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‘So...’ Claire compressed her lips. ‘You don’t want me to return to my work on the yacht to finish the trip. Is that because you think I might talk and tell people about us? I wouldn’t. I may have been a chatterbox when we were together on the island, but I do know when to hold my tongue.’
‘I believe that,’ Raif replied soothingly. ‘But where my family and my country are concerned, I am careful not to cause any scandal and now that we have a baby to consider, I have even stronger reasons for ensuring that no questionable rumours about either of us can circulate.’
‘I won’t tell anyone who the father of my baby is,’ Claire promised him abruptly.
‘That won’t work, Claire. For my family to accept my son or daughter, he or she must be born within marriage. My child will never be accepted otherwise,’ Raif murmured grimly. ‘Nobody is more old-school than my father and what he decrees rules the whole family.’
‘Because he’s King,’ Claire gathered, saddened to learn that her child would be denied acceptance by Raif’s family on the basis of illegitimate birth.
‘And because he has the power to make life very difficult for anyone who challenges him or his convictions. Quristan, however, is not an old-fashioned country,’ Raif told her with perceptible pride. ‘But within the palace walls, life goes on in much the same way as it did when my father was born seventy odd years ago.’
‘I’m sorry that circumstances will make it impossible for our child to know your family because I really don’t have any family on my side to offer,’ Claire confided ruefully. ‘I have a friendly enough relationship with my younger half-brother, Tom, but we’re not close.’
Raif rested stunning dark golden eyes on her troubled face. ‘I want you to marry me, Claire.’
Claire’s eyes widened. ‘You can’t mean that!’
‘I want you to become my wife and give our child the best possible start in life and a future that he or she is free to choose,’ Raif intoned, ignoring that exclamation. ‘We must not allow our impetuosity to deprive our child of the many advantages that our marriage would bring.’
Claire swallowed hard. ‘You’re serious,’ she finally registered. ‘But it would be insane.’
‘We need that marriage certificate for ourbaby’ssake, not for our own,’ Raif pointed out. ‘The ceremony would take place at the Quristani embassy in Spain. I hold diplomatic status, which makes it easier to override the usual formalities. We can be married within days...if you are willing to agree?’
Her knees were wobbling, shock winging through her, and she backed down into a seat. ‘It would be insane,’ she repeated weakly.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘THENIMUSTbe insane,’ Raif countered with calm, measured diction. ‘Because at this moment marriage is what I want most. It will right the wrong that we would otherwise be inflicting on our child.’
‘But marriage,’ Claire almost whispered. ‘That’s a drastic measure.’
‘It need not be. If you want nothing more to do with me on a personal basis that is acceptable too,’ Raif informed her tautly. ‘I will ask nothing more from you than that you go through a ceremony of marriage with me.’
‘You mean...we sort of fake it?’ Claire looked even more dismayed by that suggestion.
‘If you wish to walk away from me after the birth of our child, I will do nothing to prevent you from reclaiming your freedom,’ he extended, appreciating that she still didn’t grasp what he was suggesting. ‘It does not have to be a for ever and ever marriage. We do not have to share a bed if you do not wish to do so. I am trying to pitch the marriage idea in terms that you will find satisfactory, but I don’t know your terms.’
It crossed Claire’s troubled mind that really the only thing she wanted in marriage washim. Not his money, not the security he offered, not some fake deal to legitimise their child. But he wasn’t offering her himself on any terms. She noticed that. She noticed that theonething he wasn’t offering her was the chance to see if their marriage could turn into a real relationship. Clearly that wasn’t on the table and why would it be? she scolded herself.
She was a chef and he was a royal prince. His background was pedigreed and rich and privileged while she was from an ordinary home with a dash of scandal in her family tree. Of course, Raif saw no prospect of his ever feeling anything more for her than he had felt the day they had first met. He had walked away from her. He hadn’t texted, hadn’t done anything and he was in a blasted big yacht and in charge of everywhere it went. Hecouldhave seen her again had he so desired. And the lowering, hurtful truth was that hehadn’tso desired.
‘You have to tell me whatyouwant,’ Raif prompted gently.
‘I want to give my child the best I can and if that means marriage, naturally I’ll consider the idea. But I don’t want to fake anything. I don’t think I’d be very good at that.’
‘So, whatdoyou want?’
Claire winced and sipped her mocktail to occupy her trembling hands because she was all worked up. ‘Obviously you want a temporary marriage that will only last as long as you need it to last,’ she dared to state. ‘But it just seems wrong...to use holy matrimony like that, but I understand that you see it as a marriage certificate and nothing else.’
‘And that makes you uncomfortable,’ Raif slotted in. ‘It could be as real a marriage as you want to make it and last as long as it needs to for our child’s benefit.’
‘How can you go from one idea to something so totally different?’ Claire pressed in sincere bewilderment.
‘This is a negotiation in which both of us must compromise to some extent,’ Raif pointed out. ‘Basically, I will give you whatever you want if you agree to make me your legally wedded husband.’
‘Then it could be a proper marriage,’ Claire assumed, showing the very first tiniest, wariest hint of enthusiasm.
‘And in a proper marriage, I would be able to have regular and easy access to my child, which is why I would agree to it,’ Raif told her truthfully. ‘I definitely don’t want to be only an occasional visitor in my child’s life. I would also have no objection at all to acquiring a very beautiful, sexy wife on a less temporary basis.’
