The Purest of Diamonds? by Susan Stephens Page B

on him to get it right. He couldn’t afford to squander time on a woman, any woman, even if that woman was Leila Skavanga—especially Leila, who was so young and trusting, and who had her whole life ahead of her. So whatever he imagined he was feeling for her at this moment, he had to remember that his heart was an engine to power his body and nothing more. There was no room in that heart for feelings let alone a self-indulgence like Leila Skavanga. But before he had chance to think about the consequences of involving his emotions, Leila surprised him again and he sucked in a sharp breath as her small hand found him, guided him. Where was his much vaunted self-control now?
    ‘Are you sure?’ He felt bound to ask her.
    ‘I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,’ she said, her gaze steady on his.
    He had never been more careful in his life. He wanted Leila to enjoy every moment, and stopped immediately when she whimpered, to ask if she was all right.
    ‘Yes,’ she confirmed, moving in a way that drew him deeper.
    He wanted to savour the incredible sensation, but Leila was impatient, and, cupping her buttocks, he positioned her. ‘Still okay?’ he murmured, moving deeper.
    ‘Is it supposed to be this good?’
    ‘I guess,’ he whispered against her mouth, ‘or why would everyone want to do it?’
    ‘With you?’ Her eyes flicked wide open.
    ‘There are other men.’
    ‘Are there?’ she gasped, half laughing on a shaking breath as he began to move. She clung to him, her face flushed, her lips parted to drag in air. ‘I had no idea it would be this good,’ she admitted when he paused to enjoy being so deeply lodged inside her. ‘I feel—’
    She didn’t get chance to tell him how she felt before falling off the edge of the cliff with a wail of surprise, and as she bucked convulsively it took all his ingenuity to keep her beneath him so she could enjoy the experience to the full.
    ‘Incredible!’ she exclaimed, panting as she came down. ‘You’re amazing—’
    He laughed as he nuzzled her neck with his stubble. ‘And you’re a very hungry woman, Leila Skavanga.’
    ‘You noticed?’ she said, starting to smile as he dropped kisses on her mouth.
    His answer was to move again. As far as he was concerned, it was Leila who was amazing.
    ‘More,’ she insisted when they’d been in bed so long dawn was starting to streak the sky with silver.
    ‘I should get up.’ He said this reluctantly, conscious of the long flight ahead of him. ‘I have to pack before I leave. And I have to file a flight plan before the wedding.’
    ‘Show-off,’ she teased him groggily.
    He only had to look into Leila’s eyes to want to change his mind and postpone his flight. Dios! She made him want to postpone the rest of his life to be with her.
    ‘Stay,’ she said softly, sensing this hesitation in him. ‘Stay with me in Skavanga, Raffa. Why not?’
    ‘I’d love nothing more, but—’
    ‘But you can’t,’ she said with resignation.
    What could he say? He had a life to get back to, as did Leila. ‘When you come out to the island—’
    Reaching up, she silenced him with her fingertips on his lips. ‘Don’t say it, Raffa. I know. You have your life and I have mine. This was one very special night—but that’s all it is. When I come out to the island I’ll be visiting for business and for nothing else. You can rely on me to keep my side of the bargain, as I hope I can rely on you to respect the professional relationship between us. And at the wedding, I’d rather we just kept it light, if that’s all right with you. I don’t want my sisters getting upset—not today of all days. I must have Britt onside, as technically Britt employs me to run the museum for the Skavanga mining company, so it’s important she takes my visit to the island as seriously as I do.’
    ‘I understand.’ She’d made it easy for him, which perversely only made him feel worse.
    Leila was lying back on the pillows