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Quickly he keyed in the number for the outside door and, with his arm protectively around her, walked towards the lift. She hadn’t spoken since they’d left the party, but he guessed the same desire that raged inside him was keeping her silent.
Ever since they’d first met that desire had been a powerful force to resist. It had drawn him in, making him lose all sense of reason—and tonight was no different. He wanted her, but he had to retain control—had to remember this was a deal she’d agreed to. And it hadn’t been because of their baby, but because of the money to help her sister.
The lift doors opened and they walked in. The bright lights were almost too much. Serena leant against the wall of the lift and lowered her gaze, looking intently at the floor. Was she trying to prevent him from seeing those beautiful green eyes of hers? Afraid to show the burning passion he’d felt in her as they’d danced?
‘You look beautiful.’
The husky tone of his voice surprised him, and his breath caught momentarily in his chest as she looked up at him. The green of her eyes, almost drowned by her enlarged pupils, made her look far sexier than he’d ever seen her. He wanted her—more than he’d ever done.
Lust hurtled round his body as her lips parted, and he noticed the rise and fall of her breasts, her breathing deepening.
‘Thank you.’
The words were barely audible, but his body had heard them, felt their seductive vibration caress and taunt him.
The lift doors opened but he couldn’t move, his gaze remaining locked to hers, his own breathing becoming heavier by the second. Slowly she stood taller, straightening her spine, her eyes holding his as she took one step towards him.
‘This is what it was like that last night on the beach,’ she whispered, so softly he wondered if she’d actually meant him to hear. ‘I couldn’t fight it then either.’
‘You drove me mad with desire that night,’ he said, moving close enough that he could take her in his arms. But he didn’t, not trusting his power of control.
His pulse throbbed with building desire, the beat thumping in his ears, and he flexed his fingers then curled them tight into his palms. He couldn’t take much more of this.
Her neat brows furrowed slightly and questions raced across her face. ‘It was our last night. It should have been goodbye.’
The lift doors closed, breaking the spell that had woven inextricably around them. Serena looked away, almost flustered by what had just happened, and frustration gave way to irritation as he pressed the button to open the doors again.
Whatever had been started that night on the beach in Santorini was far from over. He didn’t appreciate the hold she had over him, the way she could make him want her just with a glance or a whispered word, but he couldn’t ignore it any longer.
He stepped out of the lift and turned to see her watching him. ‘I want you, Serena.’
He couldn’t explain why he’d said it, why he’d exposed his emotions. He pressed his lips firmly together to avoid saying anything else he might regret—something she might later use against him. He did want her—of that there wasn’t any doubt—but that didn’t mean he had to bring emotions into it. That was something he could never do...especially when she was here for her own reasons.
She stepped towards him, her long legs outlined through the pale silk of the dress, causing the blood to pound harder around his heated body and his thoughts to spiral away to nothing.
‘I want you too.’
The tremulous whisper, so timid and quiet, made him grit his teeth together. She deserved better than him. She deserved a man who would love her—one who would be what she needed him to be. But fate had intervened and, as much as he desired her, he didn’t know if he could be that man. His past had shaped him to an emotionally cold man who would never be able to love a woman with real sincerity, but inside he still burned with desire for her.
* * *
Serena saw his jaw clench and knew she shouldn’t have said anything. She shouldn’t have told him she wanted him, giving him power over her once more. Such thoughts made everything impossible.
She couldn’t take a single step towards him, and stayed inside the lift as he stepped out.
Nikos had proposed to her, bought her the most gorgeous engagement ring—not only out of duty, but because of the deal they’d made. It was pure blackmail, but it would enable her sister to become a mother. Her spirits dropped at the thought that none of it would have happened if their night together hadn’t resulted in consequences.
