Page 59 of 2 Books in One Bundle

But in that hallway in Chelsea, he’d cut out that last remaining piece. Luke was happy, that was all that mattered, and as for himself, well, it was easier to pretend he’d never had a son at all.

Luke was the one thing he’d let go of, because he’d had to. But afterwards, he’d decided that there would be no family for him. No more children. No wife. No happy home full of love and laughter. He’d grown up without any of that and he was fine, and besides, love was a power game, and one he’d lost, so now he simply refused to play.

Not that he was in any danger of falling in love with Isla. Marrying her had been part of Kendrick’s deal and he’d agreed since it was either that or Kendrick found some other groom for her, and he hadn’t been about to let that happen. Once he set his sights on a target he generally acquired it. He didn’t like to lose. He’d keep her for the year specified, but then he’d divorce her, no harm done.

Slowly, he pushed shut his laptop and leaned back in his seat.

That kiss she’d given him... She’d taken him by surprise, he had to admit. He hadn’t been expecting her to grab his tie, lean down and deliver a kiss just as hot as the one he’d given her. It took a lot to surprise him these days, but she’d managed it and he respected the hell out of her for it.

But she didn’t know that in kissing him, she’d issued him with a challenge. A challenge that fired his blood. He was a wolf at heart and he loved the thrill of the chase, the hunt. He loved the fight, too, when he ran his prey down. But people didn’t fight him the way they used to, his reputation had ensured that. They mostly just lay down and offered him their throat, which wasn’t satisfying in any way.

Isla wouldn’t just lie down and offer him her throat, he suspected. She would fight him and he relished the thought of that particular chase very much.

He hadn’t planned on anything physical happening between them. All he’d wanted was to get close to her, talk to her, find out why a bit of paint on a board should have illuminated her so completely, and what exactly was the nature of that light inside her. But he wouldn’t mind exploring their physical attraction if she was willing. And then once he’d explored that, perhaps this fascination would go away. Because he was tired of her being in his thoughts so continually.

Of course, that all depended on her wanting to stay at his lodge. He could make it difficult for her to leave physically—the lodge was remote and the weather could make transport to and from it tricky—but it would be much more satisfying if she chose to stay.

He could make her choose that. His new wife might look like a snow maiden, but her kiss was full of heat, and that had set him thinking about her fiancé and whether he’d been able to satisfy her and the answer was potentially not, since she’d been able to kiss another man not once, but twice. Three times if you counted the kiss at the altar.

Perhaps he’d find that out too. It had been a long time since a woman had obsessed him in such a way and now with physical chemistry added to the equation, he wasn’t about to let her go anytime soon. Not until he’d exhausted his interest.

Orion spent the rest of the short remaining flight time tying up some loose ends and then making a few plans. He sent off the agreement to the Kendricks’ lawyers as promised, and then made a few calls to his PR department. His shock wedding would attract some media attention, but if they stayed in Iceland long enough, the fuss would die down. Not that he particularly cared about it, but Isla might.

Soon enough, the jet began to descend into Reykjavik. Once they’d landed and the formalities were dealt with, they then boarded the helicopter that would take them to the lodge.

It was far to the south and east of the country, the lodge built at the edge of a small lake and surrounded by mountains and woodland that he was in the process of regenerating.

He had a few lodges scattered around the globe, but the one in Iceland was his favourite simply because it was so remote and wild. The ruggedness of the landscape and the changing shape of it due to the constant, churning volcanic activity appealed to him. He appreciated nature’s power and how small humanity seemed against it, and ultimately how powerless.

It was a bracing perspective and he liked that.

The flight there was a spectacular one, but since it had darkened into night since they left the UK, there was no view to take in. Isla didn’t say a word and kept her gaze on the blackness outside the helicopter window the whole time.

It didn’t matter. They’d have plenty of time to talk when they arrived.

Luckily the weather was still and Orion had had the helipad cleared of snow so there were no issues with landing. It was freezing outside, though.

He opened the door and helped her out, the icy air immediately catching them. She gave a little gasp and shuddered, clutching her shawl around her.

It was snowing now, and in the lights coming from the lodge and from the lit stone path that led to the front door he could see snowflakes catching her hair and on her gown, glittering and sparkling.

She looked even more like a snow maiden than ever.

She also looked as if she was freezing to death.

Before he could think better of it, he murmured, ‘Come here, Snow White,’ and swept her up into his arms. ‘I’m supposed to carry you over the threshold.’

‘No.’ She’d gone stiff as a board. ‘I don’t want you to carry me.’

‘You’re freezing and your shoes are going to get wet.’ He settled her more firmly against him as he turned towards the lodge. ‘Also, I’m cold too and I could use the extra warmth.’

There was a fiercely resistant look on her pretty face, yet her body slowly relaxed against his. Clearly the cold had overcome her pride. ‘Don’t take this as a sign I like you,’ she said. ‘Because I don’t.’

‘Noted.’ The tart note in her voice made him smile as he strode along the lit stone path that led to the huge wooden double front doors of the lodge. ‘Tomorrow we can discuss why exactly you don’t like me.’

‘No, we can’t.’

He glanced down at her, amused that despite her grumpy tone, she’d somehow nestled even closer. She was very warm in his arms, the scent of her body sweet in the frigid night air.

---