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So before she could say anything else, or worse, touch him again, he turned and strode off down the hallway.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ISLADIDN’TSLEEPWELLthat night and by the time dawn crept around, she was still tossing and turning in her bed.

She couldn’t get the fierce gleam in Orion’s eyes when he’d looked down at her in the hallway the night before out of her head. She’d only wanted to make sure that her teasing comment in the helicopter hadn’t hurt him, which seemed ridiculous in retrospect since he seemed to be a man impervious to something as small as mere hurt.

The trip to the volcano had been a revelation, and she’d loved every second of it. The adrenaline rush of standing on the edge of a lava flow and listening to the geologist explain the workings of a volcano and how new rocks were made had been incredible. There had been so many things she’d wanted to know, so many colours to take in, the landscape around her in all its textures so fascinating.

It made such a change from the boardroom, and she’d got carried away in her excitement on the way back, thoughtlessly teasing Orion about his problems, because she’d never imagined a man like him would have any. Yet the sharpness of his response had brought her up short. She hadn’t wanted to ruin the day by saying something careless, so in the hallway she’d only wanted to apologise.

Then he’d looked down at her and the heat in his eyes had locked the breath in her throat. As had the anger.

She hadn’t realised he’d still wanted her, yet it was clear that he did. And badly. Except he wasn’t going to take her. This time he wanted her to give herself to him.

Some part of her was thrilled at being such a test for his control, while another part was amazed that he was holding himself back from taking what he wanted.

She sighed and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. The ferocious heat in his gaze, yet the rigid way he’d held himself in check had been an intoxicating combination. And far from making her not want to touch him, it made her want to keep touching him more. To push him, see how far she could take things before he broke...

‘I want it to be a gift you give to me.’

Ah, but no, she couldn’t push him. It wouldn’t be right, not after he’d said that to her. Not now that he saw her as a gift to be given rather than a thing to take. It thrilled her down to the bone.

Twice she’d been chosen by people, and twice they’d regretted that choice. The first time she’d been returned like a pet no one had wanted and the second time, well... She hadn’t been returned by David yet, but she was still under review. Her performance had been lacking, she knew it.

You were stupid to expect more from him. You weren’t adopted, you were hired.

It was true. David had never acted as though he was her father. Right from the first day she’d come home with him, he’d been emotionally distant. All he’d ever wanted from her were excellent marks at school and then honours at university, which she’d given him. She hadn’t known any other way to earn his approval and she still didn’t.

Why do you even want his approval?

She wasn’t sure. Maybe it was simply that his approval was better than his disappointment, and she had never been able to bear that.

Not that she wanted to think of David. It was Orion and how she was going to deal with him today that mattered.

You didn’t want to sleep with him again. You were very clear.

It was true, yet she couldn’t deny how her body reacted to the thought of being in his arms again. The dragging ache between her thighs and the excitement that crowded in her throat. The way every muscle tightened with anticipation whenever he got close.

Yesterday, on the tour, she’d stumbled and he’d slid an arm around her, anchoring her against his hard, powerful body. The shock of his warmth and the reassuring strength in his grip had unsettled her so much all she’d been able to do was pat his arm and step away as quickly as she could just to get her breath back.

Perhaps it was a reckless thing to contemplate, but would it be so very bad to offer herself to him? To give him the gift he wanted? Especially since she wanted him every bit as badly as he wanted her.

After all, she’d already had one night with him and nothing bad had happened afterwards. Her control over herself hadn’t magically vanished just because she’d given in to passion. Was another night really such a risk?

Not finding any answers, eventually Isla hauled herself out of bed and got dressed. Then she found her camera from yesterday and went through the photos she’d taken, pleased with the shots. The stark, wild beauty of the Icelandic mountains and all that fire and ice set something vibrating deep inside her. And what had Orion told her in the helicopter on the way back? He’d spoken about nature’s power and how it put things in perspective.

She’d liked his response. That he, a powerful man supremely in control of himself, could appreciate the untamed nature of the landscape. Not because he wanted to tame it, but because he wanted to get close to it, observe its majesty for himself.

Oh, he was interesting. She wanted to know more of his thoughts on nature and she also wanted to know very much what problems nature put into perspective.

A photo of Orion suddenly popped up on her screen. He was standing on the black rocks, looking at her, a half smile curving his hard, beautiful mouth. His eyes were gleaming in the light from the lava flow and the intensity in his face stole her breath.

He looked fierce, as hard and sharp as the rocks he stood on. As powerful as the volcano that towered over them.

Such a beautiful man, though his wasn’t a conventional beauty. It was something untamed and wild, as primitive as the landscape around him.

He’d given her such an amazing experience, and abruptly she wanted to do something equally amazing for him. Make his gift today one that would surprise and delight him as much as she’d been surprised and delighted the day before.

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