‘It’s fine. I totally understand your reasons.’
‘Well, thank you for being so understanding.’
It was tense for a while after that, and she felt it was up to her to lighten the mood. ‘Let’s move on,’ she suggested, meaning more than just walking down the street.
‘Agreed,’ Luca said.
For the rest of the day he was the perfect companion, and proved to be as competitive as she was, when it came to the shooting gallery and some of the other stalls. They tried all the games, even the coconut shy, where she proved to have quite an accurate aim, which meant they left the pitch laughing with their arms full of fluffy toys. ‘This must be quite a change from your high-tech empire?’
‘Something to remember when I return home,’ Luca agreed.
‘The children of Madlena would love something like this fiesta.’
Taking that as his cue, Luca began to hand out the toys they’d won to parents walking by.
‘Job well done,’ she said when he returned to her side.
‘How about dancing?’
She had two left feet, but why not? There were a lot of things she wanted to do with Luca Fortebracci, but luckily she had more sense. Dancing was safe.
Or she had always thought it was.
The moment she stepped into Luca’s arms, everything else faded away. There was barely time for the vague impression that they were standing close on a tightly packed dance floor to register before Luca’s arms were wrapped around her with no pretence at keeping things the right side of safe. She couldn’t think straight. She didn’t want to think at all. All that mattered was remembering how this felt, and carrying those feelings forward into the future to keep her company when she was alone again. The rhythm of the band was sultry, and the melody tugged at her heart. It made her want things she couldn’t have, like Luca, and like being part of one of the happy families milling around them. Why couldn’t life be like this all the time?
Because then you wouldn’t appreciate moments like these, she told herself impatiently, wishing she weren’t such a softie beneath her protective shell, and could let her tears fall freely. She wasn’t sad. This was too much happiness. No strings, no expectation on either side, no titles, no nobodies, just Samia and Luca enjoying a dance in the village square.
She acted cool, but was secretly thrilled when Luca kept his arm looped loosely around her waist as the band segued from one tune to another. Her imagination got to work right away... Luca tightening his grip, claiming her, caring for her, loving her.
‘You okay?’ he asked, as she gave an unintentional, but decidedly blissful sigh.
This girl doesn’t do begging, she reminded herself as Luca stared down into her face, their lips just inches apart. But she did do a lot of dreaming, and no one could stop her doing that.
Having Samia in his arms as they danced had sharpened Luca’s senses to an almost painful degree. Their bodies brushed lightly as they moved to the music. He made sure that was all they would do. He could wait. The longer he waited, the hungrier they would be, and pleasure should never be rushed. When Samia came to him, he wanted her wild with need and full of trust. He wanted to meet that tiger caged inside her and feel its claws. After another hour or so of the fiesta, they’d return to the ship. His lawyers knew to expect him again the following morning, when he would be ready to make arrangements to ensure that his return to Madlena would be with a bride. Today was for relaxing, so Samia was in the right frame of mind when he made his formal proposal.
She sighed as the band stopped playing and laid down their instruments to take a break. ‘I don’t want this to end.’
She looked so innocent and happy, he could almost believe this was a conventional courtship. ‘Would you like to return to the yacht for dinner?’
‘More food?’ She laughed.
‘You could wear another of those fabulous gowns.’
‘Or shorts?’ she proposed as they began to stroll back towards the quay. ‘To be honest, I feel silly in those dresses.’
‘Well, you don’t look silly,’ he said firmly. ‘You look like a princess.’
She gave an incredulous laugh. ‘That’ll be the day.’
He decided not to pursue the princess theme as they walked back. All that mattered was that Samia was happy and relaxed, her eyes bright with anticipation at the thought of the night ahead. He realised he was beginning to care for her. She suited his purpose when it came to his hunt for a bride, but it was something more than that that made him smile.
They didn’t make it as far as their respective staterooms. Something had changed between them. For him, it was unrequited lust and extreme pain in the groin region, while for Samia it was possibly an expression of relief at signing the non-disclosure agreement, which meant they could put their differences behind them and move on, though he liked to think it might be lust on her part too.
They stood side by side but not touching on board the powerboat taking them back. They boarded his yacht without incident, but a tension he knew only too well had started building. It seemed like the most natural thing on earth to link their fingers as they began to walk through the ship. Their steady pace didn’t last long, and soon he was pulling her along behind him as if their lives depended on it.
CHAPTER TEN
HERTHROATWASdry with excitement, her breathing all over the place. This was wrong.This was right.She didn’t know what the heck it was, but if she waited for the right moment to come along, it might never happen. And if it did, but not with Luca, would she regret missing out for the rest of her life?
