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'From the man... .' She picked the phrase with care, remembering his admonition. 'The man who claims to be your father.'
He made a low, growling sound at the back of his throat, and then, reaching out, he caught hold of her and brought her right up against his hot, hard body- registering with satisfaction but no surprise that her pupils dilated in automatic response and that the tips of her breasts were pushing against the sensually soft material of her suit.
'What do you want from me'?' he demanded, but his hand had snaked around her waist and had begun to caress its narrow indentation.
Breathlessly, Laura stared up at him as he began to stroke her, feeling tension coiling at the pit of her stomach, the hot prickling of her breasts, and a kind of dazed incredulity at the situation in which she found herself. This was outrageous! Yet his proximity was nothing short of destabilising-his touch as irresistible as freedom to the caged animal. And, just like an animal, she gave a tiny whimper of disbelief.
Her throat felt so tight that she could barely get the words out. Because this was desire given a whole new meaning. .I can't think straight when you're... '
'When I am stroking you'?' he purred, and he bent his head down to whisper into her ear. She could feel the warm caress of his breath, and his words were the most irresistible sounds she had ever heard. 'But you like me stroking you. You would like me to be stroking you far more intimately, I think... .'
With my fingers parting your thighs and touching? Here you are like a molten blazing furrnace. You shudder beneath me’.
'Stop it,' she said breathlessly, because she could sense his desire-taste and smell it, almost hear it-as if it were thrumming in the air around them. She felt like a piece of wax left in front of the fire, dissolving beneath th
e warmth of his touch. 'Stop it right now.'
He dropped his hands like a man who had been playing a game he had become bored with, enjoying the sight of her darkened eyes, the way she was trying to gulp air into her lungs and the faint flush which had shaded her pale skin. He would have her-of course he would.
Not yet.
'You still haven't told me what it is you want,' he said tonelessly.
Laura gave herself time to compose herself-to rid herself of the erotic pictures which were playing in slow motion in her protesting brain, and the sensations which were dancing dangerously over her sensitized skin. .
‘I have orders to bring you back to Kharastan,' she said slowly.
He flexed his long olive fingers and then curled them down into the palms of his hands, so that they resembled the claws of some predatory bird, fixing her in the ebony sight of his gaze as if she were some helpless prey.
'Orders'?'
'I'm sorry-that was an inadvisable choice of word.'
'Damned right it was' he gritted out. 'But the word is not nearly as inadvisable as the sentiment.'
He leaned forward, his eyes spitting fire, so that Laura got some idea of what the coals of hell might look like.
'Do you really think that a man like Xavier de Maistre can be summoned'' he demanded. 'Taken to some God-forsaken country to meet a man whom I do not even believe is my father'?' Freed from the seduction of his touch, Laura felt reason began to return-but she knew she could not allow herself the luxury of answering him back. Just stay with it for a little while longer, she urged herself. AII she had to do was get him on that plane, and then she would have earned her bonus and need never set eyes on his dangerous, sexy face again.
Once again, Malik's words came back to her.
'Bring Xavierback to Kharastan. No matter what It takes. '
What would it take? Laura looked around at the costly furnishings. Not a bribe, that was for sure. Nor vague promises that might never been fulfilled.
What would a powerful man like this treasure above all else?
The truth, perhaps? For what else did she have to offer him? .1 think you may regret it if you do not agree to accompany me,' she said boldly.
Her words did not seem to be what he was expecting. 'Regret?' he echoed incredulously. .'I can assure you, cherie, that regret is not a part of my nature.'
No, she could imagine that with those cold eyes he would move restlessly ever forward, like a shark-never looking back or experiencing that wistful ache that maybe something should have been done differently.
‘I think this may be the exception which proves the rule,' she said, and sighed, her green eyes troubled as she looked at him. Because this had now become much more than a job to be successfully completed. She didn't really know Xavier-and what she did know of him she didn't particularly like. Yet deep down he was a man who risked throwing away an opportunity which might never come again-and so she spoke to him from the heart.
'The Sheikh is old and frail,' Laura said softly. 'You might be right-this whole incident might be the result of a series of misunderstandings. Perhaps you aren't his son. But unless you go, you'll never find out. Once you have the truth, you can reject it if you please-but how would you feel if he was your father and you missed this opportunity? If you want a chance to meet your father, then I advise you to act now, before it is too late.' Laura lifted her chin and met his gaze. 'Because old men can die at any time, Xavier.'
CHAPTER THREE
