Australian Millionaires. Maxine Sullivan

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СКАЧАТЬ take his time, make up for all those weeks of aching. Tonight he’d brand her with his body and make her his.

      When he opened the door to his penthouse that evening, Brant almost forgot to breathe. The soft blue material of Kia’s dress bared her tanned shoulders and arms and fell lovingly over the length of her body to just above her knees, in a simple design that would have looked plain on another woman. Yet on her it looked stunning. She couldn’t look unattractive if her life depended on it.

      He stepped back to allow her to enter. “Relax. I’m not going to ravish you on the spot,” he said, even if the thought was more than tempting.

      She moved past him in a cloud of perfume that was endlessly alluring, then stopped in the middle of the room and faced him, the light of battle entering her eyes. “That’s a relief,” she quipped, a becoming flush staining her cheeks.

      He closed the door, knowing he could always count on her to be defiant even in the most difficult of circumstances. And this had to be the most difficult for her ever. But her uncertainty didn’t change a thing. They would make love tonight.

      “Take a seat while I pour you a drink.” He gestured to the black leather sofa. “Gin and tonic, right?”

      “Extra large.”

      “Oh, no, you don’t,” he drawled. “I don’t want you to forget a moment of tonight. I certainly don’t intend to.”

      She moistened her lips. “Brant, I think this is a mistake. I shouldn’t have come.”

      “It isn’t a mistake. It’s called being grown-up. It’s about being adults over a situation that we both clearly need to address.”

      Her chin rose in the air. “I thought it was more childlike when you give in and take what you want.”

      “Ah, so you admit you want me,” he said as he poured the drinks at the bar.

      She glared at him. “I think we should leave things as they are. My being here will only complicate matters.”

      He picked up the glasses of liquid and walked toward her. “A complication I’ll willingly embrace, if you’ll pardon the pun.”

      She ignored that as she accepted her glass. “How do you know I won’t be faking it? After all, I faked the engagement and you never knew the difference, for all your extensive experience.”

      “I suspected something was amiss.”

      Her mouth set in a stubborn line. “I did it for a reason. To help Phillip.”

      “And to keep me at arm’s length.”

      “It worked.”

      “And now it doesn’t. Accept it.”

      Her blue eyes lit with anger. “Look, you said yourself that I’m a gold digger. If you want a woman tonight, why pick on me? Wouldn’t any body do?”

      His amusement deserted him. “No,” he said tersely. No other woman in the world would do. It was the reason he hadn’t returned any of his women friend’s calls. Why he hadn’t made love in weeks now. The reason he’d thrown himself into his work even harder. And why he’d been so bloody snappy with everyone lately. It just hadn’t been humane that the one woman who turned him on had been involved with his business partner.

      He expelled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Yes, she had been involved with Phil. Had been untouchable. Had been out of reach.

      But she was no longer.

      He nodded at the sliding glass doors. “Let’s go out on the balcony. We can have dinner out there.”

      Her shoulders stiffened. “I’m not hungry.”

      “Then perhaps we should give dinner a miss?”

      She immediately stepped forward and strode past him to the balcony, her set mouth telling him what she thought of that idea.

      “I figured that would change your mind,” he murmured, following her over to the railing, where she stood looking out over the spectacular sunset view of Mindil Beach and Darwin Harbor. It was glorious out here at any time of year, but during the beginning of the wet season, like now, he loved watching the incredible lightning displays that lit up the sky most nights.

      Yet tonight the only thing he wanted to light up was the woman standing next to him. He turned to look at her. The evening sun reflected on the delicate contours of her face, giving her a special glow, making her look more beautiful.

      “Do you have to look at me like that?” she said in a throaty voice, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

      “Yes,” he said huskily. Right now he didn’t think he’d ever get enough of looking at her.

      She swallowed hard. “You’re not making this any easier for me.”

      “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”

      She turned to face him, her expression growing resentful. “That’s the attraction, isn’t it, Brant? You couldn’t have me, so you decided you wanted me.”

      “I admit I like a challenge.” His eyes dipped to her parted lips. “But wanting you wasn’t a decision I chose to make. I took one look at you and knew the decision had already been made for me.”

      “How nice,” she said with false sweetness.

      He smiled. She could fight herself all she liked, but it wouldn’t make one speck of difference. She would be in his arms tonight. And in his bed. He was sure of that.

      “Shall we eat?” he said and took great pleasure in placing his hand under her elbow to lead her over to the small dining table in the middle of the balcony. Her shiver was from desire, he saw it in her eyes, and it sent a hunger for more than food racing through him. But he could wait. He wanted to savor her first.

      They dined on prawn cocktail as an entrée, followed by a grilled lamb with zucchini and tomatoes that his housekeeper had made. Brant watched in amusement over Kia’s attempt to go slow as she chewed each mouthful as though it was the last food she’d ever eat.

      “This is very good,” she said, taking another tiny bite of the lamb. “Did you cook this yourself?”

      He shot her a mocking smile. “Do I look like a cook?”

      She stiffened. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with cooking. Lots of men like to do it.”

      “And lots of men like to make love,” he said, purposefully seductive. “How many men have made love to you, Kia?”

      She almost choked, then recovered quickly. “How many have you made love to?”

      “I don’t find men attractive. Now women, that’s more my style.”

      Her eyes filled with derision. “I guess it’s more an art form than a technique with you then.”

      He leaned back in his chair, curious at her remark.

      She СКАЧАТЬ