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Xerxes himself wouldn’t care. He didn’t love her and, as he’d already told her, love wasn’t a requirement for a royal marriage and so he wouldn’t be expecting it anyway. And that could only be a good thing.
Sick of thinking about it, Calista pushed herself up and brushed her hair back from her face. Perhaps she’d have a shower, then maybe find something else to wear, as she’d been wearing the same clothes since the day before.
The shower in the en-suite bathroom was large and had the perfect pressure, and once she felt refreshed Calista wrapped a towel around herself and went back into the bedroom. The bag that the guard had taken out of the helicopter had been put on the sofa that faced the windows, so she moved over to it and unzipped it. Inside were a number of brightly coloured, silky items that appeared to be underwear and nothing else.
Calista dug around for anything that was less revealing than the long, dark blue silk negligee that had for some reason been included, but apparently actual clothes had not been packed for her, which meant it was the negligee or nothing.
She’d never worn anything so feminine before—if she didn’t count the gowns she’d tried on a couple of months back—and she didn’t like the idea of wearing it now. But she wasn’t going to wander around naked, so she put it on, as well as a fresh pair of lacy gold underwear. Then she found a matching blue silk robe that at least covered up the fact that she was dressed only in a nightie, and put that on over the top.
Feeling underdressed and oddly vulnerable, she opened the door and went to find Xerxes. With any luck she wouldn’t run into any staff curious about why she was wandering around in only a silky dressing gown.
There were no staff members around, as it turned out, which was a relief, the big house seeming empty. All the rooms were large and all were facing the incredible views of the ocean, the sun setting fire to the sky as it sank below the horizon. The furniture was low-key and rustic, the walls white, while silk cushions and rugs provided bright pops of colour here and there. There was nothing fussy or formal about the decor; it was a house meant to be lived in rather than admired and she liked that very much.
Eventually, drawn by the sounds of splashing coming from one of the terraces, she walked out onto the cool white stone to find Xerxes swimming in the infinity pool.
The big glass doors that separated the terrace from the house had been pushed back, so she wandered out into the pool area, standing on the side, watching him as he powered down the length of the pool.
His strokes were strong, and he pulled himself through the water as if he were climbing a mountain, his muscles flexing and releasing as his arms rose and fell. His skin glistened in the fading light of dusk, the water flowing over the tattoo of the lion on his back.
He was beautiful to watch, raw masculine power and strength, sleek and predatory as a shark in the water.
A pulse of hunger and deep longing went through her.
She’d tried so hard not to think of him over the past few weeks, or of the specifics of the night they’d spent together. Tried so hard to keep everything about that night locked down and in the past. But she could feel that need inside her, twisting and turning, trying to penetrate the armour she wore, stealing through the cracks and forcing them wide. He was the one who’d done that. Who’d cracked her armour apart. And now she’d had a taste of what it was like not to wear it...
God, she wanted more.
Another benefit of marrying him.
Her mouth dried as the thought hit her. If she married him, shecouldhave that. He’d made it clear that he wanted it, so she wouldn’t have to deny herself or pretend she didn’t feel it. She wouldn’t have to be quite so disciplined. The expectations of a princess were different from that of a soldier and so maybe she wouldn’t have to wear that armour. At least, not all the time.
The thought was like a stone thrown into a still pond, each ripple getting wider and wider, setting up a reaction that echoed through her entire body, making her shudder.
Why not? If you keep it only physical, what harm could it do?
Perhaps no harm. And she could be free...
Xerxes must have spotted her, because he slowed then came to a stop, putting his head back and standing up. Water streamed down his body, running off every carved inch of him, the setting sun sending his olive skin a deep gold, and striking sparks from the gleam of it in his dark eyes. He raised a hand, pushing his fingers through his wet black hair, and she was mesmerised by the flex and release of the muscles of his biceps and chest, by the lift of one powerful shoulder.
The hunger inside her deepened.
He smiled, his sheer physical charm almost an affront, because surely no man was allowed to be that gorgeous. ‘Good evening, Calista. How did you sleep?’
‘Very well.’ Her voice was scratchy and breathless, and she couldn’t quite get it under control.
Do you need to? You’ve already lost control with him once before...
Another thought that sent ripples through her. Of course, she’d lost control with him that night, hadn’t she? And he hadn’t cared. He hadn’t judged. He’d simply taken her passion and driven it higher, using hers to fuel his own so that they’d lost it together...
Her heart thudded hard in her ears as he gave her a long look up and down, and she remembered abruptly what she was wearing, her face heating at the blatant appreciation in his eyes. ‘I knew that would look superb on you.’
She tried to get some much-needed air into her lungs, resisting the urge to cross her arms protectively over her breasts. ‘There doesn’t seem to be anything else for me to wear.’
‘No, there isn’t.’ He moved through the water to the side of the pool. ‘I didn’t pack anything else.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because you don’t need anything else.’ He put his hands on the white stone of the pool’s edge. ‘I’d really prefer you to be naked, but I thought the underwear and negligee would save your blushes.’
