CHAPTER SIX

MAL was braced for her to throw a million arguments why she couldn’t do this but she simply lifted her chin in the air and walked briskly by his side to the helicopter and he allowed himself a smile because although she would have hated to admit it, she was totally predictable. Because he’d challenged her, she just had to prove him wrong.

As the ever loyal Rafiq appeared, Mal delivered a series of succinct instructions, threw him the keys to the vehicle and followed Avery into the helicopter.

There were a million things that demanded his attention, but only one that he cared about right at that moment.

And suddenly he was grateful for her pride and stubbornness because it was only those two things that had her stepping into his helicopter without an argument. It was pride that kept that back straight as she settled into her seat, pride that had her greeting his pilot with her usual warm smile and no visible evidence of tension.

As the doors closed, she turned to him, her gaze cool. ‘So here I am. By your side and unafraid. Sorry to disappoint you. You’ve lost.’

‘I’m not disappointed.’ And he certainly hadn’t lost.

‘So where are we going?’

‘Somewhere we can be sure of privacy.’ He watched as her shoulders shifted defensively and her mouth tightened as she instinctively recoiled from the threat of intimacy.

‘I’m surprised you don’t just want to return to the palace. Your wedding plans have fallen apart. Shouldn’t you be talking to your father?’

‘I’ve already spoken to him. I told him I will be back in a few days and we can discuss it further then.’

‘I would have thought the cancellation of your marriage would have taken precedence over everything else.’

‘Not everything.’ Not this. The most important thing of all.

He realised now how badly he’d got it wrong. He, who prided himself on his negotiation skills, had made so many fundamental errors with this woman who was so unlike any other woman.

He’d been complacent. Sure of himself. Sure of her.

It wasn’t a mistake he was going to make again.

The helicopter rose into the air and neither of them spoke again during the forty-minute journey. And then he saw the change in her as she finally realised their destination. ‘The Zubran Desert Spa?’

She’d used it as a venue for an event a while back. It had been the place they’d moved from friends to something more. It had significance, marking an important milestone in their relationship.

He’d chosen it for that reason. He’d wanted significance. He wanted to tear down every barrier she erected between them and when she turned to face him he knew he’d succeeded.

‘Why here?’

‘Why not?’

Blame mingled with vulnerability. ‘You’re not playing fair.’

Could he be accused of dirty tactics? Possibly, but he felt no guilt. When the stakes were this high, all tactics were justified. He was going to use everything at his disposal to get her to open up. He was going to fight for their relationship, fight her if necessary, and he’d keep fighting until he had the outcome he wanted. He hadn’t expected to get a second chance but now he had, he wasn’t going to waste it.

‘I don’t play to be fair. I play to win.’

‘You mean you have to get your own way in everything.’

‘Hardly.’ If he’d had his own way they never would have parted. It had been the first time in his life he’d felt helpless.

As the doors to the helicopter opened, they were met by the hotel manager and an entourage of excited staff.

‘They’ve mistaken you for a rock star,’ Avery murmured as she reached for her bag and stood up. ‘Do you want to break it to them that you’re no one important, or shall I?’

‘I suggest you don’t ruin their fun.’

‘When a new employee starts in my office and they’re overwhelmed by the people we deal with, I remind them that famous people are all human beings with the same basic needs.’

‘Sexual?’

Colour warmed her cheeks. ‘How typical of you to pick that need first. Others would have gone for something different.’

‘Others haven’t just been trapped in a desert with you for two days.’ Speaking under his breath, Mal urged her towards the welcoming committee.

‘Your Highness, it is a pleasure to welcome you back. We are so honoured that you have chosen to spend a few days with us.’ Clearly overwhelmed by the importance of his guest, the manager of the hotel bowed deeply. ‘Your instructions have been carried out precisely, but should you need anything else—’

‘Privacy.’ Mal’s eyes were on Avery’s taut profile. ‘My greatest need right at this moment is for privacy.’

‘And we pride ourselves on our ability to offer our guests exactly that. I will escort you straight to the Sultan’s Suite, Your Highness, and can I say once again what an honour it is to be able to welcome you.’

The Sultan’s Suite. The place they’d spent their first night together.

Avery tried to slow her pace but he gripped her hand firmly as they walked along the curving path that led to the exclusive desert villa. And it was no use pretending that he was forcing her. She was a grown woman with a mind of her own. She could have walked away at any point in the past few hours, but she hadn’t. And what did that make her? A fool, definitely.

