* * *
Wrapped in a robe, Phoebe curled up on her favourite sofa in the pool house and tried to suck up her intense disappointment. Sheshouldconsider this as a holiday of her dreams. After all, she was back in Italy—her fantasy destination—ensconced in a stunning estate with a heated pool and privacy and an endless supply of amazing appetisers provided by the sweetly attentive Isabella. She didn’t even have to ask the housekeeper for anything, the kind, discreet woman justnoticedand quietly delivered.
No doubt she also noticed that Phoebe’s new husband was hardly showering her with attention. In fact, he was fully MIA. Phoebe had no idea where he even was. It was mortifying to be such an obviously unwanted wife, especially when she ached for the hedonistic escape that sex with him brought. She didn’t know when or how the ache was ever going to ease. She’d waited awake for hours alone on her wedding night and he hadn’t come anywhere near her—not even checking in to see if she was okay.
It had taken her almost all the long, lonely night to work out that maybe he’d slept with her earlier only because she’ddemandedit. Hell, she’d absolutely launched on him like a wild tigress in the hotel in Milan after discovering her pregnancy. Maybe he’d gone along with her because he’d wanted her to accept his plan. And now he had what he wanted—her married to him for the birth of the baby—he didn’thaveto sleep with her any more. He didn’t have to tell her anything more about his life either. Because he didn’t really want her in it.
It was horrific. Worse, she was still extremely frustrated. Not that she’d let him know that. She wasn’t going to be accused of beingneedy. No, she was going to focus and fix her future.Immediately. The sooner she got herself independent, the better.
She’d brought her laptop from her bedroom and now she brainstormed. Given she could do a lot of her work remotely, she would set up a service as a virtual assistant. If she started now, she’d be well placed for when this sham marriage ended. By the time the baby was born, she could have clients and even an independent income. She wouldn’t need to be entirely dependent upon him. He could help with the baby’s needs but she could have her own income.
‘Have you had lunch?’ Edo interrupted.
Phoebe stiffened. He didn’t take the chair next to her this time.
‘I haven’t stopped eating all morning.’ She nodded towards the plate of crackers and cheese on the table beside her and didn’t meet his eyes. ‘I’ve resigned from Scott Insurance,’ she added before he walked off. ‘I’ve let George know. It’s effective immediately. I’m keeping this laptop, consider it my outstanding holiday pay.’
She braved a glance up. He stood three feet from her. Rigid. Faint tiredness shadowed his eyes.
‘Okay,’ he said slowly.
‘I’m starting an online business.’ She maintained her cool bravado.
‘Great.’ He coughed. ‘Doing what?’
‘I’m going to be a virtual assistant.’
‘You don’t want to take a break before establishing a new venture?’
‘I’m not cut out to do nothing for weeks on end.’
His mouth pinched. ‘It hasn’t been weeks, it’s barely been a day. And you’re not doing nothing, you’re growing a baby.’
‘Are you taking time off?’ she queried before smiling glacially. ‘It’s something to distract me while I’m stuck here.’
Although yes, this was a stunning place to be stuck, and she wouldn’t mind it ifhewere to distract her. But he clearly didn’t want to do that.
He crossed his arms across his chest. ‘What can I do to help?’
Leave her alone. Let her salvage a little pride. But instead of staying polite, her anger started to seep out. ‘You’re not going to stop me?’
He met her gaze for a charged moment. ‘You’ll need a work space. I’ll have it arranged.’
Phoebe sucked back her self-control. ‘If you insist,’ she muttered.
He left the room with unseemly haste, apparently uninterested in discovering any further details of her plans.Great.At least now she knew where she stood and she wasn’t going to let it get to her. Much.
She nibbled on Isabella’s treats, sipped water, worked solidly on her business plan for several hours, forcing concentration with sheer will power. She even made a start on a web presence before realising she’d become totally stiff from sitting still. She’d stretch out with a swim. She shrugged off the robe and went to grab one of the large, fluffy beach towels.
She stopped just shy of the shelves, shaken by her own reflection in the large mirror on the back wall of the room. She’d not dared look at herself properly since learning of the baby—she’d half ignored those signs, those sensations. Now in only her bikini she moved nearer to her reflection, astounded by the rapidity of the changes in her body. The reason for her belly’s curve had somehow swiftly become utterly undeniable. She really waspregnant. Shyly fascinated she tugged on the string of her bikini top and let it fall to the floor. She stared—her nipples had a slightly darker blush and were unbearably sensitive. She cupped one breast, testing its weight—
She heard a rough drag of breath but it wasn’t her own. She glanced up and caught Edo’s gaze in the mirror. He was only a few feet behind her and she’d been so focused on her self-exploration, she’d not heard him arrive. Embarrassed, she slid her hands across her chest to hide her nipples.
‘Don’t stop,’ he muttered.
Her breath stalled. Did he think she was pleasuring herself? Her anger flared. Maybe she’d let him think that. Let him believe she wasn’t hurt by his distance. She let her hands drop to the band of her bikini bottoms and watched his tension ratchet. She studied his reflection then—saw the stark hunger in his eyes, his clenched fists, the bulge in his trousers—and her heat rose. He was undeniably aroused. And that made her even more angry.
‘Don’t you want to join in?’ she muttered.
