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She’d cursed him and tried to move away—only to have him clamp his hand to her waist, pulling her even more firmly against him, so that her breasts had been crushed to his side and she’d been acutely aware of how hard his chest felt. The way his big hand curled possessively around her, fingers grazing her belly.
The jewellery itself had been a blur of glittering golds and diamonds, pearls, sapphires and emeralds. Andreas had picked things out and taken Siena’s wrist to slip jewelled bracelets on, before adding them to a growing pile. When he’d put necklaces around her neck his hands had trailed softly across her bare shoulders, his fingers lightly touching her collarbone. Siena’s face had flamed. It had felt like such an intimate touch.
She had tried to hold herself as rigidly as possible, aghast at how much it was affecting her to be subjected to what were relatively chaste touches. They’d been under the beady eyes of the jewellers, but Siena had had to remind herself they were being observed.
Losing count of the mounting pile of jewellery, Siena had been ready to scream by the time Andreas had tried a simple platinum and diamond necklace and matching bracelet on her and said, ‘Wear this dress and these jewels tonight.’
She had bitten back a retort—a knee-jerk reaction to being dictated to. Her new-found sense of independence had surged forth, but then she’d reminded herself that he’d bought her. Therefore he could have her any which way he wanted. She’d had a very disturbing image of herself, naked, splayed across Andreas’s bed, dressed in nothing but all these jewels.
When Andreas had finally declared himself satisfied the other men had started to gather up the remaining jewellery. But Siena had spotted something out of the corner of her eye. A flash of something delicate and golden. Before she could stop herself she’d reached out to touch the necklace, hidden in folds of velvet.
As she’d lifted it out it had become clear that it didn’t have the same glittering wow factor of the other gems, but it was exquisite: a simple golden chain with a wrought-gold birdcage detail. The tiny filigree door was open and further up the chain was a bird flying, suspended. Siena’s belly had clenched. Something about the bird flying out of its cage had resonated deeply within her.
The senior jeweller had cleared his throat uneasily. ‘That’s actually not meant to be part of the display we brought today. It was included by accident. It’s by a Greek jeweler…’
‘Angel Parnassus.’ Siena had said, half absently. She knew the famous delicately crafted designs of the renowned jeweler and had always admired them.
‘Yes…’ the man had confirmed.
‘We’ll take that too,’ Siena had heard Andreas say brusquely.
She’d started to protest, hating that Andreas had witnessed her momentary distraction and vulnerability. She’d looked at him and his eyes had been hard.
‘It’s a fraction of the price of the earrings you’ll wear tonight. Have it if you like it so much, Siena.’
Siena hadn’t wanted anything for herself, but she’d had no chance to speak. Andreas had already been standing up, shaking hands with the two men, seeing them out, leaving her with the necklace clutched in her hand.
Siena heard a noise now and tensed, her attention brought back to the present. Andreas had arrived a short while before, knocking on her door to check that she was nearly ready. When she’d swallowed the frog in her throat and assured him that she was, he’d disappeared—presumably to get ready himself. Siena was waiting in the drawing room, feeling ridiculously nervous at the thought of the evening ahead. This was a situation she’d never experienced before.
She was wearing the black dress, as decreed by Andreas. But when it had come to the jewels Siena had had a moment of rebellion. Instead of the diamond necklace and bracelet he’d wanted her to wear she’d picked out a bold diamond and sapphire necklace, with a matching cuff bracelet.
Somehow the brashness of the necklace felt like some kind of armour. But then Siena heard a familiar footfall behind her and any illusion of armour went out of the window.
* * *
When Siena turned to face Andreas he felt as if someone had just punched him in the belly. For a second he couldn’t breathe. He’d dreamed of her so often like this…as he remembered her… Stunningly beautiful, elegantly aloof. Untouchable in a way that made him ache to touch her.
Her hair was drawn back and up into a high bun, effortlessly simple and yet the epitome of classic grace. Her make-up was understated, perfect. Nothing so brash as red lipstick. She didn’t need it. The drama came from her cool blonde perfection.
His eyes narrowed on her necklace and a spurt of something hot went through him. ‘You have defied me.’
Siena’s chin hitched up minutely. ‘You may have all but bought me for a week, but that does not mean I can’t exercise some free will.’
Andreas inclined his head and tamped down on the hotness inside him. ‘Indeed. That necklace is equally…beautiful.’
He had to admit that it set off her rather understated appearance with just the right amount of élan. The thick collar piece was studded with tiny diamonds and it curled around her neck and throat in a sinuous line down to where an enormous sapphire pendant hung against the creamy pale skin of her upper chest. The dark blue of the precious stone inevitably made the lighter blue of her eyes pop out.
Andreas pushed down the niggling vague doubts he’d had all day, ever since he’d overheard the conversation between her and Mrs Bright in th
e kitchen, when he’d learned that Siena had preferred to appear like a spoilt brat rather than reveal she didn’t know where the oven was.
And then her reaction to the jewellery hadn’t been the unmitigated greed and glee he’d expected to see. Siena had barely looked at the impressive array of jewellery, and the one thing that had caught her eye had been a simple gold pendant. Exquisite, yes, but not in the same league as the other jewels at all.
Andreas put such disturbing thoughts out of his head now. She hadn’t shown much interest in the jewellery because she would be converting it all into cold hard cash within days. How could he forget that?
More importantly, by tonight all that cool, untouchable beauty would have come undone. She would be bucking against him and begging for release. She would no longer look so pristine. She would be as naked and sated as he intended to be. Flushed and marked by his passion.
His blood surged. He put out his hand. ‘Come. It’s time to go.’