If only he hadn’t accused her of being scared. That comment alone had made it impossible for her to refuse, and—

—he’d made it impossible for her to refuse!

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

She turned her head to look at him, the movement sending her hair whipping across her back. ‘You are an underhanded, manipulative snake.’ She kept her voice low so that the manager couldn’t overhear but clearly Mal caught the words because he smiled.

‘Save the compliments until we are alone, habibti.’

‘You made that comment about me being afraid because you knew I’d have to prove you wrong.’

‘So does that make me manipulative or you predictable?’

The fact that he knew her so well didn’t improve her mood. ‘I suppose you think you’re clever.’

‘Desperate,’ he murmured, his thumb stroking her palm. ‘Desperate would be the word I’d use. Even famous people have needs, you know.’

She did know.

And the contrast between his gentle, seductive touch and the raw desire she saw in his eyes unsettled her more than words could. The heat rushed through her and suddenly she was truly afraid. Not of him but for herself. She’d spent the past months trying to get over him. Hauling herself out of bed every day and reminding herself that she was not going to ruin her life over a man, even a spectacular man. And yet here she was, about to risk it all again.

And now there was no Kalila. There was no virgin bride. Nothing to keep them apart.

Nothing except all the usual reasons.

She tried to snatch her hand from his but his grip was unyielding. ‘This is a mistake.’

‘If it’s a mistake then I’ll take it like a man.’

That offered her no comfort because his masculinity had never been in question. From the hard-packed muscle of his wide shoulders to the powerful legs and the iron self-discipline that drove him, he was more of a man than any she’d met.

‘You’re going to regret this.’

And so was she.

When he’d told her to drop everything and come with him she should have pleaded workload or an event that couldn’t possibly continue without her personal attention. Anything that would have got her out of this situation.

But the manager was already bowing again as they reached the doorway of the exclusive villa and it was too late for her to back out.

‘The doctor is waiting for you, Your Highness, as instructed.’

Mal murmured his thanks and Avery frowned.

‘Doctor?’ She tugged her hand free of his and pulled off her hiking boots. It was a relief to be rid of them because they were heavy and hot. ‘Who needs a doctor?’

‘You do. I want you checked after that scorpion bite.’

‘Oh for goodness’ sake, I’m fine.’

‘The doctor will decide that.’

‘He might send me home,’ she muttered in an undertone. ‘Have you thought of that?’

‘Or he might send you to bed, where you are going to end up either way.’

‘You think so? Maybe you’re a little over-confident, Your Highness.’

‘And you are the most aggravating woman I’ve ever encountered. The scorpion met its match. Even now it is probably engaged in a session of psychotherapy as part of the recovery process.’ Mal stepped forward and there was a brief exchange with the doctor, during which Avery tapped her foot impatiently.

‘I am as healthy as a horse.’

‘When I hear that from a professional I will be reassured. If you go through to the master bedroom, he will examine you. And try not to take your frustration out on the doctor. He’s an innocent party.’

‘You think I’m frustrated?’

‘I truly hope so. But we’ll talk about this later.’ Maddeningly cool, Mal strolled towards the bedroom and opened the doors and her heart skidded in her chest because there in the centre was the hand-crafted bed that had witnessed the shift in their relationship from friends to lovers.

The sensual, unashamed luxury of the suite unsettled her as much as the look in his eyes.

‘What’s the doctor supposed to do? Declare me fit for action?’ Her response was flippant and she realised that she hadn’t thought about the scorpion bite for hours. She’d been too caught up in all the drama and the swirling mess of her own feelings. She’d been too busy thinking about him.

And he knew it.

He hovered while the doctor examined her and Avery almost felt sorry for the man as Mal subjected him to a volley of cross-questioning until finally he was satisfied.

Exhausted, she flopped back against the pillows. ‘You terrified that poor man. His hands were shaking. For God’s sake, Mal, ease up on people, will you?’

‘I just wanted to make sure he was thorough.’

The room was the ultimate in sophistication. Decorated with elaborate woven rugs and antique furniture, the doors opened onto an uninterrupted view of the desert. Last time she was here with him she’d taken a picture of the same view at sunset and made it her screen saver. Seeing it again now made her heart lift and ache at the same time because it brought back memories of a time when life had been close to perfect.

