Part Time Marriage (6 page)

'There!' Kaye Aston sighed, which meant, Elexa supposed, that it was just as her mother had thought. `Noah could be trying to get you right this minute!' she suddenly exclaimed. `I'll go. I won't ring you again today-don't want to intrude if you have Noah with you. I'll ring you tomorrow.'

Elexa just had time to thank her for the very nice meal she had arranged for them last night, then her mother said goodbye. Elexa put the phone down, realising that was the second of her parent's shorter calls in two days. And, although she was on the receiving end of pressure of a different sort, it seemed that just by having a `steady' the pressure of long and lengthy phone calls was already letting up.

When Noah Peverelle telephoned a couple of hours later Elexa was looking on him a little more favourably than she had. For a start she knew that the earliest her mother was going to make contact again would be tomorrow morning.

'I'm free to come round now,' he suggested without preamble.

Elexa's stomach did an unexpected somersault. She had thought when he'd said he would arrange a time to talk the whole situation through that it would be perhaps next week some time, or maybe the week after. 'I'll put some coffee on,' she replied, outwardly calm.

`I'll be with you in half an hour.' The line went dead and Elexa swallowed hard, and felt hot all over. Suddenly she couldn't think of one solitary matter that she wanted to clear up with him.

She felt anxious and nervy all at once, and went swiftly to her bedroom to check her appearance. She was normally smart; it was the way she had been brought up. Looking at her reflection in her full-length mirror, she saw that there did not seem too much wrong with her appearance. Fine wool tailored trousers neatly covered her long legs and slender lower half, and the cream sweater that hinted at the shapely curves of her upper half went well with her long blonde hair with its hint of pale gold. She wore little make-up, but the touch of lipstick to her mouth enhanced its full sweetness.The large brown eyes that stared back at her as she raised her glance up from her mouth and past her dainty nose showed perhaps just a hint of the inner agitation she was feeling.

She ran a comb through her hair and left it loose, down to halfway between her shoulderblades. She spent the rest of the time while waiting attempting to assemble together everything she wanted to ask, or thought maybe she should ask Noah Peverelle when he arrived. Elexa also made every effort to clam up her agitated feelings. For Heaven's sake, she had a reputation at the office for being absolutely unflappable-grief, hurry up and get some professionalism going!

By the time the half-hour was up she thought she had succeeded. But, even when she was expecting Noah to buzz up at any moment, she jumped nervously when the buzzer went. `Hello?' she enquired calmly into the intercom. It would be him. But who knew? It could have been somebody else.

'Peverelle,' he answered.

Without saying a word she released the outer door catch and spent the short time remaining endeavouring to hang on to a feeling of being in control.

`Come in,' she smiled when she opened her door to the tall, good-looking man standing there. This morning Peverelle's long length was clad in casual trousers, shirt and light sweater. He did not smile in return. `I'll pour that coffee,' she said, taking him into her sitting-room, but needing a moment or two alone to calmherself . She had thought she had herself under control. But this man was unnerving. Not to mention the reason why he was here.

He took his coffee black without sugar, and, having handed him his, and taken hers to the chair facing the one he occupied, Elexa thought that the sooner they began the sooner she might start to feel less on edge.

She took the metaphorical bull by the horns and dived in. `Y-you said there were things you wanted to ask me.'

Noah Peverelle stared at her with that long stern look she was growing familiar with. `I make you nervous?' he enquired coolly, and Elexa started to dislike him again. She had thought her nervousness hidden, buttrust him to notice.

`This isn't an everyday situation,' she answered bluntly, a touch aggressively, she had to admit.

Againcame that stern look. Then, surprisingly, he gave her the benefit of a hint of a smile. `I wouldn't argue that,' he replied-and Elexa ditched her dislike of him. `We've had chance now to spend a few hours in each other's company,' he went on. `Time enough, I believe, for both of us to know if either of ushave been totally put off the idea of going through a marriage ceremony with the other.' So that was why he had gone with her to her parents' last evening.That, perhaps, more than to check out the main members of her family for himself.

