fatoum

Stella hoped to buy the bookshop where she worked, so evenings she moonlighted as a cleaner at Harlequin  International...

 Until she overheard Dior Harlequin discussing a top-secret deal, and he insisted that Stella was an industrial spy! 

Stella was unnerved by her confrontation with Dior Harlequin However, Dior knew just how he would deal with her...

Stella found herself on her way to Dior's island, and two days and nights of perfect passion... followed by an unexpected pregnancy. 

Dior had the perfect solution -- they'd marry for the baby's sake. By now, Stella was in love with Dior, but could he learn to love his expectant bride?


Insight:

A handsome Greek tycoon finds a cleaning woman hiding in a corner of his office and is taken instantly with the beautiful lady he finds.


 But when she overhears some confidential data, a thought suddenly occurred that he could use an excuse. For the next few days to maintain her chained to his side.

"When you're my wife, I'll expect you to do exactly as you're told at all times." A stark little silence fell. Stella couldn't believe what Dio had just said. 

"Most especially when I am considering your welfare," he added gently. Stella trembled and compressed her bloodless lips. 

"You're not seriously asking me to… to marry you?" "Very seriously," Dior asserted.

 "But we hardly know each other—" 

"We know a little enough that I like you. I respect you. I desire you. What more is there?"

 "What about… love?" she prompted, striving for a detached tone. "What about our children?"

The Silver Bride

As mortified color ran up beneath her fair skin his wide, sensual mouth quirked. 'Look at her, Rowan. Then tell me you still need an answer to that question,' he advised drily. 


Still reeling resentfully from that shameless clothes—stripping appraisal, Stella breathed jerkily. 'I mentioned the situation to the woman who normally works up here and asked if I could switch floors with her for a night. 


After a lot of persuasions, she agreed, and she did warn me not to clean the office behind the double doors...but unfortunately, there are two sets of double doors—' 'So there are,' Dior Harlequin conceded, his agreement smooth.


 'I made a simple mistake, and I was about to slip out again when I heard somebody coming,' Stella confided tautly. 'I was scared it was a security guard. 


He might've asked what I was doing up here, and that could have got Grace into trouble. I dived behind the door so that I wouldn't be seen. It was a stupid thing to do—' 'Security hasn't been up here since six,' the older man interposed, unimpressed. 


'And when Harlequin arrived just ten minutes ago this entire floor was empty.' 'Well, I don't know who it was. He stood in the doorway for about twenty seconds and then went away again...' Wondering why her reasonable explanation was being challenged, Stella found her voice trailing away. 


Expelling his breath in a slow, measured hiss, Dior Harlequin lounged back against the edge of a nearby desk and glanced at the anxious older man.


 'Go on home, Rowan. I can deal with this.' 'I should stay and sort this out for you—' 'You have a dinner date to keep,' Dior reminded him drily. 'I've made you late enough as it is.' 


Rowan looked as if he was about to protest, and then, meeting his employer's expectant scrutiny, he nodded. Just before he took his leave, he paused to remark gruffly, 'My thoughts will be with you tomorrow, Dior.' Dior Harlequin tensed, his eyes veiling. 'Thank you.' 


He closed the door in the older man's wake and swung back to survey Stella. 'I'm afraid I can't trust your word on this, Stella,' he drawled in a tone of daunting finality. 'You listened to a very confidential dialogue—' 'I wasn't listening...


 I wasn't interested!' Stella told him frantically, intimidated much against her own will. 'I've got two questions for you,' Dior Harlequin advanced softly.


Chapter 5: I'm afraid I can't trust your word