She shrugged and smiled a crooked smile. ‘It might be possible to come to an accommodation.’
When Samia looked like that, she was irresistible. ‘Make use of any of the clothes you find in the dressing room. You’d be doing me a favour. All they represent to me at the moment is money down the drain.’
It was hard not to imagine her in one of the many evening gowns. How Samia would feel about that, though, was another matter. Most of them were extremely revealing, and she didn’t move in the same brittle circles he did, packed with career courtesans making it their life’s work to date rich, successful men in order to piggyback on their privileged lifestyles. Putting their wares on display in the full expectation of having them decorated with precious gems was all part of the game.
‘I can wear anything I find?’ she exclaimed with what appeared to be genuine excitement. ‘Does that go for all your crew?’
He gave her a look that shut her up.
‘Anyway, you’re very generous,’ she added. ‘I always liked to play dress-up as a child, though that involved a thousand different ways with a tablecloth and things I borrowed from my mother’s wardrobe.’
Seeing her grow wistful, he was more determined than ever to read the report on her that his team had sent over.
‘Sorry if I’m holding you up,’ she added as he turned for the door.
‘You’re not, or I wouldn’t be here,’ he said bluntly. The more he learned about this fascinating woman, the more certain he became that he’d made a good choice of bride. Samia would always be her own person, but he admired that. Her natural friendliness had already quickly endeared her to his crew, and vanity had no place in her life. His people would love that. She hadn’t touched her hair once since they’d met, or fixed her lip gloss—if she was even wearing any. Understated, with personality to spare, she’d already proved she was kind and thoughtful, and the citizens of Madlena were hungry for a personal touch after his brother’s shyness, which had manifested itself as apparent aloofness. She was funny and quirky, and who didn’t like that? When he returned to Madlena, everything would be for the benefit of his people, and not for how it made him look. Thiswasa politically astute marriage, just not the sort his people probably anticipated. How better to reassure the citizens of Madlena than to introduce them to his down-to-earth bride?
How can I be so sure she’s so right for the role when I hardly know her?
With a full report waiting on his desk in the Red Box, knowing everything about Samia was only a matter of time.
‘Where’s your accommodation?’ she asked out of interest when Luca turned to leave the suite his brother had designed.
‘Down the corridor from yours, so if you need anything—’
‘I won’t,’ she said quickly from a mouth turned dry. ‘Surely, I won’t really be staying here?’ She stared around the elaborate room. First the clothes, and now this fabulous suite of rooms? Why wasn’t she to wear the simple black rig all the crew wore, and stay in crew quarters? ‘If you tell me where the crew sleeps, I’ll be happy to find my way there.’
‘You’re staying here,’ he insisted flatly.
‘What?’
‘Pietro designed this area to be used.’
‘So I’m just filling a slot?’ She felt relieved.
Luca shrugged his magnificent shoulders. ‘Yes, you’ll actually be doing me a favour if you stay here, as there’s no more room in the crew area right now.’
‘Then...thank you.’
‘And as I said about the clothes, you’ll be doing me a favour wearing those too.’
Lots of favours, she thought. Would there be a price to pay eventually?
‘Freshen up, take a shower and relax while you can,’ he recommended.
While you can?What did that mean, exactly?
A frisson of excitement feathered across her skin. It would be churlish to refuse, she decided.
‘Last chance to return to shore,’ he added, then paused with his hand on the door handle. His lips pressed down. ‘Too late.’
Hearing the unmistakeable grind of an anchor being raised, she couldn’t keep the panic from her voice as she admitted, ‘I didn’t realise we were so close to sailing.’
‘I made no secret of the fact that I needed to leave,’ Luca said levelly.
‘No, indeed—it’s just that...’ Plain and simple? She thought she’d have more time.
‘Doubts, Samia? Better say so now.’