`Do I take it that by being here at all you haven't yet gone off the idea?' she asked.

`You are as brilliant academically as your mother said you were,' he replied. Was he being sarcastic? Before Elexa could do more then bridle, however, he was asking, `You agreed to my coming here this morning. Do I take it you haven't gone off the idea either?"

'It's not something I want to undertake lightly,' she answered. `But already my mother's telephone calls seem to be shorter. I love to hear from her,' she added quickly.

`Just that you're finding it more and more difficult to put up with that one topic of conversation grinding you down,' he finished for her.

`That's about it. I don't need it just,' she inserted, `as I don't need marriage-on her terms. I love my job; I'm good at it. There's a junior manager's job becoming vacant in the not too distant future,' she confided. `I know I'm good enough to do that job.'

`How would you cope with your job and pregnancy?' Noah asked-he could have been talking over any other business for all the emotion she could detect in his voice. `That wouldn't be a problem,' she answered. `I've some holiday entitlement from this year that I can carry over until next year. That, with next year's holiday allowance, means that I can take my holiday for-er-any-um-confinement, without having to draw on any statutory maternity leave. I wouldn't want to be away from the office for too long anyhow, especially if I get the junior manager position.'

Noah took that on board, and asked, `You're in good health?'

She stared at him. He had a stern expression again as he studied her. `Extremely,' she answered. He'dbe wanting to examine her teeth next! `You heard my mother. I've never had a day off work through illness in my working career.'

`You're more interested in your career than in marriage?'

She'd thought that was already established. But if he needed her to endorse it, so be it. `I always have been-career minded, that is. To be completely honest with you--'

`It's the only way for us to be with each other if this venture is to have any success,' he chipped in. `Well, then,' she continued, `I've never before given marriage any thought because, well, truthfully, I've never fancied anyone all that much. I'm twenty-five,' she went on, telling him what she knew he already knew, `and I don't think I ever will. So the probability is that, in the more normal way of doing things, I shall stay happy in my career, but unmarried.

But as I believe I mentioned, I don't think I should like to wake up one morning to realise I should like a child, only to discover I have left it too late.'

Noah Peverelle thought about that for a moment or two and then, with that direct kind of look she was beginning to associate with him, `You don't have any objection to me having the child living with me?'

Logically, it went without saying that any child of his would have the best nanny to be found, and Elexa knew that any child they produced between them would be much better off with him. She had her career. Peverelle already had plans to buy somewhere out in the country.

'You'd grant me access, of course?' she questioned, knowing suddenly, without having to think about it, that, career or no career having to come first, there was no way she would be able to give birth to some little mite and then completely forget him.

The man opposite studied her, his glance raking down to the slight, but determined, jutting of her jaw. `I suppose I should have thought of that,' he replied at length.Then conceded, `Perhaps it would be better for the child to know you.' Suddenly, though, that stern expression was back. `You're fully aware that I'm not interested in any long-term relationship?T

'Don't flatter yourself!' she erupted. `Were it not for my family, I wouldn't marry at all.'

`Your mother would just love that-you having a child out of wedlock.'

That surprised her-thatPeverelle had seen her mother just once and had known straight away that she would be absolutely appalled should her daughter produce a child without being married. Though perhaps it shouldn't have surprised her; he had known in advance that her mother was desperate for her to find a husband.

She sighed. `I suppose if I'm not to leave myself open for more trouble, it has to be marriage.' `I wouldn't consider the other option,' he stated forcefully.

This time Elexa stared at him, her brown eyes wide. It was common enough these days for children to be born without benefit of their parents going through a marriage ceremony. She wouldn't have thought it would matter to himm either way, so long as he had the son he wanted. Curiosity would out. `Why?' she just had to ask.

He shrugged, but made no bones about telling her. `When the time comes I want my rights to the child firmly established.'

