Page 183 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

She wasn’t playing anything, but she would let him think it while she got her head together. She needed the protection of his disapproval. If he knew how shaky and vulnerable she actually was right now, she’d be completely at his mercy.

‘I’ll happily play whatever games you want once we’re married.’ Ramon curled his hands into fists, striving to regain control of himself.

She’d surprised him by slamming on the brakes, but he’d seen the keening ache still in her expression as she’d turned away to tug the bustier back in place. He picked up her little blazer. She snatched it off him with trembling hands.

‘This has been a waste of time.’ She flipped her hair free and it settled in wild disarray across her shoulders.

‘It has not,’ he retorted, folding his arms across his chest to stop himself grabbing her back against him. ‘But unlike you, I’m not one for making dramatic declarations, I’ll actuallydowhatever is necessary to resolve this. The question is, will you? Or are you all talk and no action?’

‘I’m taking action. By leaving. Now.’

He didn’t want that, but he clamped down on his urge to restrain her with brute force. ‘Running away because you can’t handle the temptation?’

Twin spots of colour flooded her cheeks. She almost looked prim. ‘You really think you’re that irresistible?’

‘I really think this chemistry is,’ he threw back at her.

She stilled, stared at him with wide, wild blue eyes.

‘I’m not afraid to be honest,’ he growled. ‘Seems you need a little more practice.’

But doubt sliced—was this just strong chemistry or was it those moreunfortunategenetic tendencies unleashed? Ramon had vowed never to come unhinged by lust. Yet here was his very personal challenge to that. So he would show restraint. Just to prove to himself that he could—that he wasn’t like his father in everything.

‘Piotr will drive you home,’ he said roughly. ‘I’ll be in touch tomorrow. We’ll solidify the plan.’

‘Make an actual proper plan, you mean.’

He watched her worry her lip—that’s all it took to reignite the need to pull her close. He definitely wasn’t alone in feeling this, but he’d slow them down and ensure this would be a controlled explosion geared to extract maximum benefit for them both.

‘I guarantee that if you marry me, your sister will be released from that engagement immediately,’ he said. ‘And you need this to be immediately, no?’

She didn’t reply, which was better than an outright refusal. He sensed she was unsettled from something more profound than the insanity of this rash proposal. He got to her. It pleased him. It made them even.

‘Thank you for dinner.’ She ground out the most reluctant polite goodbye ever.

He laughed. She looked angry.

‘My pleasure.’ He should step back. Instead, he couldn’t resist temptation again. Not when she stood there so defiantly—wordlessly daring him.

One kiss. Just one more. He bent and brushed his mouth gently against hers and felt the instinctive cling of her lips to his. No denial. She couldn’t. Suppressing a guttural groan, he allowed himself another taste of her exquisite softness. He cupped her face to stop himself from searching out her curves but then he couldn’t resist pressing her against the wall with his body. She melted like wax against him, and damned if that wasn’t every bit as good as earlier. If not even better than the raging inferno of the straight-to-orgasm encounter they’d almost had on his dining table. She was so warm. So tender. So sweet. And with another swipe of his tongue the inferno was back. He growled and ground against her—torn between keeping his head and indulging his rampant appetite. He should just take her to bed. Slake this hunger. If he asked now she would say yes. But he wanted her acceptance of something so much more.

He tore his lips from hers, leaning back to study her. Her eyes were still closed as if she was lost in the moment. As if she’d never been kissed like that in her life. And maybe it made him a fool, but he was willing to go with it because he hadn’t had a kiss like that either.

‘I can hardly wait till we’re married,’ he muttered.

Her eyes opened and looked huge—dazed. Her bold, sexy clothes and her trembling, flushed response were a study in contrasts and he decided then that he would truly take his time because her surrender would be all the more satisfying.

‘We’re not getting married.’

‘Sure we are. That’s the only way I’ll give you what you want.’ He would convince her properly tomorrow. He would find her weak spot, apply pressure and win.

‘Sleep on it. If you can,’ he challenged softly. ‘I’m not going to. I’m going to lie awake all night thinking about you. Specifically what I’m going todowith you the second I have that band on your finger.’

CHAPTER FIVE

‘YOUHAVEONLYone hour to escape!’ With dramatic effort Elodie closed the heavy door on the group of excited pre-teens and turned the lock with a loud flourish.

Her first customers were making the most of the air-conditioning to escape the suffocating heat that London could shock with in the summer. By the time she got back to reception, Bethan had arrived and was sewing final touches onto a prop for the new scenario they had planned.

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