‘I wouldn’t say that,’ Alex almost groaned. ‘Go on.’
Her fingers finding the zipper, Lisa very slowly began to free it, pressing against his aroused flesh with her knuckles. ‘I don’t want to damage you,’ she said breathlessly, and with both hands she slid his pants and briefs halfway over his hips and stopped. ‘You’re so powerful.’ She edged one hand across his belly, her blue eyes gleaming with devilment and desire as they met his. Her fingers curved around him and gently squeezed, her thumb stroking the velvet tip.
Alex groaned for real. ‘You little tease, Lisa.’ And, pushing her hands away, he stripped off his pants in a second and tumbled her on to the bed. He caught her wrists above her head and, his lips, gentle as wild silk against her skin, trailed kisses over her eyelids, the soft curve of her cheek and finally her lips.
His tongue stroked the roof of her mouth, and then her own tongue curled around his in a welcome caress. Lisa ached to put her arms around him but he wouldn’t let her.
‘No, Lisa.’ Alex raised his head; his night-black eyes met hers, a glint of mockery in their depths. ‘Take turns—it’s only fair.’
She arched against the hard heat of him as his lips blazed a trail of fire down her throat, lingering where the pulse beat wildly in her neck. Then he went lower, until his mouth closed over the tip of her breast.
‘Alex.’ She groaned his name as he suckled hungrily at her aching breasts, first one and then the other. Her skin tingled as if a million nerve-ends had suddenly come alive at his caress. ‘Alex, please!’
He released her wrists and immediately she reached for him, her slender arms moving around his broad back. He captured her mouth again, and kissed her with an ever deepening hunger, and she kissed him back, one hand slipping around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair to hold him to her, a fierce hunger, a need so great, exploding inside her. But Alex was not about to be rushed. With incredible control he led her t
o the brink of fulfilment over and over again. Soothing and enflaming her pliant body even as he fought to withstand her feverish intimate tactile exploration of his magnificent form. His strong features were taut and intent in passion, his black eyes flaring triumphant at her husky plea for release, and when she thought she could take no more he tipped her over the edge, and with a deep, rasping growl of release he followed her there.
Locked in his arms, his skin hot and damp against her own, Lisa stroked her hands lovingly over his shoulders and down his broad back. What did it matter if Alex didn’t believe in love as long as they had this? He had shown her he wanted and needed her with a fierce and tender passion that touched her soul. Turning her head slightly, she pressed a soft kiss against the hard line of his jaw.
He eased his large frame to one side, and, leaning over her, he gently stroked a few strands of hair from her wet brow. ‘All right?’
Her lips parted in a slow, wide smile. ‘Never better.’ She sighed, her brilliant blue eyes lingering on his darkly flushed face.
‘Lisa, I…’ Alex hesitated, his eyes widening on her delicate features almost in surprise. ‘Meeting you was the luckiest day of my life,’ he said huskily, and she had the distinct impression he had meant to say something else.
Midday Saturday, Lisa, hot and tired, gratefully took the hard hat off her head and handed it to Alex. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was wearing the minimum of clothing—brief white shorts and a sleeveless shirt knotted under her breasts—but still she had to wipe the perspiration from her brow. ‘Do you visit all the construction sites your company is involved in?’ she asked. ‘It must take an awful lot of your time.’
‘No.’ Alex handed the hats to his site manager and said something in Greek, then, catching Lisa’s hand in his, he added, as they walked off the building site, ‘I employ a very efficient staff to do it for me. But as I was born here I do take a particular interest.’ They had reached where he had parked the car and after opening the passenger door for her he walked around to the driver’s side, and stopped when he saw she had not got in the car. ‘Something wrong?’ Not waiting for her answer, he tagged on, ‘Sorry if you were bored.’
‘Not bored. The view alone is incredible; the complex is bound to be a success.’ She glanced at Alex. The blue cotton shirt fitted tautly across his broad shoulders, the first few buttons open to mid-chest. His black hair shone sleek as a raven’s wing in the brilliant sun, and somehow, over the past few hours, he’d seemed more Greek to her than before. Looking at him, so cool while she was melting, she decided to get her own back.
‘But you did promise we could go for a swim, Alex.’ The maid had woken them that morning with a breakfast tray. She had set it on the table on the balcony and quickly withdrawn. They had made love for the fourth time. Then, when Lisa had been trying to get dressed, with a lot of interference from Alex, he had suggested she put her bikini on under her clothes and they could go for a swim later.
‘So I did,’ Alex drawled, a reminiscent smile curving his firm lips. ‘But do you really want to join the tourists on the beach?’ She eyed the wide sweep of Paradise Beach and the sparkling sea, a smile curving her generous mouth, her eyes gleaming with mischief as they met his over the top of the car. Sophisticated, arrogant Alex on Paradise Beach with hordes of tourists held great appeal. ‘Yes, why not? It’s so hot I’ll melt.’
They spent the next half-hour playing like children in the warm clear waters, and then they dried off in the sun. Later still they returned to the villa and went to bed for a siesta, at Alex’s instigation, insisting it was the Greek thing to do!
A sigh of pure pleasure left Lisa’s lips as she sat down on a comfortable padded chair, one of two, set either side of a small table on the balcony of their suite and looked around her. Alex was downstairs talking with his mother. Apparently his mother had arranged a party for them tonight—a delayed wedding reception and a chance for Lisa to meet friends from his boyhood, she had said.
Lisa had left them talking and now, having showered and changed into a plain blue satin slip dress, she opened her laptop on the table in front of her and began composing an E-mail to send to Jed later. Enthusiastically she described the island, the history and the beauty of the place, and she smiled to herself when she thought of how green with envy Jed would be when he received it. Poor Jed had never been outside his state, let alone his country.
That was how Alex found her, smiling to herself, her fingers racing over the keys.
‘Now who is working?’ Alex prompted as he sat down opposite her, placing two glasses and a bottle of champagne on the table. ‘And I was hoping to seduce you with champagne.’
‘I wasn’t working; I was writing to a friend,’ she said simply, raising humorous eyes to his.
‘A friend?’ One dark brow arched quizzically.
‘Yes, Jed.’ She returned her attention to the keyboard. ‘Usually I write down all the things I’ve been doing of interest. I compose my E-mail off-line and send it later, which is much more economical.’ She didn’t see the dark frown that creased his brow, or the slight narrowing of his deep brown eyes.
‘Forget the economics.’ Alex reached out a hand and brushed the back of her hand. ‘Close that, and join me in a glass of champagne before the rabble arrive.’
‘The rabble?’ She grinned, closing her laptop. ‘Not a very nice way to describe your friends, Alex.’ She glanced across at him, struck by how vibrantly attractive he looked, wearing a cream open necked polo shirt and matching chinos, his handsome face tanned a deeper brown from a day spent in the sun.
‘You haven’t met them yet.’ One brow lifted and his mouth twisted in an amused smile. ‘Unlike your cerebral friends, mine are all too physical.’ And, deftly popping the champagne cork, he filled two glasses and handed one to Lisa.
‘That sounds ominous,’ she replied, sipping the champagne.