He flinched. She might as well have thrown a bucket of ice water over him. He’d hardly expected her to challenge him about his feelings for Louisa at this stage of the game. In fact having made his intentions clear, he hadn’t expected her to ask him about it at all.
Quickly orientating himself, he ground out, ‘What’s love got to do with it? We’ve made an agreement that is eminently practical for both of us. Now you seem to be suggesting that you want something more.’
She pursed her lips, and the colour seemed to drain from her face. ‘I was simply asking a question. I won’t ask you for anything that you don’t want to give me, Seth. I just want to be sure of where I stand.’
‘Let me turn the tables. Answer me this. Do you wish that your ex had turned up at the church that day? Is it still him that you want, Imogen?’
She was appalled that he would think such a thing even for a second. ‘I would never want to be with him! If he got down on his knees and begged me to take him back my answer would still be no. We were finished long before that ridiculous charade at the church, only I didn’t allow myself to admit it. I kept fooling myself that I was in love, but looking back, I realise it was just a fantasy. I’m telling you the truth.’
‘And I’m telling you the truth. Louisa died. Saying I wish it was her I was marrying is utterly futile. I’ve made the right decision in asking you to be my wife, Imogen... There’s no dispute about that. So why don’t we both agree to put our pasts aside and move on?’
He hadn’t answered her question about never loving anyone else. If she wanted this marriage of convenience to have any hope of working she knew she should probably let things lie. But the idea was even harder after the heated connection they’d just shared.
‘Why have you made the right decision in deciding to marry me, Seth? Is it because you think I’m docile enough to go along with the marriage and not give you a hard time about the fact that you won’t ever engage your feelings?’
He looked genuinely stunned. Imogen could hardly believe she’d said the words out loud. Her heart was pounding fit to burst.
Shaking his head, Seth ground out, ‘I’ve never thought you docile. As for my feelings...I told you once before that I believe things will unfold, given time, and I honestly believe we’ll enjoy a good marriage.’
‘Even though it’ll be just a marriage of convenience and not one where you feel anything meaningful? What if I decide I don’t want to settle for such a cold-sounding deal after all?’
Now he looked shocked. Then he looked angry, and she flinched as his hands fastened tightly round her slim upper arms.
‘What are you saying? Our chemistry is combustible. There’s nothing “cold” about this deal whatsoever. There are times when we can hardly keep our hands off each other—and don’t you dare deny it!’
Imogen didn’t. When Seth kissed her and touched her the feelings he stirred inside her went way beyond anything she could have dreamed or imagined. He made her feel exhilarated and alive...as if she’d been walking through the world half asleep until she’d met him.
It thrilled her to know that he ached for her. Yet it still hurt more than she could say to know that he would never love her as she wanted him to... As she loved him.
The sudden realisation took her breath away. She was in love with Seth, It didn’t seem possible. Yet somewhere along the way this enigmatic man, who’d faced both poverty and tragedy and risen above them to make a successful life for himself on the other side of the world, had irrefutably started to knock down the barriers she’d built round her heart.
Not wanting to alert him to her feelings, Imogen quickly changed tack. ‘I’m not denying that I’m attracted to you in that way. And I’m sorry I said what I did. I suppose I’m just feeling stressed about the wedding tomorrow. You’re probably right. We should both forget about the past and concentrate on the future. From tomorrow we’ll be starting a new life together. We don’t want to start out being at loggerheads, do we?’
Low voiced, he agreed, ‘No. We don’t.’
His hands slid away from her and he stepped back. Straight away Imogen realised that he regretted not letting passion sweep them away. The heat between them seemed to be even more palpable now, after she’d vented her feelings. He was even more frustrated.
Greg’s impatience and frustration with her had ended up driving him into another woman’s arms. Would that be the outcome if she didn’t please Seth in that way, due to her lack of experience? Did he still intend to make love to her on their wedding night? she wondered anxiously. More important, would he remember that it would be her first time?