‘You deserve it, Lexi, love.’ His dark head bent, his mouth erotically nibbling her small ear. ‘You’re worth a thousand times more to me than a party, and later I intend to prove it to you once and for all. We have to put the past behind us, forgive and forget. No more secrets, no more separate beds. Trust me.’
Hope burst in her heart at Jake’s muffled words, and, glancing sideways up at him through thick lashes, she was stunned to see a tender, caring light in his deep blue eyes. ‘Jake...’ She put her hand on his chest. Was it possible? Could they start afresh? Yes, her heart sang. She could forgive him everything if he loved her.
‘Later.’
‘Alexandra.’ A deep voice rang out, silencing the crowd.
Lexi turned and gasped her pleasure at the man accosting her. ‘Ali!’ she exclaimed. He was dressed in the flowing white robes of the desert, and flanked on either side by two bodyguards. Sheik Ali al Kahim was an old friend from her childhood days when her father was consulate in his small middle Eastern country; they had played together as children and coincidentally met up again at the Piccolo Paradiso where Ali was an honoured guest once a year, but usually in the spring. ‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded as he swept her up in a bear hug then put her back on her feet.
‘My yacht is in the port for a few hours. I rang the hotel to speak with you and heard you are married and leaving. How could you do this to me, little Alexandra? And who is the lucky man?’
Jake, with his arm reaching out to pull Lexi into his side, said curtly, ‘I am.’
Lexi effected the introduction, her worried gaze swinging between the two men. Jake was attractive, but Ali, the same age as herself, was strikingly beautiful, as tall as Jake with huge brown eyes and the classic features of a Greek god. Jake took one look at him and seemed furious.
‘You have my congratulations, Mr Taylor. You are a very fortunate man. But I have only myself to blame I delayed too long.’
Delayed what too long? Lexi wondered, and then was stunned as Ali presented her with a long velvet box.
‘A wedding gift, my dear Alexandra. May you have a long and fruitful union, though I could have wished it were with me.’
‘Ali, you fool.’ He had always been a frightful tease, and she opened the box. Inside was a jewel-encrusted tiny dagger. ‘It’s beautiful, Ali. Thank you.’ She beamed up at him. But Jake was not so happy; she felt his fingers dig into her waist.
‘My wife does not take jewellery from any man except me.’ His icy blue eyes clashed with the brown of Ali’s.
‘So it should be,’ Ali responded coolly. ‘But if you observe, it is a letter-knife to remind you both to keep in touch.’
Ali left moments later, sweeping out of the hotel with his bodyguard chasing after him. He had explained he was sailing within the hour for home.
Jake turned Lexi into his arms and, relieving her of the jewel box, slipped it in his pocket. ‘That man wanted you,’ he said flatly, his intent gaze searching her upturned face. ‘He is one of the wealthiest men in the world, and you could have married him.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she giggled. ‘Ali is sought after by the most gorgeous women in the world and delights in letting them catch him, while his father despairs of him ever settling down. He is just a boy and he likes to tease.’ And, suddenly feeling bold, she added, ‘Haven’t you realised yet, Jake? There has only ever been you.’
‘What!’ He stared into her laughing eyes, and what he saw there must have convinced him. ‘God! Lexi, you choose the damnedest place to make a confession like that. We really need to talk.’ He hugged her tight.
But at that moment they were accosted by Signor Monicelli, and for the next few hours Lexi was floating on Cloud Nine. She danced with the chef, Franco and host of others but always after each dance Jake was there to claim her.
Finding herself alone for a moment Lexi glanced around the room. Poor Jake had been dragged by Anna on to the dance-floor and she was trying to teach him to cha-cha amid much laughter. Lexi smiled to herself and carefully eased her way through the crowd and into the foyer; she felt slightly dizzy, the heat and the noise finally getting to her.
‘Enjoying the party?’ Lorraine appeared from behind the Reception desk. ‘I’m supposed to join in when Anna remembers to come and relieve me, but frankly a rave-up with all the staff isn’t really good for business.’
Groaning inwardly, Lexi faced up to the other woman. ‘It was Jake’s idea,’ she said swiftly. Whatever Lorraine had meant to Jake in the past, Lexi was hoping against hope it was over. Jake’s insistence that they talk and the way he had behaved today all pointed to that fact, and she would not let Lorraine dampen her spirit.
‘Yes, I know; he asked me to arrange it all. But personally I think it’s a waste of money. I told him he was a fool, but then all men are. Why should I worry? He pays me exceptionally well to do what he wants,’ she taunted with a smile that did not reach her hard eyes.
‘He is a very generous man,’ Lexi said firmly. She did not like the assessing look in Lorraine’s gaze as she moved to stand directly in front of her.
‘What is it about you, Lexi?’ Lorraine questioned almost to herself. ‘You’re beautiful. You and I could have been friends if you weren’t a threat to my position in the company.’ She put her long-nailed hand on Lexi’s bare shoulder, her fingers biting into the flesh. ‘You’re intelligent, but you have one failing—you’re the type of woman who needs a man. What a waste. Jake knows you are a gold-digger, and he’ll drop you in the end, and I’ll still be around, his right-hand man.’
Lexi stepped back. Lorraine as a friend! The woman must be mad. ‘That’s enough. I will not discuss my husband with you.’ She refused to let the woman get to her. Tonight was Lexi’s and Jake was hers, and, spinning on her heel, she flung over her shoulder, ‘I’ll send Anna out.’ It was odd; Lexi realised that even before she knew about Jake and Lorraine, the woman had always made her uncomfortable, and she didn’t think it was just jealousy. With a toss of her red hair she headed for the party but before she had gone three steps Jake was at her side.
‘What was Lorraine saying?’ Jake demanded curtly. ‘Did she upset you?’
Sliding an arm around his neck and another around his waist, she pressed herself against him. ‘No more than usual, in fact she wanted to be friends, would you believe?’ she teased; she wanted nothing to spoil this night, and she wasn’t going to let Lorraine’s catty remarks hurt her.
‘She touched you.’ His dark eyes fell to the red mark on her naked shoulder. ‘Did she hurt you?’ The harsh demand in Jake’s tone made Lexi lift her eyes to his.
‘No, of course not. She didn’t punch me out for being with you.’ Lexi grinned, but Jake did not respond; instead his eyes narrowed with some undisclosed emotion.