A Devious Desire

Reluctantly she halted. He was so close that she could smell the clean, tangy fragrance of his cologne, and the door shutting behind Anna seemed to leave the pair of them cocooned in the dimly lit passageway. 'What do you want?' she managed to ask levelly.

'You, Saffron,' he murmured sexily, and deep down inside her she felt her body's treacherous response and did nothing to evade his lowering head; she could almost taste his kiss. But instead he said, his deep voice close to her ear, 'But I can wait. . .' his warm breath touched her cheek '. . .until I discover exactly what you and Mama are up to.'

She trembled as his breath caressed her skin. She had felt desire before, but never anything like this. . . Yet she , knew Alex was not serious. He was back to his sexual teasing of yesterday, and she had almost succumbed again. Stiffening her spine, she responded flatly, 'I have no idea what you mean. Now if you will excuse me Anna needs me.' And with her free hand she found the doorhandle and turned it.

'So do I. Oh, so do I! ' Alex husked, and with a swift bite on her earlobe that sent stóvers down her spine he slowly relinquished her arm, his long fingers sliding down the slender length to her hand; his thumb stroked over her palm and his husky chuckle was enough for Saffron to snatch her hand away.

'Go tease Sylvia,' she grated between clenched teeth. He was not making a fool of her again. 'She will appreciate it—you're two of a kind.'

'Maybe!' His eyes narrowed on her flushed face. 'But don't make the mistake of thinking you and James are two of a kind. I will not allow it.'

His arrogance was incredible, she thought angrily, but was in no mood to argue. Hadn't she decided to get through this holiday with the least possible aggravation? She needed the money and as long as she remembered that and kept out of Alex's way she would succeed. Pushing open the door, she slipped into Anna's cabin, without a word, and closed the door behind her.

Anna was sitting at the dressing-table mirror, but turned as Saffron entered, a worried frown marring hoc gentle face. 'Do you think Alex is getting suspicious about my accident?' she asked immediately.

'No, of course not. He has probably just decided to keep a closer eye on you.' After neglecting you for months on end, Saffron added silently, but didn't say it, though she wanted to.

The next few days were a mixture of heaven and hell for Saffron. The yacht sailed majestically on through clear blue waters, the sun continuing to shine with the temperate heat of early summer that was just about perfect. They cruised around the group of islands known as the Cyclades from the island of Kithnos to Sérifos, Sífnos, Kímolos and Páros.

Saffron did her best to avoid Alex, and Anna helped by insisting that they breakfast in her cabin. Saffron used her fair skin as an excuse not to join the rest of than around the pool for morning coffee. Instead she took to creeping out at seven in the morning and enjoying the pool by herself. But on the third morning that was also ended as the tall, dark figure of Alex appeared, his broad, muscular frame virtuaïïy naked except for black swimming-trunks.

Saffron gulped and almost swallowed half the pool when she first clapped eyes on him, but worse was to follow. His bronzed body executed a perfect dive into the water with an elegance that belied his huge frame, then surfaced whore Saffron was holding on to the side of the pool. His brown eyes searched her face with an intensity that made her tremble. He lifted his hand to where her usually riotous curls were plastered to her head, and said, 'I know you from somewhere. We have met before, I'm sure of it.'

"That old line. . .' she snorted, but was stunned to realise that he was only vocalising what she herself had been thinking since the first time she saw him at Rhodes.

'Maybe we were soul mates in another life,' he murmured, his hand stroking over her head and down to her throat, 'and the desire has lingered on.'

'Please. . .' She gulped as his hard thighs brushed against hers beneath the water; his hand slid lower, curving around her waist, then eased upwards to cup the underside of her breast.

She trembled. 'Stop that!' she gasped. 'Your mother will be here any minute.'

'So?' he mocked. 'I'm a grown man, and anyway I'm sure she'd be delighted if her plan worked.'

'Plan. . .?' Saffron was lost.

'Don't look so worried. This is not the time.' A steward walked past with a loaded coffee-tray. 'Too many distractions, but I am going to have you, Saffron, so stop trying to avoid me, hmm?'

Saffron locked the cabin door behind her and marched straight to the bathroom, shedding her dress and underwear on the way. She turned on the shower tap and stepped under the soothing spray, silently cursing Alex Statis. Thank God the boat -was docking in the port of Piraeus tomorrow morning; she couldn't stand much more.

Since the morning in the pool Alex had gone out of his way to make her life hell At every opportunity he touched her—an arm around her shoulder, even a kiss on the cheek, and, if he caught her alone, a kiss anywhere else he could reach. She tried to stop him, but her own foolish emotions seemed to leave her paralysed in his presence. He had the uncanny ability to enthrall, entice and terrify her all at the same time. The otters had noticed, of course, and Sylvia had actually stopped her earlier today by the pool! and told her is no uncertain terms just what she thought.

'Really, Saffron, throwing yourself at Ales won't gel you anywhere. He's used to your sort, and like all men he's not going to refuse something so blatantly offered.. But make no mistake—I am the one he always comes back to.'

Speechless with anger at the sitter unfairness of it all—it was Alex chasing her, or more exactly teasing her, act the other way around—Saffron had walked away without answering.

But tonight! She groaned out loud, recalling the scene at dinner. Anna had bees sitting neat to Saffron at the table and she had quietly repeated the- request she had made earlier that day for Saffy to make the job permanent.

Green eyes gentle, Saffron had tried to explain her reluctance, 'I intend to start my own salon, Anna, by the end of the year; It's always been my ambition. But I promise you can be my first customer.'

'But what about my shoulder? I need you every day,' Anna whispered so that the others couldn't hear.

'In another few weeks you will be back to normal.'

'But I like having you. . .'

'You won't need me. . .' Saffron hadn't realised her voice had risen, and she shot a startled look down the table, her green eyes caught and held by Alex's devilish brown ones.

'Need you, Saffron, darling? Maybe Mama doesn't, but you know I do,' he prompted mockingly.