He seemed pleased. ‘Thank you. Usually we hire a professional singer for parties, but it seems a bit over the top—and, anyway, we already have you.’
Her insides tightened. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I watched a couple of videos of you.’ He hesitated. ‘You’re good. Very good.’
She couldn’t speak. To speak would mean having to explain, and she couldn’t explain without losing control. She’d done that twice already.
‘I haven’t sung in a while.’
‘I know. You’ve had to put Archie first.’
She felt suddenly sick. No, don’t do that, she thought. Don’t make me out to be some kind of saint.
‘What is it?’
He was frowning. Perhaps some of her feelings were showing in her face.
With an effort, she managed to smile. ‘It’s nothing. I just feel a bit odd about being centre stage. I don’t really have the right to be there. I mean, it’s a family party, and I’m not exactly family.’
His eyes rested on her face. ‘You could be.’
She looked at him, startled and confused by his words. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I was thinking,’ he spoke casually but there was something in his voice that made her body tense, ‘we could get married. Then you would be my wife, and part of the family. You would have every right to be there. To always be there.’
She felt as if the world had tilted on its axis.
Married.
‘Look, Dora... You being here works. You and I...we have an attraction—’
‘It’s sex, Charlie,’ she said flatly. ‘It’s hardly a reason to get married.’
‘It’s incredible sex. I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you. I thought it would stop—that I’d stop feeling like this...’ He stared past her, as though looking for an explanation. ‘But it hasn’t, and I haven’t. And you feel the same way.’
Her heartbeat stilled as heat rushed through her, her body responding to his words. It was true. Her hunger for him seemed to be gaining potency and it was so tempting to let that mean something.
‘And that’s the reason you want to marry me?’
‘Not the only reason, no.’
Her heart began to thump, and she could feel something flickering to life inside her—dry tinder catching fire. Was he talking about love?
‘What matters is Archie, and you being here works for him. This, just makes marriage a workable option.’
She blinked. Inside her, the flickering flame died.
His hand caught hers, and the strength in his fingers briefly made her forget the craziness of what he was suggesting.
‘It wouldn’t work.’
‘It is working,’ he said softly. ‘And, more importantly, it’s what my father and Della both wanted.’
‘What? For us to marry?’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’ Her throat pulled tight as his eyes locked with hers.
‘They wanted Archie to feel at home in London and here in Macau. If we marry, we can make that happen. For them—for him.’
Dora stared at him in silence. Marriage was not something she’d ever considered for her future. For Della, yes, but not for her.