The Virgin Bride (The Australians) by Miranda Lee Page A

nice girls had to be in love to want to make love.’
    â€˜I’m sure being in love would enhance the experience emotionally, but making love without love can still be…extremely satisfying.’
    She stared at him, and he could almost read her mind. She was thinking what it might be like to make love with him. She’d enjoyed his kiss, thrilled to his hand on her breast over her clothes. How much more pleasurable to have his hands on both breasts, naked, to have his hands all over her, inside her, to have him inside her.
    He had difficulty controlling the surge of arousal which threatened to make him throw all caution to the winds. He managed by focusing on what it would be like to have her on their wedding night, to have her every night afterwards, and whenever he wanted.
    â€˜We’re sexually in tune, Emma,’ he argued, in a desire-thickened voice. ‘I can feel it. You can feel it. Marry me and I can promise you that that part of our lives will be very fulfilling.’
    â€˜You…you think our marriage could really work?’
    â€˜I know it could,’ he reassured her firmly.
    â€˜But we don’t love each other.’
    â€˜Love is no guarantee of happiness in a relationship, Emma. Surely you can see that. We like each other, and we want each other. We can plan things together with cool heads, instead of hot and sometimes ill-judged hearts. We’ll make a great team.’
    â€˜You’re very persuasive.’
    â€˜And you’re very lovely.’
    She flushed. ‘You confuse me.’
    â€˜I want you.’
    â€˜I’m still not sure why you do.’
    â€˜You underestimate yourself.’
    â€˜No, I don’t think so. I know what I am, and I know I’m not the sort of girl a man like you would normally look at twice. You’ve asked me to marry you on the rebound, Jason.’
    â€˜That’s not true. I’ve asked you to marry me because you’re exactly what I want in a wife.’
    She frowned at this statement, and in truth it had sounded rather cold. Jason regretted it immediately. He leant over and laid a gentle palm against her cheek. ‘So what’s your answer to be, lovely Emma?’ he asked softly. ‘Will you marry me or not?’
    â€˜You…you were going to wait a month before asking me again,’ she replied a little shakily, her eyes searching his as though in fear he was about to kiss her again.
    â€˜I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to waste another moment. Even if you say yes, it will take several weeks to arrange things. The licence alone takes a month, and the banns, three more weeks.’
    â€˜Banns?’
    â€˜In the church. I’m going to marry you before God, Emma. I’m going to promise to cherish you till death do us part. And you’re going to walk down that aisle to me, wearing white, as befits your beautiful innocence.’
    â€˜Oh!’ she exclaimed, her eyes flooding.
    â€˜Don’t cry,’ he murmured. ‘Just say yes, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy.’
    â€˜You…you promise you’ll never be unfaithful?’
    â€˜Never!’ he vowed heatedly.
    â€˜If you are, I’ll leave you.’
    â€˜If I am, then I’ll deserve leaving.’
    â€˜So be it. Then, yes, Jason. Yes, I’ll marry you.’

CHAPTER FIVE
    â€˜W ELL ?’ was the first thing Nancy said to him the following morning. It was his weekend for Saturday morning surgery, unfortunately, otherwise he would have taken Emma engagement-ring-shopping. New-watch-shopping for himself as well.
    He contemplated not telling Nancy, but discarded that as futile since he had a fatuous smile plastered all over his face. ‘Can you keep a secret, Nancy?’ he asked with stupid optimism.
    â€˜Dr Steel! What a silly question! Of course I can.’
    â€˜She said yes.’
    Nancy clapped excitedly. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful