She fought to lift her eyelids, to check where they were. There was a light somewhere, making her slit her heavy lids against its brightness. He shifted his hold, pressing her face in against his collar-bone, where she caught the salt scent of the sea and man. Drowsily she pressed her open lips against his skin, loving the tangy taste against her tongue.
He shuddered, holding her tighter till she was consumed by the sense of him all around her. He muttered something she couldn’t catch.
Then there was a sudden whooshing sound behind her, making her blink her eyes wide open.
They were in a room, the lights concealed around the rim of the ceiling as she looked over his shoulder.
A bathroom, a massive bathroom, warm with the glow of rosy tinted marble, glittering from the light reflecting off enormous mirrors and gold fittings.
‘Shower with me, Sophie.’ His voice rumbled beneath her ear. He leaned forward and she felt a haze of warm spray sprinkle her shoulder.
That woke her from her lethargy. She opened her eyes wide, staring straight into Costas’ gaze. This time she had no trouble reading his thoughts. Mischief danced in his black eyes just as surely as it curved his strong, sensuous mouth in a smile that stole her breath.
Her heart seemed to swell as she stared back, mesmerised by his male beauty, and by sheer delight. It was too much.
These feelings, the wondrous knowledge of this new emotional bond between them, of love … it was too much. Surely her heart would burst out of her ribcage.
She loved him so. Adored him. Even down to the smug anticipation lighting his expression.
He was definitely a man with but one thing on his mind. She took in his expression. Lust. Anticipation.
Out of nowhere fear jagged through her brain. Remembered pain.
Her body tensed as insidious doubt wormed its way into her brain. Could she be wrong? Was it possible she’d made a mistake? That his passion was, after all, only skin-deep? As shallow as a simple desire for a bed partner.
Could it be that he hadn’t experienced the revelation she had?
Goose-pimples rose on her arms as a sudden chill encompassed her.
As she watched, his smile faded. His face grew serious, as if he could read her doubt and fear.
‘Sophie,’ he murmured. ‘You’re like a light in the darkness.’ His voice was hoarse with emotion. A mirror to her own overwhelming feelings. His eyes held the same wonder. ‘I can’t imagine what I’ve done to deserve you.’
He leaned down, pressed a lingering, tender kiss against her lips.
Sophie shut her eyes, knowing that here, in his arms, she’d come home. She hadn’t made some terrible mistake.
This was where she was meant to be.
Hungry for his caresses, even more for his love, she linked her arms up round his neck, tugging him to her.
The kiss escalated from gentle to lush. From lush to languorously seductive. And then to passionate. Desperate.
It only ended when he stepped into a huge shower compartment and warm jets of water sprayed across them.
‘You can put me down,’ she spluttered, wiping a lock of wet hair back from her face.
He did, lowering her slowly to her feet, and then keeping his hands on her arms, holding her steady as she swayed.
She watched the water sluice down, plastering his dark hair to his head, glistening on every curve and angle of his hard chest, highlighting every masculine plane and curve. She sucked in her breath on a sigh of sheer wonder.
Costas lifted a hand and smoothed her hair back over her shoulder, his hand lingering to curve around her neck, splay-fingered in a possessive hold.
Sophie couldn’t stop the smile that shaped her lips as she leaned close to his touch. She was acting on instinct and instinct told her this was the most wonderful experience of her life.
He stepped closer, reaching round behind her then holding out a cake of soap in his hand.
‘I’ve been wanting to do this ever since the first time I saw you,’ he said, his voice husky.