The weight on his arm was her head. He turned, looking at her, something strange twisting low in his abdomen.

Guilt.

He’d expected this. He’d known it would come, but it didn’t make the pain any less compelling.

It was made even worse by the fact it wasn’t all just guilt about Anna-Maria and Sofia. There was so much more. He didn’t love Harper. But if he closed his eyes and imagined loving her, imagined needing her then imagined losing her—as he had so many people in his life—he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t go through that again.

And you told her that, he reminded himself forcibly.You made it clear that last night was just about sex.She wouldn’t be weaving any dreams about a future with him. It was what it was: a one-night stand.

One night?

His body revolted in response to that. Why end it now? They’d be travelling back to the island together and she’d see out the rest of her contract, which gave them one more week. If he could make sure she understood, continued to understand, that he would never want more than the kind of passion they’d enjoyed last night, why not make the most of it? They were adults, capable of understanding the difference between lust and love.

It was as if a huge weight was being lifted off his chest. Loyalty, guilt and trauma, and the darkness of those emotions, had made him celibate, but also fear. Fear of caring for someone again, of opening himself up to them and losing them. Anna-Maria had been one of his oldest, dearest friends. He’d lost his wife but he grieved a friend and the baby they’d made together.

He never wanted to feel anything like that again.

But sex was sex—wonderful, hypnotic, drugging sex. So long as he could make sure they remembered that, they could enjoy this.

And, with that in mind, he rolled onto his side, his mouth claiming Harper’s as she slept, kissing her awake. Her smile against his lips was all the reassurance he needed that she welcomed his attention, that she wanted him again. Thank God because, after the years he’d gone without, he was a starving man and she the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.

The hotel in Prague was the least impressive but the city was undeniably Harper’s favourite of the three they’d visited, and not just because of how they’d spent the night. As they traversed the bridge, side by side but not holding hands—because that would have been romantic and, whatever they were, it wasn’t romantic—she paused to look over the edge, sighing a little. Ancient statues stood sentry along it. ‘I would love to have seen this at night,’ she said, imagining how dramatic the scenery would be when all lit up.

‘We were a little busy.’

She grinned, shooting him a sidelong glance. ‘No complaints here.’

‘We can stay another night.’ The offer was obviously made spontaneously. She saw the surprise in his eyes, but then the certainty as he nodded. ‘Yes, let’s stay.’

Her eyes widened. ‘You’re sure?’

‘Why not?’

Great question. Why not?She gnawed on her lip, the hint of a misgiving forming at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t make sense of it. She had no idea what could be bothering her, in fact, given how perfect last night had been, so she ignored the voice, chalking it up to indecision because everything was different and new.

‘Okay. What about work?’

‘We can work from the hotel.’

‘From that tiny room?’

He lifted his shoulders. ‘Or we can do other things.’

She laughed softly. ‘Uh-uh...’ She waggled her finger. ‘I had fun last night, but...’

When their eyes met, it felt as though she was being speared by lightning. That strange misgiving was back.

‘But,’ she continued, ‘I don’t want any special treatment. I’m working for you, just like before. Got it?’

‘I might find it a little harder to concentrate.’

She poked out her tongue. ‘You’ll manage.’

‘I might make it a little harder for you to concentrate.’

She grinned. ‘We’ll see.’

Later, back in the hotel, he showed her exactly what he’d meant by that, making it almost impossible for Harper to focus on anything for longer than ten minutes between his trailing fingers, wandering lips and the fact he’d stripped down to boxer shorts alone.