Page 36 of Royally Promoted

She was someone who needed long-term commitment. So how did this fit into the picture? Of course, she knew: he was Fantasy Guy, the object of forbidden desire, and this was her one and only chance to decide whether she took what was temporarily on offer. Because it was on offer—she could see it in the flare of desire burning in his eyes as he sipped his brandy and watched her over the rim of the balloon glass.

‘What would you like to happen next?’ Malik asked softly. ‘And, as an aside, have you covered up because you’re scared that if you’re not we might just end up touching instead of talking?’ He grinned.

‘Absolutely not.’

‘And I absolutely don’t believe you. I should tell you that you’re just as much of a turn-on with your clothes on as you are with them off.’

‘I wish you wouldn’t say stuff like that when I’m trying to have this conversation, Malik. It means a lot to me that we have this out.’

‘Okay—you win. I don’t want you to think that I’m trying to undermine something you take seriously and you’re right, of course—we do need to have this conversation even though, from my perspective, the timing could be slightly altered.’

‘Malik, neither of us saw this coming. It...’ She lifted her shoulders helplessly. ‘I really never thought that these things happen, at least not in my world, but we’re here. I mean, we’re here in Sarastan, probably for a few more weeks. Do you know how much longer, actually?’

‘Three weeks, give or take.’

‘Right, so we’re here for three more weeks, and it’s going to be very awkward if we start circling around one another.’

‘Especially given the fact that we wouldn’t be able to keep our hands off one another.’

Lucy went bright-red but had to admit to feeling heady at the flattery.

‘So maybe this has been all so sudden and unexpected but maybe, now that it’s happened...and I repeat it shouldn’t have happened...we could...’

‘Let me help you out here, Lucy, because you’re going round and round in circles. Okay, maybe it shouldn’t have happened. I, personally, beg to differ on that count. We’re both adults, and who knows? Maybe there was a simmering attraction between us before we came here but coming here unlocked doors that had been locked before. What do you think of that theory?’

‘It’s certainly a theory.’

‘But, now we’re here,’ Malik continued smoothly, ‘why not enjoy one another?’

Had he said out loud what she had been thinking? She wanted to have control over the situation. Was this the direction she wanted to explore?

‘I don’t like the thought of being anybody’s temporary plaything.’

‘You’re not my temporary plaything, Lucy. You’re my equal. I don’t see you as a toy to be picked up and dropped. I’m not a toddler.’

Would he be picking her up and dropping her? Lucy wondered. Wouldn’t she have to put herself in a position of helplessness for that to happen?

She looked at him steadily and what she saw was a guy who was being honest with her. She’d learnt about dishonesty, thanks to Colin. She valued honesty, and this was honesty—raw, unflinching honesty about a relationship that was here and now, to be enjoyed and then released. She’d wanted a serious conversation—she’d got it. She’d wanted to control the direction of her choices—this was what she was being offered.

‘Does this all seem very weird to you?’

‘That’s what lust is all about. Doesn’t always make sense and doesn’t always obey what our heads are saying. So, if by that you mean weird, then I guess so. But weird can often be wonderful.’

Malik was watching her carefully, eyes trained on her heart-shaped face. Had no man actually ever swept her off her feet? Had she been saving herself for Mr Perfect, just casually dating until someone came along who excited her and shared her dreams about fairy castles and everlasting romance?

He was uncomfortable with the notion that somehow she might start to get the wrong ideas about this new twist in their relationship. Underneath that discomfort, though, was a treacherous satisfaction that he could have roused her in ways no man ever had. He was, however, practical and wary enough to kill that illicit thrill stone-dead. He had hurt her when he’d told her that interacting with his family wasn’t going to become part of her life in Sarastan, however much his mother seemed to have taken to her. He didn’t want to hurt her again by pointing out pitfalls, but he knew he had to.

‘Word of warning, Lucy,’ he said gently. ‘I wouldn’t want you to start thinking that there might be more to this than what’s on the table.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Meaning, as we come together, we will also pull apart. It’s just the way it is.’

‘That’s very poetic, Malik, but I can hear your ego talking.’ She looked at him with steely cool. ‘Do you honestly think that every woman you go to bed with is going to fall in love with you?’

‘Things have a way of happening. God,’ he said huskily, ‘you’re really sexy when you’re in dominant mode.’

‘You’re trying to distract me, Malik.’ Lucy blushed.

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