Episode 20: What on earth was the matter with her

Caroline looks quite tired Dior,' the other woman commented. 'I believe she might appreciate the opportunity to retire to her room.' 'Yes...yes, I would,' Stella agreed tautly.

 

 

The beautiful brunette awarded her a faint but dismissive smile of approval. His strong jawline clenching, Dior summoned a maid with an imperious snap of his fingers, his habit of command so ingrained in that gesture it caught Stella's attention and made her look away. '

 

 

I'll see you later,' he informed Stella flatly and strode back indoors. Why do I feel like I'm abandoning nun? Stella asked herself in genuine bewilderment as she followed the maid. Where had this ridiculous sense of connection come from? She barely knew Dior Harlequin. She didn't even like the guy, did she? What on earth was the matter with her? Jet lag, exhaustion, she told herself, but she knew it was more.

 

 

Helpless sympathy had flared when Dior had admitted that he'd been at odds with his father before his death. She understood that he didn't feel entitled to play the grieving role of a loving son for the benefit of an audience. Yet it was obvious to her that he had been a loving son.

 

 

But right now, Dior was so tormented by his conscience he couldn't see the wood for the trees. The maid led her into a lift off the huge entrance hall. They traveled down and then traversed a corridor which took them straight back out into the open air again.

 

 

Mystified, but intrigued, Stella, followed the girl down a short sloping path to a low building sited right on the edge of an endless dreamy stretch of golden sand. The interior was wonderfully cool. It was some sort of self—contained guest suite, Stella assumed, admiring the spacious lounge and adjoining dining area.

 

 

The tall windows had elegant shutters to keep out the sun; inviting sofas adorned the marble floor. There was no kitchen, just a concealed fridge the size of a walk-in larder, packed with snacks and soft drinks. Two en suite bedrooms completed the accommodation. Her assorted carrier bags already sat in a rather pathetic huddle on one of the beds.

 

 

With alacrity, Stella took the opportunity to strip off every stitch she wore and head straight for the shower. Smothering yawns, she washed, but she was conscious of the weirdest sense of dislocation.

 

 

Dior drifted back into her mind, and his lean, dark, devastating image wedged there, refusing to be driven out again. She frowned in confusion. Suddenly she remembered the way Dior had stridden towards her, and she shivered then, reluctant to examine her response.

 

 

Why do I want to be with you right now?' he had demanded, his incredulity unconcealed. Why, she should have asked herself, had she stood there waiting for him, strung out on such a high of anticipation she could hardly breathe? That was not how Stella acted around the opposite sex.

 

 

Dior Harlequin should already have sunk like a stone under the weight of her prejudices. Stella thoroughly distrusted good-looking men and was all too well aware that rich men saw women as mere trophies with which to embellish their all-important image.

 

 

Her father had been just such a man. Only now, all of a sudden, Stella was being forced to accept that even her most cherished convictions didn't necessarily influence how she behaved.

 

 

Dior had spellbinding physical magnetism, but that didn't excuse her for acting like a silly little schoolgirl. In real life, Cendrillon would have watched her prince dance over the horizon and out of reach with a real princess, Stella reflected cynically.

 

 

No, she didn't see Dior Harlequin as an essentially superior being, but in terms of cold, hard cash and status, he was as far removed from someone like her as a royal prince. She was attracted to him, that was all, she told herself uneasily.

 

 

Unfortunately, that didn't explain why only self-conscious embarrassment in Aria Bailey 's presence had driven her into walking away from Dior.

