Wanted: A Baby by the Sheikh(15)
“It’s what you wanted.”
She glanced up, defensive. “It still is what I want.”
“And how do you propose to do this if we can’t even speak without arguing, without bitter recriminations? Had you thought of that? Or doesn’t it matter to you? Are you so accustomed to sleeping with people you don’t particularly like?”
Her face flushed with anger. “How dare you?”
He shrugged and leaned against his desk, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “I’m merely drawing a logical conclusion from what you’ve told me.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
He shrugged again and pushed himself off the table and walked over to her. “So you keep saying and yet you won’t tell me what it was like.” He held her angry and confused gaze for a few seconds and then stepped away.
She drew the bundle of papers tight against her chest. “I’ll be going then.”
“To The Warehouse?”
“No. I’ve no time.”
“Tomorrow then. You must go tomorrow. You must start on this. Time is running out.”
Taina paced across the penthouse apartment once more. She’d been alone all evening. She’d dined alone and watched the lights of Helsinki from the top floor apartment shimmer and change as the evening progressed. And as each moment passed the tension inside her increased.
A few nights ago the lovemaking had been magical. She’d never allowed herself to imagine it would be so good. But she’d seen the change come over Daidan when she told him about the necklace.
Then she heard the elevator door open. Daidan walked into the main room, glanced at her and walked straight up to the cocktail cabinet and poured himself a whiskey. “You surprise me, Taina.”
“Do I?”
He turned to her and took a drink from the tumbler. “You’re still here.”
“I’ve been here all evening. I was expecting you to return for dinner.”
“I haven’t eaten in the apartment for a long time.”
“That’s what the housekeeper told me before she left for the night.”
He walked over to the desk and sifted through his mail. “What else did she tell you?”
“That she’s worried about you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Really,” he said dryly. “How nice that someone’s worried about me.”
“Yes. Seems you’ve unwittingly charmed someone into caring for you.”
He grunted.
“Would you like anything to eat?”
“No. I ate out. Just as I eat out every night. Just as I intend to continue eating out.” He walked over to her. “I don’t fool myself that you’ve returned because you’ve a desire to be in my company. At least not out of the bedroom.”
“And that’s what you’ve come back for now?”
He smiled. Or at least the lift in his lips indicated it was a smile. But there was nothing in his eyes which looked the least bit amused. He looked hard, predatory almost. A shiver ran down her spine.
“Yes, that’s exactly why I’ve come back. No need for me to go to any late night clubs, is there, not with my beautiful wife wanting me in her bed?”
“You usually go to clubs?”
“Sometimes. I’ve always had a strong sexual appetite. Or have you forgotten?”
She suddenly felt breathless and delicious shivers snaked their way down into her belly… and lower. She shook her head. “No, I remember.”
He swilled his whiskey around his glass thoughtfully and then looked up at her with dark, dangerous eyes. “Tell me what you remember.”
“Why?”
“I want to hear it. I want to hear what it is you remember of me. Tell me.”
“I remember how you looked at me when you wanted me.”
“A look. You remember a look. Must have been some look. Do I look like that now?”
“No. Then you looked at me as you wanted to make love to me, to savor me. Now, you look like you want to devour me.”
He gave a brief laugh and set down his empty whiskey glass. “Devour…” He turned suddenly to her. “That’s quite a sexy word in itself.” He came up to her, leaned into her and said it again. “Devour.” His heated breath caressed her neck. She gasped and closed her eyes as her skin reacted to his warmth, raising her skin in a goose-bumped trail down her neck and across her chest. She clasped the sideboard behind her and wished she hadn’t worn the silky dress without a bra, as she felt her nipples peak with desire.
She watched his gaze trail downward, watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest and her nipples become visible through the fine material. He rolled his head to one side and looked up at her lazily. He knew he had her for the taking. His hands remained in his pockets. He didn’t attempt to touch her. “So my darling wife. I’d look at you. What else would I do?”