like a captured bird whenever he spoke to her, whenever he was near.
‘What are you thinking?’
His voice was low and gruff and it created an unimaginable stream of sensations that sped through her body like a fast-flowing waterfall. Sitting opposite him like this, feeling his oh-so-attractive grey eyes constantly on her, was not a situation she felt comfortable with. ‘I was actually wondering what I’m doing here.’
An instant frown caused his dark brows to scurry together. ‘You are not looking forward to the opera?’
‘Of course I am. But—’ How could she explain howshe felt? ‘I’m actually nervous about spending time with you.’
Blake reached across the table and rested his hand on her arm. ‘Kara, all I want is for you to enjoy some free time, which I fear has been lacking in your life.’
He dared not say that besides wanting to spend time getting to know her he wanted to make love with her. It would send her scuttling for shelter more quickly than if she was fleeing a thunderstorm. But the truth was the more time he spent with her, the more excited his body became, the more hungry he grew. Kara was without a doubt one very intriguing female—sexier, he guessed, than she had ever dreamt she could be. She lit fires within him that would never be assuaged until he had made her his. But he would never, ever force himself on her. If and when they did make love it would be because she wanted it too.
‘I do trust you, Blake,’ she said now, her eyes wide and beautiful and more violet than blue.
He wished that she had not used those words because it made him feel ashamed of his thoughts. He squeezed her hand and then let it go.
Faust
was everything Kara had expected—and more. She sat entranced throughout the whole performance, hardly even aware of Blake at her side, or the fact that his eyes were often on her, or that his hand held hers. Tears ran down her cheeks at the end, when Marguerite mounted the scaffold where she was to be hanged for killing her child—Faust’s child.
Blake produced a handkerchief and dabbed at hertears. At the same time his arm came around her, holding her firmly against him.
‘That was lovely,’ she managed to say. ‘I truly enjoyed it.’
‘And that is why you are crying?’
‘It was sad, but beautiful too. Thank you for tonight. It is an evening I will always remember.’
In the car on their way back to the hotel Kara did not mind when he put his arm around her again. She nestled her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She felt as though she was in another world—a world where bad things never happened, where there was light and laughter…and Blake!
If anyone had asked her a few weeks ago whether she fancied her boss she would have laughed at them, would have declared herself a man-free zone. But all that was changing, and Blake was the reason. He was giving her confidence in herself, assuring her that she was a very beautiful woman—and at the same time revealing that he was enchanted by her. Blake Benedict enchanted by her! It was the stuff of dreams.
‘Shall we indulge in a nightcap?’ he asked as they stepped out of the private lift that had swiftly taken them up to his suite.
Kara surprised herself by agreeing. She had enjoyed his company so much this evening that she did not want to be on her own again yet. There was something about Blake here in Italy that was different. He was charming and considerate and she truly felt relaxed with a man for the very first time in her life.
‘What would you like?’ he asked. ‘Brandy, perhaps? Or maybe wine?’
‘Actually, coffee would be good—if that doesn’t sound too boring?’
‘Coffee it is, then, and it doesn’t sound in the least boring. In fact it’s probably wise.’
He lifted the phone as he spoke, and Kara loved hearing him speak in Italian. It made him seem excitingly different. It added to the glamour of the evening. It was hard to believe that she was here again with her
‘What are you thinking?’
His voice was low and gruff and it created an unimaginable stream of sensations that sped through her body like a fast-flowing waterfall. Sitting opposite him like this, feeling his oh-so-attractive grey eyes constantly on her, was not a situation she felt comfortable with. ‘I was actually wondering what I’m doing here.’
An instant frown caused his dark brows to scurry together. ‘You are not looking forward to the opera?’
‘Of course I am. But—’ How could she explain howshe felt? ‘I’m actually nervous about spending time with you.’
Blake reached across the table and rested his hand on her arm. ‘Kara, all I want is for you to enjoy some free time, which I fear has been lacking in your life.’
He dared not say that besides wanting to spend time getting to know her he wanted to make love with her. It would send her scuttling for shelter more quickly than if she was fleeing a thunderstorm. But the truth was the more time he spent with her, the more excited his body became, the more hungry he grew. Kara was without a doubt one very intriguing female—sexier, he guessed, than she had ever dreamt she could be. She lit fires within him that would never be assuaged until he had made her his. But he would never, ever force himself on her. If and when they did make love it would be because she wanted it too.
‘I do trust you, Blake,’ she said now, her eyes wide and beautiful and more violet than blue.
He wished that she had not used those words because it made him feel ashamed of his thoughts. He squeezed her hand and then let it go.
Faust
was everything Kara had expected—and more. She sat entranced throughout the whole performance, hardly even aware of Blake at her side, or the fact that his eyes were often on her, or that his hand held hers. Tears ran down her cheeks at the end, when Marguerite mounted the scaffold where she was to be hanged for killing her child—Faust’s child.
Blake produced a handkerchief and dabbed at hertears. At the same time his arm came around her, holding her firmly against him.
‘That was lovely,’ she managed to say. ‘I truly enjoyed it.’
‘And that is why you are crying?’
‘It was sad, but beautiful too. Thank you for tonight. It is an evening I will always remember.’
In the car on their way back to the hotel Kara did not mind when he put his arm around her again. She nestled her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She felt as though she was in another world—a world where bad things never happened, where there was light and laughter…and Blake!
If anyone had asked her a few weeks ago whether she fancied her boss she would have laughed at them, would have declared herself a man-free zone. But all that was changing, and Blake was the reason. He was giving her confidence in herself, assuring her that she was a very beautiful woman—and at the same time revealing that he was enchanted by her. Blake Benedict enchanted by her! It was the stuff of dreams.
‘Shall we indulge in a nightcap?’ he asked as they stepped out of the private lift that had swiftly taken them up to his suite.
Kara surprised herself by agreeing. She had enjoyed his company so much this evening that she did not want to be on her own again yet. There was something about Blake here in Italy that was different. He was charming and considerate and she truly felt relaxed with a man for the very first time in her life.
‘What would you like?’ he asked. ‘Brandy, perhaps? Or maybe wine?’
‘Actually, coffee would be good—if that doesn’t sound too boring?’
‘Coffee it is, then, and it doesn’t sound in the least boring. In fact it’s probably wise.’
He lifted the phone as he spoke, and Kara loved hearing him speak in Italian. It made him seem excitingly different. It added to the glamour of the evening. It was hard to believe that she was here again with her
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