The Flaw in His Diamond(11)

Perfect.

And just an hour or so ago she had imagined she would be the wallflower  while Roman and his friends had fun. The irony of it was, she was  having a good time with great people, while the one person she wanted to  spend time with couldn't give a damn.

* * *

His blood was racing through his veins, pounding in his temple,  threatening to provoke him into the type of action he abhorred at  weddings. Initially, he had been glad when one of the village youths-a  polite lad from a good family well known to him-had invited Eva onto the  dance floor. He had tried telling himself that he deserved a break from  the redhead, and that he had done his duty by her. And, as they had  agreed, now she was here there was no reason why she shouldn't enjoy the  party. But he had not expected to feel like this-as if he couldn't bear  to let her out of his sight for one second, or that he had to keep on  checking where the boy's hands were. A mere matter of millimetres could  turn him from heated into a raging bull. Making his excuses, he left his  friends.

* * *

She was enjoying herself-having a wonderful time, Eva told herself  firmly. Why wouldn't she when she was dancing with her feet in the surf  on a sugar-sand beach? The youth was polite enough. She couldn't fault  him. Even the fact that he was only dancing with her to impress his  friends didn't help. Nothing helped.

She tried again. This. Was Great. Dancing in the moonlight on an exotic beach? What could be better?

Dancing with Roman.

She glanced at the bar, wondering where he was, and had to remind  herself that they weren't really a couple. They weren't a couple at all.  He had no claim on her. She had no claim on him. And she didn't want to  appear rude. Everyone was being so kind to her at the party, even this  enthusiastic youth. She owed it to him to finish the dance. But why did  she feel as if everything had gone flat? The setting was incredible. The  sky was a piece of black velvet studded with diamond stars with just  enough scudding pewter clouds to add some drama. The music was  beguiling, and the scent of food was making her mouth water...

'That food smells wonderful.' She politely removed herself from the young man's arms. 'I'm absolutely starving, aren't you?'

'Would you like me to get you something to eat, signorina?'

'Oh, no, that's okay. I don't want to keep you from your friends.'                       
       
           



       

The youth was off like a hare from the traps. Eva smiled ruefully,  knowing she was just a game to him. She was just a game to Roman too...  She looked around, trying to find him, and came up blank. Never mind,  she'd get something to eat. Chefs in tall white hats had been working  tirelessly on several barbecues all night. She chose a giant-sized  baguette with all the trimmings, and it was only when she bit into it  that she realised how hungry she was. When had she last eaten?

'I see you've finished dancing.'

'Roman? Sorry...' She swung around and almost choked. 'You startled me.'

'So I see. You'd better wash that down,' he said as he offered her an ice-cold misted bottle.

The sharp tang of homemade lemonade made her cough and splutter even  more. This was hardly the role she had written for herself back in  Skavanga-the role featuring a confident heroine who knew exactly what  her mission was, and how to achieve success. In that version of events  she would be forthright and concise. She would be dignified and  compelling. She would not be choking on a sausage sandwich.

She tried hard not to notice that Roman was barefoot with his chinos  rolled up, or that he had the most incredibly powerful calves. He'd been  wading in the surf, judging by the spray covering his clothes. And she  was paying him a great deal too much attention. And in all the wrong  places, she realised, lifting her chin to meet his mocking gaze.

'I hope you're having a good time?' His face was deeply shadowed as he asked the question.

How could she not? She would have to be wood from the neck up not to  lap up this sort of encounter. It was scary. It was exciting. It was so  much more than she had ever dreamed it could be. Moonlight made everyone  more mysterious, and Roman Quisvada by moonlight was a mystery like no  other.

'It can't be easy for you when you don't know anyone here, Eva.'

'But everyone I've met has been so friendly.'

'So I've noticed.' He glanced around as if to convince himself that the youth had gone. 'Handkerchief?' he suggested.

She had been trying surreptitiously to lick her lips while he was distracted. 'Thank you...'

