theory then, the press could have lied about me.”
He leaned forward; his lips feathered her jaw sending a hot tingle of sensation through her. “It’s possible.”
“I’m not interested in breaking Lucas and Carla up.”
“Good, because I have a proposition for you.” He bit down gently on her lobe. “Two days on an island paradise.
You and me.”
Sensation shimmered through her, briefly blanking her mind. So that was what it was like, she thought a little breathlessly. She had read that the earlobe was an erogenous zone. Now, final y, she could attest to that fact.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The idea of an exciting interlude with Zane before she started work and became once more embroiled in her search for a stable, trustworthy husband, was unbearably seductive. There were no good reasons to go, only bad ones. “Yes.”
She caught the quick flash of his grin before his mouth closed on hers, and for long seconds she forgot to breathe.
Ten minutes later, Lilah found herself instal ed in the rear seat of a limousine, Zane beside her and the familiar figure of Spiros behind the wheel. A short drive later and they pul ed into a picturesque marina.
She examined the ranks of gleaming superyachts, launches and sailboats tied up to a neat series of jetties.
“This doesn’t look like the Atraeus Resort.”
“It’s a nice day. I thought you might enjoy the boat ride.”
Spiros opened her door, distracting her. When she turned back to Zane, the seat next to her was empty. Zane was already out of the limousine, his jacket off and draped over one shoulder. Fol owing suit, she climbed out, wincing at the dazzling brightness of sunlight reflecting off white boats. Finding her sunglasses, she slid them onto the bridge of her nose.
By that time, Spiros, who she had noticed had not met her gaze once during the last few minutes, had her cases out of the trunk. Zane was already halfway down the jetty and untying ropes. The boat trip to the resort seemed to be a fait accompli, so Lilah fol owed in Spiros’s wake, determined to enjoy the sunny day and the spectacular sea views.
By the time she reached the sleek white yacht, her cases were already stowed. Zane extended his hand and helped her climb aboard.
Almost instantly the engine hummed to life. Spiros walked along the jetty, released the last rope and tossed it over the stern. Lilah couldn’t help noticing that he seemed to be in a hurry. When he didn’t climb aboard she frowned.
“Isn’t Spiros coming?”
“Not on this trip.” With deft skil , Zane maneuvered the yacht out of its berth.
Minutes later, they cleared the marina and the boat picked up speed, wal owing slightly in the chop. Feeling faintly queasy with the motion, Lilah sat down and tried to enjoy the scenery.
Twenty minutes later, her unease turned to suspicion.
Instead of hugging the coastline they seemed to be heading for open sea. The coastline of Medinos had receded, and the island of Ambrus loomed ahead.
Dragging strands of hair out of her eyes, she pushed to her feet, gripping the back of her seat to stay upright. “This is not the way to the resort.”
“I’m taking you to Ambrus.”
“There’s nothing on Ambrus.”
His gaze rested briefly on hers. “That’s not strictly true.
There’s an unfinished resort on the northern headland.”
The yacht rounded a point and sailed into calmer water.
Lilah stared at the curve of the beach ahead and the tumbled wreckage of the old pearl facility, which had been destroyed in the Second World War. It was, literal y, a bombsite. In a flash, Spiros’s odd behavior and his hurried exit made sense. Zane had planned this. She gestured at the looming beach. “I didn’t agree to that. You said two days. Paradise.”
Zane throttled back on the engine. “Maybe I wasn’t talking about the scenery.”
An instant flashback to the heated few minutes on Zane’s couch made her blush. “I didn’t exactly find paradise
He leaned forward; his lips feathered her jaw sending a hot tingle of sensation through her. “It’s possible.”
“I’m not interested in breaking Lucas and Carla up.”
“Good, because I have a proposition for you.” He bit down gently on her lobe. “Two days on an island paradise.
You and me.”
Sensation shimmered through her, briefly blanking her mind. So that was what it was like, she thought a little breathlessly. She had read that the earlobe was an erogenous zone. Now, final y, she could attest to that fact.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The idea of an exciting interlude with Zane before she started work and became once more embroiled in her search for a stable, trustworthy husband, was unbearably seductive. There were no good reasons to go, only bad ones. “Yes.”
She caught the quick flash of his grin before his mouth closed on hers, and for long seconds she forgot to breathe.
Ten minutes later, Lilah found herself instal ed in the rear seat of a limousine, Zane beside her and the familiar figure of Spiros behind the wheel. A short drive later and they pul ed into a picturesque marina.
She examined the ranks of gleaming superyachts, launches and sailboats tied up to a neat series of jetties.
“This doesn’t look like the Atraeus Resort.”
“It’s a nice day. I thought you might enjoy the boat ride.”
Spiros opened her door, distracting her. When she turned back to Zane, the seat next to her was empty. Zane was already out of the limousine, his jacket off and draped over one shoulder. Fol owing suit, she climbed out, wincing at the dazzling brightness of sunlight reflecting off white boats. Finding her sunglasses, she slid them onto the bridge of her nose.
By that time, Spiros, who she had noticed had not met her gaze once during the last few minutes, had her cases out of the trunk. Zane was already halfway down the jetty and untying ropes. The boat trip to the resort seemed to be a fait accompli, so Lilah fol owed in Spiros’s wake, determined to enjoy the sunny day and the spectacular sea views.
By the time she reached the sleek white yacht, her cases were already stowed. Zane extended his hand and helped her climb aboard.
Almost instantly the engine hummed to life. Spiros walked along the jetty, released the last rope and tossed it over the stern. Lilah couldn’t help noticing that he seemed to be in a hurry. When he didn’t climb aboard she frowned.
“Isn’t Spiros coming?”
“Not on this trip.” With deft skil , Zane maneuvered the yacht out of its berth.
Minutes later, they cleared the marina and the boat picked up speed, wal owing slightly in the chop. Feeling faintly queasy with the motion, Lilah sat down and tried to enjoy the scenery.
Twenty minutes later, her unease turned to suspicion.
Instead of hugging the coastline they seemed to be heading for open sea. The coastline of Medinos had receded, and the island of Ambrus loomed ahead.
Dragging strands of hair out of her eyes, she pushed to her feet, gripping the back of her seat to stay upright. “This is not the way to the resort.”
“I’m taking you to Ambrus.”
“There’s nothing on Ambrus.”
His gaze rested briefly on hers. “That’s not strictly true.
There’s an unfinished resort on the northern headland.”
The yacht rounded a point and sailed into calmer water.
Lilah stared at the curve of the beach ahead and the tumbled wreckage of the old pearl facility, which had been destroyed in the Second World War. It was, literal y, a bombsite. In a flash, Spiros’s odd behavior and his hurried exit made sense. Zane had planned this. She gestured at the looming beach. “I didn’t agree to that. You said two days. Paradise.”
Zane throttled back on the engine. “Maybe I wasn’t talking about the scenery.”
An instant flashback to the heated few minutes on Zane’s couch made her blush. “I didn’t exactly find paradise
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