Читать книгу Weight of the Crown - Christina Hollis, Christina Hollis - Страница 8

THEY were tempting words, but Alyssa’s body language belied her inviting smile, and warned Lysander. He knew she was only trying to use his reputation against him again. Liking her cheek, however, he escorted her to the nursery with the indulgent smile of a man who always got what he wanted. Women generally fell into his arms within seconds, and Alyssa was the first woman in a long while to present him with anything like a challenge. Her beautiful body and long, shapely legs made this new experience very enjoyable. He was confident she would soon be running to him for comfort, and for a prize like that he was willing to be patient. Little Ra’id had sent plenty of distressed nursery maids his way over the past few weeks. Miss Alyssa Dene was different, there was no doubt about that, but Lysander was sure he only had to wait for this latest peach to fall into his lap.

As they walked he sent a series of covert glances in her direction and liked what he saw. She was tall for a woman, so the crown of her head was almost level with his shoulder. Her feminine curves were in perfect proportion, and her blue-eyed beauty was topped by a swirl of shining blonde hair. He knew exactly how that silken waterfall would feel when he released it from her prissy French plait, and looked forward to doing it.

They went straight to the nursery wing’s dining room, drawn by an unholy racket. It was full of people, all talking at once. Lysander introduced Alyssa, then stood back. The crowd fell silent. The staff, like him, were watching to see what Alyssa would do when confronted with five-year-old Ra’id. The child was holding court at the head of his dining table and scowling like a little old man. When Lysander saw the peculiar collection of food on the table, he frowned, too. None of it looked edible—especially the sardines in chocolate sauce and the cupcakes spread with Marmite. He watched Alyssa sum up the situation. Then he leaned in to enjoy the fragrant sensation of whispering into her small, perfectly formed ear.

‘Meet the poor little orphaned mite you’re going to rescue from his wicked, uncaring uncle.’

He expected her to apologise for her starchy attitude towards him, but she didn’t. Instead she hissed, ‘He seems to have recovered from the tragedy well enough to have your staff on the run!’

‘That’s because he was about as close to his parents as I was to mine,’ Lysander flashed back.

She gave him a strange look, then pinned on a smile before speaking out loud to the infant dictator.

‘Good afternoon, Prince Ra’id. It doesn’t look as though traditional Rosarian food meets with your approval, so we’ll get rid of it, and all these people.’

‘But he hasn’t had any food yet!’ A shocked voice burst out from the crowd. ‘And it isn’t traditional—we’ve brought him everything he asked for, but nothing’s been good enough yet.’

‘That’s a shame,’ Alyssa said evenly. ‘But lunchtime should have been over a long time ago.’

‘I’m hungry!’ Ra’id said through clenched teeth.

The huddle of servants held its breath. Lysander carried on lazily watching Alyssa. She took no notice of her little charge. Instead, she started piling up plates with quick, neat movements. After an exchange of glances, the rest of the staff stepped forward to help her. In minutes the table was clear and the room empty apart from Lysander, Alyssa and the little boy.

‘I’m hungry!’ Ra’id repeated, this time with more of a whine.

‘No, you aren’t. If you’d been hungry, you would have eaten the first thing you were served. You’re not to treat your staff like that, Prince Ra’id. They spent a lot of time satisfying your demands, so the least you could have done was try something. As your uncle Lysander has just told you, I’m in charge now. From today, you’ll eat at regular times. Whatever arrives is what you’ll eat, and that’s an end to it. There will be no alternatives.’ She glanced at her watch, then looked at Lysander. ‘Do you eat high tea at Combe House?’

‘For you, Alyssa, anything is possible.’ He chuckled.

‘Then could you order a simple meal of egg on toast for His Majesty, to be served in your dining room in half an hour?’

‘I don’t like egg. What is it?’ the little boy piped up.

‘It’s what you’re having for tea,’ Alyssa said with a determination Lysander wished he could see more often.

Ra’id wasn’t so impressed. ‘No! And I can do what I like, because I’m King.’

Lysander had consoled enough nursery maids to know that was the killer line. It always worked. He glanced at Alyssa with a grin that said I’d like to see you get out of that!

Alyssa didn’t need to answer him. She knelt down beside Ra’id and folded her arms on the ruined surface of his miniature Georgian dining table so that her face was very close to his.

