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‘Putting myself in your power.’ Would he use it to condemn her or rescue her? Did he still want her, or had she put herself beyond the pale as far as he was concerned?
‘I arranged it that way,’ he acknowledged.
‘Under the jurisdiction of Xa Shiraq,’ she mocked, reminding him he wasn’t entirely his own man, hoping it might prick some deep core of pride that she could reach and use to her advantage.
There was a hard, unyielding look to his face. His black eyes bored into hers with merciless judgement. ‘You cannot dispute you have broken the law. You made an illegal entry into this country. To that offence you have added the illegal acquisition of permits and goods that would be considered criminal acts in any country. You are guilty of so many counts of fraud and grand larceny, there is no international body you could appeal to that would interest itself in fighting your cause.’
‘I have justice on my side,’ Amanda bit out determinedly, refusing to accept the defeat he was pressing upon her.
His lips curled in contempt. ‘Fiat justitia, ruat coelum,’ he said. ‘Let justice be done though the heavens fall.’
‘As you sow, so will you reap,’ Amanda retorted.
He dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. ‘You have discredited yourself in the eyes of the world.’
‘The same ploy was used on my father.’ She stood up in disdain of his indictment of her. Her eyes flashed their contempt back at him. ‘Do you feel proud of your petty schemes and plotting?’
‘It was efficient,’ he stated coldly. ‘And served its purpose. You are here in Xabia, Miss Buchanan. There is no avenue of escape.’
Was there no chink in his armour? Did he belong body and soul to his sheikh?
‘That doesn’t mean you win,’ Amanda fired at him, trying to stir the sense of contest he had seemed interested in before.
It provoked him. The black eyes blazed, their chill obliterated by a heat that seared her skin. ‘Time is on my side. As much time as I need. As much time as I want. You can hardly say I have lost, Miss Buchanan.?
?
Amanda was left in no doubt of what he meant. The arrogant confidence with which his eyes roved over her made her burn with furious resentment. It also triggered a flood of responses that shamed her.
Chemical reactions were uncontrollable, she reasoned wildly. There probably wasn’t a woman in the world who wouldn’t think he was overwhelmingly attractive in those form-fitting trousers and riding boots, outlining the strong muscularity of his legs and drawing attention to his virility. It was only natural that she should feel...a tingle of interest.
Though, if she was honest with herself, it was more than that. Much more. She had the strong sensation of desire licking over her skin, sending curls of excitement through her stomach, down her legs. She found herself staring at his mouth, wanting it to ravish hers. She dragged her gaze down to his throat. The smooth polish of his bare skin in the V of his open-necked shirt incited a compelling urge to touch. She wanted to feel the power of the man enveloping her in physical intimacy, surging inside her, loving her for what she was.
Amanda struggled to come to terms with the strength of these feelings. It wasn’t like her to have erotic thoughts. There was something else bothering her, as well. The scent...it seemed heavier, richer now. But that was irrelevant to the problems she faced.
‘I have had this tent prepared for you. For your comfort and pleasure.’ His voice was suddenly a low velvet purr, a caress that squeezed her heart.
‘What is that scent?’ she blurted out. It was a stupid question, yet she somehow needed to have it settled and out of her mind.
‘It is the scent of the jasmine that was banned by the Sultan of Zanzibar.’ He walked towards her with the slow, threatening grace of a panther on the prowl, his black eyes gleaming with satisfaction. ‘The Arabs complained that it unduly excited the women when they were having sexual relations. Personally, I don’t mind that happening.’
Resentment welled over the strange excitement that had gripped her. ‘Does having me as your prisoner give you the right to do anything you like with me? Is that what you think?’
‘I will use whatever means I have to make you face the truth of your feelings as a woman. And your response to me as a man.’
‘Does that include taking me whenever you want to?’
He laughed derisively. ‘I want more than that.’
He was close now, so close that the compelling demand in his eyes made her feel intensely vulnerable. ‘Do you have Xa Shiraq’s approval for what you are doing?’ she fired at him, desperate to find some weakness she could play on.
‘If I risk that disapproval, it is for you.’ His arms came around her waist, drawing her to him. His eyes burned into hers. ‘What would you risk for me, Amanda?’
It was the first time he had taken the familiarity of using her name. It was seductive. It was also revealing. For all his steely control he was not immune to her. She still touched him...and troubled him...as no other woman had. That was what he had told her in Fisa. The critical question was how far would he go to have the complete conquest he wanted.
She pushed her hands up his chest to retain some distance between them. She barely resisted the impulse to explore further. She had to think, act, win!
‘What do you want me to risk?’ she asked.
