Never before…
Miraculously the exotic silver creation appeared to have survived such rough handling and his eyes dropped to her cleavage.
She gave a strangled laugh and pushed his chin up, forcing his eyes to meet hers. ‘Should I wear a coat?’ Her eyes and voice teased him. ‘I think you’d better keep your eyes above my neckline this evening.’
Incredulous, Nikos lifted an eyebrow. ‘You still want to go out?’
‘Of course.’ She gave him a little push. ‘Nikos, I’m all dressed up. I have this fabulous dress that made you lose every last scrap of that iron self-control of yours. I want to wear it in public.’
‘Why?’ Hot jealousy poured through him at the thought of other men having the same opportunity to admire her body. ‘We could have dinner here. We could stay in.’
‘I want to walk down a red carpet.’ Her hands on her hips, she adjusted the fall of the dress with a sensual movement of her hips that sent the blood rushing away from his brain to a completely different organ of his body.
‘It’s just a carpet,’ he gritted, and she gave a light smile.
‘Nikos, you were the one telling me that I need to enjoy myself.’
‘We’re too late.’
‘No, we’re not. Just give me five minutes in the bathroom.’
‘Change the dress,’ he growled, stabbing his fingers through his hair, his tension mounting at the thought of just how many men were going to be looking at her.
In less than five minutes she emerged from the palatial bathroom. Her tangled, ruined hairstyle had been redone in a more haphazard fashion by her own hands, but somehow the lack of finesse made her seem sexier than ever. Her mouth glistened from a fresh sweep of gloss and her cheeks were pink from their love-making.
Nikos wanted to take her straight to bed.
And so would every other man who looked at her.
‘Stop glaring.’ Ella slid her arm through his. ‘I’m going to enjoy myself. Isn’t that what you wanted?’
‘What I want is for you to keep my ring on your finger. Marry me,’ he said roughly. ‘You know it’s the right thing to do.’
She paused and lifted her eyes to his and he saw the uncertainty there. Uncertainty and something else.
Fear?
‘You said you weren’t going to mention it again.’
‘Ella…’ He felt frustration pour through him. ‘After what we just shared, how can you say no?’
‘What we just shared was sex, Nikos.’ She stepped away from him, her eyes wary. ‘I thought you said we’re going to be late.’
Never had Nikos been less enthusiastic about attending a high-profile, red-carpet charity function. Instead, he was gripped by a sudden urge to take her back to the canal boat where their relationship had been insulated from the outside world.
Cinderella, he thought dryly as they walked down the red carpet a little while later, wishing he hadn’t done quite such an effective job in transforming her from shy nurse to sexy socialite.
On the other hand, it was possible that the transformation would affect her in other ways.
Perhaps she would realise that they could be good together.
He watched as she smiled her way through a million introductions, ate the banquet and danced until her feet ached.
He hadn’t seen her so happy since those first few months they’d spent together, when their whole lives had been focused on their work and each other.
She sat by his side, her eyes wide as the charity auction started and some of the bids ran into the hundreds of thousands.
When one of the prizes was announced, she turned to him. ‘Seven nights at the Mariakos Spa Hotel in Greece? Did you donate that prize?’
‘Of course.’
Her eyes twinkled. ‘So—if someone wants it, they just offer money, yes?’
‘That’s right.’
‘And all the money goes to the charity, so it’s for a good cause? Are you going to bid for something?’
‘Of course.’
At that moment the huge screen at the back of the room flashed up pictures of the hotel. The camera lingered on an exclusive private villa within the extensive grounds of the hotel, an oasis of serene tranquillity opening onto a private infinity pool. The turquoise water appeared to blend with the sea beyond and there were a few wistful sighs in the room. A yacht sped across a sparkling sea, dolphins played in the blue depths of the bay and behind were mountains.