Sinful Nights(25)

She paused, telling herself that it wasn't really lying to tell him the  truth as she had believed it to be before realising that she still loved  him. He didn't want her love, and if he knew how she felt he could  easily send her away, when, in reality, all she wanted to do was to  stay.

Ignoring the inner warning voices that told her she was courting even  greater unhappiness than she had already experienced, she continued  softly,  …  I wanted to be sure that what we felt for one another was  right. Alan felt the same way. Before I came up here we were planning to  go away together for a holiday. We were going  … '

To be lovers? In some romantic, idyllic setting?' Blake demanded  harshly. Mentally you were ready to make love, and because your  boyfriend wasn't available you substituted me, is that what you're  trying to tell me?' He looked so murderously angry that Sapphire knew a  frisson of fear.    

 



 

Perhaps, subconsciously,' she lied bravely-anything rather than risk  him guessing the truth. But no, I didn't consciously substitute you for  Alan, Blake.'

And am I also supposed to believe that we were good together because you thought I was someone else?'

Slowly Sapphire shook her head. She daren't risk trying to pretend that.  Blake was angry enough already. Obviously she had touched some nerve of  touchy male pride which it would be unwise to press on too hard.  You're the one with the experience-not me,' she reminded him simply.  Personally I don't think it would be possible to deceive oneself to  that extent, but  … '

It isn't.' Blake's voice was so harsh, his face so shuttered and  forbidding that she wondered what personal anguish lay behind the curt  words, but could not bring herself to ask.

So,' he told her, given that sexually we both agree that we're  extremely compatible, I submit that we change the rules of our  partnership.'

Change the rules?' Sapphire was so surprised that she could only repeat  what he had said, staring uncomprehendingly up at him. For an instant  there was something in his eyes that warmed the ice-coldness of her  heart, but it was gone almost immediately his voice crisp and  businesslike as he said firmly. Yes. We agreed that our relationship  would be a platonic one lasting just as long as  … '

My father lives,' Sapphire finished for him, her face white. For a few  hours she had forgotten her father's condition. Mentally castigating  herself she tried to concentrate on what Blake was saying. Now I'm  suggesting that we lift that self-imposed ban; that we make our marriage  a real one in every sense of the word, to be  … '

Set aside when we no longer desire one another?'

Is that what you want?'

His eyes narrowed as he waited for her response, and Sapphire felt a  quiver of apprehension deep down inside her. Had he guessed how she  felt? It was pride and pride alone that kept her from crying out that  she wanted to be with him for ever; that she wanted to share his life  and his bed for just as long as her life lasted. Instead she said  lightly, Yes, of course.'

A mask seemed to drop down over his features, his eyelids lowering to  conceal his thoughts from her. Very well then,' he said at last. If  those are your terms, then for as long as our desire lasts, so does our  marriage.' He stood up, stretching lithely, and completely changing the  subject said calmly, Snow's melting. I'll just go out and check on the  foal. Why don't you have an early night? You still look washed out.'

Very flattering, Sapphire thought wrathfully ten minutes later,  luxuriating in a deep scented bath of deliciously hot water. She wasn't  going to question Blake's abrupt volte-face, nor his suggestion that  their marriage continue. Perhaps he was hoping to quench his desire for  Miranda with her. Perhaps the fact that Miranda was now married broke  Blake's own personal code of behaviour, Sapphire didn't know.

One half of her urged flight and safety, reminding her of all the pain  he had already caused her, while the other whispered that life without  him had been arid, dead; and that perhaps his desire for her could  flower into something stronger and more permanent if it was carefully  nurtured and protected.

She lingered so long in the bath, deep in thought, that the water  started to cool. A draught from the door as it opened made her shiver  and she turned round thinking it must have swung open.

You've been in here so long I was beginning to wonder if my suggestion  was so offensive to you that you'd decided you preferred a watery grave  to another night in my arms.'

