Of course he did. She saw the revelation as a means to lighten the mood and move back into the present. “Do you visit the island often?”
“No, I do not,” he said gruffly as he began to walk again. “I rarely have time for leisure.”
So much for lightening the mood. She had to quicken her steps to keep up with him and with his long-legged gait, she might find herself having to sprint. “Are you angry at me because I happened to respect and like the former king, despite his faults?”
He stopped again and stared straight ahead, giving her a good glimpse of his stellar profile. “That is not my concern. I am displeased that you seem determined to dissect my past.”
Her instincts had always been relatively good, leading her to believe she might be on the right track in regard to his secrets. “It’s only because you seem so guarded about your life.”
“As I have told you, I value my privacy. It is at times difficult to retain that privacy in light of my work.”
That she could understand, but still... “All right. Keep your secrets and your privacy. It’s neither here nor there whether you’re open about your life, even when I just opened up about mine. Just remember, that doesn’t bode well for building a true friendship.”
He sent her a quick glance. “Perhaps I do not wish to be your friend.”
For some reason, that stung her to the core. “Fine. We’ll keep this strictly business since candor clearly isn’t your strong suit.”
He turned and took her by the shoulders. “If you require candor, then I will give that to you. I wish to be your lover again.”
“Tarek, I—”
He pulled her closer, effectively quelling her protest. “I want to kiss you again, be inside you again, and I sense you want that as well.”
Oh, how she did want that, but... “You’re making this hard on me.”
“You have made this hard on me in every sense of the word.” He proved that point by moving her hand slowly, slowly down to his distended fly before sliding her palm back to his chest. “Seeing you tonight in that dress, watching you now and the way your hair ruffles in the breeze, only causes me to desire you more.”
“You’re trying to distract me from asking too many questions,” she said, her voice sounding somewhat strained.
He brushed feathered kisses across her neck until his lips came to rest beneath her ear. “I am attempting to be candid.”
“You promised you wouldn’t do this.” The lack of conviction in her tone, her inability to push him away, demonstrated her waning determination to resist him.
“I said I would try not to do this.” He softly kissed her cheek. “Or this.” Then he pressed his lips against hers, once, twice, before taking her mouth completely.
Kira internally debated the foolishness of giving in to him, all the while actively participating in that kiss. She readily accepted the gentle stroke of his tongue against hers, his palms roving down her back, the rush of damp heat when he pressed his erection against her pelvis. Exactly what happened the last time, she thought as he began to work her dress up to slide his hands inside the back of her panties. He kneaded her bottom, continued to press against her, as their kiss became deeper, more frenzied. If she didn’t stop him now, they’d be making love not on marble, but on a bed of sand.
With all the strength she could muster, Kira broke the kiss and backed away, her respiration and nerves both ragged. “Tarek, we can’t.”
He swiped a palm over his nape. “Believe me, we could. In a matter of seconds.”
“This isn’t what I want.” This wasn’t what she had planned.
He narrowed his dark eyes and stared at her. “You are saying you do not want me?”
If she said that, she would be handing him a giant fib. “It’s not about whether I want you or not. I just don’t want to make a mistake I’ll regret.”
“Then you believe our need for each other is truly a mistake.”
He had no idea how severe a mistake they’d made due to that desire. “I believe it’s unwise to answer it again.”
“Then I shall escort you back to your quarters,” he said in a tone that revealed a hint of dejection mixed with irritation.
As they headed back to the house in silence, Kira couldn’t deny her disappointment. On one hand, she did want to experience that intimacy with him again. On the other, she needed to maintain a clear head in order to establish if he was suitable to be involved in her child’s future. If he would even want to step into the fatherhood role. She had no doubt that he would support their baby monetarily, but not necessarily emotionally. She refused to settle for less, even if it meant walking away from him for good.