The mattress dipped slightly as Mal sat down next to her. ‘You are thinking about the last time we were here.’

‘No. I don’t do that sort of thing. If you wanted sentimental then you picked the wrong woman. But you discovered that a while ago.’ Sliding away from him, Avery sprang from the bed. ‘What I was actually thinking is that I need a shower. My hair is full of sand. My clothes are full of sand. Right now I’m more camel than human.’ She shot towards the bathroom because it was the only room with a lock on the door, but he caught her easily and pulled her firmly back towards him.

‘There is nowhere to run. It’s just you and me, habibti.’

‘And you only have yourself to blame for that. I told you you’d regret it.’

‘Do I look as if I’m regretting it?’ Smiling slightly, he slid his hands either side of her face, tilting her head. ‘Do you really want to fight? Because I’ll fight if that’s what you want. Or you could listen to an alternative suggestion as to how we can spend this time we have together.’

‘No.’ The word was meant to be firm and decisive. Instead it sounded more like a pathetic plea and he frowned, the smile fading from his eyes.

‘How long are you going to keep pretending this isn’t what you want?’

‘As long as it takes for you to get the message. What I want is a shower.’ Her voice was croaky. And she was terrified. Terrified of the thought of doing this again. Of risking everything. Of being hurt.

‘Shower first?’ He lifted his hand and freed her hair.

‘First?’

‘I thought you might be hungry.’

‘Shower sounds good. But I don’t have clothes to change into. You should have thought of that before you kidnapped me.’

His fingers lingered on her hair. ‘I can solve that, too.’

‘How?’

‘Sometimes being a Prince has its advantages.’

Her heart was beating fast but whether it was the fact that he was touching her or the fact that he was standing so close to her, she didn’t know. ‘So you’ve been shamelessly using your position and influence to coerce people.’

‘Something like that.’

‘I’m not impressed. It doesn’t work on me.’

‘It never did. But you do want me. Are you going to admit it?’

‘Not until all the sand has blown from the desert.’

His eyes glittered dark. ‘Then I’ll have to use other means to get the truth from you.’

‘You resort to violence now?’

His mouth twisted. ‘Not violence. But you will be honest because I am finished with games.’

They were talking, but words were only part of the communication between them. There was the subtle brush of his hand against her cheek. The meaningful look. The sudden rapid sprint of her heart as it hammered against her ribs. It was useless to pretend he had no effect on her. That she was immune. She was as susceptible now as she always had been. And he knew it. And the fact that he knew it made her furious. Furious with herself. Even more furious with him.

Avery pulled away and stalked over to the bathroom that adjoined the master suite. She knew her way. Had been there before. But even here the memories followed her because they’d used this room for more than a shower. ‘You’re crowding me and I need time to think. Don’t follow me, Mal.’

And because she didn’t trust him not to do that, she locked the door. And then spent several minutes just staring at it, knowing he was on the other side and discovering that a locked door wasn’t enough to keep the feelings away. And that was because he wasn’t the problem, was he? The problem was her.

She stripped off her clothes, then walked into the shower and stood under the sharp needles of hot water, washing away two days of hot, sticky travelling in the desert. She lathered her hair in expensive shampoo that smelt like lotus flowers, massaged conditioner and then stood for ages with her eyes closed while the water washed over her.

But she couldn’t stay in the shower for ever.

Reluctantly, she turned off the flow of water and wrapped herself in one of the large fluffy towels that were stacked inside a glass cabinet.

Then she turned and found him standing there.

‘You forgot that the bathroom has two entrances. You only locked one door.’

‘Another man would have taken that as a hint.’

‘And you know that how?’ His ebony hair glistened dark and his broad shoulders were still damp from the shower he’d clearly taken in another bathroom. He was in the process of knotting the towel around his hips. ‘Have you had other lovers in the time we’ve been apart?’

Other lovers? The question would have made her laugh if it hadn’t hurt so much. He didn’t have a clue what he’d done to her.

She was distracted by the flat planes of his abdomen, as hard as a board and with a tantalising line of dark hair vanishing beneath the towel. ‘Of course I had other lovers. Why do you ask? Did you think I’d been pining for you?’

‘Be grateful that I know you’re lying. And I take it as a good sign that you’re trying to protect yourself.’

‘Well, if you think you know so much about me, why ask?’

‘Because I want you to admit how you feel.’

‘Right now? Pretty annoyed. You’re in my personal space.’

