The Billionaire's Defiant Wife

Nick let out an exasperated tut. ‘Aimi, I warned you to be careful. He’s my brother, and I love him, but when it comes to women…’

She squeezed his arm reassuringly. ‘I know, but give me some credit. I’m not going to fall for his line of charm. I came here to work, and that’s all,’ she reassured him. Last night was a mistake which wasn’t going to happen again.

Nick pulled a wry face and sighed. ‘Sorry. I’m just a bit over-protective. You work for me so I feel you’re my responsibility. I won’t have Jonas playing his games with you.’

Aimi was warmed by his caring, but he didn’t need to worry. ‘Don’t worry. Let’s go down to breakfast and afterwards you must show me the library.’ Working had always been a good way to distract her thoughts.

They followed in Jonas’s wake, entering the breakfast room together, to find it empty. Maisie Astin, the housekeeper, was just bringing in fresh coffee and hot croissants to set out on the sideboard.

‘Good morning!’ she greeted them brightly with a cheery smile. ‘Everyone has been eating outside today. Help yourselves, and let me know if you need anything else.’

‘Thanks, Maisie. What would you like, Aimi?’ Nick asked as he picked up a plate.

‘Some of Maisie’s melt-in-the-mouth croissants and coffee sounds perfect,’ she decided, exchanging smiles with the other woman, who disappeared back into the kitchen.

‘I’ll bring it out. You go find a shady spot,’ Nick ordered, leaving Aimi with nothing to do but wander outdoors.

Of course, then she wished she hadn’t because the only person at the table was Jonas. Had he not looked up, she just might have retreated indoors again, but, as if some invisible sensor had alerted him to her presence, his head came round and he looked directly at her.

‘Deciding whether it’s safe to join me or not?’ he challenged sardonically, and Aimi was compelled to walk forward.

‘Not at all,’ she denied blithely, smiling as if nothing had passed between them mere hours before. ‘I was just enjoying the view.’

His lips twitched. ‘Ditto,’ he responded, and the lazy meander his eyes took as they ran up and down her body told her his view had nothing to do with the garden. It caused her heart to skip a beat and her nerves to start tingling as if he had actually touched her.

Irritated by a reaction she currently seemed to have no control over, she favoured him with a long-suffering look. ‘You’re wasting your time, you know,’ she told him bluntly, keeping her voice down, not wanting Nick to hear. ‘I’m not going to take the bait, however attractive the lure.’

One eyebrow rose mockingly. ‘How many times did you have to tell yourself that last night?’ he taunted, and she drew in a sharp breath.

‘Once was enough. You’re not that irresistible,’ she shot back equally mockingly, and Jonas laughed appreciatively.

‘You know, you’re supposed to cross your fingers when you lie like that,’ he cautioned, never taking his eyes off her for a second as she approached. She was so conscious of it that breathing normally was no easy matter, and she wasn’t used to that.

Having reached the table, Aimi dropped on to a chair opposite him. ‘Contrary to what you might think, I’m not in the habit of telling lies,’ she corrected, feigning an ease she was far from feeling. Just being near him made her feel tense and unsettled.

Jonas raised that eyebrow again, to good effect. ‘Really? Now I would have said most women are natural born liars.’

‘That’s a huge sweeping statement. Your jaundiced view was caused by a bad experience, I presume,’ Aimi declared with heavy irony.

‘It’s a jungle out there,’ he returned with a wicked grin, and Aimi knew that she would never forget that particular look as long as she lived.

‘And men aren’t liars?’ she challenged scornfully, knowing she could name a dozen at least. ‘It would be easier to think the moon is made of cheese!’

Jonas relaxed back into his chair, crossing his legs at the ankles. ‘Now that sounds like the voice of experience talking. Is he the reason you dress the way you do?’

He was so far wide of the mark that Aimi almost laughed. ‘I dress to please myself, not a man,’ she was quick to point out.

He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘Is that so? Are you trying to tell me nobody ever gets to see the exotic lingerie you wear? That would be a crying shame!’

Memories of those moments in the kitchen last night made her wince inwardly. ‘My clothes are none of your business. I would not have gone downstairs had I known you were there.’

‘Then I would have had to spend the night down by the pool, and never have got to see you in that mind-blowing confection of silk and lace. It’s imprinted on my memory even now.’ Jonas shifted, bringing one leg up to prop his ankle over the other knee. ‘Seems to me, I know something about you that no other man does. Under that starchy exterior you like to wear satin and silk. What other secrets do you have, I wonder?’

‘None that you will ever know!’ Aimi shot back curtly but, instead of responding, Jonas merely smiled as he watched her.

‘What happened to your hair last night? You weren’t wearing it up in the kitchen,’ he observed, and her nerves gave a giant leap.

‘I don’t sleep with my hair pinned up,’ she explained calmly, only to see his smile broaden.

‘You know what I think, Aimi Carteret?’

‘Your thoughts couldn’t interest me less!’ she retorted witheringly, making him laugh.

‘I think you practice to deceive.’

That was too close to the truth for comfort. ‘Like I said, your thoughts are of no interest to me. You are of no interest to me!’

‘Whilst you are of considerable interest to me,’ Jonas countered smoothly. ‘I find myself thinking about you all the time.’

‘How boring for you!’ Aimi said, and he laughed—a sensual sound that sent goose-bumps down her spine.

‘Oh, I have the feeling that you will never bore me, darling Aimi.’

The unexpected endearment sent a shockwave through her system, and her breathing went awry. ‘I am not your darling.’

‘Not yet, I agree,’ he conceded, but his assertion didn’t make her feel any better.

Goaded, her temper rose. ‘Never!’

