The Royal House of Karedes: One Family: Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress / The Desert King's Housekeeper Bride / Wedlocked: Banished Sheikh, Untouched Queen. Carol Marinelli

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СКАЧАТЬ one really rankled. It was one thing that her brothers really frowned on. It had been OK for them to get up to whatever in the good old days, but the minute there was wind of a story on her they came down hard. She curled her fingers away from his.

      ‘You shouldn’t believe everything you read.’

      His expression darkened. ‘Really?’ He smoothed the palm of his hand along the ridge of her fist.

      Liss watched as exactly the intense brooding look she’d meant descended on his features. Then she watched him take a deliberately deep breath, visibly aiming to relax. ‘Actually, I’ve been wondering about one salacious detail for some time.’

      She raised a brow and tried to look as if she didn’t care that much. The papers wrote an awful lot of rubbish—recycled pictures and added tired old quotes from people she’d never met.

      He leaned towards her, voice lowered. ‘Whether it’s true you usually go without underwear in your trademark slinky party dresses.’

      She couldn’t help the smile at that, a bubble of laughter stirred and her flirt mood revived. ‘That’s for me to know.’ She couldn’t resist throwing him the challenge. ‘Think you’re going to find out?’

      ‘I’d be willing to bet on it.’ He shot the answer straight back.

      It almost stopped her—but not quite. ‘I’m not a betting woman.’

      ‘Wise girl. In your shoes I wouldn’t be either.’ He grinned wickedly, reminding her of their race the other week. ‘Who’d be fool enough to bet against a dead certainty?’

      She tried to think of something suitably cutting to say only her brain wasn’t working as fast as it usually did. ‘You’re very confident.’

      ‘I am,’ he agreed softly. ‘Want to know why?’

      He lifted his hand from hers, took a pinch of her hair and tugged so she turned her head his way again. One look into those eyes again and she was mesmerised.

      Utterly still she sat as he drew closer, blocking everything from her senses but him.

      ‘This is why,’ he muttered. He let go of her hair, but his hand didn’t leave her head. His fingers slipped down the side of her face, and he traced around the curve of her jaw. The smallest touch was sensational—it was as if tiny fireworks had been set off along his path and the next patch of skin demanded its share… but most especially it was her mouth that wanted his attention. She had to open it, just a little. She had… to… breathe. The small creases at the corners of his eyes deepened a fraction. He knew. And then he responded—his finger traced up from her chin and slowly, with delicate pressure, he rubbed the tip of it back and forth over her lips. They felt dry and full and needy. What she’d give for a drink right now—a drink straight from his mouth.

      His slow, delicious, tormenting caresses didn’t stop. Just one finger, cruising the contours of her lips and she couldn’t look away from the promise of passion in his eyes. She forgot where they were, the low hum of the airplane faded to nothing—only conscious of the sound of her own breathing and the intensity of his attention.

      To her equal dismay and pleasure he moved his finger from her mouth, running it down the length of her throat, circling around the hollow at the base of it. Then he slid it first one side, then the other, to smooth over her collarbones.

      She wanted to say something, but couldn’t think what. Couldn’t think at all. His gaze dropped, breaking the stare, and the corners of his mouth lifted into that smile that she half loathed, half loved. And his finger went lower, right down the centre of her breastbone. He flicked to one side and with slow deliberation circled around her nipple.

      ‘This is why,’ he repeated softly.

      She looked down and discovered a bra wasn’t necessary when James paid attention to her breasts. He had a better effect than any support or surgery ever could. She could feel the way they’d swollen and lifted, tightening at his touch. Now, in her thin top, her nipples were clearly visible—peaks jutting out, begging for attention. They were so hard it hurt.

      She looked back at his sardonic expression and realised that he was still in control. While only the slightest of touches had had her almost on her knees wanting more, he was sitting back—the amused antagonist. She wanted him to be as affected as she was.

      She pushed his hand away and sat up sharply. ‘It’s the air-conditioning.’ She inserted as much frost as possible into her reply. ‘Planes. I’m always cold on them.’

      His laugh was warm and inside she softened in response. She responded the way she did to everything he did—uncontrollably.

      ‘Really?’ he teased. ‘Then why are you so hot here?’ His fingers traipsed leisurely across her brow. His voice dropped even lower, a lover’s whisper. ‘Where else are you hot, princess?’

      She stared into eyes that were dark and devastating. She knew she was sinking into them. Her body melting; if he kissed her again she’d lose it.

      The sexual attraction was like a third force—there was her, there was him, and there was this thing between them—drawing her closer, ever closer.

      And she was hot everywhere. Was it the same for him? Couldn’t be—or he wouldn’t have been able to stop so easily last time.

      James was making a claim. But he wasn’t relinquishing control—not of himself or of the situation. It made him a challenge she wasn’t sure she had the strength to pass on.

      But he was her boss. And there was something else about James that put her even more on alert. Partly, it was the sheer strength of that physical attraction, but partly it was because she had the feeling he’d see right through her if she let him.

      What would he see? Anything? It was strangely important to her that he think well of her. Stupid, when so few people in authority like him did. So, for now, she’d retreat. Laugh the whole thing off with some sarcasm. ‘Do you always try to sleep with your secretaries?’

      He sat back, obviously amused. ‘Only the ones above average height, with dark hair and who aren’t afraid to bite back.’

      She pretended to think for a bit. ‘Maria in Accounts would suit.’

      ‘Maria in Accounts has a husband and two children. That would be messy. I never do messy.’

      ‘Really? What do you do, then?’

      ‘Start it simple, keep it physical, end it clean and final.’

      She bit the inside of her cheek. That was honesty from him, then—short and to the point and now she knew where she stood. ‘And you’re thinking of starting it with me?’

      ‘Sweetheart, you know we’ve already started.’

      Yeah, but it didn’t seem that simple to her.

      ‘It is going to happen, you know.’ His eyes were lasers—truth seekers.

      ‘That certain bet?’

      ‘Dead certain—remember?’ He nodded slowly. ‘I’ve finally accepted that.’

      ‘Gosh, СКАЧАТЬ