Read Online Marriage: To Claim His Twins by Penny Jordan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Penny Jordan
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peopleâs opinions. They are going to have to deal with settling into a different environment, and Iâm sure that the last thing you want to do is make it harder for them. I have a duty to the Konstantinakos position as the ruling and thus most important family on the island. That duty involves a certain amount of entertaining. It will be expected that as my wife you take part in that. Additionally, my sister, herfriends, and the wives of those of my executives who live in Athens are very fashion-conscious. They would be quick to sense that our marriage is not all it should be were you to make a point of dressing as you do now. And that could impact on our sons.â
Our sons. Ruby felt as though her heart had been squeezed by a giant hand. She was very tempted to resort to the immature tactic of pointing out that since he hadnât even been aware of the twinsâ existence until recently he was hardly in a position to take a stance on delivering advice to her on what might or might not affect themâbut what was the point? He had wonâagain, she was forced to acknowledge. Because now she would be very conscious of the fact that she was being judged by her appearance, and that if she was found wanting it would reflect on the twins. Acceptance by their peers was very important to children. Ruby knew that even at the boysâ young age children hated being âdifferentâ or being embarrassed. For their sake she would have to accept Sanderâs charity, even though her pride hated the idea.
She hated feeling so helpless and dependent on others. She loved her sisters, and was infinitely grateful to them for all that they had done for her and the boys, but it was hard sometimes always having to depend on others, never being able to claim the pride and self-respect that came from being financially self-supporting. She had hoped that once the boys were properly settled at school she might be able to earn a degree that ultimately would allow her to find work, but now she was going to be evenmore dependent on the financial generosity of someone else than she was already. But it wasnât her pride that was important, Ruby reminded herself. It was her sonsâ emotional happiness. They hadnât asked to be born. And she hadnât asked for Sanderâs opinion on her appearanceâor his money. She was twenty-three, and it was ridiculous of her to feel so helpless and humiliated that she was close to defeated tears.
To conceal her emotions she leaned down towards the boys, to warn them not to run too far ahead of them, watching as they nodded their heads.
It was when she straightened up that it happened. Perhaps she moved too quickly. Ruby didnât know, but one minute she was straightening up and the next she felt so dizzy from the pain in her head that she lost her balance. She would have fallen if Sander hadnât reacted so quickly, reaching out to grab hold of her so that she fell against his body rather than tumbling to the ground.
Immediately she was transported back to the past. The circumstances might be very different, but then too she had stumbled, and Sander had rescued her. Then, though, the cause of her fall had been the unfamiliar height of the borrowed shoes Tracy had insisted she should wear, and the effect of too many cocktails. The result was very much the same. Now, just as then, she could feel the steady thud of Sanderâs heart against her body, whilst her own raced and bounced, the frantic speed of its beat making her feel breathless and far too weak to try to struggle against the arms holding her. Then too his proximity had filled her senses with thescent of his skin, the alien maleness of hard muscle beneath warm flesh, the power of that maleness, both physically and emotionally, and most of all her own need to simply be held by him. Then she had been thrilled to be in his arms, but now⦠Panic curled through her. That was not how she was supposed to
Our sons. Ruby felt as though her heart had been squeezed by a giant hand. She was very tempted to resort to the immature tactic of pointing out that since he hadnât even been aware of the twinsâ existence until recently he was hardly in a position to take a stance on delivering advice to her on what might or might not affect themâbut what was the point? He had wonâagain, she was forced to acknowledge. Because now she would be very conscious of the fact that she was being judged by her appearance, and that if she was found wanting it would reflect on the twins. Acceptance by their peers was very important to children. Ruby knew that even at the boysâ young age children hated being âdifferentâ or being embarrassed. For their sake she would have to accept Sanderâs charity, even though her pride hated the idea.
She hated feeling so helpless and dependent on others. She loved her sisters, and was infinitely grateful to them for all that they had done for her and the boys, but it was hard sometimes always having to depend on others, never being able to claim the pride and self-respect that came from being financially self-supporting. She had hoped that once the boys were properly settled at school she might be able to earn a degree that ultimately would allow her to find work, but now she was going to be evenmore dependent on the financial generosity of someone else than she was already. But it wasnât her pride that was important, Ruby reminded herself. It was her sonsâ emotional happiness. They hadnât asked to be born. And she hadnât asked for Sanderâs opinion on her appearanceâor his money. She was twenty-three, and it was ridiculous of her to feel so helpless and humiliated that she was close to defeated tears.
To conceal her emotions she leaned down towards the boys, to warn them not to run too far ahead of them, watching as they nodded their heads.
It was when she straightened up that it happened. Perhaps she moved too quickly. Ruby didnât know, but one minute she was straightening up and the next she felt so dizzy from the pain in her head that she lost her balance. She would have fallen if Sander hadnât reacted so quickly, reaching out to grab hold of her so that she fell against his body rather than tumbling to the ground.
Immediately she was transported back to the past. The circumstances might be very different, but then too she had stumbled, and Sander had rescued her. Then, though, the cause of her fall had been the unfamiliar height of the borrowed shoes Tracy had insisted she should wear, and the effect of too many cocktails. The result was very much the same. Now, just as then, she could feel the steady thud of Sanderâs heart against her body, whilst her own raced and bounced, the frantic speed of its beat making her feel breathless and far too weak to try to struggle against the arms holding her. Then too his proximity had filled her senses with thescent of his skin, the alien maleness of hard muscle beneath warm flesh, the power of that maleness, both physically and emotionally, and most of all her own need to simply be held by him. Then she had been thrilled to be in his arms, but now⦠Panic curled through her. That was not how she was supposed to
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