‘You think I’m in your personal space? Try this—’ He moved so fast that she didn’t see it coming and before she could even murmur his name his mouth was on hers and the chemistry was instantaneous and as powerful as ever. Everything they’d been holding back came rushing straight at them. His hands were on her hips, tugging away the towel and hers were doing the same to his until they were both naked and the only sounds in the room were his harsh breathing and her soft gasps. Abstinence bred desperation and desperation had him scooping her into his arms and carrying her to the bedroom, still kissing, their mouths hungry and demanding as they made up for lost time.

‘Only you can do this to me.’ He murmured the words against her mouth as he lowered her into the centre of the huge hand-crafted bed. ‘Only you, and this time we are doing this properly. No more encounters in the bathroom or desperate snatched moments wherever we can take them.’

She didn’t care. She didn’t care where they were as long as they were together and when he came down on top of her she immediately rolled so that he was underneath.

‘Battle for supremacy?’ His eyes glittered dark and she smiled down at him, her lips skimming his because after so long without touching him she needed to touch.

‘Can you take it?’

‘Can you?’

And it was a question she was to ask herself over and over again as he used all his skill and knowledge to drive her wild. She didn’t believe in love. She didn’t believe in happy ever after. But she believed in this and wondered how she’d survived so long without his touch and then realised that she barely had. That every day since they’d parted she’d been starving for him.

He was hard, hot and hers, and being with him again felt crazily good. So good that she was clumsy as she moved against him and of course he took instant advantage of that, rolling and pinning her beneath him.

‘I missed you.’ He groaned the words against her neck and she closed her eyes because hearing him say it choked her up so badly.

‘No, you didn’t.’

‘Yes, I did. And you missed me too.’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Yes, you did. Say those words back to me, Avery. Be honest.’ His hand cupped her face. ‘It doesn’t make you weak to admit it.’

No, but it made her vulnerable. ‘I missed having someone to argue with, that’s true.’ She made the mistake of opening her eyes at that moment and met the heat in his. His mouth curved into a slow, sexy smile of complete understanding.

‘Of course, you missed the arguments and that is all. You didn’t miss this—’ eyes half shut, he stroked a hand down her body and she gasped ‘—or this—’ he moved his hand lower still and this time she moaned ‘—and you definitely didn’t miss this.’

This had her writhing under him but he denied her the satisfaction she craved, easing away slightly when she arched her hips against him.

‘Do you realise that the only time you show your feelings is when we’re in bed together?’ His voice was husky and he pinned her arms above her head, holding her captive. ‘Apart from the scorpion sting, the only time I’ve ever seen you vulnerable is when you’re in my bed.’

‘It wasn’t always your bed. Sometimes it was my bed.’ Her heart was thumping because of course she was vulnerable. Terrifyingly so, naked in every way. All of her exposed to this man who saw so much and yet still insisted on more.

‘Are you going to tell me why you’re so afraid?’

‘Afraid?’ She tugged gently at his hands but he held her firmly. ‘I’m not afraid.’

‘If you’re not afraid then stop trying to free yourself.’ His mouth trailed over her shoulder, his tongue slow and explicit as he traced her skin. ‘If you’re not afraid then you should just trust me not to hurt you. It shouldn’t be hard.’

It was the hardest thing in the world, to put her safety in the hands of another person. To trust her heart to the one person in the world who could break it. It was too much to ask. He wanted her to surrender something she couldn’t surrender. To submit to something that terrified her because she knew that whatever he gave, he could also take away.

His mouth moved lower, his tongue flicked her nipple and a low moan of pleasure escaped her.

‘Mal—’

‘Trust me not to hurt you.’ He murmured the words against her skin, against her body, already damp from his tongue and shivering with an excitement so intense it was impossible to keep still. She squirmed and her breath caught at the feel of him, the rough hardness of his thigh and the thickness of his penis as his powerful body brushed against hers. The extent of his arousal mirrored hers and she tried to wrap her arms around him and urge him on but he held her hands fast so that she had no choice but to submit to his will.

Struggling to stay in control, to stay in charge, Avery closed her eyes and blocked out the sensual gleam in those dark eyes. As always, he drove her to the edge. Even with her eyes closed she felt restraint slip. She couldn’t remember actually why she was trying to prevent this happening. Excitement engulfed her in great waves until she was drowning in sensation, the feelings of her body colliding with her fears.