‘Oho—not yet, you aren’t! Listen to me, young man. Your uncle Lysander is going to be in charge of you, and everything else around you, for at least the next four thousand days, so what he says, goes. That’s a long time, so get used to it. And he says you’ll eat the lovely food the staff are kind enough to make for you. If you don’t, you’ll go hungry.’ She looked up at Lysander with battle blazing in her eyes. ‘Right?’

Wide-eyed and speechless, the little boy switched his gaze from Alyssa to Lysander, searching for support.

‘That’s right, isn’t it, Lysander?’ Alyssa repeated, more forcefully this time.

Lysander knew she wanted him to back her up, but he took his time. He was busy with his own thoughts, enjoying the arousal that pulsed through his body as he watched this determined and beautiful woman in action. The sensation was far more enjoyable than talking to her about nursery routine. Miss Alyssa Dene had the sort of nerve he had never encountered before. He already knew she wasn’t going to roll over and submit to him like so many women that had filled his universe until now. He would have to break down her resistance to him inch by inch. It was an idea he found intensely exciting. It would make the moment she finally fell under his spell a real triumph, and a conquest worthy of his maverick skills. He allowed a slow, seductive smile to warm his face. Her need for him was so deeply buried she might not recognise it yet, but she would. Given time. He would make sure of it.

‘Right …’ He teased the word out slowly. ‘So from now on, Ra’id, you’ll do everything Alyssa tells you, OK?’

His answer satisfied her, although she laid down the law to Ra’id for a long time after that. While she rattled on, Lysander lost himself again in more luscious thoughts involving silk sheets, perfumed massage oil and Miss Alyssa Dene’s soft curves. He only realised he should have been listening to her instead when she coughed politely to attract his attention.

‘So, Lysander, Ra’id and I will see you in your dining room in half an hour.’

‘Of course,’ Lysander said suavely, still wondering if she knew what she was letting herself in for. He sent another leisurely glance over her body. The tempting reality of her promised to be even better than his fantasy.

‘Miss Alyssa Dene is the best nanny in the business, Ra’id,’ he told his nephew. ‘And I’m looking forward to discovering what other talents she has, very soon.’ He smiled, tilting his head towards her in a way that never failed to soften women. She stared at him, her cool blue eyes as assured as his own technique.

‘It’s a pity smiling doesn’t seem to be one of them,’ he went on, standing back to give her room to melt over his teasing. It had no effect.

‘Childcare isn’t a laughing matter, Lysander.’

Her wide-set eyes would have been beautiful if they hadn’t been focusing a stare on him that was as hard as sapphires.

The last few weeks had stretched Lysander’s patience so thin, it was practically transparent. He heard himself snap, like an elastic band that had been stretched too far.

‘Then that’s a shame. You’ll need a sense of humour if you’re going to work here.’

He regretted it instantly. Unleashing his bitterness wasn’t the way to win over rebellious women. Stepping in close to her again, he softened his retort by patting her gently on the back. ‘If only to put up with my short temper. So if you wouldn’t mind giving me a few moments of your time outside so we can discuss it, Nanny—?’

His hand slid sensuously over her ribcage on its way to become a support under her elbow.

‘My name is Alyssa!’

She jerked away from him so savagely, Ra’id gave a little cry of alarm. Instantly, she swooped down to comfort the little boy. Any angry remarks Lysander might have made at her overreaction died on his lips when he saw the way she reassured his nephew—that, and the way her shirt gaped a little as she bent forward. It gave him an illicit glimpse of her lacy bra as it cupped the creamy swell of her breasts. The view was so delicious, he forgave her everything.

It made him look forward to seeing a whole lot more of her, very soon.

Alyssa used a combination of psychology and her own novelty value to make tea a triumph. Comfort eating over the past few months had made her staid navy-blue nanny’s uniform a bit snug. This worked wonders on Lysander. She had his full attention, although it did tend to gravitate towards her breasts. To get him back on track she told him his good manners and charm would soon rub off on his nephew. Ra’id turned out to have a big appetite, and he was so astonished that anyone would stand up to him, he was easy to manage. Food was the perfect bribe. All Alyssa had to do was to make sure he got a healthy diet, and by keeping Lysander on side she would have all the backup she needed.

