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‘But she couldn’t have known I’d turn to Tom.’
Zander looked at her and his jaw tightened. ‘You and he were pretty close.’
Lauranne bit her lip. ‘I was wrong too—stubborn.’ Her heart beating faster, she stood on tiptoe and pressed her mouth against his.
With a tortured groan he returned the kiss, his tongue sliding into her mouth, seeking more intimate contact.
‘We both need to use our minds more than our feelings,’ he said ruefully, lifting her in his arms and carrying her through to the bedroom.
‘What are you doing?’ Her arms tightened around his neck and he shot her a smile that was pure, conquering male.
‘I’m not risking any more bruising on that marble. We both need comfort.’
This time when he stripped her naked his hands were gentle, his mouth and fingers torturing them both as he drove them to fever pitch before making love to her so slowly that when her climax hit she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and sobbed with emotion.
‘Don’t cry.’ He brushed her tears away with long fingers, his breathing still rapid as he rolled onto his back, taking her with him. ‘I never want to see you cry.’
She had to bite her lip to prevent herself from declaring her love for him.
Instead she buried her face in his warm flesh, loving the feel of him against her burning cheek.
‘So what happens now?’ After a moment she lifted her head to look at him. ‘Marina will ruin this deal for you if she can.’
‘That won’t happen.’
‘She’s devious.’
He turned to look at her, his dark eyes intent as they searched hers. ‘I know what she is, agape mou. And you have no reason at all to be jealous. After all, you are the one in my bed.’
The one in his bed.
She held him tight, feeling the warmth of his skin and his solid strength, wondering what it would take to be in his heart, too. ‘What if he doesn’t sell to you?’
‘He’ll sell.’ He dropped a kiss on her mouth. ‘Now get some sleep.’
* * *
Zander walked out onto the terrace, glancing back at the bed where Lauranne slept soundly. Unfortunately he’d never been further from sleep in his life. Their conversation kept replaying in his head and he found himself suffering from an emotion that was entirely new to him.
Guilt.
She’d been just twenty-one and at the beginning of her career and yet he’d crushed her ruthlessly.
A lesser person would have been destroyed by his actions. But not Lauranne.
He gave a humourless laugh as he stared across the dimly lit swimming pool that adjoined their private villa.
Why had he done that?
Never, before or since, had he treated a person quite so mercilessly as he’d treated Lauranne.
The guilt grew in intensity, weighing down his mind and his body.
He shifted slightly but the feeling stayed with him, lodged inside him, a constant reminder of his crime.
He’d never once listened to an explanation from her.
He’d just assumed she was like all the other women he’d met in his life, unfaithful and money-grabbing.
