An Innocent, a Seduction, a Secret

She looked up at Sebastio, darkly dangerous with his tousled hair and stubbled jaw. His actions had sent her into a spin, but she knew she shouldn’t make anything of it because he must have done this a million times with other women. She desperately tried not to imbue it with any significance beyond a thoughtful gesure.

‘I can’t accept this—it’s too much.’

He plucked the necklace out of the box and had it secured around her neck before she could stop him. For a man with big hands he was surprisingly dextrous. She put up a hand to feel it. The diamond nestled perfectly in the spot just below the little hollow at the centre of her collarbone.

‘But I have nothing for you...’

He took her hand. ‘You can come back to bed and show me your appreciation.’ He smiled wickedly.

* * *

Much later that day, Sebastio revealed to Edie the Christmas feast that had been delivered and prepared by Fortnum & Mason staff. They dined on a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, and drank wine, still decadently dressed in their robes.

And as dusk fell over London once more Edie knew she’d just experienced a Christmas that would be etched into her memory for ever. The kind of Christmas she’d never imagined could be possible. She was deeply and irrevocably under Sebastio’s magic spell. And she feared that it was way too late to try and save herself.

No matter what happened now, she would emerge from this experience emotionally bruised. More than bruised. But she knew she wouldn’t have swapped it for anything. When the pain came—as it inevitably would—she would deal with it.

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘I WANT YOU to come to Argentina with me.’

Edie turned around from where she’d been looking out over the view of London. It was a view she thought she’d never get enough of. And it was a view that reminded her that while she was here in this glass cocoon high in the clouds with Sebastio it wasn’t really her life. Her life was back on street level. Not up here. Even if during the past few idyllic, heady days she’d managed to block out the fact that reality was waiting in the wings.

Except maybe not just yet...

‘Argentina?’

He nodded and pushed himself off the doorframe, where he’d been leaning nonchalantly. He was dressed in worn jeans and a loose shirt. How long had he been there? Watching her?

He came towards her with that effortless athletic grace, and predictably Edie’s body responded. It was still sensitive after a night of passion that had left her feeling as weak as a kitten. She’d only just managed to drag herself out of bed, wash and eat something. More leftovers from their Christmas feast.

Sebastio had been on the phone in his office so she’d not disturbed him.

‘I have to go to Buenos Aires for some meetings at the bank and I’ve been invited to a New Year’s party. Afterwards I could take you to my island for a couple of days.’

She remembered him mentioning it before. Santa Azul. It sounded impossibly exotic and out of her league. And it was, she told herself a little desperately.

She folded her arms, as if that could help block out Sebastio’s intensely seductive pull. ‘I would love to... But I can’t just pick up and leave at a moment’s notice.’

‘Why not?’

His carefree attitude rubbed up against all the edgy bits inside her that told her she was a fool to have indulged herself like this here with him. ‘Because life isn’t that simple for all of us, Sebastio.’

He went still. ‘I know very well that life isn’t simple, Edie. I’m not suggesting it is. However, I won’t apologise for the fact that I have resources available to me that can make things somewhat...easier.’

Edie felt chastened. He’d been nothing but generous. The necklace he’d given her nestled against her skin. She adored it, and hadn’t taken it off since he’d put it around her neck. Even though she knew one of his assistants had probably picked it out.

‘I’m sorry... I just don’t think it would be a good idea.’

S

he dreaded him asking why, because in the fragile mood she was in right now she might blurt out the real reason. Because she was fathoms deep in love with him and struggling to stay afloat in a sea of emotions.

But he said, ‘When are your parents due back from their cruise?’

She looked at him. ‘Not till the third week in January.’

‘And when are you due to return to work?’