The Accidental Countess (The Aristocrat Diaries 3)

“I marry you, pop out a kid or two, and you’ll save my parents’ hotel? How gracious of you, your Lordship,” I bit out.

“The hotel will be yours. After the divorce, my portion of it will be signed over to you and it will stay in your family. Any and all profits earnt from my investment will be put into a fund for you. Or, in the event the first child is a girl, into a trust fund for her. Your decision.”

“My decision? Oh, as long as it’s mine, that’s all right, then! Thank gosh I would have a say in something!” I ran my hands over the back of my head and looked at him. “Matthew, have you heard yourself? Do you know how utterly bonkers this sounds?”

“Yes!” He rubbed his face. “Yes, it’s insane, Eva. I know that, but I’m between a rock and a hard place.”

“You’re thirty. It’s not like you’re on your deathbed.” I paused and eyed him speculatively. “You’re not dying, are you?”

“I don’t know. Depends how much more time you want to spend in the bedroom.”

“Bloody none after this conversation! You’ll be lucky to ever get me in a bedroom with you again!”

“Fair point,” he muttered. “No, I’m not on my deathbed. At least I certainly hope not.”

“Then why are you asking me now? You’re not old, Matthew. You have more than enough time to find someone you actually want to marry.”

“Eva, listen.” He walked over to me and took my hands. “Believe me, I know what I’m asking of you is more than a little nuts, and I know it’s asking a lot of you, too.”

“You don’t get it. You could find someone you want to marry in the next six months.”

“No. I don’t want to get married, Eva. I know you understand that because you feel the same way. Not everyone is made for marriage, and I’m one of those people.”

He was right—I didn’t want to get married, which was why it was so bloody insane that he was asking me to do just that.

The problem was that I could see the truth of what he was saying in his eyes.

He really didn’t want to get married, and it really was all as simple as he was saying it was. He just wanted an heir to keep his family line going. Since adoption and surrogacy weren’t an option for that, I understood his position entirely.

I didn’t understand asking me to do that, but still.

I pulled my hands from his and grabbed my wine. I downed the entire glass before setting it back on the table and dropping myself onto the sofa. My brain felt like it was going to explode with what he’d just proposed, and I needed a moment to lay it all out in my mind.

“I’m sorry,” Matthew said, sighing. He dropped his chin to his chest and leaned against the wall. “I never should have mentioned it. It’s far too much to ask of you.”

“Matthew, you understand that if I agree to this, we would have to pretend the marriage is real?” I asked, turning to look at him. “That would mean neither of us would be able to see other people.”

He peered over at me.

“Have you seen anyone else since we met? I’m not going to care if you have. There’s nothing remotely serious about our arrangement, but it’s a valid question given the situation.”

“I haven’t,” he replied. “Well, I had dinner with someone my mother set me up with, but it didn’t go beyond dessert.”

“I haven’t seen anyone either.” I rubbed my hands down my arms. “I have to think about this. I can’t just give you a yes or no answer right now.”

“I know. I understand that. Honestly, the fact you’re even considering it is crazy.” Matthew sat on the sofa next to me. “Do you want me to go? The hotel is in your name, it’s all paid for, you can just—”

I reached over and grabbed his arm, cutting him off. “No. You’re here now, and given what you just asked, I suppose it’s as good a time as any to actually spend time together.” I pushed up off the sofa and walked towards the bathroom. “And on that note, I’m going to have a shower.”

His eyes followed me as I walked away, and I threw one last suggestive glance over my shoulder at him.

And his eyes weren’t the only part of him that followed me.

• • •

I zipped up my case and looked over at Matthew. He was buttoning his shirt, and all I could do was watch as his fingers deftly slipped each button through the hole.

It was weirdly therapeutic to watch.

His proposal from yesterday was still rolling around in my mind. It was all I’d been able to think about since he’d raised the subject, and I’d been over every inch of the conversation what felt like a thousand times.