She was still smiling hours later as she left Ra’id’s bedroom that evening. She closed the door so quietly, it didn’t make a sound. She could have laughed with relief at the end of such an exhausting, perfect day, but didn’t want to wake her little charge. These first few hours in her new job had achieved what her holiday had failed to do—distracted her from the past and helped her to move into the future. It turned out she’d needed a new challenge, and she was relishing it. Ra’id was a real handful, but that was because no one had cared enough to teach him how to behave properly—until now. He was quick, clever, and underneath he had the makings of a dear little chap. Now she could relax for a few hours, and thank her lucky stars that she had gone with her instincts rather than her emotions. She had taken this position to save Ra’id from falling into the hands of some wage slave who was only interested in what the job prospects were. Now she was looking after him, everything would be fine. The only fly in the ointment was her unprecedented response to Lysander, but what with her past and his present she’d certainly never be silly enough to give into him—however wickedly tempting his smile might be … As she entered the suite’s sitting room she jumped violently when she saw that the object of her thoughts had made himself at home on one of the nursery’s low couches, his long legs stretched out beneath a table. A tray set for two with fine china and a steaming cafetiere waited in front of him, untouched. A dozen down-lighters around the walls gave the room a soft golden glow.

‘Thank you, Lysander.’ Alyssa kept her voice cool and professional, desperate not to show him how much his presence unsettled her. She preferred speaking to children rather than adults, but talking with Lysander was all too easy. She tried to concentrate on tidying the room, hoping her busyness would hide her nerves. ‘When you told me you never normally had anything to do with Ra’id, I thought it meant you didn’t have any interest in him. It was good of you to sit with us while he had tea in the main dining room. The different surroundings made him a bit uncertain, and that really helped him behave. Eating with you and other adults instead of being waited on alone will really help his manners. You’ll be a great example for him to follow. Is there any chance you could make afternoon tea with him a regular thing?’

‘It’ll be my pleasure, as long as you promise to always be there, too,’ Lysander purred.

The room’s low light gave his aristocratic features a shadowy mystery—but there was no mistaking the meaning in his eyes. During the meal they had all taken together Alyssa had been focused on Ra’id, but that couldn’t stop her feeling the warmth of Lysander’s interest. Alone with him now, she felt coils of attraction snake through her body. Tearing herself away from his gaze, she moved methodically around the room, picking up scattered toys and plumping cushions.

‘You must have given your army of attendants the slip,’ she said without looking at him.

‘I told them to leave me, yes,’ he said in a light, conversational way.

Remember, men like him gain your confidence, then abandon you when you’re at your most vulnerable. That’s how it works, Alyssa told herself firmly.

When the room was as neat as it was going to get, she couldn’t think of anything else to do to avoid his eyes except pouring the coffee. Trying not to let her nervousness show, she approached the table from the opposite side to where he sat. As she reached for the handle of the cafetiere his hand closed in on hers and he lifted it out of her grasp.

‘That’s OK. I’ll pour the coffee. You should sit down and relax, Alyssa. It’s been a busy day for you. And for me, too. You’ve given me plenty to think about.’

Until that moment Alyssa had been careful to keep her eyes on the tray, but that made her look up and question him. He was watching her with the exotic look of a well fed panther.

It’s bound to be some sort of line, but there’s nothing to worry about as long as I keep that thought in mind, she told herself.

‘What do you mean?’

‘The way you improved Ra’id’s behaviour right from the start, by laying down strict boundaries for him. That impressed me. I went back to my staff and put some ground rules of my own in place, to make my life more structured. My nicely pampered, trouble-free life, as you were quick to point out,’ he drawled, smiling at her in a way calculated to melt the stoniest heart.

Alyssa tried to resist, but the crafty way he recalled their first meeting started every muscle in her face working as she tried to avoid returning his smile.

‘I’d hate to be followed around by all those people the whole time.’

‘I do. But that’s the way my brother worked, and having all those staff hounding me from day one hadn’t given me enough time to devise a better system. I think better when I’m on my own. Clearing my mind by sending them all away for a while gave me the chance to work out a sensible routine for myself. And all it took was the sight of you, taking control.’ He lifted one of the little black and gold cups of coffee towards her. ‘Cream and sugar?’

‘Cream, please. That’s all.’ She felt suddenly shy, rather than scared of him.

‘I prefer cappuccino myself.’

‘Oh, so do I!’ They both looked surprised at her quick reply, and then smiled.

‘You and I will have to indulge ourselves one day,’ Lysander said. ‘My late brother thought frothy coffee was undignified, and out of keeping with high office.’ His smile had been getting wider by the second and Alyssa couldn’t resist its power any longer. She could feel her own face relaxing, too.

‘Thoughts like that don’t stop you?’

‘Nothing stops me.’ His voice was warm.

