Could this be the man who was somehow implicated in Maia’s disappearance? This man, whom she’d nearly made love to last night but who had carefully extricated himself with a control that she knew his body belied? This was the monster she’d come to investigate? She sipped the mint tea she’d been given as she tried to comprehend the impossible. Had Maia been seduced just as willingly as she had nearly been?
“Lucy! Answer the King.”
Lucy looked up bewildered. “I’m sorry…”
The King leaned forward toward her, his arms on his knees. The increased proximity was all it took to bring the flood of color to her cheeks once more. “I understand from Alex that you wish is to stay here for a short holiday rather than proceed with the expedition.”
She nodded, not knowing if her voice would be steady.
“I was asking, Miss Gee, if you would care to stay here at the palace, as my guest.”
Lucy swallowed. It was more than she could have hoped for. It was being handed to her on a plate. Except for one thing. She hadn’t anticipated, in her wildest dreams, that she would want the man she suspected of knowing the whereabouts of her sister. Not just want, but physically ache for him.
“That,” she cleared her throat of the huskiness that was threatening to creep into it, “would be very, err, agreeable.” She glanced quickly at Alex who sat back in his chair, one hand tapping his lips, amusement brimming in his eyes as they moved back and forward between Lucy and the King. “Thank you. If that’s OK with you Alex?”
“Certainly.” He smiled slyly at the King. “We’ll miss Lucy but I can recruit a replacement here—with your help. I know Lucy will be in good hands, so to speak.”
The King’s expression didn’t change, his eyes remained on Lucy, either oblivious to, or determined to ignore, the innuendo in Alex’s words. “Then, Lucy, you are most welcome.”
The low tone of his voice filtered through her body like a vibration: from the bones in her feet, sweeping up through the heat at her centre and through to her fingertips. Suddenly panic gripped her. She was totally susceptible to him. What the hell did she think she was doing? Was she mad? Did she really believe she could find Maia in this world—closed for so long to outsiders—or would she more likely end up the same way as her sister? Disappear in this hot southern land without trace?
“Are you sure it’s not an imposition?”
He gestured around him. “The palace is vast. It’s no imposition.”
“But…”
“But, what? You think perhaps I require payment for my hospitality? Such an attitude would be called ‘mercenary’, do you not think, Miss Gee?”
So he had heard.
“I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
He waved his hand as if to brush away her apology. “You were correct in one regard. I do want something from you.”
The continual thrumming sensation inspired by his proximity suddenly turned to fear. She bit her lip to try to stem the trembling as she met his thoughtful gaze. “And what’s that?” Her voice sounded falsely loud to her over-sensitive ears.
“My country has no tourism industry. I wish to develop one—carefully and on a small scale—and Alex tells me you have a background in the hospitality industry. I’d be interested in your opinion on how to develop the tourism projects we have planned.”
She exhaled a tense breath and suddenly felt calmer. She was on surer, more familiar ground now. “I’m no expert but I’ve traveled widely. I’d be happy to give you informal advice.”
“Perfect. You may stay here at the palace as long as you wish and I will arrange a guide to show you around. I have someone in mind.” The heat of his brown eyes bridged the space between them and she flicked her tongue around suddenly needy lips. His gaze dipped to her mouth and stayed there, for one long moment, before returning to her eyes, the chocolate brown of his eyes now darker than before, as if burned by the heat. He recovered swiftly and the heat was replaced by a flicker of humor, reinforced by a slight crinkling of the fine lines at the outer corners of his eyes. She felt the visceral stab of lust, low in her body. It ground in deep and refused to leave.
“Thank you.” She hesitated as she racked her brain for something normal to say, something that wouldn’t reveal her body’s response to him. “Your country appears very beautiful. I’m interested in seeing as much as possible.” He frowned. She could have kicked herself. She was so busy trying to cover her reaction to this powerful man, that she’d made him suspicious.