LITMIR.BIZ

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rapid acceptance of her father. Her little face had beamed from ear to ear each day as he had taken her out to entertain her. Charlotte had had to bite her tongue to stop herself from commenting on the expensive toys he had bought, for she realised he was doing his best to make up for lost time.

      Stacey had left a message on her mobile saying she was finally getting help but Charlotte found it hard to feel confident that she would in fact do so. She had heard nothing from her since, even though she had left countless messages on her answering service.

      The flat had been cleaned out and Charlotte’s and Emily’s things transferred to the hotel but she still didn’t feel as if she belonged there.

      Damon was polite to her but he seemed intent on avoiding her at every opportunity. He would insist on putting Emily to bed each night but he would go out afterwards and it would be the early hours of the morning before Charlotte would hear him return to his makeshift bed on the sofa. She had put her pride aside one night and suggested he share the bed with her, but he had declined the offer with what she could only describe as cold disdain.

      ‘You must be excited about your wedding this weekend,’ Diane said. ‘Everyone’s talking about it.’

      ‘It’s to be a very quiet affair.’

      ‘It’s so romantic—Damon Latousakis being Emily’s father and all. Mind you, I knew it from the moment I saw him.’

      Charlotte gave her a weak smile without responding.

      ‘This trip to Greece is just what you need,’ Diane continued. ‘You look like you need a holiday. This has been a huge workload for you, but Julian is well on the mend and champing at the bit to get back. By the time you return he’ll be back on board.’

      ‘I’m only going to be away for two weeks.’

      ‘You should be taking longer; after all, this is your honeymoon. You won’t even have to work any more if you don’t want to. Why not lie back and enjoy it?’

      Why not, indeed? Charlotte thought. The only trouble was her husband couldn’t bear to be in the same room as her.

      For some reason Charlotte couldn’t quite fathom, Damon had insisted on a church wedding. The ceremony, though brief, was traditional and Emily proudly attended them as a flower girl, her little floral basket adorned with ribbons swinging from her hands as she walked up the aisle with a solemn look on her tiny face.

      Damon winked at her and her little face instantly split into a broad smile and Charlotte felt her heart begin to crack. He had done so much in such a short time to build a bridge with his daughter. They had the sort of relationship she had never had with her own father—loving, playful and totally accepting.

      The only slight hitch in the proceedings was the kiss during the ceremony. Charlotte told herself it was more or less a formal procedure that the congregation expected, but it didn’t stop her lips from clinging to Damon’s with escalating need.

      He was the first to move away, which hurt her, but she disguised it behind a forced smile as they moved to sign the register.

      Emily was bouncing up and down with excitement as the reception drew to a close. ‘Are we going on the aeropwane yet?’

      ‘Soon, darling,’ Charlotte said as she gathered her close to her side. ‘One more sleep.’

      ‘I’m going to meet my granny, aren’t I? Daddy told me.’

      ‘Yes, you are, precious.’

      ‘Can I take all of my toys to show her?’

      ‘Only your very special ones,’ she said.

      ‘She can take whatever she wants,’ Damon said, putting his hand on Emily’s silky head in a proprietary manner.

      Charlotte’s blue gaze tussled with his coal-black one before she finally gave in. ‘I’m sure Daddy will help you pack everything you need.’

      ‘Are you mad at Daddy?’ Emily asked as her thumb slid towards her mouth.

      ‘No, of course not,’ she lied, shooting Damon a blistering glare over the top of Emily’s head.

      ‘I don’t want you to be mad at Daddy. I love him.’

      Charlotte felt her throat tighten and bent down to her daughter’s level. ‘I know you do, darling, and I…I…I er…love him too. I’ve just had a lot to deal with lately with the wedding and the exhibition and all.’

      ‘Do you weally love him?’ Emily looked at her entreatingly.

      Charlotte pasted a bright smile on her face. ‘How could I not love the father of my little girl?’

      Damon took his daughter’s hand. ‘Come on, little one. We have to say goodbye to some guests.’

      Charlotte let out her breath once they had gone and turned to face another guest who wanted to congratulate her. She comforted herself with the thought that Damon thought her a consummate liar. How would he know she was this time actually telling the truth?

      Once Emily had settled for the night Damon came out to the main suite where Charlotte was flicking idly through a magazine. She was aware of him standing there watching her but kept her head down, pretending an absorption in an article on home improvement hints.

      ‘I would like to speak to you,’ he said.

      She turned over to another page without looking up. ‘What about?’

      He closed the distance between them and removed the magazine from her hands.

      ‘Hey, I was reading that!’ She scowled at him.

      He tossed the magazine to the floor, his dark features etched with anger. ‘You are so determined to ignore me but I will not tolerate it, Charlotte.’

      ‘You’ve ignored me for the past three weeks,’ she threw back resentfully. ‘You’ve barely addressed a single word to me unless Emily’s been present. Then of course you’re all sweetness and charm. What a hypocrite.’

      ‘You are just as guilty of pretending something you do not feel. Emily is going to be confused by your mixed messages if you do not control your propensity to insult me at every opportunity. She is an intelligent and highly sensitive child, who is already picking up on the antagonistic atmosphere between us. She shows signs of deep insecurity. I have noticed when you and I are together she sucks her thumb much more than when she is alone with me.’

      ‘So what are you suggesting?’ Her eyes challenged his. ‘That we kiss and make up?’

      ‘That would be a very good start.’

      She sprang off the sofa in agitation. ‘You can go to hell.’

      He caught her by the arm and turned her around to face him. ‘We are husband and wife now, Charlotte. We are travelling to Santorini tomorrow, where it will be expected we will share a bed. I do not want anyone, particularly my mother, to think there is anything amiss in our relationship.’

      ‘You mean you haven’t told her the truth?’

      ‘No, of course not,’ he said, dropping his hand from her arm. ‘I wanted her to enjoy her first grandchild without worrying there may be no others for her to look forward to in the not so distant future.’

      She stared at him in shock, her stomach turning over itself. ‘You want another child?’ She swallowed deeply. ‘With me?’

      ‘You find the notion unsettling?’

      ‘I find the notion outrageous!’

      His jaw tensed and a hardened look came into his dark eyes. ‘I do not see the problem. We already have one child. It is only natural to want to add to our family a little brother or sister for Emily to grow up with.’

      ‘Our family, as you call it, is a sham! You’re making me out to be some sort of breeding machine. How can you possibly think of bringing

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