The sight of Blake standing beside the bath, looking down at her, was so  unexpected and startling that she could barely breathe. I was  thinking,' she told him huskily, shivering again as her skin chilled.  I'm sorry if you've been waiting for the bathroom.' How formal her  voice sounded, her expression hunted as she looked past him to where she  had left her towel, trying not to think about the hunger that had  started to unfurl inside her at the thought of a night in his arms'.

It's large enough for us to share,' Blake drawled reaching for his  electric razor, and wiping some of the steam off the mirror above the  basin as he plugged it in and switched it on.

Blake, it's cold in here  … ' He was halfway through shaving when she  finally plucked up the courage to remind him, albeit obliquely, that she  wanted to get out of the bath. He finished what he was doing, rubbing  his jaw experimentally. I thought you always shaved in the morning,'  Sapphire muttered crossly. Why couldn't he take the hint and leave her  in privacy to get ready for bed?    

 



 

So I did,' he agreed blandly, unplugging the razor and turning round to  lean indolently against the wall, watching her, but married men, my  sweet, always shave at night. It saves wear and tear on delicate  feminine skin,' he pointed out, grinning openly when she started to  blush. The colour seemed to start at her toes and wash up over her body  until it reached the swell of her breasts, now barely concealed by the  cold bubbles, and if you're cold, why don't you get out of the bath?'  He saw her tense and instinctively try to submerge more of her body  beneath the bubbles and leant towards her. Why so shy? You weren't this  afternoon.'

How could she explain that that had been different; that then in the  heat of passion her own nudity had not disturbed her, but that now in  the small confines of the bathroom, with Blake still fully dressed, it  did?

All she could manage was a cross, You seem to forget that unlike you, I'm not used to  …  to  … '

Living with someone? The only person I've ever lived with is you,  Sapphire.' As he spoke he was unfastening his shirt buttons. When he had  finished he tugged it off, revealing the tautly muscled expanse of his  chest. Her breath seemed to lock inside her as Sapphire tried to drag  her hungry gaze away from his body.

Since you won't get out of your own volition, and since I'm too much of  a gentleman to let you freeze, I'll just have to help you, won't I?'  Blake drawled, and as he leaned towards her, Sapphire realised why he  had removed his shirt, and tried automatically to evade him. The small  tidal wave her hurried movements caused soaked Blake's jeans, but didn't  prevent him from lifting her out of the bath. His chest felt warm and  hard against her water-chilled damp flesh, a shivering that had nothing  to do with the cold raising goose bumps over her sensitised skin.

Blake!' Her half-shocked protest was ignored. You're soaking wet,' she  pointed out breathlessly, trying to clamp down on her rising excitement  and totally unable to do so. This close she could see the pores in his  skin, the mingled scent of sweat and heat coming off it provocatively  arousing.

We both are,' he agreed, slowly letting her slide to the floor, while  reaching for her towel with his free hand, but it can soon be  remedied.' His eyes never left her face as he enveloped her in the large  soft towel and then slowly started to rub her dry.

Within seconds of his touching her Sapphire had forgotten how chilled  she had been. Her body seemed to be bathed with heat, consumed by it  everywhere he touched her. She had never dreamed that something as  mundane as drying her damp skin could be so unbelievably erotic but the  gentle friction of the towel against her skin, in Blake's hands became  an instrument of exquisite pleasure that delighted and yet intruded  unbearably, stopping her from savouring the touch of Blake's hands  against her skin-a touch she now burned and hungered for even more than  she had this afternoon. He only had to touch her and she went up in  flames, she realised shudderingly, almost lightheaded with desire.

Blake.' His name was a muffled protest and a plea, lost against his  chest as she gave in to an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch him,  pressing trembling lips to the hard column of his throat, and glorying  in his responsive shudder.

Tell me you want me.' The hoarse command was one she couldn't resist.

I want you.'

The towel fell away as he picked her up and strode through into the  bedroom. Against her body she could feel the fierce thud of Blake's  heart, pounding out an unmistakably erotic message, his body, hard and  urgent as he deposited her on the bed, tugging off his wet jeans before  joining her.