Page 35 of Emergency Engagement

RAFAELLOOKEDATSammy from under his lashes as she unpacked the picnic he had had prepared for them. He was playing truant from real life and enjoying it. His guests had left the day before. Everything had been signed, sealed and delivered and he had breathed a sigh of relief. Victoria might have fumed and simmered in the background, but she had heeded his thinly veiled words of warning, and had decided to take on board where her bread was buttered.

Rock the boat,he had implied,and say goodbye to the lifestyle you’ve got with Clement.

He hadn’t worked out what he was going to do about Sammy but, the minute she had become his lover, the rules of the game had drastically changed. There was no longer pretend-touching for the sake of their captive audience—it was real touching, and the real touching was mind blowing.

He hadn’t worked out why she felt so addictive but he guessed that it was because there was no pressure on him to do anything but live in the moment. She made no demands. She never mentioned anything about a future, and never uttered those terminal words:where do we go from here...?

She hadn’t dropped a single hint that she wanted to carry on seeing him once they returned to England. Had she wondered? He had no idea. She was so unashamedly open with him about everything, so unimpressed by his wealth and his status, so sexually curious and enthusiastic...and yet something about her remained carefully concealed.

He would have suggested continuing what they had, but in fact remaining on the island after everyone left had beensuggested by Clement, thereby putting him in the fortunate position of just having to go along with it.

‘You’ve worked to produce great food,’ Clement had said the evening before over their last supper. ‘Now you two need to take a little time to yourselves without having to think about us all. You should stay on here for a few days. I’m sure—’ he had winked at Rafael ‘—the world can spare you for a week or so.’

Rafael had laughed and slapped Clement on the back. Sammy, though, had remained silent for a few seconds, seeming to mull over the suggestion. He’d had to damp down his initial irritation at her response, and had had to laugh at his ego, which was telling him that any other woman would have bitten his hand off to stay on for another week.

Since when had his own invincibility gone to his head? he had asked himself. Since when had he had the expectation that any woman would want to put herself out for him? Was he really that arrogant?

So he’d impatiently laughed at himself, even though he’d been stupidly piqued by her deliberation. Then, when she’d smiled, nodded and glanced at him sideways with that sexy little look of hers, he’d wanted to punch the air with satisfaction.

‘Do my humble picnic offerings meet your high standards?’ he asked now, his dark gaze lingering on her face. He was stretched out on the oversized towel they had brought, hands folded behind his head.

He couldn’t have picked a better spot. The cove was a fifteen-minute boat ride away and was completely private. Now that it was just the two of them and his time wasn’t committed to other people, he wanted to show her the best the island could offer, and it didn’t come better than this.

Coconut trees sat against a backdrop of lush, tropical mountains. It was just a tiny inlet but the turquoise water was very calm, like a pool, and the sand was like caster sugar. Theboat he had driven was anchored to the left and bobbing gently on the water.

She had oohed and aahed when they’d arrived, and he’d felt a real kick of pleasure, a desire to take her to more places just so that he could see that smile on her face as she looked around.

She was rummaging in the picnic basket and wearing a very similar expression of wonderment. Rafael smiled and propped himself up on one elbow to watch her.

‘It’s perfect. I like the champagne. Can you be done for being drunk and disorderly behind the wheel of a boat?’

She glanced at him and Rafael felt that familiar tug in his groin as his libido kicked into gear.Those eyes...that perfect mouth...Just thinking about how she could turn him on made him horny. He thought about her kisses and how she could lick him in ways that made him lose control within seconds.

‘Thankfully, there’s no traffic in this particular part of the Atlantic. Stop fussing there and come and sit by me. You’re beginning to go pink. I want to rub some sun cream on you—make sure you don’t get burnt.’

‘That’s very considerate of you.’

‘I’m an extremely considerate person.’

‘It’s so beautiful here, Rafael. I don’t know how you can resist coming as often as you can.’

‘Time is money.’

‘And doing nothing is good for the soul. Especially if you’re doing nothing in a place like this.’

‘Are you beginning to think that you might want to stay on and do the six months here after all?’ he teased, eyes darkening as she sashayed towards him.

He intended to have that prissy black one-piece off her before too long, but right now it was pleasant playing with images of what was underneath it: those pale, small breasts; those perfectrosy nipples that he couldn’t get enough of; her flat, smooth stomach.

‘Maybe!’ She laughed back at him.

Rafael watched as she settled on the towel next to him and shoved on her sunglasses so that, when their eyes met, he couldn’t see what she was thinking.

‘Maybe? You’re not being serious, are you?’

‘Why not? Before I came here, I had no idea what it was going to be like, but everyone is so friendly, and honestly...? Who in their right mind could resist the temptation to spend a little time out here? It’s not as though I’d get the chance to come back here any time soon.’

Sammy lay down on the towel and closed her eyes but she knew that Rafael had sat up and was staring down at her.

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