Sharon Kendrick Collection. Sharon Kendrick

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ and it fell to just above the knee, with long, fitted sleeves. In fact, the whole dress accentuated every curve of her body and the rich, vibrant colour contrasted deeply with her red-gold hair. It was a simple dress, possibly a little too simple, which was why she’d bought diamanté earrings and an ornate and glittering necklace to go with it.

      She stepped back to look at herself in the mirror and gave a nod of satisfaction. The diamanté necklace and earrings sparkled and spangled in the light. She looked good! Maybe the best she had ever looked—and there was an added sparkle to her eyes and a soft flush to her cheeks.

      Guy was standing by the window in the sitting room, doing up his cuff-links, and he looked up as she made her entrance, then froze.

      Sabrina, who had been watching him expectantly, saw the sudden stiffening of his body, the swift hard gleam in his eyes, and her heart sank.

      ‘You don’t think it’s suitable?’

      A pulse hammered at his temple. ‘Don’t be so bloody naïve, Sabrina! Of course it’s suitable—’ He’d never seen anything more suitable in his life—and the thing it was most suitable for was being ripped off her body…He groaned and tried to pay a gracious compliment. ‘It’s lovely,’ he finished lamely.

      ‘Oh. Right.’ She screwed her nose up. ‘You don’t think it’s too over the top?’

      ‘No, I don’t!’ He drew a deep breath. ‘And I think we’ve just about exhausted the subject of what you’re wearing. Now, where the hell is this bloody car?’

      Sabrina hoped that he was going to moderate his language a little, especially in front of Prince Khalim, but now didn’t seem a very good time to say so, especially since at that moment the doorbell rang, and the chauffeur was standing there, telling them that their car was ready. She picked up the same diaphanous silver wrap she’d worn in Venice and turned to Guy.

      ‘Ready?’ she asked, thinking that she’d never seen him in formal black tie regalia before, and just how darkly imposing and broad-shouldered it made him appear.

      ‘And waiting,’ he said, in a grim kind of voice.

      Outside stood a long, gleaming, black car which made the limousine he’d hired in Salisbury look like an ancient old banger. Sabrina felt like a film star as she climbed inside.

      But as they were whisked towards the West End Guy seemed to want to avoid all her attempts at conversation, and Sabrina forced herself to look out of the window, trying to appear interested in the sights as they sped by, wondering why he was sitting in such stony silence.

      All he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her, and it was driving him out of his mind. Since when had kissing been his number-one priority?

      The car slid to a halt in front of the Granchester Hotel, which was situated right opposite Hyde Park and where a uniformed doorman immediately sprang to attention.

      ‘I’d better go inside and tell him we’re here,’ said Guy, still in that same, heavy voice.

      But at that moment there was some sort of commotion and several burly men in suits emerged from the hotel entrance and stood, looking this way and that.

      ‘That’s his security,’ said Guy, seeing her expression of bemusement. ‘They may want to check the restaurant out so your little “surprise” may have to be unmasked, Sabrina, dearest.’

      In the dim light of the early evening, Sabrina blanched. Maybe she had misjudged the whole situation completely, but by then it was too late to do anything about it because the men in suits had all stood up straight to attention. And the most striking man she had ever seen in her life came gliding out of the hotel.

      It wasn’t just the fact that he was tall—although Guy was actually taller by about a head. Or that he was wearing a long, silky kind of robe which was a cross between white and gold and hinted at a hard body beneath. Or that his hair was darker than the night—much blacker than Guy’s—and his skin the deep golden colour of some ancient and lovingly polished piece of wood. Or that his eyes were as black as onyx itself—curiously deep, all-seeing eyes which were as emotionless and as cold as any she had ever seen.

      For he was all those things, and more, thought Sabrina. He was a prince—and not just by title. He oozed it from every autocratic pore of his body.

      His nose was a cruel, hard curve, and so was his mouth, and something about his whole rather rich and haughty demeanour made Sabrina feel slightly panicky with nerves as she recalled the restaurant booking she’d made. What had she done?

      As Guy opened the door he felt Sabrina shiver beside him, and he glanced down at her, his mouth tightening. So the old knockout Khalim effect was having its usual reaction, he thought cynically.

      ‘Don’t worry, he likes blondes,’ he told her cryptically. ‘So you should be on to a winner!’

      ‘But I’m a strawberry-blonde!’ she objected, stung by that critical note in his voice. ‘That’s different.’

      ‘And strawberries are rich and luscious,’ Guy answered softly. ‘Be careful, Sabrina—he eats women like you for breakfast.’

      Sabrina glared at his back as he stepped from the car and the two men greeted each other like the old friends they were.

      ‘Guy!’ said Khalim, the hard lips curving into a smile.

      Guy jerked his head in the direction of the suits. ‘Are you bringing this lot with you?’

      Khalim glanced a flickering look at the back of the car, where Sabrina was sitting frozen with nerves. The black eyes narrowed.

      ‘They will follow behind us,’ he said, ‘but they will sit outside in the car. They shall not bother us while we are eating.’ His voice softened as another dark, enigmatic glance was directed at the car. ‘And who do you have sitting and waiting so beautifully for us, Guy?’

      Guy felt an unwelcome flicker of irritation. This was Khalim, Khalim whom he had known since school—when they’d forged an instant friendship after Guy had beaten him at chess. Khalim had never been beaten by anyone before—but, then, as Guy had coolly pointed out, he’d been brought up in an environment where letting Khalim win was paramount.

      The two boys had fallen with fists on one another, and had had to be pulled apart—both snarling and glaring like young tiger cubs. And then one of them—they’d each taken the credit afterwards—had started laughing, and the laughter had been contagious and had created a bond which had never been broken down the years.

      Khalim’s father had given Guy his first big break, and Guy had never forgotten that.

      So why did he now feel like the small boy who’d wanted to pulverise his schoolmate?

      ‘This is Sabrina,’ said Guy shortly.

      He pulled open the car door and Khalim slid inside next to Sabrina, the silken fabric of his robe whispering and clinging to the lean definition of his muscular legs. ‘Sabrina Cooper.’

      ‘And Sabrina is your…?’ Khalim paused delicately, as if searching for the right word.

      ‘Friend,’ said Guy instantly, because in that instant no other word seemed to do. ‘She’s staying СКАЧАТЬ