“Because I want you, Olivia Anderson.”
A frisson of dangerous attraction danced along her spine. She wanted him too. But it didn’t make sense. Nothing about this situation made sense. Her whole life, she’d done the sensible thing. Her job. Her life. Caring for her mum. Her boyfriend, or lack thereof. She’d bought a sensible flat when her role had become permanent… carefully laid steps that spoke of a precisely ordered life. This simply did not fit. She shook her head. She would have broken the contact, but Tamir moved his arm around her waist, holding her to him.
He could see that she was wavering. Between what she wanted; what her body needed, and what she thought she should say. How she thought she ought to behave. He lowered his mouth to hers, plundering her warmth with his tongue, taking possession of her senses with such power that she was totally surprised.
He did not touch her breasts, as he wanted to. Nor did he remove the fabric from her body. He kissed her with enough intensity for her knees to weaken and her insides to clench. He felt her body buckle and he held her up, not breaking the kiss for an instant. His mouth on hers was insistent and demanding, full of sensual promise.
“This is just a kiss,” he whispered against her ear. “Imagine what it will be like when I make love to you. Imagine me moving inside you, driving you to orgasm after orgasm.”
Olivia wanted that. With all her heart, she desired it. It had been so long since she’d indulged her body in any kind of sexual pleasure. She looked around them, at the perfectly good room they found themselves in.
“No,” he laughed, reading her expressive face. “Though I appreciate your enthusiasm.”
Her cheeks flushed pink.
“I am long past wanting a quickie in a side-room of a theatre.” The word ‘quickie’ sounded wrong coming from him. His accent was so cultured, his tone so educated. “I don’t want to rush this. I want to explore your body all night long, without the possibility of being interrupted by anyone.”
Her stomach churned at the image he’d planted in her mind. But… it was madness. She shook her head, and forced herself to step away from him. She had a swan like grace to every movement. He watched her with complete appreciation.
“I can’t.” She ran her finger over the fabric top of a chair. “I just met you.”
He nodded. “So? Is the length of our acquaintance the only impediment you see?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Of course not. There are a lot of reasons that this is absolutely mad. But that’s certainly one of them.”
“Then come to my embassy tomorrow. Let’s get to know one other better first.”
Her eyes narrowed. “First? Why? So I’ll be more comfortable with… with… whatever happens?”
“Yes,” he responded with a curt nod.
“No,” she laughed, in spite of the way her body was tingling. It was too ridiculous. And far too tempting.
He frowned. He had not been expecting any objections from her. “Do you know anything about me, Olivia?”
She lowered her gaze. She knew plenty. “I spent a month in Talidar, two years ago.”
“Did you indeed?” His words were a drawl of surprise. “Why so?”
“I was appraising a collection in Liya.”
“Appraising a collection?” He prompted curiously.
“I’m an antiquities appraiser. I work for Christie’s.”
“I see.” And just like that, he did. Crucially, he understood her weakness, and how he could exploit it. He stepped closer, and put his arms around her waist. She had her back to him, so it was an easy matter to lower his lips and kiss the sensitive flesh at the base of her ear. She trembled in reaction, her body quivering in his arms.
She sucked in a deep breath. “I specialise in…” she moaned, as his fingers pressed into her waist, making her body ache to be closer to his. “I specialise in ancient collections. Egyptian, Arabic, and Talidarian.”
He spun her around in the circle of his arms. “Then come and see my collection.” His lips dipped to capture her mouth. “I promise it contains treasures you cannot even imagine.”
Her heart leaped, for he was holding out a carrot that was, if possible, even more tempting than he himself.
When still she didn’t agree, he sighed heavily. “Bring your friend, if you are worried I am not going to be able to resist dragging you away to have my way with you.”
Her lip twisted into a small smile, laced with self-derision. “It’s not you that I’m worried about.”
“No?”