roughly to face him. 'I shall be faithful to you for as long as it takes for you to tire of being a wife and mother and look for other amusements,' he ground out fiercely.

Morgan's head was back proudly. 'I don't envisage that ever happening,' she bit out tautly.

His mouth twisted derisively before he released her. 'We shall see.'

'I'm sure we shall,' she nodded. Til leave you now if you want to work. I leave tomorrow evening, by the way. I'm afraid your mother is going to be disappointed when she knows I'm coming back—to stay this time,' she mocked. 'I would say the likelihood of my mother having

hysterics when I tell her we intend marrying is about a hundred per cent,' Alex drawled.

'You don't sound concerned.'

His expression was arrogant. 'My choice of bride is no one's affair but my own.'

'But you know I'm the last choice she would make for you!'

'I'm way beyond asking my mother's permission for anything I do," he snapped. 'She may say what she likes, do what she likes, but I intend marrying you in two weeks' time.'

'As soon as I get back?' Morgan gasped.

He raised dark brows. 'Is there any reason for us to wait longer than that?'

'None at all,' she replied tautiy. 'My father still isn't well enough to travel, no matter when we marry.'

'We could be married from your home if you would prefer.'

She frowned. 'You would do that?

'If it's what you want,' he nodded.

'But Courtney- '

'Is not coming on our honeymoon with us,' he dismissed hardly. 'Mrs Ford can stay on and take care of him until we get back.'

'We're going on a honeymoon?

'I believe it's traditional,' he taunted. 'I thought Barbados for a couple of weeks. We could visit your parents on our way there if you would prefer that.'

Rita Hammond was going to have enough reason to dislike her without denying the woman the opportunity to have her eldest son married in England. 'I think that's a better idea, she agreed.

'Very well,' he nodded distantly, dismissively.

The coldness of his expression wasn't very encouraging, but Morgan remained undeterred, reaching up on tiptoe to kiss him lingeringly on the lips. 'Goodnight, Alex,' she murmured throatily. 'I will make you happy,' she vowed.

He made no reply, but went to sit behind his desk, taking some papers out of his briefcase, concluding the conversation.

Morgan went slowly up to her room. The woman in Alex's past had hurt him very badly, had used the attraction he felt for her as a weapon against him. She couldn't envisage what sort of woman could do that to a man. She had been brought up in an openly affectionate environment, had always been honest in her relationships with men, and she couldn't imagine any woman being so devious as to use her body to flaunt a man's weakness at him.

But Alex had been badly scarred by such a woman in the past, had a distrust of giving even body attraction freely. It complicated their relationship to such an extreme that she wondered what chance their marriage would have. While she had been in America she had decided that even though they didn't have love, a warm and giving physical relationship would make them a good marriage. But although Alex might give the pleasure he had no intention of giving the warmth.

But it was done now, her word was given. And maybe in twenty years time, when she still melted bonelessly at his touch and asked nothing he didn't want to give, he would come to believe it was him and him alone that she wanted.

Morgan wasn't even out of bed the next morning when Rita Hammond burst into her bedroom unannounced. The maid had brought in her coffee a few minutes earlier, but one look at Rita Hammond's face told her she would be wiser to put the cup down out of harm's way; she was likely to get the contents tipped all over her if the hatred in the other woman's face was given full vent! She certainly didn't need to be told that Alex had told his mother they were getting married!

'So you're more devious than I would give you credit for!' the other woman attacked viciously.

Morgan swung her legs out of bed to stand up, feeling at too much of a disadvantage sitting in bed. Her white nightgown flowed silkily about her slender ankles. 'I gather you aren't pleased about the wedding?' she derided.

'Pleased! It's obvious it's only for Courtney's sake

my son has been stupid enough to take to heart the suggestion of the press that the two of you marry for

the baby's sake. Well, I '

'Nothing about Alex is stupid, Mrs Hammond,' she snapped. 'And I intend making a success of the marriage, no matter whose suggestion it was initially.'

'You don't love my son- '

'I care for him, which is just as important.' Morgan's eyes blazed. 'Alex is a fine man, I'll be proud to be his wife.' 'Over my dead body!' Her mouth twisted. 'If necessary,' she drawled. -

I will not have you as a member of my family '

'I'm not too thrilled about having you as one of mine,' Morgan traded insult for insult. 'But we don't have a choice when it comes to in-laws,' she snapped. 'Now if you wouldn't mind, I would like to get dressed.'

'But I do mind. I'll never accept you as my daughter-in-law, Morgan.'

'Contrary to your beliefs, Mrs Hammond, your acceptance is not important to me.' She looked coldly at the other woman. 'Not at all.'

'You'll regret this, Morgan!' the other woman almost shouted, losing her usual composure completely.

'I don't think so.'

'You'll be no happier here than Glenna was!'

'Oh, I think I will. You see, I know from the first how destructive you are. You even lie to achieve your objective.'

'You're talking about the night Alex spent in London?' Rita Hammond scorned.

You know I am,' Morgan derided. 'I'll never fall for your lies again. Alex was working, and you knew damn well he was.'

'Did I?'

'Yes!' she bit out tautly.

'Did he tell you it was work?'

'Yes. And I'm more inclined to believe him than I am you.'

'Then you're a fool!'

'No, I just happen to trust the man who's going to be my husband,' Morgan said calmly.

'You're both insane!' Rita Hammond was very flushed in her anger. 'No marriage can work in these circumstances.'

'This one will,' Morgan said with certainty.

'I'll remind you that you said that when you can't take any more and leave,' the other woman scorned, going to the door.

'That will never happen,' Morgan said softy as Rita Hammond left.

The scene had been no worse than she had expected, in fact it hadn't been as bad. She had thought there might be some vitriolic comments made about Glenna at the same time, but the other woman had managed to restrain herself. No doubt pointed little barbs would continue during her married life with Alex. But she would ignore them, would ignore the woman who made them too.

'Why didn't you tell me?'

She turned with a start, very conscious of the sheerness of her nightgown, sure that Alex could see every inch of her body through the silky material. 'Tell you what?' Without undue haste she pulled on the matching neglige, knowing the two thicknesses afforded her a little more covering.

'About my mother's lying interference.' He came into her bedroom and closed the door, dressed for the office in a brown three-piece suit and cream shirt.

She shrugged, conscious of her lack of make-up, of her ruffled hair that she hadn't had a chance to brush yet. 'I didn't want to cause unnecessary friction between the two of you.'

'Unnecessary?' he echoed curtly. 'It wasn't unnecessary! My mother is positively vindictive. If she ever does anything like that again I want you to tell me immediately.'

"Yes, Alex.'

He smiled ruefully. 'And don't put on that demure act with me. After the things you just told my mother I'll never believe it.'

Morgan looked at him uncertainly. 'How much did you hear?'

'All of it,' he said grimly. 'I was on my way to say goodbye to you when I saw my mother come into your room. After your first defence of me I couldn't help listening to the rest of the conversation. You sound very sure that our marriage is going to work, Morgan,' he frowned.

'I am sure.' She moved into his arms. 'It just requires complete honesty on both sides.

He tapped her playfully on the nose. 'And that includes telling me about any other bitchiness like this from my family. I have no doubt Janet will side with my mother, she'll probably try to stick in a few knives too.'

Morgan shook her head. 'It won't matter to me. All I want is you—and Courtney.'

His brows rose. 'In that order?'

She frowned. 'I couldn't make that choice. I already think of Courtney as my child, and you as his father. No woman should be made to choose between her child and her husband.'

Alex shook his head. 'I admired your directness from the start,' he murmured. 'But when it has to do with me I get a little nervous.'