Episodes
1 Episode 1: He's getting a witch
2 Episode 2: Murmuring with satisfaction
3 Episode 4: Get off that phone now
4 Episode 5: I'm afraid I can't trust your word
5 Episode 6: Free will
6 Episode 7: I have no desire for a company
7 Episode 8: That wasn't his only problem
8 Episode 9: Put them on
9 Episode 10: An adventure
10 Episode 11: You have betrayed my trust
11 Episode 12: You're a very convincing liar
12 Episode 13: Passion and Sensuality
13 Episode 14: Oh, dear heaven
14 Episode 15: 'Who's the woman
15 Episode 16: I don't like to be boss around
16 Episode 17: He's got a taste
17 Episode 18: Calling me a babe
18 Episode 19: I hate this
19 Episode 20: What on earth was the matter with her
20 Episode 21: Quite extraordinary
21 Episode 22: Did you have a happy childhood
22 Episode 23: Don't you realize that
23 Episode 24: My turn
24 Episode 25: So sweet
25 Episode 26: She couldn't believe
26 Episode 27: Can't talk now
27 Episode 28: It didn't seem to bother him
28 Episode 29: What's wrong
29 Episode 30:
30 Episode 31: Is Grace still employed?
31 Episode 32: I’m going in tonight
32 Episode 33: It's not Okay
33 Episode 34: Who the heck do you think you are to say that to me?
34 Episode 35: I'm not backing off
35 Episode 36: You belong with me
36 Episode 37: You're not supposed to know me!
37 Episode 38: Stop running away
38 Episode 39: I made it my business to know
39 Episode 40: I think I might be pregnant
40 Episode 41: Can I go out on the balcony
41 Episode 42: Trust me
42 Episode 43: I don't want to be your mistress
43 Episode 44: I don't care who I see
44 Episode 45: We're going to be parents
45 Episode 46: What's wrong with tonight?
46 Episode 47: I don't want your money
47 Episode 48: You do deserve her
48 Episode 49: I wouldn't have you as a gift
49 Episode 50: A little amusement
50 Episode 51: One month's notice
51 Episode 52: I saw you kissing him
52 Episode 53: Do...do you love her?
53 Episode 54: Do you love her (2)
54 Episode 55: I make a very bitter enemy
55 Episode 56: You look just gorgeous
56 Episode 57: I wish he'd met you
57 Episode 58: What's wrong?
58 Episode 59: I promise you
59 Episode 60: To make you welcome
60 Episode 61: You are so perfect
61 Episode 62: It's our wedding night
62 Episode 63: She hadn't liked that
63 Episode 64: Then what?
64 Episode 65: Lack of discretion?
65 Episode 66: What do you expect?
66 Episode 67: Don't be slow
67 Episode 68: Would I do that?
68 Episode 69: Rational
69 Episode 70: I don't want you anymore!
70 Episode 71: No! No way was it wrong!
71 Episode 72: What on earth are we doing here?
72 Episode 73: She's a nice person
73 Episode 74: I adore you
74 Episode 75: That's what I'm here for
Episodes

Updated 74 Episodes

1
Episode 1: He's getting a witch
2
Episode 2: Murmuring with satisfaction
3
Episode 4: Get off that phone now
4
Episode 5: I'm afraid I can't trust your word
5
Episode 6: Free will
6
Episode 7: I have no desire for a company
7
Episode 8: That wasn't his only problem
8
Episode 9: Put them on
9
Episode 10: An adventure
10
Episode 11: You have betrayed my trust
11
Episode 12: You're a very convincing liar
12
Episode 13: Passion and Sensuality
13
Episode 14: Oh, dear heaven
14
Episode 15: 'Who's the woman
15
Episode 16: I don't like to be boss around
16
Episode 17: He's got a taste
17
Episode 18: Calling me a babe
18
Episode 19: I hate this
19
Episode 20: What on earth was the matter with her
20
Episode 21: Quite extraordinary
21
Episode 22: Did you have a happy childhood
22
Episode 23: Don't you realize that
23
Episode 24: My turn
24
Episode 25: So sweet
25
Episode 26: She couldn't believe
26
Episode 27: Can't talk now
27
Episode 28: It didn't seem to bother him
28
Episode 29: What's wrong
29
Episode 30:
30
Episode 31: Is Grace still employed?
31
Episode 32: I’m going in tonight
32
Episode 33: It's not Okay
33
Episode 34: Who the heck do you think you are to say that to me?
34
Episode 35: I'm not backing off
35
Episode 36: You belong with me
36
Episode 37: You're not supposed to know me!
37
Episode 38: Stop running away
38
Episode 39: I made it my business to know
39
Episode 40: I think I might be pregnant
40
Episode 41: Can I go out on the balcony
41
Episode 42: Trust me
42
Episode 43: I don't want to be your mistress
43
Episode 44: I don't care who I see
44
Episode 45: We're going to be parents
45
Episode 46: What's wrong with tonight?
46
Episode 47: I don't want your money
47
Episode 48: You do deserve her
48
Episode 49: I wouldn't have you as a gift
49
Episode 50: A little amusement
50
Episode 51: One month's notice
51
Episode 52: I saw you kissing him
52
Episode 53: Do...do you love her?
53
Episode 54: Do you love her (2)
54
Episode 55: I make a very bitter enemy
55
Episode 56: You look just gorgeous
56
Episode 57: I wish he'd met you
57
Episode 58: What's wrong?
58
Episode 59: I promise you
59
Episode 60: To make you welcome
60
Episode 61: You are so perfect
61
Episode 62: It's our wedding night
62
Episode 63: She hadn't liked that
63
Episode 64: Then what?
64
Episode 65: Lack of discretion?
65
Episode 66: What do you expect?
66
Episode 67: Don't be slow
67
Episode 68: Would I do that?
68
Episode 69: Rational
69
Episode 70: I don't want you anymore!
70
Episode 71: No! No way was it wrong!
71
Episode 72: What on earth are we doing here?
72
Episode 73: She's a nice person
73
Episode 74: I adore you
74
Episode 75: That's what I'm here for

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