have one night. I don’t want to waste a minute of it.’
A
curious sense of loss assailed Sebastian at her words but he blocked it out.
There was no room for such emotions in his life. He sat up and started to
unwind the sari from her body. She turned around and around, as he unwound it,
until it fell to the floor and she was naked again, adorned with nothing except
the gold waist chain and the henna tattoo.
Pulling
her down onto the bed beside him, he came up on one elbow and had to take a
breath at how beautiful she looked with her hair spread out around her head,
and his body tightened when he caught the tantalising scent of exotic musk.
When he made love to her this time it was so slow and leisurely that she was
the one who lost control and came helplessly, bucking against his hand as he
explored her hot wet body, and when he slid into her, he made sure that she
exploded around him first, before giving in to his own all-consuming need.
When
Aneesa woke next, she was the one alone in bed. She could see the tentacles of
pink in the dawn sky outside and felt a helpless lurch of pain, to know that
another day was dawning and her night with Sebastian was over.
Just
then he emerged from the bathroom with a towel slung carelessly around his
waist, his taut body gleaming, wet hair slicked back. Instantly Aneesa felt her
body melting on the inside and she had to draw up the sheet over her body as if
he might see the depth of the need she felt for him, even now, after what had
felt like hours of lovemaking. She’d lost count of the amount of times he’d
brought her to orgasm, as if he’d had to make up for the first time.
He
strolled over nonchalantly and, with a small hand towel, rubbed at his short
hair, making it stand up on end.
‘Morning.’
Aneesa
blushed. ‘Morning.’ She sat up, holding the sheet to
her body, and looked around for her clothes, not wanting to meet Sebastian’s
too-inquisitive gaze right now, afraid that he might see something of the
turmoil she felt. Especially when this situation was obviously something he was
well used to. She could see one end of her sari on the floor near the bed and
reached down to pick it up, jumping slightly when Sebastian got it for her and
handed it over.
‘It’s
probably not the best idea to wear that out of the hotel …’ he said with dry
humour.
Aneesa
looked at him, his easy demeanour making her feel disgruntled and tetchy. ‘Well,
what else can I wear? I didn’t exactly plan for this …’
Sebastian’s
eyes flashed at her tone and Aneesa said immediately, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean
to sound so … short.’
‘I
can ring down and have them send up some clothes for you—jeans and a jacket,
something like that?’
Aneesa
nodded. ‘Thank you. If I can just get out without anyone spotting me I might be
able to salvage something of my ruined reputation.’
Sebastian
went to the phone and called down. She barely heard what he said, his words just a deep rumble, and hoped that he’d got her size right. He turned
back, and feeling very exposed in the face of his supreme assuredness, Aneesa
got out of the bed and clutched her sari to her body, desperately trying to
cover up, which she knew was silly when this man already knew her body more
intimately than she did.
She
garbled something about taking a shower and fled to the bathroom. Evidently
Sebastian was only too happy that the night was over and he could say goodbye
to the hysterical Indian Bollywood bride who had given up her innocence with
the tiniest amount of persuasion.
When
the bathroom door closed behind Aneesa, Sebastian had to battle
Peter Corris
Patrick Flores-Scott
JJ Hilton
C. E. Murphy
Stephen Deas
Penny Baldwin
Mike Allen
Sean Patrick Flanery
Connie Myres
Venessa Kimball