Alyssa didn’t doubt it. She leaned back in her seat, trying to make the point that she didn’t intend starting anything.

‘This is very good coffee. Your brother may have had a point. I’ve heard he was very respectable. When you can drink coffee that tastes like this, why risk pushing any boundaries?’ she said, making it clear she didn’t only mean coffee.

Lysander wasn’t about to be put off so easily. ‘Akil didn’t start laying down the law until he was unlucky in love and then bang! He reverted to the family type where many things were concerned. For one thing, when it came to women he decided they should be seen and not heard—and preferably not seen either.’ He gave her another smile. ‘I get the feeling you’d be happy to keep this nursery wing as your own private space. I suspect he would have approved of you.’

‘All I’m interested in is giving his son a good start in life.’ Glowing with quiet pride, Alyssa took another sip of her coffee. ‘It’s the early days yet, but I think I’m going to like it here. I already love working with Ra’id so much, I’ll be quite happy to fit in with whatever you want, Lysander.’

The moment the words left her lips Alyssa went hot all over. It was exactly the wrong thing to say to a dangerously tempting man like this.

‘That’s what I like to hear.’ He laughed.

‘Just remember, I’m not here for your benefit!’

Lysander was so taken aback by her sharp retort, Alyssa had time to organise her thoughts before carrying on.

‘My interest is in children, and making sure they’re properly looked after. From what I understand, Ra’id has suffered all his life from a high turnover among his carers, so I intend sticking with this job for as long as I’m needed. That’s needed, and not wanted, Lysander,’ she said with chilling emphasis, letting him know that she assumed infidelity ran through his veins. ‘I’m not going to let anything affect the way I care for Ra’id. That’s why I want to get one thing clear from the start. There have to be ground rules for us as well as him.’

He slipped her a sidelong glance. Alyssa’s heartbeat accelerated, but she tried to ignore her pounding pulse.

‘I mean it.’

‘That’s a shame, but I suppose I should have guessed.’ He sighed, then took a long drink of coffee. ‘I’ve seen for myself how seriously you take your work. Does this mean you think sex isn’t a laughing matter, either?’

Alyssa swallowed, knowing she had to dodge his question. Every time she looked at Lysander she noticed some new detail about him. The slight natural curl in his dark hair, or the muscles that were hardly concealed by the fine fabric of his crisp white shirt.

‘It really doesn’t matter what I think about anything, except my job,’ she said, with a determination to ignore his smile. ‘I’m employed to care for Ra’id. You’ve got your work cut out caring for his country, Lysander. We both want the same thing.’ She felt embarrassed about exactly how true that was, and knew she was colouring up again. It was a good job the background lighting was so soft. It hid her embarrassment as well as her feelings. ‘And that’s the best thing for Ra’id. It means you and I have to work together as a team, and I mean work.’ She emphasised the last word carefully.

‘And I have no doubt at all that we will,’ he drawled, making Alyssa wonder what he thought of as work. ‘That’s why I’m going to study your methods as closely as I can. The job of Regent of Rosara couldn’t be more different from the life I’ve lived until now. With Ra’id years away from becoming King, and despite my brother’s best attempts at marrying me off, I’m still his only living relative. That means our country’s succession is in a precarious state. I have to make sure nothing happens to Ra’id, while running Rosara at the same time, and I intend to succeed at both jobs.’

Alyssa saw he was deadly serious, and knew she had underestimated him. ‘That’s a real challenge.’

‘I know, but I specialise in those.’

She had been thinking so hard about how a playboy was going to juggle two jobs like that, she didn’t realise he had been leaning steadily closer and closer to her. When he laid a hand on her arm, she jumped.

‘That’s why I need your help, Alyssa.’

She pulled her arm away smartly. ‘If there’s anything I can do to help Ra’id, I will. But that’s all, Lysander.’

‘Of course. You’ve made your point, so I’ll make mine. I prefer partnerships of pleasure.’ Despite her obvious anger, he didn’t sound at all apologetic.

‘I suppose by that you mean little and often,’ Alyssa snapped.

The smile returned to his beautiful mouth. ‘I’ve never had any complaints.’

‘Until you met me, and I’m out of bounds,’ she told him meaningfully. ‘As long as you remember that, Lysander, you can keep your record with women—which I’m sure must be one hundred per cent perfect.’

‘Oh, don’t worry. One little setback in a lifetime wouldn’t bother me. A single rejection among thousands of triumphs would only amount to a fraction of a percentage point,’ he said with a careless smile.

