To Love Honour and Disobey(12)

'Yes.' He hauled her closer, touched her more deeply, and, as the sun rose, made her come.

A bit over an hour later Ana was enjoying fresh fruit and toast for  breakfast, relieved to see Seb disappear with one of the island guys for  a while. Instead of feeling any kind of release, she was now tenser,  more aware than she'd ever been. It had been amazing. His body was that  much leaner, stronger and his patience had filled her with awe. Because  after those snatched moments in the sea she'd been begging as the void  inside had needed to be filled again and he'd happily obliged. Twice.

But now the others were dotted over the beach-either reading in the  shade by the restaurant, or soaking up the sun's rays. She sat in an  ancient lounge chair and watched the scene, almost drowsy after the  total lack of sleep the night before and yet restless-aching for more.  She didn't know how long it was later that he appeared, but he pulled  her from the seat and kept hold of her hand. Silently he led her across  the sand to the water.

The kayak looked way too small and unstable.

He looked at her expression and laughed. 'I'll paddle.'

For the second time that day saying no to him was beyond her. He held the kayak steady and she sat in the front seat.

'How can you do this in the heat?' She pulled her hat lower on her head  and felt him push the boat out. 'You're amazingly fit, Sebastian.'

'Why, thanks.'

'No, I mean really. Abnormally fit.'

He laughed. 'I've been working on it.'

Carefully she twisted her head to watch him.

'You really did stop hanging out in the city?

' 'I was the epitome of the faithful husband.'

She gave him a long look. 'Are you honestly trying to tell me you've been celibate this whole time?'

'It's not something I'd joke about, Ana. Not ever.'                       
       
           



       

No sex for the best part of a year?

'But what have you been doing with yourself?' she spluttered. 'I mean … come on, Seb.'

'It wasn't that difficult really.' He pushed the paddle faster through the water. 'I did sport. Multi-sport events.'

'As in triathlons?'

'Yes, something to wear me out.' He nodded. 'Something to focus on outside of work.'

Well, it sure explained the heightened definition his body had.

She sat still and quiet, listening to the water, looking back at the  golden sand and the brilliant blue sky. Eventually she relaxed enough to  let her fingers trail in the water, watching the island spread wide  before her, until she couldn't contain her rapture a moment longer.  'It's incredibly beautiful, isn't it?'

'Yes, it is.'

She glanced at him. 'You're not even looking.'

'Yes, I am.'

Right at her.

She rolled her eyes. OK, so the out-for-fun Seb

was back in full force. 'You'd say anything to get a leg over, wouldn't you, Seb?'

'Why don't you believe you're beautiful?'

Because she wasn't. And she'd had years of her aunt emphasising the  point. She didn't fit in with the family's perfect, petite, feminine  form. She was the prune in the peanut jar. She was going to roll her  eyes again but suddenly realised how far away from Zanzibar they'd gone.  'You'd better turn back, Seb. I don't care how fit you think you are, I  don't want to be adrift in the ocean for days.'

'We're not going back,' he said. 'We're going there.'

'What?' She turned and saw how close they were to another, much smaller island.

Seb's words were wicked. 'You didn't think I was going to spend another  night on the ground or squashed up on one of those hard bunks, did you?'

She sat up so quick the kayak rocked. 'But our packs-'

'Are being transported by another boat. They're probably there already. We came the slow, scenic route.'

'You're unbelievable.'

'Oh, admit it, secretly you're thrilled.'

She looked at the beach they were about to wash up on. Oh, yes. Not even secretly. 'What is this place?'

'This is Mnemba, an exclusive little island. We have our own luxury banda, our own bit of beach and our own butler.'

They had their own butler? That was crazy-what was the guy going to do  all day? Besides her Africa trip was all but over. 'Seb, we're supposed  to go back to Dar tomorrow.'

'I've changed the bookings.'

'What?'

'We have another few days.'

Another few days? Oh, no. Another night she could cope with, but not  more. 'But I didn't even get to say goodbye to the others on tour.'

'They know my plan-at least, Bundy did. He'll have told the others.'

