Lynne Graham's Brides of L'Amour Bundle

‘I’d like to say yes but I just don’t think I can. We don’t have enough going for us—’

‘We have a son and dynamite sexual attraction!’

‘If it doesn’t work out, it will hurt Jake most of all…a lot of husbands and wives end up hating each other when they split up—’

‘Are you always this optimistic?’ Christien asked very drily.

‘I’m putting Jake first like you said we should.’ Tabby thrust up her chin. ‘If I did marry you, I know I’d try hard to make it work. But I’m not convinced you would do the same—’

Christien was getting riled. ‘Why the hell not?’

‘You’re spoiled. Life’s a breeze for you. You’re good-looking, rich and successful and you’re just not used to having to make an effort in relationships—’

Christien’s stubborn jawline was at an aggressive angle. ‘But naturally I could make that effort if I had to.’

‘Dragging me into the nearest bed wouldn’t count,’ Tabby returned in some embarrassment, but she knew it needed to be said.

‘Since when did I have to drag you?’ Christien derided silkily. ‘We’re talking in circles here, ma belle.’

‘No, we’re not, you’re not listening to what I’m saying. I want to marry you, but not if it’s likely to end in tears so that Jake suffers for my having made the wrong choice—’

‘I can’t offer you some miracle guarantee—’

‘If you’d loved me, I wouldn’t have needed any more.’

‘I can make you happy without love,’ Christien murmured with immense assurance.

‘How far would you be prepared to go to make me happy?’ A germ of an idea had occurred to Tabby.

‘I’m no quitter.’

At least, she consoled herself, in the radius of his father’s unquestioning confidence Jake was highly unlikely to suffer from low self-esteem.

‘You said it would be ten days before we can get married. So you’ve got that amount of time to persuade me that I should marry you—’

‘Persuade?’ Christien frowned. ‘I don’t follow.’

‘You’ve got from now until the ceremony to convince me…while we occupy separate beds,’ Tabby hastened to add.

The silence pulsed like a live thing.

Christien angled a sardonic scrutiny over her. ‘This is a joke…right?’

Tabby stiffened. ‘No, it’s not a joke. You see, we’ve never had a normal relationship—’

“‘Normal” is defined by separate beds?’

‘The very fact that that is the first thing you home in on proves that—’

‘I’m a guy and honest enough to admit that separate beds have zero appeal?’ Christien slotted in darkly.

‘I’d just like us to spend time together, go out to dinner and stuff…I’ve never had that.’ Tabby compressed her lips on that grudging admission. ‘Not with anyone. Before I met you, I went around with a crowd but it wasn’t really dating and then I fell pregnant.’

Christien had gone very still. ‘What about after Jake was born?’

Dully amused at how little he understood about how much parenthood had changed her life, Tabby released a rueful laugh. ‘Single mothers aren’t high on the hot list of babes in the eyes of male students. I didn’t have time to date anyway. I was studying, looking after Jake and working several nights a week to bring in some cash.’

Without the smallest warning, Christien was feeling gutted by guilt and a reluctant awareness of the privileged existence that he took quite for granted. He could easily imagine how he would have felt being saddled with the care of a baby as a teenager and he almost shuddered. She had had to be responsible way beyond her years. Jake’s conception had deprived her of all freedom and fun. That she had still got through college was a tribute to her.