Elexa wasn't with him for a moment, but then all at once it clicked, and she stared at him open-mouthed. `You need this marriage so that in the event I decide "thank you very much, but I've decided to keep any-um baby" you'd have as much legal right as me?' she asked sharply.

`I prefer to eliminate all risks before we start.'

`You don't trust me?' she flared, feeling quite annoyed. `I don't know you,' he clipped shortly.

Elexa was ready to flare up at him again, but then realised that he was quite right. He didn't know her any more than she knew him. They were two strangers, each with a mutual need of the other-on a temporary basis only.

`A necessary evil,' she commented, and saw his lips twitch. It made him more human somehow.

`For both of us,' he answered. But, as if he wanted to keep this discussion as businesslike as possible, given- the circumstances, `I'll get my lawyers to-'

'Lawyers!' she butted in. `I don't want any lawyers knowing anything about our arrangement! There's no need for anyone else to know about any-er-decision we come to but our two selves.' Grief, some lawyers-and probably the firm he would use-were vast organizations. She could see now everyone down to the lowest paid discussing all their business.

`We'll need lawyers for the divorce, and, of course, for your settlement.' `Settlement!' she exclaimed, staring at him horror struck.

`Naturally you'll want afinancial '

`I don't want your money!' she exploded before he could finish. `I'm quite aware just how much you love money-grubbing females. How dare you put me in the same category as... ?' she stopped, and took a deep and controlling breath. 'I'm being cantankerous again, aren't I?'

He smiled then. For the first time since she had known him, he smiled, and it did wonderful things to him. His whole expression seemed to lighten, and Elexa wasn't sure that her heart didn't give a little flutter.

She was discounting any such ridiculous notion a moment later. But by then Noah was stating, `You're nervous, and I've offended you. I apologise for that, but I believed it would be better to get everything cleared up before I went away and left you to think everything through-before you decide if you want to go through with this.'

Her heart definitely did flutter then. `Does that mean you've already decided what itis you want to do?' He looked at her levelly, his grey eyes fixed on her, holding her eyes, refusing to let her look away. `I want a son,' he stated. `I would prefer not to marry, but, since I need to protect my parental rights, I'm prepared to make a temporary marriage. You have reasons too for wanting a marriage certificate. A brief marriage to each other would, I believe, suit us both.'

Elexa swallowed. There it was. Noah Peverelle had just offered to marry her. She felt all shaky inside. She wasn't ready to say yes; she knew that she wasn't. `Y-you mentioned giving me time to think everything through...'

'I'll be out of town from now until Thursday afternoon,' he replied. `If you've anything to tell me, give me a ring on Thursday evening.'

If she hadn't anything to tell him, then she could forget it, she realised, and was angry with herself that she felt quite miffed that it obviously didn't matter to him too much whether she said yes or no.

He was already getting to his feet, prepared to leave, when he asked, `If there's nothing further you want to know?" 'I wouldn't have to live with you?' she blurted out, on her feet too.

He looked down at her, his glance going over her pale gold-lit head, when to her astonishment, he stated, `Beautiful though you undoubtedly are, Elexa, I'd prefer that you didn't.'

She wanted to swallow again, it momentarily passing her by that he had no time for that sort of domesticity. He thought her beautiful! Quickly, though, she got herself together. If they weren't going to live together-and heaven forbid that should ever happen, even temporarily-then how... ?

`Er...' She felt herself blushing, and she hadn't asked the question yet!

He looked mildly surprised at the sudden pink tinge to her skin. `You're uncomfortable about something?' he asked, as ever coming straight to the point. `Huh.' He sifted and found the problem himself. `You're wondering about, for the want of a better phrase, the sleeping arrangements?'

Pink turned to red-even her ears felt on fire. `W-would we have to-um-have any er-contact?' she questioned. And, in a rush, 'Th-there are scientific ways now, I think, that...' She didn't get to finish, though she doubted that it was to spare her blushes that Noah Peverelle was soon chopping her off.

`I would prefer natural to scientific for my son.'

She was stumped to answer that. `Oh,' she murmured feebly.