'But I have to catch my flight back to the UK.'

'Give me the details and I'll get it changed. We'll fly back together.'

She hesitated. That wouldn't be a good idea. But then she looked across  the water to the beaming man waiting for them, evidently their butler,  and beyond to the buildings dotted in the trees. As if anyone could say  no to this?

Hamim, their butler, greeted them with true finesse and a wide smile. He  offered his hand to Ana as she splashed through the shallows and led  her straight to their private apartment. 'You are a model?'

'No.' She shook her head and laughed.

'We get a lot of models stay here. And you have the height, you are as  beautiful-if not more so. So I thought … ' His smile was even wider.

Oh, please.

'Actually-' Ana smiled brightly back at him and pointed to Seb '-he's the model.'

The butler took that one in his stride, inclined his head and left them to discover their accommodation alone.

Ana turned to face the laughing Seb. 'How much did you pay him?'

Seb held his hands up in innocence. 'Nothing.'

Yeah, right.

'Come on,' he challenged. 'Let's check out the facilities.'

In other words go straight to the bedroom.

The view out over the Indian Ocean was open and stunning, and yet there  was complete privacy. The furniture was intricately carved and there was  comfort in everything. But her bones melted at the sight of the bed-so  wide and big.

But it could barely be halfway to midday. As if Seb cared. He ripped off  the beautiful white coverings, leaving just the pure cotton sheet on  the bed. He looked at the sheet, looked across at her.                       
       
           



       

'What do you say, Ana?'

'I say there's still a bit of the pirate in you, Seb.' But she couldn't  stop the smile. 'Race you to the water.' She flew out the open door down  the small strip of sand and splashed into the water, uncaring about her  shorts and tee getting another complete soaking. She heard his laugh  and dive and licked her lips. Saltwater Seb was a flavour she adored.

Uncaring of the water streaming from her clothes, she walked back  inside, peeled off her wet tee shirt and shorts and rubbed the sand from  her feet-refusing to ruin the whiter than white linen on the  magnificent bed. The sheets smelled so fresh and the bed was soft but  not saggy and so easy to stretch out on. Irresistible. She closed her  eyes, spread her arms wide and enjoyed the sensation as the faintest of  breezes teased dry her damp skin.

Hands on her ankles pulled, yanking her body down over the smooth sheets  so her feet dangled over the edge. She opened her eyes and found his  laughing right into hers.

'That's what you're used to, isn't it?' His hands slid higher up her  legs, creating instant heat. 'Your feet hanging over the edge of the  bed.'

'But they don't have to in this one.'

'No.' He lifted her and put her back in the middle of the bed. Took each  limb, one by one and spread them so she lay like a starfish. Mesmerised  by the look in his eyes, she let him. He ran a finger under the instep  of her foot.

'They're huge.' She arched it.

'If they were any smaller, you'd fall over.'

She laughed. Too true.

'Your feet are perfect. Your legs are perfect. No one could resist the  silken feel of your skin and your waist is so tiny, your ribs.' He  spread his hand across her. 'You think you're such a giant when, really,  you're very fragile.' His fingers traced lower. 'Like this, when did  you get this?'

Her scar. His fingers underlined her scar. The pleasure she felt from  his appraisal disappeared. She forced down the wave of panic. Could  think of only one way to avoid the question. She rose to her knees. 'I'm  not fragile.'

He was already naked, already aroused and it took nothing to distract  them both. Kissing did it-would always do it, she supposed-the physical  chemistry was sublime. And in that moment every last one of her  reservations fled. This was nothing but a fantasy fling and she refused  to let the past reality destroy the moment. She would indulge, have what  she wanted-and all of it-on this magical island. She stretched out, so  hot, and gloried in his sexual demand.

As he took possession she let her head and shoulders fall, leaning over  the edge of the bed, her long hair hanging loose all the way to the  floor. She let her arms fall too, feeling as if she were flying as he  pounded into her. She curled her legs hard round his waist, and he  anchored her core to the bed as the rest of her swung freely through the  hot air. She was drenched in sweat-her lower body literally riveted to  his and yet she felt so free.