speared the last segment of fruit from her plate and lifted it to her mouth, biting the firm flesh of deliciously fresh melon with a delicacy that brought a brilliant flaring to the eyes of the man seated opposite.
‘I suppose you are going to insist I take coffee?’
Her eyes openly teased his, sparkling with unguarded humour. ‘Caffeine,’ she explained knowledgeably, ‘is supposed to stimulate the brain.’
His dark gaze became languid, a displayed deception that didn’t fool her in the slightest as he queried in a silky drawl, ‘And it is my brain you particularly want to stimulate?’
She swallowed the last of the melon, then ran the edge of her tongue lightly over the curve of her lips. ‘I would be disappointed,’ she declared with slight emphasis, ‘if you proved less than…capable,’ she finished delicately.
His eyes became faintly hooded, and the edge of his mouth assumed an upward curve. ‘Witch,’ he responded with deliberate lightness as he sat back in his chair and savoured his wine.
Aware of his propensity to conduct a leisurely lovemaking, extending her pleasure to a point where she became wholly, solely his, before tipping them both over the edge into a state of passionate oblivion, she wondered at the wisdom of baiting him.
At that moment Ana entered the room and began clearing the table, her movements sure, deft, and unobtrusive.
‘That was a lovely meal,’ Elise complimented gently, and was rewarded with a pleased smile.
‘Gracias. Will you have coffee here, or in the lounge?’
Elise glanced towards Alejandro, who merely raised one eyebrow in silent mockery as he transferred the responsibility for a decision.
‘Would you mind bringing it out on to the terrace? It’s such a beautiful evening.’
‘My wife is a romantic,’ Alejandro drawled, sparing Elise a long, thoughtful glance that curled her toes.
‘The evening sunset,’ Ana agreed with a slight nod. ‘Such lovely colours.’
‘Indeed,’ he acknowledged, and his beautifully chiselled mouth widened slightly as he got to his feet and crossed round to assist Elise from her chair.
Seconds later, as they moved out on to the terrace, his arm curved lightly round her waist, its warm strength a tangible entity that crept through her skin and seemed to liquefy her bones.
The swimming-pool looked intensely blue in the soft fading light, its surface reflecting a mirrored sheen that was duplicated on the waters in the inner harbour.
Elise’s gaze wandered out towards the horizon where ocean met sky, breathing in deeply the clean sea-air as she savoured the slight breeze that teased her hair and faintly stirred the leaves on various trees.
Alejandro shifted slightly to stand behind her, his hands linking protectively over her thickening waist as he drew her back against him.
She felt his lips brush her hair, then slip down to settle in the hollow at the edge of her neck as he teased the delicate flesh. Soft tremors shook her slim frame, and she leaned into him, loving the hard muscularity of his solid frame as he enclosed her within the cage of his arms.
To rest against him like this was heaven, and she was aware of the promise of passion, the strength of his control as he simply held her, content to allow her to savour the magic of nature as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon in a brilliant flaring of orange and gold tinged with purple, before the silvery sky slowly darkened to an inky velvet.
The chink of crockery in the background was an intrusive sound they both acknowledged, and together they turned and slowly wandered towards a wide, cushioned two-seater as Ana poured Alejandro’s coffee, then filled a glass with water from an iced pitcher for Elise.
‘Goodnight, señor, señora.’
Alejandro sent Ana a warm smile. ‘Gracias. Buenas noches.’
When the housekeeper had returned indoors he leaned forward and spooned sugar into the dark aromatic brew, stirred, then cradled the cup in his hands.
Elise was strangely pensive. They had cleared up so many misconceptions but
‘There is something on your mind?’
It was a light, teasing query, and, suddenly brave, she took courage in both hands. ‘Savannah.’
‘What is it you want to know?’
His voice was a wry drawl, and in the semidarkness it was difficult to gauge his mood. ‘You were her lover?’
‘Yes.’
It hurt more than she cared to admit, even now.
‘A long time ago,’ he qualified.
‘She implied——’
‘Innuendo coupled with distorted fact is a dangerous combination,’ Alejandro interposed drily.
She had to ask. ‘Did you love her?’
He didn’t hesitate. ‘No. Nor did she love me.’ His eyes pierced hers, dark and faintly brooding.
Elise stared out into the darkness, hardly aware of the tracery of dimmed lamps that sprang to life around the grounds, highlighting the gardens.
‘She still wants you,’ she opined slowly.
‘Savannah dislikes conceding defeat.’
She recalled the cruelly spoken words, spiteful in their intention, deliberately chosen to destroy by a woman who was unlikely to find personal happiness with any one man.
Elise rose slowly to her feet. ‘If you’ve finished your coffee, I’ll return the tray to the kitchen.’
‘I’ll take it.’ He moved with lithe ease, and once indoors he activated security before following her through to the rear of the house.
The kitchen gleamed from Ana’s meticulous care, and it only took a few minutes for Elise to load their cups into the dishwasher and rinse out the coffee-pot.
She was conscious of Alejandro’s studied gaze, and she tilted her chin to meet it, her eyes clear pools of liquid emerald ringed with gold.
There were words she wanted to say, achingly poignant and straight from the heart, yet they seemed locked in her throat. For a moment she hesitated, then she slowly extended her hand and caught hold of his, threading her fingers through his own. ‘I want to make love with you.’
His fingers tightened, then he raised her hand to his lips, and Elise saw the blaze of emotion evident in the darkness of his gaze. Deep, heartfelt, and electrifyingly primitive.
Then he curved an arm beneath her knees and lifted her high against his chest.
A slow, burning excitement unfurled deep within and radiated through her body until she felt achingly alive. ‘I can walk,’ she protested with a soft laugh.