‘Ah, but if you don’t try, you’ll make sure you never fail—’

Alyssa had never known a man with such easy, natural charm. Those flashing eyes and that devilish smile made him almost impossible to resist, but then she remembered something. His one and only weakness would always be her greatest strength.

‘And if you ever force me to give you a black eye, Lysander, it would make other girls think twice about tangling with you, until your bruises have faded.’

He stopped smiling. His eyes narrowed. He pursed his lips, thinking.

‘I’m a fast healer, but … point taken.’

Alyssa wasn’t going to take any chances. ‘I’m serious, Lysander.’

He took another long, slow sip of coffee but his eyes didn’t once leave her face. ‘I’m sure you are.’

‘I’m here to work, so I don’t have time for distractions. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do my very best for your little prince. I once let a child down …’ She paused, not wanting to complete the story. ‘From that moment on, my job became the most important thing in my life. Do you understand?’

Lysander leaned back, resting one arm along the back of the couch. His eyes were dark and inscrutable. ‘Ah … yes, I remember somebody bringing that to my attention when they were checking your references. It was truly a tragedy that that little boy died because nobody took any notice when you told them how sick he was. That was unforgivable.’

Alyssa’s heart began to beat very quickly, and not only because of the way he was studying her. Talking to Jerry about the tragedy of little Georgie had been hard enough. Discussing it with a stranger would be impossible.

‘Yes, it was. Which is why I’d rather you changed the subject,’ she said abruptly, her breathing shallow.

Lysander’s expression altered. The intensity of his gaze made her blush.

I was never this forceful until—she thought, and felt the sharp pain of sadness in her throat. Oh, no. Why must that come back to haunt me, right now? The events of a few months ago had snowballed until they threatened to suck all the life out of her. This job was her chance of a fresh start. She couldn’t afford to weaken.

Lysander was so self-confident. Alyssa wished she had his sort of nerve, but she was at least determined not to let him see her eyes fill with tears. She looked away quickly, but for the first time since she had lost Georgie she found that her tears were easily blinked away. Painfully, she wondered if this was the start of her recovery.

‘Of course. It’s no wonder you mistrust people after that.’ Lysander’s voice was as slow and calculated as his smile. ‘Is there anything I can do to persuade you we aren’t all bad?’

He had picked up on her suspicions about him, so there was no point in denying them. It wasn’t good for her new employer to feel he was under surveillance, but that wasn’t Alyssa’s only worry. If a gorgeous man like this could see how troubled she was, her life really had gone too far in the wrong direction. She had to do something, fast, but what? Maybe she could do with talking about what had happened rather than bottling everything up … but this handsome, piratical prince looked more trouble than he was worth. Wanting to talk was one thing. Trusting him was something else. Finishing her coffee, she put her cup and saucer back on the tray and stood up.

‘Well, thank you for the drink, but unless you have some aspect of Ra’id’s care you’d like to discuss I think you’d better go, Lysander. I’ve got a lot to do.’ She took a last look around the sitting room, then started off towards the door she assumed must lead to her own suite. ‘The chap who parked my car earlier said he’d bring my luggage up but I got so involved with Ra’id, I haven’t even had a chance to find where I’m sleeping.’

‘The nanny’s rooms are through there.’ He pointed to the door. ‘But that way is kept locked all the time, to stop Ra’id disturbing her during the night. You’ll have to go out into the corridor and use the main door, at the top of the stairs.’

Alyssa flashed a dangerous look at him. ‘And how would you know that, if you’ve never had anything to do with Ra’id before?’

Lysander smiled at her knowingly. ‘Let’s call it a lucky guess, shall we?’

‘Well, the minute I find the key I’m going to unlock that door, and leave it open. That’s how it’s going to stay. I can assure you I’ll never have any reason to stop Ra’id coming into my rooms to see me.’

‘Really?’ He gave her a mocking look of disbelief.

‘Really.’

Her reply led him to give a casual shrug. ‘Then it must be time for me to take you to your lonely suite.’

Alyssa raised her eyebrows.

‘To the door and no further,’ he assured her, offering his arm.

She hesitated. All day she had fought against falling under his spell. She had managed it so far. Surely she could reward herself with this one, brief point of contact? The fear that Lysander would misunderstand and assume it was the start of something warred with the excitement of being escorted by such a gorgeous, polite man. She already knew he was too much temptation, but had to find out if he was enough of a gentleman.