'I apologise for leaving you to your own devices for so long.'

'You don't need to apologise. I was extremely well looked after.'

He didn't like that any more than she liked Roman monitoring her  behaviour at the party. But under the circumstances wasn't it better to  call a truce? 'It's a very good party. Thank you for inviting me.'

'I didn't have much option.'

'And neither did I,' she fired back, lifting her chin to confront him.

Who knew what Roman was thinking? There was calculation and even a  little humour in his gaze, as if he knew something she didn't. Time to  go, she reasoned, but then he broke the standoff between them with a  laugh, and the night breeze chose that same moment to ruffle his thick  black hair. As he raked it roughly into place she was mesmerised.

'The party isn't over yet, Eva. I take it you didn't find a room for the night?'

She silently thanked the shadows for hiding her burning cheeks. She hadn't even thought to ask.

'That's all right,' Roman soothed as if he had known all along she  would forget. 'You'll stay with me. I haven't changed my mind.'

But she had. It would be crazy to stay with him. She had so many  fantasies rampaging through her head, but if he touched her. If he-

'Don't look so worried, Eva. All I'm offering is a bed for the night.'

Her eyes narrowed. 'What else would you be offering?'

Her voice might be dismissive, but she was disappointed. She was even a  little humiliated to think Roman didn't want to try to get her into his  bed.

Perhaps he knew.

No. He couldn't know that bold, brash Eva Skavanga was painfully  inexperienced. How shaming would that be? He'd probably laugh. She'd  probably join him. It was ridiculous for a woman who carried on as she  did to be so naive.

'Problem, Eva?'

'Why do you ask?' she flashed defensively.

'You're frowning again?'                       
       
           



       

'I don't have a problem.'

Even Eva Skavanga had to remember her manners.

'And I'm very grateful to you for allowing me to stay the night.'

There was no problem. The palazzo was as big as a hotel. Her fantasies  would be the closest she'd ever get to Roman. And that was quite close  enough.

* * *

They had made their way back to the dance floor again. She barely had a  chance to register this before one of the girls she'd been talking to  earlier pushed her playfully into Roman's arms. Before she could  disentangle herself Roman tightened his grip. She stiffened immediately.

'You're not going to cause a scene, I hope, Eva?'

She didn't trust herself to speak while her body was busily registering  every tiny shift and change in Roman's muscular frame. 'Surely, I don't  have to dance with you?' Her throat tightened on every syllable.

'Would that be so terrible?'

Roman's voice was warm and sexy, and everyone was watching them to see what she would do.

'I don't think you have a choice.'

Didn't she know it! She turned to smile at the other girl, who was now  dancing happily with her partner. 'One dance,' she gritted out  ungraciously.

'One dance will be more than enough for me,' Roman assured her with amusement.





CHAPTER SEVEN

'NO TRICKS, NO JOKES at my expense, no underhand tactics of any kind,'  Eva warned as they stood facing each other on the dance floor. Her body,  predictably enough, was going crazy during this speech.

'If only you didn't need me quite so much,' Roman taunted softly. 'If  only you could vent your anger openly as you are used to doing, and tell  me exactly where you'd like me to go. You'd feel so much better,  wouldn't you, Eva?'

Smug bastard. Why had she taken so much trouble tracking him down?

Every nerve ending in her body answered that question.

And she had always prided herself on being strong? Her body was  softening, while her nipples were tight little buds of hard rebellion.  And as for the rest of her-

It was better not to think about the rest of her. Her frustrated body  was responding to Roman as if it had identified a solution to its  problem in the shape of a man who knew everything about a woman's needs  and how to serve them. And her body was in no rush to let him go. She  should have stayed in Skavanga and intensified her campaign against him.

Really? Are you sure that's what you would have preferred to do, rather  than come here to this sultry island and dance with this man?

'Round about now,' Roman murmured with his mouth very close to her ear,  'I'm betting you're thinking, why did I take so much trouble tracking  him down?'