Her soft rosy lips practically demanded his attention, but he kissed her cheek instead, lingering over her fragrant skin, listening to the uneven cadence of her breath. He disturbed her. Good. That was only fair since she made him mad with wanting. He couldn’t wait to set her on fire and lose himself in the moist welcome of her body. With effort Roark mastered the urgent craving to sweep her into his arms and mark her as his.
Time enough for that later.
“Can you take a break?”
She nodded. “The caterers should be here any minute, but Sara can supervise their setup.”
“Wonderful. Let’s go talk in my study. I have something for you.”
He guided her into his favorite room in the loft, a cluttered space lined with overflowing bookshelves. It was here that he spent most of his time, surrounded by the ancient texts that helped him unlock secrets to treasures hidden for centuries.
Plucking a black box off a pile of photographs, he opened it to reveal her engagement ring. Her shocked silence lasted until he slid the three-carat diamond onto her finger.
“I’ve never worn anything so expensive.”
“It suits you.”
Her slender fingers appeared even more delicate weighted down with the thick band of diamonds. Roark rotated her hand and watched fire dance in the gems, enjoying the slight tremble of her fingers.
“It’ll take some getting used to.”
“The ring or me?”
Her lips quirked in a wry smile. “Both.”
Before either of them saw it coming, he brushed his lips against hers, capturing her amusement for himself. His heart hammered against his ribs at her sharp oh of surprise. The texture of her lips fascinated him. He explored the plump contours with the same focus he might use when evaluating a precious artifact. This woman deserved to be treated with all the reverence he reserved for the things he pursued with such single-minded determination.
“Roark.”
His name, whispered out of her, sparked his impatience. As lust sliced away at his control, he spread his fingers against the small of her back and drew her tight against his aching body. “Say it again.”
She pulled back at his command, her torso arching. Passion-drenched and dreamy, her eyes met his. “What?”
“My name.” He kissed her nose. “Just put a little more heat behind it.” It was a dangerous request. His passion might be simmering now, but it wouldn’t take much to push it into a roiling boil.
“Is this how you plan to be tonight?”
“And every night hereafter.”
She rolled her eyes. “Roark.” More a warning than a caress.
He hummed and shook his head. “No one’s going to believe you’re madly in love with me if you use that tone. Try again.”
“Roark.” Exasperated.
“They’ll believe we’re together if you sound impatient. But I had something more like this in mind.” He cupped her face, snared her gaze and held her immobile with his steely will. “Elizabeth.”
To his amusement, her eyes widened and her mouth popped open. He rarely spent time with women that couldn’t handle his brand of seduction. Sophisticated women knew the score. Understood that he might be in it for the short-term, but that he would make it worth their while.
Elizabeth possessed an innocence that both captivated and concerned him. She hadn’t signed up to be seduced. And it was all he could think about doing.
“Do women fall for that?”
Her question shattered the sensual mood.
He frowned. “What do you mean do women fall for that?”
“The sexy voice. The take-off-your-clothes look.”