Playing by the Greek's Rules (Puffin Island 0.50)

His kisses grew rougher, more intimate, more demanding and she tugged at his shirt, her fingers swift and sure on the buttons, her movements more frantic with each bit of male muscle she exposed.

His chest was powerful, his abs lean and hard and she felt a moment of breathless unease because she’d never had sex with a man built like him.

He was self-assured and experienced and as she pushed the shirt from his shoulders she tried to take a step backwards.

‘I’d like to keep my clothes on, if that’s all right with you.’

‘It’s not all right.’ But there was a smile in his voice as he slid his hand from her hips to her waist, pulling her back against him. His fingers brushed against the underside of her breast and she moaned.

‘You look as if you spend every spare second of your life working out.’

‘I don’t.’

‘You get this way through lots of athletic sex?’

His mouth hovered close to hers. ‘You promised to stop talking.’

‘That was before I saw you half naked. I’m intimidated. That photo didn’t lie. Now I know what you look like under your clothes I think I might be having body-image problems.’

He smiled, and she felt his hands at the back of her dress and the slow slither of silk as her dress slid to the floor.

Standing in front of him in nothing but her underwear and high heels, she felt ridiculously exposed. It didn’t matter that he’d already seen her that way. This was different.

He eased back from her, his eyes slumberous and dangerously dark. ‘Let’s go upstairs.’

Her knees were shaking so much she wasn’t sure she could walk but the next moment he scooped her into his arms and she gave a gasp of shock and dug her hands in his shoulder.

‘Don’t you dare drop me. I bruise easily.’ She had a close-up view of his face and stared hungrily at the hard masculine lines, the blue-black shadow of his jaw and the slim, sensual line of his mouth. ‘If I’d known you were planning on carrying me I would have said no to dessert.’

‘Dessert was the best part.’ They reached the top of the stairs and he carried her into his bedroom and lowered her to the floor next to the bed.

She didn’t see him move, and yet a light came on next to the bed sending a soft beam over the silk covers. Glancing around her, Lily realised that if she lay on that bed her body would be illuminated by the wash of light.

‘Can we switch the lights off?’

His eye

s hooded, he lowered his hands to his belt. ‘No.’ As he removed the last of his clothes she let her eyes skid downwards and felt heat pour into her cheeks.

It was only a brief glance, but it was enough to imprint the image of his body in her brain.

‘Do you model underwear in your spare time? Because seriously—’ Her cheeks flooded with colour. ‘Okay so I think this whole thing would be easier in the dark—then I won’t be so intimidated by your supersonic abs.’

‘Hush.’ He smoothed her hair back from her face. ‘Do you trust me?’ His voice was rough and she felt a flutter of nerves low in her belly.

‘I—yes. I think so. Why? Am I being stupid?’

‘No. Close your eyes.’

She hesitated and then closed them. She heard the sound of a drawer opening and then felt something soft and silky being tied round her eyes.

‘What are you doing?’ She lifted her hand but he closed his fingers round her wrist and drew her hands back to her sides.

‘Relax.’ His voice was a soft purr. ‘I’m taking away one of your senses. The one that’s making you nervous. There’s no need to panic. You still have four remaining. I want you to use those.’

‘I can’t see.’

‘Exactly. You wanted to do this in the dark. Now you’re in the dark.’