Page 20 of His Innocent Unwrapped In Iceland

CHAPTER FIVE

ISLACAMETOwakefulness slowly the next morning. She was full of a delicious lassitude, with aches in strange places, and a head full of memories from the night before that made her roll over and press her hot face into the pillow.

Orion...

Orion, and the way he’d looked at her with such ferocity. Orion, and how he’d touched her with such mastery. Of how he’d ripped apart that silly nightgown to get to her, then tossed her on the bed, unable to wait to be inside her.

She hadn’t told him she was a virgin and maybe she should have, but she hadn’t wanted him to stop. She hadn’t wanted to get into any discussions about why and how either. She hadn’t wanted anything that would interrupt the moment, especially when he’d been nothing but raw, unleashed passion. He’d been glorious and he’d made her feel glorious too. As if she’d thrown herself into the middle of a blazing fire and loved how intensely she’d burned.

He’d kept her there all night, stoking that fire over and over, making her rise like a phoenix from the ashes again and again. Exploring her body as if he was fascinated by it and wanted to discover all the ways it could bring her pleasure.

She hadn’t known sex could be like that. She hadn’t known she’d lose herself so completely.

You suspected, though. Which is why you can’t allow it to happen again.

Something painful ached behind her breastbone, but she brushed it aside. It was true, she couldn’t. One night, she’d promised herself. One night to take what she wanted and that’s what she’d done. But she couldn’t afford another. She couldn’t let him get under her skin more than he had already, not when control over herself was already an issue for her.

And apart from anything else, they hadn’t discussed what was going to happen now.

Perhaps it was simply about the sex, and now he’s had you he’ll put you on the first plane back to the UK.

Her stomach dropped away at the thought, which was disturbing, because why should she care? She didn’t want to stay here with him. She needed to get back home and see her father. Ask him why he’d decided to agree to Orion’s demand to marry her without even a word to her. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, but she had to do it all the same.

You don’t want to know why he thought so little of you that he sold you to one man, then when that didn’t work out, he sold you to another.

But she didn’t want that thought in her head, so she pushed it away, turning to look at the pillow next to her instead. But it was empty. She didn’t know whether to feel disappointed about that or relieved.

Regardless, there was no point lying there with all these questions. She had to get up and confront the man she’d married.

The bed was extraordinarily comfortable and she was warm, and she didn’t particularly want to do any confronting right now, but there was nothing to be gained by delaying it. So she forced herself out of bed and into the ensuite bathroom.

There was a giant white-tiled shower with big windows that had views over the snowy landscape outside and Isla stood under the warm spray of water, staring out through the glass at the winter wonderland outside even as she relished the heat of the shower.

After she got out and towelled herself dry, she went over to the chest of drawers that stood near the windows and opened them. All the clothes she’d brought with her had been unpacked and folded neatly, so she grabbed some jeans and an oversized jersey in soft, light blue cashmere and got dressed.

Then she went out and down the stairs in search of Orion.

She could smell something delicious coming from the direction of what she assumed was the kitchen so she followed the scent, coming out into a large and very expensively fitted out open-plan kitchen, with lots of stainless steel and white tiles. Near the windows that had that same pretty snow-covered lake view was a dining table set for two with cutlery, plates and cups. There was a coffee pot and orange juice, and various different spreads.

Clearly Orion was expecting for them to have breakfast together, though he himself was nowhere to be seen.

Puzzled, she checked the lounge area, but he wasn’t there either. So she went down the hall, passing another bathroom, some more bedrooms and a cosy-looking library, and then, finally, a doorway that opened out into an office.

It had the same floor-to-ceiling windows as the rest of the lodge, but the view was out towards the mountains, ridged and sharp and capped with snow. A huge rustic-looking desk stood in front of the windows and behind the desk sat Orion. His attention was on the flat screen in front of him and he didn’t look up as she entered.

She’d been subconsciously bracing herself for the reality of him after their night together, but it wasn’t until that moment that she realised that bracing herself for him was impossible.

He was dressed casually, in worn jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, and his feet were bare. His black hair was slightly tousled and it was clear from the five o’clock shadow lining his strong jaw that he hadn’t shaved. He looked thoroughly disreputable and so sexy her breath caught.

‘Good,’ he said, keeping his gaze on the screen. ‘You’re up. I’ve made breakfast for us.’

She came slowly into the room, disturbed to find the familiar fizz and crackle of electricity was prickling over her skin again. Ridiculous. Why was she still feeling it? Last night should have dealt with their physical chemistry and yet...apparently not.

Isla forced the feeling away as she approached his desk.

‘I’ve had my PR department handle the media,’ he went on before she could get a word out, ‘since there was apparently quite a fuss about our wedding. I’ve given them a statement to send out that you and I had been pining for each other all this time, and Gianni selflessly stood aside at the last minute to allow me to marry you. Yes, it’s a bit overly romantic, but the press love that kind of stuff.’ He gave the mouse a decisive click. ‘We’ll be here for a couple of weeks and I have some excursions planned. Don’t worry, you won’t be bored.’ He leaned back in his seat, his amber gaze meeting hers head-on. ‘Any questions?’

Isla had many,manyquestions, yet the moment he looked at her, all of them went straight out of her head. He’d looked at her like this the night before, when she’d put on that nightgown and he’d stared at her, intent and utterly focused. Purposeful.

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