Did he tense just then? Thinking it wasn’t wise to investigate too closely, and dying for another hit of magnificence, she turned back to the view.
But then he replied, ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were feeling me out, Violet. Are you?’
She opened her mouth to deny it, but the words stuck in her throat. Did she want a demonstration of Zak’s passion? Did she want to hear that deep voice murmur her name in that lightly accented timbre that slipped into his speech every now and then? Heat rushed through her, concentrating in her breasts and between her thighs as the power of his scrutiny singed her. Layer upon layer of sensation swelled, attempting to bury every precaution she’d recited to herself in the tent before sleep had overtaken her.
‘Because if you truly are, you only need to say the word,’ he added silkily.
Then she knew he was toying with her. Again.
It was there in the smoky mockery lurking in his eyes. There in the enthralling loose-limbed stance with in he held himself. But there was something else. Something ferocious that made her heart pound. That same intensity she’d spotted right before the ball, had sworn to stay away from because it was too dangerous but was now tempting her to peer into, brush her fingers against to test its true risk.
He shifted, turned to fully face her, as if offering her the very thing she needed to resist.
Her throat dried as the power of his masculinity threatened to knock her over. ‘I don’t need a demonstration, thanks,’ she blurted, almost too afraid of the tingling in her body as his gaze lanced over her. ‘I’ll let you practise your dubious skills on some other unsuspecting female.’
She stepped away from him but not before she heard his low laughter.
Far from thinking he’d received the message, Zak fell into step beside her, his long-limbed stride shortening to match hers. Violet clenched her fists, freshly helpless against what the scent of rugged man and aftershave did to her insides.
‘I don’t dally with unsuspecting females, cara. Every woman who’s graced my bed knows exactly what they’re getting.’
She stopped abruptly, the images he once again evoked wreaking havoc of the jealous, unpleasant kind with her equilibrium. ‘You shouldn’t take everything I say as a challenge.’
‘Ah, but then you have a unique way of saying things that makes me believe there’s more, always more you’re actually not quite saying,’ he murmure
d, his gaze conducting that skin-tingling scrutiny of her face that left her feeling exposed.
Sensually vulnerable.
‘How am I doing that, exactly?’
He stepped closer, filling every corner of her vision with his presence. ‘It’s your eyes, dolcella. You have the most expressive eyes I’ve ever seen. And unfortunately for you, they’re in constant conflict with the words coming out of your mouth.’
His gaze dropped to her mouth and the rush intensified until her whole body was on fire. ‘You either have an overactive imagination or you insist on seeing things that are simply not there.’
‘Do I? I guess we’ll make the discovery as to whether I’m right or wrong together.’
‘We’ll do nothing of the sort. They only thing we’ll do together is—’
‘Go to dinner?’ he supplied, more with amusement than with his customary mockery.
Violet wasn’t sure why his humour, even at her expense, eased and lightened something inside her. Made her almost...pleased to have been the source of his mirth.
This was totally insane.
‘There you go again, cara,’ he murmured. ‘Your innermost thoughts blaze almost as fierce as this sunset.’
She forced a shrug. ‘You believe you know what makes me tick. Perhaps I’m wondering the same about you. It’s natural curiosity that I’m unsure it’s worth fully indulging. That’s all this is.’
An edgy little smile twitched at his lips, but he waved her forward with a smooth elegance that proclaimed his royal status. ‘Then let’s go and eat. Perhaps by the time we’re done, you’ll have decided one way or the other.’
She wanted to ask him why he was taking an interest. But then that would be prolonging this...exploration. So, while she would’ve enjoyed lingering for a little while longer to watch fiery day blend into star-filled night, she headed for the large tent designated for meals and gatherings.
The scent of sausages, grilled meats and fish assailed her nose as she entered, sparking a growling in her stomach that reminded her that she’d barely touched her lunch.
She was aware of heads turning their way as she and Zak headed for the food table, just as she was aware that the interest was all for him. Helping herself to small portions of local dishes, fried plantains, ugali, a thick maize porridge, and sauce, and a sausage on a stick while Zak chatted with Peter, she chose a seat at the end of the long banquet-style table. This was supposed to be a working dinner, and she didn’t want things to veer off course again, so she activated her small tablet as soon as Zak joined her.
An email alert brought her up short. She clicked it, her heart sinking when she read the message.