His tongue flicked over the sensitive tips of her breasts, his touch so skilled that she felt the sensation deep inside her. She squirmed, her hips shifting against the luxurious sheets, but he showed her no mercy. A moan escaped her lips but his response to that was to slide his hand between her legs, to apply his expertise to that part of her that now ached for his touch. And touch her he did, those long, strong fingers shamelessly knowing as he drove her wild, controlling her response and easing back as he felt the first ripple of her body.

‘No. Not yet.’

Denied the completion she craved, she moaned against his mouth. ‘Not fair.’

‘I want you. All of you.’ He murmured the words against her mouth and she parted her lips and tried to steal a kiss but with her hands held and her body trapped beneath the powerful strength of male muscle, she wasn’t the one in control. He kept his mouth just out of reach of hers, close enough to drive her crazy and make her desperate for his kiss, not close enough for her to take control.

‘Mal—’

‘I want you to trust me.’ He spoke softly but there was no mistaking the command in his voice and had they been in a different position she would have smiled because he just couldn’t help himself. Even now, in this position of extreme intimacy, he had to be in control.

‘I don’t trust anyone but myself.’

‘Up until now that might have been true—’ His fingers, placed tantalizingly close to that delicate part of her, traced her so gently, so skilfully that the exquisite pleasure swelled to something close to pain. Her body throbbed with her need for him and he knew it. She knew he knew it because she felt his smile against her mouth as he finally lowered his head to hers and gave her what she’d craved. His tongue slid over hers, bold, demanding and unashamedly sensual while all the time his fingers worked magic. And still he held her hands. Still he held her trapped and the ease with which he did it confirmed that physically he was the stronger, but she couldn’t allow herself to surrender in the way he wanted her to surrender.

‘Let go of me. I want to touch you.’

‘No. For now, I’m the one in charge. The sooner you acknowledge that, the sooner I let you go.’ His hand pushed her thighs wider and with a single smooth movement he was inside her. Deep, sure but achingly slow and gentle and that control on his part tore at the last straining threads of hers.

She moaned and he withdrew slightly and then moved again, deeper this time, his hand on her hip, controlling her movements. The look in his eyes made it hard to catch her breath and she wanted to close hers, to block him out, but something in her wouldn’t allow it so the connection continued, deepening an experience that was already terrifying.

It had never been like this before. The sex had always been amazing and each time had been different but never, ever had it felt like this. Never this close. Never this—personal.

He’d never demanded this much from her and she’d never given this much.

She felt the strength of him, the power of him stretching her, possessing her and she wrapped her legs around him, always active, never passive and he smiled against her lips because he recognised that need in her. He knew her so well. He knew all of her and she tried again to block him out because the level of intimacy was terrifying. She was bound, not by the fact that he held her hands, but by the fact that he held her heart. If she begged him, he’d let her hands go. Physically, she’d be free. Emotionally, she knew she’d never be free. He was the only man she wanted. He was the only man she’d ever wanted and those feelings bound her to him as securely as if she’d been handcuffed.

‘Stop fighting it—’ he kissed her slowly ‘—stop fighting me and pushing me away.’

‘I’m not pushing you. Thanks to you, I can’t move.’

‘I’m not talking about physically and you know it.’ His mouth was still on hers. Gentle and yet demanding at the same time. ‘I’m talking about everything else.’

‘What else is there?’

‘You know.’

Yes, she knew and this time she managed to close her eyes, moaning a low denial. ‘You are asking too much.’

‘I’m asking a lot. But not too much.’

‘You don’t know.’

‘If there are things I don’t know then it’s because you’ve never trusted me enough to tell me. I won’t hurt you.’

And she knew he wasn’t talking about the physical side of their relationship. He wasn’t talking about sex or anything that they were doing right now in this bed. That wouldn’t have scared her. What scared her was the fact that he would hurt her. Maybe not now, or even tomorrow but at some point in their relationship, perhaps even when she’d started to rely on having him in her life.

He’d hurt her before …

Panic washed over her. ‘Mal—’

‘I want it all, Avery. Everything you’ve never given before. I want that from you.’ His free hand locked in her hair. ‘I won’t be satisfied with less than everything.’

She moaned because he was deep inside her and thinking clearly no longer seemed easy and natural. In fact thinking felt impossible as he took her in a slow, sensuous rhythm that drove her wild.

‘I want to know about the dream.’

