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‘Ooh, what a gentleman you are. You really know how to make a woman feel special.’
‘Is it not better than leading them on?’
The amusement in his eyes had dimmed a little, the intensity increasing. She had the strangest feeling he was trying to convey a message to her.
‘I make it clear from the outset that I am not offering any sort of permanency. If I were to stick around afterwards and whisper endearments I would be lying and offering a false promise. I do not make false promises, Rosa, but neither do I set out to humiliate them. They know the score from the beginning. It’s just sex. Nothing more, nothing less.’
She continued to meet his stare whilst chewing another forkful of egg, struggling to work out what he was trying to tell her.
Before she could ask he raised an arm and sniffed. ‘I’d better have a shower before I start to smell.’ He rose to his feet with his usual languid grace. ‘Finish your breakfast. When you’re dressed and ready, I’ll give you a good thrashing at chess. Before I forget, you might want to put on a higher factor sun cream today—the Captain tells me it is going to be a scorcher.’
Thoroughly confused, she watched him retreat into the en suite bathroom.
The more she recalled his words, the more her brain became befuddled. Was it a warning or an explanation? Was he telling her that, even though he wanted to sleep with her, she was not to expect anything more? Or was he trying to tell her what his attitude had been?
She took a sip of her coffee and forced herself to think coherently.
Nico wanted their marriage to continue. He had spelt that out more than once. He wanted their marriage to be a proper one. With sex.
Could she really do it? Could she really give herself to him? Because one thing was clear—if she were to give her husband her body, there was every danger she would give so much more with it.
CHAPTER NINE
‘WHY DON’T YOU leave your hair loose?’ Nico asked when Rosa joined him on the sundeck. As usual she had scraped it back into a tight ponytail.
‘Because it’s a pain in the bum and keeps getting in my eyes.’ She took the seat opposite him and frowned down at the carved figures laid out in their respective starting positions.
‘You have such beautiful hair. It’s a shame you don’t let it free.’
The simple sincerity in his voice reached inside her and knocked off a fragment of the wall surrounding her heart. She almost heard it smash. Her hands shaking, she tightened her hair further.
He smiled ruefully, pushing a piece of paper to her. ‘I’ve written out what all the pieces are and the moves they can make. Have a read of it while I make us some cocktails.’
‘Already?’ She blinked and looked at her watch. ‘It’s not even eleven o’clock yet.’
‘We’re on holiday,’ he said, as if that explained everything.
‘And this is what people do on holiday?’
‘Rosa, a holiday is a time to relax—and let your hair down,’ he added with a smirk. ‘Soon you will get into the swing of it.’
She gazed around at the gleaming ocean and the cobalt blue of the sky and sighed with pleasure. ‘I never realised how wonderful it was to do nothing.’
‘It is strange, yes?’
Although his eyes were covered with sunglasses, she could feel his gaze resting upon her.
‘Yes,’ she agreed, knowing exactly what he meant. ‘It is a little strange.’
‘You will get used to it. And when you do, you will realise regular breaks are essential to keep your brain firing on all cylinders.’ He paused, a sensuous look flittering over his face. ‘Do you know what would make you relax even more?’
Inexplicably, her mouth went dry. She shook her head.
‘A massage. I think we should change the terms of our deal. I don’t mean to sound superior, but there is little chance of you beating me at chess. If I win three games in row, I get to give you a full-body massage.’
‘And that is supposed to be my forfeit?’ Was that dry croak really her voice?
He removed his glasses, hitting her with the full power of his magnetic stare. ‘No daragaya, that is to be my prize.’
After a beat, he rose.
‘You can give me your answer when I return. I suggest you read through the moves while I am gone.’
Rosa watched him stroll away, her heart pounding erratically against her ribs. Idly she fingered the piece of paper and, despite the churning that was threatening to consume her whole, found her attention caught by the intricate sketches Nico had drawn to represent each piece. She had often noticed the strength of his hands and the dexterity of his long, capable fingers...
A thrill ran up her spine as she considered what it would be like to have those proficient fingers kneading her flesh, touching her...
