The Marriage Merger by Sandy Curtis

his
tongue as though savouring the taste of it. “Yes. A merger. A
contract that satisfies the needs of the people involved. A
marriage merger.”
    “No, Braden. A marriage is supposed to be the
joining of two people who love and care for each other. That’s what
the vows say - ‘to love and cherish as long as we both shall live’.
A merger of the hearts, not just the minds and bodies. What you’ve
described is a business contract.” Her voice gathered strength as
her repugnance to his concept of marriage grew. “You’ll probably
insist your bride sign a pre-nuptial agreement to make sure you
keep your precious money if you break up.”
    The quick flash in his eyes confirmed Jenna’s
suspicions. She felt a wave of disgust and disappointment that he
could view marriage in such a cold and calculating manner. She
thought of her own parents’ marriage, of their warm intimate
relationship and the trust that was so vital. What Braden was
proposing was a mockery of all that she believed marriage stood
for.
    “I feel sorry for you, Braden,” she said and
walked quickly away before he could reply. She had just reached the
doorway when his hand on her arm spun her around.
    “Why do you feel sorry for me?” he demanded.
His hands gripped her arms. “At least I’m honest enough to admit
what I’m looking for in a marriage. What about you, Jenna? You’re
not even honest enough to acknowledge that you’re attracted to me.
You hide behind all that professional relationship nonsense because
you’re not woman enough to admit that you want me as much as I want
you.”
    Steel-grey eyes now turned brilliant blue
with raging desire. Before she could reply, before she could shake
herself free from the power of his onslaught, his lips took hers
with a hunger that was echoed in the strength of his arms as they
pulled her greedily against his lean body.
    Her first stunned reaction was to fight him,
to push against his chest with determined hands. But he held her
fast, and the raging passion in his kiss made the blood sing in her
veins. Her resistance crumbled, her body melted into his, her hands
sliding up to capture his head.
    As though sensing her surrender, his mouth
gentled, the pressure of his lips eased, the rhythm changing to a
slow, hot passion that took all coherent thought away. She felt his
arousal hard and demanding between them and something deep inside
her rejoiced that she had done this to him.
    His hands had slipped her blouse from her
skirt and crept underneath to savour her smooth, silky skin. As his
fingers slid over the soft satin of her bra the sensation of liquid
heat between her thighs jolted her back into awareness.
    What was she doing? How could she let him
make love to her like this? He had just finished telling her that
love had no place in his future. His view of marriage was so
diametrically opposed to hers there was no chance she could ever
consider any future with him. Physical attraction was there all
right, but it wasn’t enough for her. She wanted love, needed love,
would settle for nothing less.
    Fingers that had caressed his clean, soft
hair now pulled his head away from hers. Eyes still glittering blue
with passion gazed into hers.
    “No,” she breathed.
    “No?” he repeated, stunned.
    She wriggled free of his grasp. Her breath,
like his, came in great panting gasps. She was dizzy from the need
to surrender totally to him and bit her tongue to stop herself from
asking him to take her in his arms again.
    “I don’t want what you want, Braden,” she
choked out. “I want all the things you despise - marriage for love,
children for love. You might be able to have sex without love, but
I can’t.”
    She ran in to her bedroom and closed the
door. And the tears that streamed down her face were not only for
herself but for the man who was so afraid to love he would never
know that already her heart had opened and allowed him to slip
in.
     
    “Chalk up two sleepless nights in a row,”
Jenna