The flash of pain he’d seen had made his insides clench with an alien emotion that had set even more alarm bells clanging.
He hadn’t intended to go to Belize till after the party he’d planned for when his Russian deal was completed.
But he was nothing if not adaptable.
‘Belize?’ Astonishment blazed from her stunning blue eyes.
‘Yes. I have a yacht moored there. We’ll sail around along the coast, dive in the Blue Hole. And in between, you’ll stun me with your culinary delights. But be warned, nothing short of perfection will satisfy me.’
‘I’ve never provided anything short of that. But...’ She hesitated, again displaying that reticence he’d sensed in her earlier. If she wanted to play hard to get, she was going about it the right way. He wanted her...hard. But he was no pushover.
‘But what?’
‘We need to agree on one thing.’ Her pulse throbbed under his thumb. He wanted to stop himself from caressing the silky, delicate skin but he couldn’t help himself.
‘Sì?’
‘From now on things remain strictly business between us. The next time we have a discussion, I’d rather do it without the need for ropes.’
The hard tug of arousal the image brought almost made him groan out loud. ‘I guarantee you, amante, the next time I tie you up, it’ll be because you beg me to.’
She snatched her wrist from his grasp.
‘Okay. And Superman rides on a unicorn, right?’
‘I have no idea about that. Ropes, on the other hand—’
‘Will play no part in our interaction for the duration I’m to prove myself to you. Unless, of course, you’re bringing your girlfriend along. In which case, what you get up to with her is your business.’
Irritation fizzed inside him. Having the attraction he knew she reciprocated dismissed so casually stuck like a barb under his skin. ‘I’m currently unattached. But I don’t think I’ll stay that way for much longer,’ he said.
Her eyes widened but her lips pursed. Again arousal bit deep.
Suddenly, he wanted to leave Macau. Wanted to be alone with her so he could probe her deeper. The double entendre brought a grim smile.
Veering away from her, he stalked out of the kitchen.
The case he’d asked his personal butler to fetch was standing by the sofa in the living room. She spotted it the same time he did.
‘You had my things removed from my room?’ The incredulity in her voice amused and irritated him at once.
‘I don’t believe in wasting time when my mind is made up.’
‘And what about my mind? You didn’t know what choice I would make!’
‘That’s where you’re wrong. I did. I’m very familiar with the concept of supply and demand. You want something only I can provide. You wanted it enough to hop on a plane on the strength of an eavesdropped conversation between complete strangers. I wagered on you being ambitious enough to agree to my demands.’
‘You make me sound so mercenary.’
‘On the contrary. I like a woman who states what she wants upfront. Subterfuge and false coyness are traits I actively despise.’
‘Somehow I don’t believe that.’
‘You think I like liars?’
Her gaze slid away. ‘I didn’t say that.’
He forced himself to turn away, resume his path towards his bathroom and another cold shower. Maledizione!
‘As for your case, I had it brought here to avoid any awkwardness. Or would you rather have answered questions as to why you’ve been absent from your duties for the last several hours?’
She groaned. ‘Oh, God! What will they think?’
‘They’ll think the obvious. But you’re with me, so no one will question you about it.’
‘I...I...’
‘The words you’re looking for are thank you. You can use the second bedroom suite to get ready. I have a brunch meeting in the Dragon Room in half an hour.’
‘And you want me to come with you?’
‘Of course. From here on in, you serve no one but me.’ His words echoed in his head and his fists clenched.
For the second time in less than ten minutes another unwanted emotion sideswiped him. Possessiveness.
Just as he’d trained himself not to trust, he’d trained himself not to become attached. Possessiveness suggested an attachment to something...someone.
Narciso didn’t do attachment. And yet—
‘What happens after your meeting?’
He forced nonchalance into his voice. ‘We return here to indulge in...whatever we please. Tomorrow when the lock down is lifted, we leave.’
CHAPTER SIX