Chapter Twenty four

'I did; he agreed, and now his voice deepened.

Because I can't see that it could happen any other

way.

You would marry me simply to achieve your

dream of having a family?"

'Your dream, too,' he pointed out. And no, not just

that. There are plenty of other reasons why it could

work. We are compatible in many ways, Toyin-

you know we are.'

Toyin was so appalled by how badly wrong she'd

got it. She'd been thinking about love and clearly he

was focussed on sex. "In bed, you mean?"

"Yes, in bed. I have never wanted a woman as

much as I want you. I only have to look at you to...

well, you know what happens to me when I look at

you." He smiled. 'But this is about more than sex.

You don't bore me or rely on me to entertain you.

And if you agree to marry me, I will promise to be

faithful to you-of that I give you my Vow. To be a

good husband and a good father to our children. To

support you in whatever you want to do. His eyes

were as bright as quicksilver as they burned into her.

So what do you say? Will you be my, wife? "

She'd often thought a royal upbringing would have

been great preparation for a career as a professional

poker player and, although she'd never been remotely

tempted by gambling, she was able to draw on those

skills now.

So she hid her bitter disappointment that there had

been no breakthrough in Massimo's emotions. Was she

deluded enough to think he'd started to care for her.

just because her own feelings had started to change?

Hadn't he told her right from the start that he didn't

do love? Now she knew more about him, she could

see why. She could understand his trust issues and

the reason why he'd never settled down. His child-

hood sounded grim and the cushion of his parents'

wealth had probably made it worse. If he'd been aban-

doned by his mother and left to fend for himself in

some grimy tenement block, the authorities would

have stepped in and acted. But in the protected air-

conditioned world of the luxury hotel suite, nobody

would have even known.

And then there had been another betrayal-an

even greater one, by Sharla. Wouldn't a child of his

Own help him get over that terrible loss?

She looked into his grey eyes. He had vowed to be

faithful and she believed him. He wouldn't do what

Damian had done and lose his heart to someone else.

During his own childhood, he'd seen the devasta-

ion that infidelity could wreak and he wouldn't want

to replicate that. He'd never had a chance to create

a family unit of his own and yet that was what he

yearned for above all else. This powerful man with

so much wealth at his disposal wanted nothing more

than a baby.

And so did she.

His baby.

Why shouldn't an arranged marriage work? Some

people considered romantic love to be an unrealis-

tic ideal and maybe they were right. 

The marriage of

her own parents had been arranged, and theirs had

been a long and happy union. Why couldn't she have

that with Massimo and all the things which went with

it? The companionship and the sex, and the feeling

safe. 

Better no love than pretend love, surely? 

And

sometimes love could grow..

She looked at him. 'But what would I do-as your

wife?"

His grey eyes gleamed. You can do what the hell

you want, Toyin. Just think about what you achieved

on Poonbarra.

You mean I progressed from being unable to rec-

ognise a tin-opener to making a pie which apparently

you described to Andy as "ordinary"?"

He laughed. 'He wasn't supposed to tell you that.

I just don't like pie. But you're capable of anything

you want to be.

And it was that which swung it for Toyin. It was

the same feeling which had come over her when she'd 

looked up at the stars, on that ocean-going yacht trav-

elling out to Australia. That same sense of wonder

and, yes... hope. It was the most empowering thing

anyone had ever said to her and she could hear the

ring of sincerity in his voice.

"Then yes, I'll marry you,' she said. in a low voice.

And have a family with you and be faithful and true

to you. Because I think you're right. I think we are

compatible in many ways."

He looked down into her face. 'We will make a

good life together, Toyin, he said. I promise you

that.'

The effect of his smile made her emotions dip and

wobble. And too much emotion was dangerous. She

needed to remember that. This was only going to

work if she kept it real.

 So she sucked in a deep breath

and gave a cool smile. "Yes, we will" she said.

Now, isn't it customary to seal an engagement

with a kiss?" He pulled her into his arms, his mouth

hovering close to hers. 'And then to buy a ring wor-

thy of a princess?"

She brushed an admonitory finger over his lips,

even though her body had begun to prickle with antic-

ipation. 'Not quite so fast. The ring we can deal with

but there's a protocol to marrying someone like me.

Before we do anything, you're going to have to come

to Antiochda and ask my brother for his permission."