A REASON FOR MARRIAGE

The answer to that, Sara knew, lay firmly at her own door. She had been a fool, Sara accepted dully, a blind, stupid fool. There was absolutely no excuse for her initial scathing behavior towards Simon. No foundation in it either-as she now knew. Neither did it do any good now to tell herself that she should have looked beyond the claims she’d heard of Simon’s mistreatment towards women. She should have seen Simon for the man he truly was-if not from the beginning then at least following his warmth and kindness towards her last night.

And now it was too late.

Yes, Simon was a man who was extremely attractive to women, and it was an attraction he had no doubt taken every advantage of over the years. But, as Sara now knew, he was also a man of principle. A man who had been both protective and caring when she had fallen apart at Lincoln’s home the evening before following her introduction to the pregnant Emily Wesley.

The same man who had allowed her to cry on his shoulder even though he had mistakenly believed those tears to have been because she still had feelings for her ex-husband. The same man who had brought her back to his apartment, put her in his own bed, undressing her and tucking her beneath the bedcovers.

The womanizing Simon Hamilton that Sara had believed wouldn’t have bothered himself doing any of those things, let alone left her to sleep alone in his bed because he had no intention of taking advantage of her in her emotional state.

Sara hadn’t just been a fool where Simon was concerned, she had been both blind and stupid too! A realization, an admission, which made absolutely no difference to the fact that she was now about to leave Simon’s apartment and would in all probability never see him again.

But there was something she needed to say to him before she left…

_______

“I’m sorry.”

Simon was standing in front of one of the huge picture windows in the sitting room, staring sightlessly out at the New York skyline, but he turned now to face Sara, his expression unreadable as he took in the fact that she was still very pale, and her eyes were that deep and troubled amber. As well they might be.

“What are you apologizing for?” he returned impatiently.

She shrugged as she came further into the room, her gaze not quite meeting his as instead she stared at the center of his chest. “I- It’s no excuse, but I-I was obviously wrong about the kind of man you were… Or are,” she amended hastily as Simon’s expression darkened. “About your reputation,”

“Yes?”

Her smile was rueful. “You aren’t about to make this easy for me, are you.”

He raised dark brows.” Can you think of any reason why I should?”

“No,” she accepted heavily, before raising her chin and at last allowing her gaze to meet his. “I do sincerely apologize for my earlier behavior towards you. My lack of professionalism. I really should have known better than to believe those lies.” She sighed. “Or at the very least given you the benefit of the doubt -as you several times requested I might do,” she added.

“Yes, you should,” Simon bit out grimly.

She shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. “I- And thank you for being so understanding yesterday evening. You really were very kind.”

“Maybe you believe there was an ulterior motive to my kindness and understanding?” Simon came back challengingly. “After all, I did succeed in getting you into my bed-eventually!” He gave a derisive grimace. “Which should fit in very nicely with what the people you have been listening to, gossips and the newspapers have told you about me.” His mouth twisted scornfully.

Sara knew she deserved every ounce of that scorn, and that there was no way for her to salvage the situation without revealing how much her feelings towards him had changed. She might now know that Simon wasn’t the cold and callous bastard in regard to women and relationships that she’d thought he was, but neither was he a man interested in an emotional relationship.

She nodded abruptly. “I’ll leave you now to enjoy the rest of your day. If you would like to do so, you can keep the designs and the swatches of material.

Although another designer would probably prefer to-”

“There is not going to be another designer, Sara,” he cut in firmly.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve decided not to bother after all…?”

“On the contrary,” drawled dryly, “I have decided to keep the interior designer I already have.”

She blinked, long dark lashes briefly brushing against the pallor of her cheeks. “I’m not sure I understand…?”

“It’s quite simple, Sara.” Simon strode into the middle of the room. “I have already wasted a considerable amount of my time procuring the services of the elusive but celebrated designer Sara McCall,” he eyed her mockingly. “And, having done so, I have no intention of starting the process all over again.”

Sara eyed him warily even as she chewed distractedly on her bottom lip. “You still want to engage me to redesign your apartment?”

His eyes glittered deeply emerald. “I don’t just want you to do it, Sara, I insist upon it!”

And if that determined glitter in his eyes was any indication then Sara knew he intended to make her life very uncomfortable-even more uncomfortable than it already was-while she did it. “Simon, you can’t seriously want to have me hanging around here for the next few weeks-or months-after we… Well, you just can’t,” she protested weakly once she had regained her breath enough to speak at all.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“On the contrary, I believe I would very much enjoy the experience,” he drawled mockingly.

Her heart sank at the implacability of his expression. “Of watching me squirm with embarrassment every time I have to come here?”

Simon shrugged those broad, uncompromising shoulders. “If that’s what it takes, yes.”

This was a side of him that Sara had never seen before. The arrogantly powerful Simon Hamilton side of him-half-owner of the world-renowned company Hamilton Enterprises, cousin of the equally arrogant and powerful Zach Hamilton, and a man accustomed to issuing orders and expecting them to be obeyed. Without question or argument.

Until he had actually made that statement Simon had had no idea he had even decided on that particular course of action. But it did make perfect sense; Sara had already done all the groundwork towards redesigning this room at least, and he had no doubt she would be as successful in her designs for the rest of the apartment.