‘Thanks, but I want you to know I’m giving you the benefit of some very big doubts, Lysander,’ she told him, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm.

It was just as well she answered before the sensation of his warm, vital body rose through the thin fabric of his jacket. The feel of it shook Alyssa to the core. She wanted to go on standing there in the middle of the room, enjoying the casual intimacy with this dark stranger. Lysander had other ideas. At the very moment she was most vulnerable, he ignored his advantage and started off towards the door.

‘Would it help to put your mind at rest about me if we talked about work?’ he asked her.

‘That depends,’ Alyssa said warily. ‘Whose work did you want to discuss? Yours or mine?’

‘Yours, of course. Now I’ve discovered little Ra’id isn’t the creature from hell that everyone warned me about, I think I will want to take a more active role in his upbringing.’

Alyssa considered his words carefully. Ra’id was so full of himself, he wouldn’t be helped by a fickle uncle who would be distracted by every woman who lured him away. On the other hand, whatever his motives, she didn’t want to put Lysander off getting closer to Ra’id. In her bitter experience, it was better to have an adult getting in her way than taking no interest, and ignoring her professional advice.

‘You’ve already told me that Ra’id didn’t have a very close relationship with his parents. What he needs is some stability and routine in his life, not to mention some love and affection from a parent figure. If you could offer him that, it would be great. I’d love to have your help,’ she continued cautiously, ‘although I wouldn’t want you to overcommit yourself. Why don’t you try to make tea time with Ra’id a daily appointment to begin with, and see how you manage with that? Making some time available regularly in your schedule is much better than overwhelming him with attention to begin with, and then leaving him high and dry when something comes up to divert your attention.’

‘I agree. I can’t abide people who promise everything and then don’t deliver.’

Alyssa looked at him quickly. ‘That sounded heartfelt!’

‘I’ve got good reason,’ he told her, but didn’t say anything else until they reached a door at the point where the nursery wing joined the main house.

‘Here it is—the main entrance to your suite. To the door and no further, as promised.’

‘Thank you—and I didn’t promise anything at all, so that means you won’t be disappointed when I say goodbye and let you go,’ Alyssa said firmly, taking her hand from his arm. Going inside her suite, she turned around quickly to block the doorway in case he tried to follow her.

‘I was thinking about someone else who didn’t keep their word—to me.’ His voice was slow and thoughtful. ‘I find this hard to say but the fact is I need you, Alyssa.’

Alarmed, she took another step backwards into her rooms and tried to close the door on him. Lysander was too quick for her, and grabbed the edge of the door. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you, Alyssa. For once, I wasn’t flirting. I meant that I need you professionally, because I don’t know the first thing about children.’

He sounded so genuinely pained, she laughed. ‘You were one yourself once, don’t forget!’

‘I know and I remember all too well what I had to go through. I admit, I’d rather leave all the caring to experts like you, and just be there for the fun stuff,’ he said with real feeling.

Alyssa was moved. Without realising what she was doing, she reached out and patted him on the arm.

‘That’s better than nothing, and right now might be exactly what Ra’id needs his uncle for. It’ll be great.’

‘With you in charge, I’m sure it will be perfect.’ His voice was a low murmur, full of possibilities. Alyssa tensed, but his hand slid from the door straight into his pocket.

For two heartbeats she thought about simply closing the door on him, but she couldn’t do it. Lysander didn’t move a muscle. His stillness was as arousing as the look in his darkly mysterious eyes. She knew exactly what was going to happen, but could not stop herself waiting for it.

Slowly, silently, Lysander reached out to her. She was unresisting, so he drew her into his arms for a kiss that made her forget everything—until she remembered that she was in the grip of a serial womaniser. With a heart-rending effort she forced herself out of his grasp.

‘Lysander! You promised you were going to take me to my door and no further!’

He pointed towards the floor. Without knowing what she was doing, Alyssa had stepped over the threshold. She was now out in the hall again.

Lysander was already coolly backing away from her. ‘I was as good as my word. That is exactly what I did. No more—but no less, either.’

With that, he blew her a kiss, turned and sauntered off.

Alyssa was rooted to the spot. She watched him go, her fingertips resting on her lips as she tried to recapture the pressure of his mouth against hers. When he reached the top of the stairs, he stopped and glanced back. His smile told her everything she didn’t want to know. It took her right back to those few delicious seconds she had spent in his arms. She responded with a sudden rush of sensual warmth. Her body would have done anything to experience his strength surrounding her again.

But her heart was too afraid …