Catherine O'Connor - Mandate For Marriage

‘Rubbish, it’s just another one of your ploys, to make sure I sell at a loss,’ Fiona interrupted sharply. Grant swung around, his eyes flashing warning lights as a dark storm of anger rose in their depths. He glared at her, his jaw stiff and unyielding, and Fiona stepped back as he made a threatening step towards her.

‘There was a time, Grant, when I believed you—’ She paused and shook her head, trying to cast out the bittersweet memories. ‘Look, let’s forget our personal differences; this is business,’ she said tightly, hating herself for the traitorous way her body responded to him.

‘There’s more than business at stake here, Fee, and you know it.’ His voice was rough with intensity.

She didn’t answer, couldn’t answer. She had tried the whole time he was away to sort out her feelings; the pain and isolation she had felt had been unbearable, and she had tried to rationalise their whirlwind romance. Now all her theories about being on the rebound had evaporated once he returned and she was with him again.

‘Fee,’ he said more softly, the gentleness of his voice momentarily soothing her. ‘I’m not happy with these figures—’ He stopped when she flashed another look of contempt at him. ‘Look, OK,’ he continued, raising the flat of his palms up to her in a gesture of compromise. ‘You check them,’ he said with a grim finality.

‘I don’t have to; unlike you, I happen to trust Andy,’ she countered obstinately, a small niggling doubt beginning to surface. She dismissed it promptly when she remembered the cautionary words of Andy, warning her that Grant would try to put doubts in her mind. She bristled immediately, defiant and determined to fight on.

‘Trust no one, Fee,’ Grant informed her, obviously sensing her doubt and wanting to build on it.

‘Including you?’ Fiona retorted spitefully, enjoying Grant’s sudden intake of breath at her words. She wanted to hurt him, wanted him to know how it felt to be rejected and betrayed. He stirred quickly at her words, too quick for her to move, and once again she found herself imprisoned by his strong hands. She raised her head to voice her objections, but he caught her off guard and his lips claimed hers. For one brief, magical moment, Fiona allowed herself to respond. The spark of desire he immediately aroused in her caused her to give way. Her soft lips parted and his kiss deepened, and their bodies moulded together like a well-fitted jigsaw. Fiona found herself drowning in the heady depths of desire and she had to fight to regain her sanity. It seemed eternity before her common sense took over. She knew she couldn’t allow this, it wasn’t right. She was aware how weak she was where Grant was concerned and her body would always betray her, respond to him, despite everything. She would be at his mercy and she was sure he would take advantage of the situation. She fought against him, wrenching herself from his arms.

‘Stop that,’ she ordered, her eyes flaring, but her uneven breath betrayed her arousal. ‘This is supposed to be a business meeting.’ Grant watched her with a glimmer of amusement that made his blue eyes shine deeply.

‘Are you annoyed because I kissed you, or because you responded?’ Grant’s lips curled into a devilish grin and Fiona felt compelled to look at him.

‘You had no right to do it,’ she objected crossly, ignoring the arrogant smile that filled his face.

‘I think I had every right,’ he told her, his voice suddenly serious. ‘Or are your kisses just for Andrew now?’ A dangerous edge had entered his tone and Fiona’s eyes darted to his.

‘There’s nothing between me and Andy,’ she flared back, annoyed when he raised his eyebrows in disbelief. ‘There’s nothing,’ she repeated forcefully.

‘I’m glad,’ he murmured softly, as he stroked the side of her face with a cool brush of his strong hand. Fiona leapt at his electric touch. She had been seeing a lot of Andrew since Grant went away, and she knew there had been times when he had wanted to kiss her but she had never allowed him. She stepped back, a mixture of fear and excitement inside her as Grant strode back to the desk and began to replace the papers, leaving the file on the desk.

‘What’s going on?’ Fiona demanded to know, as a hot jet of panic surged through her. Surely he wasn’t leaving? She wanted the deal to be finalised today, so that at least she knew that the distillery was safe. Grant raised his head, the morning sun catching his hair, making it dazzle with a golden haze.

‘I have been advised not to go ahead with the takeover of this company,’ he said in a detached tone.

Fiona froze at his words; it was all so unreal that she couldn’t take it in. ‘What?’ she managed to splutter, watching him warily as he clicked his case closed. He glanced up at her, his face an expressionless mask.

‘I’m sorry, Fee. With these figures, it’s just not a viable proposition,’ his deep voice drawled. She felt a stab of hostility at his arrogant attitude and her sense of betrayal deepened still further. Now she realised what he was playing at—Andy had been right all along; she should have listened to him, taken his advice, instead of being charmed by this charlatan.

‘If this is an attempt to make me lower the asking price, then forget it,’ she stated, scanning his face for some relaxation. But there was none, he seemed resolute.

There was a flash of anger for a moment, before he said through clenched teeth, ‘No, this is not a feeble attempt to make you lower the price,’ he said scornfully, the disdain in his voice making her cringe inwardly. ‘It is merely the truth. This company is no longer a viable proposition, it’s as simple as that.’

‘You can’t be serious! It’s all you ever wanted,’ Fiona protested, as hot pinheads of tears that pricked the back of her eyes threatened to fall. She was shouting—she could hear her own voice crashing about her ears, but she didn’t care, she was so desperate to understand.

‘It’s not all I ever wanted,’ Grant thundered back at her, his face set. Fiona’s eyes darted to his face and she stared at him, locked into immobility. She stood her ground, determined not to show her true emotions, but her eyes grew soft with sorrow as she felt the world crumbling beneath her feet.

FIONA suddenly felt giddy. The room spun as the realisation that she was actually already bankrupt whirled inside her head. The word rushed through the enveloping darkness of her mind. She swayed slightly before Grant’s arms wrapped around her and carefully lowered her on to a chair. She sank back, her mind in confusion, her face devoid of all colour. Grant turned away, his eyes closing as he exhaled a long breath. Then he moved quickly away from her. She watched him silently, knowing he was angry with her, but she was too confused to understand. He strode to the door.

‘Where are you going?’ Fiona asked, troubled; for a brief fleeting moment she allowed herself to need him. She didn’t want to feel that destroying loneliness ever again, especially not now.

‘To get some water,’ Grant snapped, not attempting to conceal his irritation or frustration. ‘You look as if you need it.’

She could hear the distant chinking of glasses and the slamming of cupboard doors. Shakily Fiona pushed herself into an upright position as she heard Grant return. She took a swift glance at his face: his features were set uncompromisingly and Fiona regretted her hasty words—yet it was true; she knew now that everything else had been a game and she was just an innocent pawn. She shuddered at the thought of her own naïveté; did she honestly expect a sophisticated man of the world, wealthy and important, to be interested in her? A plain, ordinary girl with the love of the country seeped deep in her bones? Surely she had learned her lesson with Mark? He, too, had been hungry to become part of the family firm. She had come to believe that Grant was the same; he too had always wanted the company. His trip to Scotland had been with the sole aim of acquiring a distillery. His family were looking for ways of diverting their funds into the new European market. She had given him the golden opportunity, falling for his plausible act. She had really believed he loved her, her foolish heart ruling her head.