‘The dream?’

‘Those dreams you have. Tell me—’ he breathed the words against her mouth as he broke one erotic kiss and started another ‘—tell me what it is that makes you moan in your sleep and wake with dark circles under those beautiful eyes.’

She was dizzy from his kisses, melting and desperate from each carefully timed thrust. ‘I dream about work—’ she moaned as his tongue slid into contact with hers and her senses exploded ‘—work.’

‘Work?’ His hand moved down, lower, sliding under her bottom, holding her firm as he deepened his possession. ‘It’s work that makes you cry out?’

‘Yes.’ She was on the point of begging because he’d held her at this point for so long and she didn’t think she could stand it any longer. She ached with need. She craved him in a way that was indecent.

‘You’re lying. Tell me what you dream about.’ The husky tone of his voice was unbearably sexy and she wondered how he could still string a sentence together when she herself was barely able to give voice to a moan.

‘Avery—’ Purring her name, he sank deep into her quivering flesh and Avery lost her grip on control, every sense in her body teased to its limits under his skilled touch. As she lost control of herself she realised that her mother had got it wrong. Yes, she could be responsible for her own orgasm, but it was so much better when someone else was. And she could be responsible for her own heart too, but sharing it was the greatest gift she could give and she wanted to share it with this man.

‘You,’ she gasped as he brought ecstasy crashing down on them. ‘I dream about you.’

Mal lay in the dark, wrapped in the scent of her and the softness of her, holding her in the curve of his arm as the rising sun sent arrows of golden light shooting across the desert. Apart from the night of the scorpion sting, this was the first time she’d allowed herself to fall asleep in his arms, as if it were somehow a weakness to do that.

And there was no doubt in his mind that she saw it that way. As if admitting to having feelings for a man somehow threatened who she was.

It was ironic, he thought, because in many ways she was the strongest person he knew and yet he understood that her independence was driven by fear as much as anything. Fear of being let down. Fear of hurt. She’d told him little about her past but what little she’d told him had been sufficient for him to form a picture of a life lived devoid of paternal influence.

He’d read about her mother. About the impressive divorce lawyer who had sacrificed everything on her way to the top. Clearly she’d also sacrificed her relationship with Avery’s father because there was no mention of him anywhere, and no doubt that negative experience was responsible for her damaged view of marriage. He told himself that he shouldn’t judge, especially given that he knew countless men who had done the same thing. Men who had put their own ambitions before the needs of their loved ones. Marriages died. It was a fact of life.

But they’d made progress.

It wasn’t much of a leap to go from ‘I dream about you’ to ‘I love you’.

And he was confident she was ready to make that leap.

She woke to warmth and a safe feeling. Struggling up through clouds of sleep, Avery opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was bronzed skin and male muscle.

Mal.

She’d spent the night with Mal. The whole night. Not just a few hours and not even just sleeping in the same bed, but with him, snuggled. Joined. And after months of trying to piece herself back together, piece by broken piece.

Warmth was replaced by dismay. What had she done?

It was like spending a year on a diet and then taking a job in a chocolate factory and binging from dawn to dusk. She was furious with herself—and with him for assuming that he could just pick up where he’d left off.

Panic exploded and she tried to wrench herself away from him but his arms tightened like a steel band, locking her against him.

‘What’s the matter?’

‘I’m suffering a serious case of morning-after regret. Let me go.’ Had he always had muscles like this? She strained against his hold but there was no shifting him.

‘You’re not going anywhere. If there are things you want to say then you can say them here.’

Pressed against his warm naked body with every passing second reminding her of last night and weakening her resolve?

‘Let me go.’

‘Never.’ He didn’t open his eyes and a slight smile tilted the corners of his firm, sexy mouth. ‘You are running away from me yet again like the coward you are.’

‘I’m not a coward.’

‘No?’ His eyes opened a fraction and he looked at her, his expression shielded by the thickness of dark lashes. ‘Prove it, habibti. Stay where you are. Do not create the distance your instinct tells you to create. Last night, for once, you were honest. Embrace it. Face the fear.’

‘Last night I was an idiot. And I don’t want this! I had it once before and it was truly horrible.’ She shoved him hard and sprang from the bed, her heart racing and panic gripping her like the talons of one of his falcons.

‘Horrible?’ His tone was several shades cooler. ‘You are saying our relationship was horrible?’

