Page 36 of The Heir Affair

But it was obvious to him now he had confused his physical desire for her and her unique ability to frustrate him with something else. The only connection they really shared was theknowledge that it was pointless to rely on anyone’s affection and support because it could be withdrawn so easily.

Of course, the existence of the child made him determined to protect her… Because he would never be like his father, a man who abandoned his responsibilities to his own flesh and blood. But he could fulfil his responsibilities to Poppy and his child by giving them a secure home—perhaps even on Parádeisos, which he knew she loved. Showing her what her life could be like, as his mistress as well as the mother of his child, would surely make her better able to accept the loss of her financial independence.

More importantly though, he was through letting her call the shots. His obsession with her was physical—the last three days of mounting torture had confirmed as much—so it was time to be a lot more proactive. They would anchor off the coast this morning—and take the launch to Parádeisos. And then Poppy would no longer be able to hide from him so easily. Or the vicious desire that had woken him up each night, hard and ready for her.

‘No wonder this place is called paradise, Pops. Imagine living here?’

Poppy stood on the cabin balcony, her mum’s voice echoing through the years, as emotion pummelled her chest at the sight of Parádeisos across the sparkling blue water, its verdant interior and beautiful beaches still untouched, despite the deluxe villa she now knew stood on the opposite side of the island.

She released the breath she felt as though she’d been holding for days now… Ever since she’d agreed to return here, with Xander.

Avoiding him on the yacht had turned out to be easier than she’d expected, simply by eating in her cabin and only venturing out to thank him when her rucksack had been delivered. Butwhen she heard the sharp rap on her cabin door, and her heart jumped into her throat, she wondered if keeping such a low profile had been the right choice. Because now she was even more on edge than she had been in Sorrento.

She trooped to the door and opened it to find Meghan and Nicholai, the young steward who had been serving her meals, outside. But the wave of relief was short-lived.

‘Mr Caras has the launch ready to escort you both to the island, Miss Brown. Nicholai will pack your belongings.’

‘It’s okay, I’m already packed,’ she said. It hadn’t taken long to stuff her tiny wardrobe of shorts, T-shirts and a few summer dresses into her pack. But when she went to lift the rucksack off the bed, Meghan stepped forward.

‘Please, Miss Brown, you must let Nicholai carry your bag,’ she said, her smile strained.

Poppy wanted to argue. The pack wasn’t heavy, and having it escorted by the uniformed steward only made her more aware of the worn fabric, and the meagre collection of clothes inside it. But she forced herself to drop it back on the bed. Because, she had no doubt at all, Xander would reprimand his staff if she carried her own luggage. And she didn’t want anyone getting into trouble simply because being waited on made her feel so uneasy.

‘Of course,’ she managed. ‘And thank you, I really appreciate it.’

When they arrived on the main deck, Xander was chatting with the superyacht’s captain.

He immediately broke off the conversation though when Meghan informed him of Poppy’s arrival. His gaze raked over her figure with the dark intensity that she had been busy avoiding for three days as he strolled towards her.

He brushed his thumb down her cheek, the gesture both intimate and proprietorial. Heat flushed through her system on cue.

‘You are well rested, I hope?’ he said, the husky tone not doing much to disguise the edge of irony. Because they both knew it wasn’t fatigue that had kept her hiding out in her cabin since Sorrento.

She nodded. ‘Yes, thanks.’

‘Good. I thought we could go for a swim and then lunch at Seirína’s Cove while our luggage is transported to the villa.’

Seirína’s Cove? The place where she had instigated an energetic game of swim tag on that bright, sunny afternoon in April? The place where he’d won easily, and thrown her over his shoulder to cart her out of the cool, crystal-clear water and onto the white sand beach? The place where she’d wriggled out of his arms, only to realise she wasn’t the only one who had been impossibly aroused by their water play—make that foreplay. The place where she had been only too eager to agree to his suggestion that they sneak into the billionaire’s villa—so she could throw caution to the wind and jump him?

Terrific.

He was doing his mind-reading thing again, the dare in his expression unmistakeable.

If she said no, he’d know what a chicken she was. Not that he didn’t already know, given that she’d spent three whole days reading every single book on her e-reader. And if she said yes, she would be walking straight into the lion’s den with nothing to protect her but her bikini and the knot of anxiety in her gut—those provocative memories an even more powerful aphrodisiac than the longing that had only intensified since the last time they’d made love…

Time to woman up, Pops.

Stepping away from his callused palm, and the thumb that had slid down to press against the rabbiting pulse in her collarbone, she stuck out her chin and sent him her bestWhateversmile.

‘Sounds delicious, I can’t wait,’ she murmured.

He chuckled. ‘Neither can I.’

It was only as he took her hand to escort her onto the launch that she realised her show of bravado was about as useful as a string bikini, when it came to dealing with Xander Caras’ bad intentions.

The water was the same pure and iridescent turquoise she remembered as Xander drove the Jeep they’d climbed into at the dock down the rocky track towards the hidden cove. As he cut the engine, she could hear the murmur of the waves as they lapped gently onto powdery sand, which looked almost pink in the sparkle of noon sunlight. The rocky outcrops that edged the cove only made the beach look more idyllic, while a grove of olive trees created a natural shaded area where a couple of cool boxes had been left on the sand, beside an outdoor sofa and a low table—which must have been brought out here especially for their picnic.

Their very deluxe picnic.