He looked her directly in the eyes before speaking. ‘Ah, you should never say never. I discovered that myself last night. I would have bet good money that I would never find it hard to sleep in my old bed, but last night proved me wrong. I was terribly restless,’ he explained with a wicked grin, mayhem in his eyes.

‘You can’t possibly blame me for that,’ Aimi argued, as her nerves responded with a now familiar skitter. It was as if her defences had totally vanished, leaving her open to react to everything he said or did. She didn’t understand how they could have abandoned her now, when she needed them most.

‘Can I not?’ Jonas countered, lips twitching with barely concealed humour. ‘You were the one who raised my blood pressure,’ he remarked sardonically, taking another mouthful of coffee from the cup on the table.

Somehow Aimi contrived to maintain her cool expression. ‘My blood pressure didn’t need lowering. I went to bed and slept dreamlessly,’ she added for good measure, mentally crossing her fingers at the lie.

‘Hmm,’ he murmured doubtfully, running his hand over his chin. ‘There’s more to you than meets the eye.’ Aimi merely raised her eyebrows. After a moment Jonas continued, ‘Did you know I was supposed to be in America this weekend? Fortunately, the meeting was called off at the last minute.’

‘Much to everyone’s delight,’ she remarked dryly, and something flashed in the recesses of his eyes.

He laughed. ‘Nicely done, Aimi. Very tactful. It’s no wonder Nick speaks so highly of you.’

‘I do my best,’ she replied smoothly, not bothered that he recognised what she was doing, just grateful she had the skill to draw upon.

‘Ah, here comes the cavalry,’ Jonas declared dryly, and Aimi glanced round to see that Nick had appeared with their breakfast. ‘Not a moment too soon, eh?’

Nick had overheard that remark and, as he placed her cup and plate before Aimi, he glanced at his brother. ‘What’s not too soon?’ he queried, frowning, and Jonas grinned at him.

‘Your arrival with the food. Aimi was getting ready to eat the table.’

‘Sorry I took so long,’ Nick apologised, and she shot Jonas a warning look.

‘You didn’t. Jonas is pulling your leg.’

‘He has a habit of doing that,’ Nick confirmed wryly.

Jonas’s lips twitched and he sat up straighter. ‘Actually, I was flirting with Aimi, and she was giving me a hard time.’

‘Good for you, Aimi!’ Nick encouraged her, giving her a wink. ‘There are too many women who fall into his arms at a click of his fingers already!’ He took the chair next to her and started to wolf down his breakfast. Aimi followed suit, and silence fell over the table.

‘What time are the hordes descending?’ Jonas asked some time later.

‘Midday onwards. Then it’s the same old drill. Dad will be doing his usual cremation job on the bangers and burgers!’

Jonas grinned and glanced at Aimi. ‘Have you been to one of our beanfeasts before?’

She couldn’t help smiling at their amusement. ‘No, this is my first,’ she admitted. She was a little nervous about meeting the family. Finding herself amidst a group of strangers had been commonplace once, and she had thrown herself into the party mood with enthusiasm. Since that awful day, though, the thought of laughing and having fun had seemed wrong. How could she ever do that again, as if nothing had happened, when she was the one at fault? She couldn’t and live with herself, so she had avoided parties, and her so-called friends had slowly drifted away. These days she preferred small, intimate dinners with people she knew well.

‘Then you’re in for quite an experience!’ Jonas told her with droll humour, breaking her introspective mood.

Nick clicked his fingers. ‘Hey, do you remember when…’

Aimi tuned out as the brothers took a humorous trip down memory lane. Sitting back in her seat and slowly eating her last croissant, she watched them both closely. They were very much alike. Both were handsome men, but Nick’s face had softer lines. His hair was dark brown, whilst Jonas’s was black. Nick exuded warmth, gentleness and caring, yet it was Jonas’s more rugged lines that drew her attention.

Quite unexpectedly, Aimi found herself wanting to reach out and trace the lines of his face, to commit them to memory. Which was a ridiculous thing to be thinking. She did not want to remember him. The sooner they parted company, the better. Yet, as soon as the thought entered her head, one small part of her suddenly felt lost. She looked down at her coffee cup, frowning in yet more confusion. What was it about him that touched her? Good Lord, he only wanted one thing from her. Yet…there was just something about him.

The sound of laughter made her tune back in and she looked up to see Nick doubled up with mirth and Jonas grinning from ear to ear. It brought a smile to her own lips and an odd twist to her heart.

A piercing whistle cut into the laughter and made all three look round. Michael Berkeley stood at the end of the terrace, beckoning to them.

‘Come along, you two! I need some muscle to set up tables. Get a move on!’

With wry looks at each other, the two brothers got to their feet obediently.

‘Dad likes marshalling his troops,’ Nick remarked fondly.

Aimi grinned at his expression. ‘Have fun!’ she teased and, as he walked away, caught Jonas’s eye. The mocking look was back. As her stomach lurched, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. ‘Was there something else?’

‘Just this,’ he said and, walking round the table, bent to drop a swift kiss on Aimi’s cheek before she could prevent it.

‘Hey!’ she exclaimed, whilst her pulse did a skittish pitter-pat. The feel of the brush of his lips on her skin took her breath away, it was so stunning.

Jonas was unrepentant. ‘I have to have some fun. Consider that a little something on account!’ he riposted neatly and followed his brother, leaving Aimi speechless.

She was left watching his rear view, and quite a view it was. Damn the man, he was just about perfect to look at. Broad-shouldered, with slim hips and long, powerful legs. There was no point trying to pretend otherwise, few men could compete with him. Of course, she immediately berated herself for noticing, when she was trying to keep these wanton wayward thoughts about him out of her mind.

She would have to try harder. Much, much harder. Bad enough that he was occupying her thoughts; she could not allow him to tempt her into breaking the solemn promise she had made. She had to resist.

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