desire to take their relationship any further than friendship—despite Aurelia’s many efforts to persuade him differently. Besides, she was far too showy and self-centred for his taste—and no doubt promiscuous too. He had already lived with a woman who was frighteningly similar. A woman who had done much more than just flirt with some of Fabian’s business associates behind his back, and who had made him look like the biggest fool who ever lived! No … considering the highly desirable qualities of the serene young woman in front of him, Aurelia posed no competition for his attention whatsoever. ‘No. I am not.’
‘So did she really have another engagement tonight, when she didn’t turn up for the supper party?’
‘The truth is she wanted me to spend the night with her and I refused,’ Fabian answered bluntly.
‘You weren’t tempted … not even for a moment? There was a lipstick mark at the side of your jaw.’ Seeing her uneasiness at relating this, Fabian felt a bolt of satisfaction rocket through him, and he had the sudden realisation she might be jealous.
‘Was there? The result of a very ordinary buonanotte between friends. That is all.’
‘I know the marriage you have proposed is somewhat different from the norm, Fabian … but I definitely could not tolerate my husband having an affair!’
‘I am not an unfaithful man, and there will be no need for an affair when we start to live together, Laura. You will be quite enough woman for me, I am sure!’
‘But—’
‘You doubt this?’ He frowned. ‘Let us try a little experiment, shall we?’
He was smiling as he left his chair and went over to draw her to her feet. Feeling her tremble, he dampened his forefinger with some sambuca from her glass, then traced the outline of her lips with aching slowness. The soft, shocked rasp of her breath feathered over him. Moulding his hands to the shape of her hips, he felt the sensuous fabric of her gown reveal the delicate but pleasingly sexy way she was made.
Immediately aroused, Fabian nonetheless did not allow the fiery burst of passion in his blood to dictate he demonstrate his hunger in a way that might be overwhelming. Instead, he kissed the woman in his arms with the same infinite patience and attention to detail as a dedicated watercolourist touching just the tip of his brush to a delicate petal on a stem. Stroking his palms over her breasts, he secretly thrilled to feel the instantaneous hardening of their previously soft tips against his skin. For a while he simply luxuriated in the deeply sensual pleasure this gave him, not wanting the delicious sensations to end, and soon the fire that had been simmering so provocatively within ignited into full powerful flame.
Drawing Laura hard against his chest, Fabian kissed her with every bit of need, want and lust that begged for fulfilment inside him. When he finally withdrew his mouth from hers, he saw with fierce satisfaction that her stunning grey eyes were drowsy and glazed with equal voracity and need.
‘I trust I have proved to you that you need not worry about other women as far as I am concerned, Laura? There is a powerful chemistry between us … si? A chemistry that will ensure that you are the one who will have all my attention once we are married!’ Possessively claiming her hips, he dragged her even closer to his aching, hard body.
‘Chemistry is one thing, Fabian,’ she replied, with a catch in her voice, her sweet perfume driving his already impossible desire to the point where it was almost too hard to contain, ‘but there is much more to a successful partnership or marriage than that.’
‘I understand you have concerns … but right now, Laura, I confess I have only one thing on my mind.’
‘But—’
‘Touch me.’
Taking her hand, he guided it down between their bodies to the erection behind the discreet zip fastening of his trousers, and heard her sharp intake of breath. But she didn’t pull her hand away. Fabian saw her bite her lip, as if battling to deny the demanding primal need that was clearly coursing through her veins too. He smiled lazily, knowing intuitively that this was a fight she had no chance of winning.
Lowering his voice seductively, he played with a wayward tendril of her hair. ‘In bed I will make all your worries melt away, sweet Laura, until you can think of nothing else but the pleasure we are giving each other!’
Gazing up at him with a vulnerability that suddenly arrowed straight into his temporarily unguarded heart, she softly replied, ‘That’s just what I’m afraid of.’
Settling his arm around her waist, Fabian drew her away from the enchanted terrace and down a network of quiet marble corridors to the cool, dimly lit enclave of his bedroom.
He’d stripped off his jacket, shirt and tie, and kicked off his shoes. His feet were bare once more, and no socks were in evidence. But Laura’s enthralled gaze did not linger on Fabian’s feet for long. Not when the stunning perfection of his firmly muscled chest, broad athletic shoulders and rock-hard stomach riveted her attention like some breathtaking vision suddenly appearing before her. He was so incredibly beautiful.
Confronted with the reality of this fact, Laura felt her apprehension at the thought of exposing her own wounded, less than perfect body to him make all her muscles clench with fear. She backed away until her legs came into contact with the huge sleigh bed with its burgundy silk sheets behind her. She gasped in surprise, and suddenly Fabian was there before her, smiling that deep slow smile into her shy eyes and making her dissolve even before he got her into bed.
He tipped up her chin. ‘I only want to make you feel good … There is nothing to fear.’
It was as though he had read her mind, and a jolt of surprise flashed through her. Transfixed, she watched as he lowered his head and, moving aside some of the fabric of her dress, pressed his lips onto the raised tissue of puckered skin that was revealed. She shook as though she would never stop. ‘Bella,’ he murmured.
She thought her heart would overflow. Bending lower, he reached for the hem of her dress and lifted it over her head without obstruction. The brush of silk travelling over Laura’s body seemed to inflame the heat that already seemed too hot to contain inside her. Her beautiful haute couture dress discarded, Fabian closed the gap between them and brought that incredible chest of his flush against hers. The sensation of skin against skin was like an electrical charge that made her dizzy. Everything in Laura ached to reach out and demand more.
Their intimate proximity seemed to have the same feverish effect on him. A little push and her bottom suddenly made contact with the sensual silk of the bedspread. Dropping down onto his haunches, Fabian carefully removed her shoes, unfastening their delicate emerald-green straps whilst all the while maintaining devastating eye contact with her hypnotised glance. Leaning over her where she sat, the tips of his tarnished gold hair tickling her skin, he dropped a provocative little kiss at the side of her mouth, then another one against her throat. The trembling that gripped her seemed to increase in magnitude.
Reaching for the zip of his trousers, he freed the waistband and swiftly removed them. He did the same with the ebony silk boxer shorts he wore underneath.
In awe, Laura gazed at the bronzed, firmly muscled toned skin that this action revealed, her mouth stripped of all moisture when she registered the startling evidence of his desire, and how generously he had been made.
With a knowing little smile, Fabian put his hand in the centre of her chest and tipped her back completely onto the bed. Just a brief second