‘Not our relationship, no, the part when it ended.’ Flustered and confused and horribly conscious that she was naked, she grabbed the nearest item of clothing, which just happened to be his discarded shirt. ‘You just don’t get it, do you?’

He lifted himself onto his elbow, his inky black hair flopping over his forehead. The sheet drifted down, displaying packed muscle and abs as hard as steel. ‘Given that you were the one who ended it, no, I don’t.’

She thought back to that time and didn’t know whether to cry or punch him. ‘Never mind.’ The words were thickened around the lump in her throat and she pulled on the shirt, covering herself. ‘Forget it. I’d be grateful if you’d do your powerful Prince thing and call your helicopter. It’s time for me to go home.’

‘Wearing nothing but my shirt?’

‘I’ll change.’

‘Don’t bother. I’m not letting you go again.’ He was so sure of himself and who could blame him after the way she’d folded in his arms only a few hours earlier.

‘It isn’t your choice, it’s mine and I choose not to do this again. I won’t make the same mistake twice.’ But she’d already made it, hadn’t she? She’d already taken more than a few steps down that path. And the wounds of her healing heart were already bleeding again. And that was her fault. Despite everything, she’d allowed them to be ripped open a second time.

‘Are you pretending that we’re not good together?’

His lack of insight was like a punch to her belly. Her emotions overflowed. ‘You don’t have a clue, do you? You have absolutely no idea.’ She paced to the far side of the bedroom on legs that shook so badly she wasn’t confident of their ability to fulfil their purpose. ‘We’ve done this once before, Mal, and when it fell apart it left me in pieces. I was … was broken, and helpless and utterly pathetic and … God, I can’t believe I just told you that.’ Turning away from him, she covered her face with her hands. ‘Just stop this, please. I don’t want a post-mortem. Last night was last night but that’s it. That’s all it was. One night. No more. I can’t give any more.’

But it was too late. He was already out of the bed and next to her, gloriously naked and completely indifferent to that fact. ‘You were in pieces?’ The light humour had gone. In its place was nothing but raw emotion. ‘When were you in pieces? Because whenever I contacted you, you were the most perfect example of someone completely together. I did not see a woman in pieces, I saw a woman who didn’t give a damn. Until last night that’s all I’ve ever seen when I’ve looked at you.’

‘Well, what did you expect?’ She let her hands drop and she was yelling now, completely forgetting to lower her voice and incapable of playing it cool. ‘After everything I gave you, you did that to me.’

‘Everything you gave me?’

‘Yes.’ Her voice cracked. ‘With you I did something I’d never done with a man before—I gave you my heart and you sliced it up into a million pieces and served it up in public like chopped liver. “Here, look at this everyone, help yourself.”‘ That confession was followed by a horrible silence. She waited for him to say something but instead he simply stared at her, his cheeks unnaturally pale.

He swallowed, although that manoeuvre appeared to cause him difficulty. ‘You were the one who ended our relationship.’

‘And weeks later you were engaged to Kalila. And news of that engagement was everywhere. I couldn’t go on the Internet without having pictures of the happy couple flashed in front of my face. And everyone was watching me, waiting for me to fall apart. Everyone. It was like being an exhibit in a zoo. Do you know how hard it was to drag myself out of bed in the morning and face the world? Because I can tell you it was hell.’

He looked shell-shocked. ‘Avery—’

‘And as if it wasn’t bad enough, you then had the gall to ask me to organise the evening party to celebrate your wedding. You had to rub my face in it.’ All the emotion that had been locked inside her for so long came flowing out, smothering her and choking her. ‘And I had to laugh and smile and say, “Of course I don’t mind,” to what felt like a million nosy people who wanted to stop and stare at our massive car crash of a relationship. It was bad enough that you asked her to marry you so soon after we broke up, but to ask me to organise the party knowing that I wouldn’t feel able to refuse—’ she was sobbing now, tears soaking her cheeks as she finally lost control. ‘How could you do that? How could you want to hurt me and humiliate me like that? How could you?’

Ashen, he muttered something unintelligible and reached for her but she snatched her hand away and dodged him.

‘No! There is nothing you can do or say to make this right. I’ve always thought that long-term relationships were doomed but with you, just for a moment, I was happy. And hopeful. And then you did that.’ The words ended on a hiccup. ‘And it wasn’t an accident. You did it to hurt me. And you did. You did hurt me, Mal. And I won’t let you do it again.’