To Become A Bride. Кэрол Мортимер
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She certainly hadn’t been able to maintain that air of flirtatiousness for long! But, he realised, he thought he preferred her rudeness; it was certainly more honest, and at least he knew where he stood!
And there was no denying that Danie was amazingly beautiful…
‘I wasn’t saying no to dinner, Danie, just not tonight,’ he heard himself say. ‘It probably hasn’t escaped your notice, but I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open!’
Her anger at his refusal rapidly faded, to be quickly replaced by scorn. ‘Of course.’ She nodded. ‘You mentioned earlier that you had very little sleep last night.’
And, of course, she had already drawn her own conclusions concerning that sleeplessness.
Jonas gave an inward smile at the knowledge. Not that he hadn’t had relationships in the past, and they had certainly quite often involved getting a minimum of sleep, but this particular period of time there wasn’t a woman in his life. Nor had there been for some while. Mainly because he had found he was tired of relationships that seemed, ultimately, to be leading nowhere.
In fact, he had found himself doing quite a lot of soul-searching in recent months. He enjoyed his work, and good relations with his mother, and his sisters and their respective families, but just lately he had wondered if there wasn’t something missing from his own life, had found himself possessed of a restlessness that neither his work nor his family could assuage.
But maybe it was the fact that there wasn’t a woman in his life at the moment that had caused that restlessness in the first place!
While he didn’t think having dinner with Danie Summer would help that situation, he had no doubts it would prove entertaining.
‘Tomorrow evening, however, would be no problem—if that would suit you?’ he suggested.
And then wondered if he weren’t making a big mistake. While she might be breathtakingly beautiful, he hadn’t particularly liked Danie Summer so far in their acquaintance, and he was halfway sure she shared the feeling. Halfway? Damn it, she had given every indication she heartily disliked him!
Tomorrow evening should be fun, Jonas thought. If Danie accepted… Which, right now, she seemed to be having difficulty doing, Jonas noted shrewdly. From what Rome had told him about his daughters, Danie wasn’t married, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have someone in her life. Which might make seeing him tomorrow evening something of a problem…
Well, that was her problem, Jonas dismissed. If she could offer to see him this evening, then she could make it tomorrow evening instead.
Unless she just didn’t like the delay of twenty-four hours…?
Which was probably more than likely the case, Jonas decided. Danie Summer had come over to him as an ‘instant’ person. If something needed doing, then deal with it now, not later. Which probably accounted for the way she had followed him on her motorbike!
‘Well?’ he prompted impatiently; his own time, as he had told her earlier, was no less valuable than was her own, or her father’s, and quite frankly he had used up enough of it on this family for one day. Besides, falling into bed—alone—beckoned.
Those green eyes flashed her anger once more before it was quickly brought under control. Danie even went so far as to force a smile to those poutingly inviting lips. ‘Tomorrow evening will be fine,’ she answered in measured tones. ‘In fact, it will probably be better,’ she continued as she warmed to this change of plan—her plan! ‘I’m sure I’ll have no problem booking us a table at my favourite Italian restaurant on a Sunday evening.’
And Jonas was sure, if Danie decided to eat at her favourite Italian restaurant on New Year’s Eve without a booking—one of the busiest evenings of the year—that a table would be found for her somehow! There was about her an assured arrogance that would ensure not too many people said that word no to her…
So it came as no surprise to him either that Danie would be the one to book the restaurant. ‘What time do you intend picking me up?’ he enquired tauntingly, laughing softly as she looked momentarily nonplussed at the suggestion. ‘I usually call and collect the people I’ve invited out to dinner,’ he informed her.
Danie looked irritated at the reminder that she had been the one to do the inviting. ‘Would seven-thirty suit you?’ she said tautly.
‘That depends on what time you book the table for.’
Her mouth tightened at his deliberate awkwardness. ‘How about eight o’clock?’
‘Then seven-thirty will be fine,’ Jonas returned, enjoying her momentary discomfort. Momentary—because he was sure she wouldn’t remain disconcerted for long! ‘In fact,’ he went on softly, ‘I’ll look forward to it!’
It was obvious from her expression that Danie didn’t share the sentiment.
Jonas laughed to himself. He did not think Danie was the answer to the restlessness that had been plaguing him recently, but she had certainly brightened up what might otherwise have been a very arduous day. In fact, he was even starting to look forward to continuing another verbal fencing-match tomorrow evening!
He glanced down at the plain gold watch on his wrist. ‘If you’ll excuse me, Danie,’ he told her briskly. ‘I have another patient to see before I call it a day.’
Impatience once again flared in those revealing green eyes at his obvious dismissal, only to be dampened down again as she made an effort not to lose the fiery temper he had already glimpsed more than once today.
‘You’re certainly kept busy,’ she finally replied.
‘Unfortunately, I don’t very often get flown around in luxurious planes!’
‘Where exactly do you work?’ Danie asked casually.
She would never make it in the diplomatic corps, Jonas concluded; she was as transparent as glass. ‘Here and there,’ he answered enigmatically, having to stop himself from laughing out loud this time at the angry frustration she wasn’t quick enough to hide.
‘Then I had better not keep you any longer,’ she said, bending to pick up her helmet and leather gloves from the carpeted floor where she had placed them earlier.
‘Haven’t you forgotten something?’ Jonas reminded her as she threw the car door open with her usual impatience.
She turned back to him, looking puzzled. ‘I don’t think so…?’ She shook her head, red hair framing the loveliness of her face.
So much perfect beauty, Jonas mused. What a pity her only reason for wanting to see him again was the hope of trying to get him to be less than discreet about his visit to the Summer estate today…! A wasted hope, he was afraid, but it would be interesting to see how she went about it…
‘You have no idea where I live,’ he told her, taking a pen and small notebook from the breast pocket of his jacket, quickly writing down his address before ripping the sheet from the pad and handing it to her. ‘I’ll be ready and waiting at seven-thirty tomorrow evening.’
Danie shoved the piece of paper in the pocket of her leather jacket, obviously annoyed with herself at the oversight. ‘I’ll try to be on time,’ she snapped before getting out of the car and slamming the door shut behind her.
Charles had barely had time to get back in behind the wheel of the Rolls Royce before the black motorbike, Danie bent grimly down over the engine, shot past them with a roar, then rapidly disappeared into the distance.
Jonas relaxed back onto his seat, a smile playing about his lips. Danie Summer’s tongue was as sharp as a knife, and she had an arrogance that bordered on contempt. But she was also incredibly beautiful, and the most intriguing woman Jonas had met for a very long time. If ever!
What a pity her only reason for wanting to see him again was the selfish one of wanting to know why he had been to see her father today.
And