A Devious Desire

'Modesty becomes you,' she said drily.

His smile was wry as he lowered his head and kissed ter softly. 'Jackass springs to mind,' he derided himself, before adding in a much more serious tone, 'But last night, seeing you in James's apartment, I was knocked right off my axis, my supreme arrogance destroyed. By sheer chance I had called there, and to find my half- naked wife coming out of the bathroom. . ." He shook his head as if to banish the image.

Quick to reassure him, Saffron said, 'Nothing happened, Alex; I arrived half an hour before you, soaked to the skin and in tears. I asked James to arrange for me to return to England immediately. Instead he gave me a stiff drink and told me to get out of my wet clothes and then we could talk. You know the rest.'

'God, yes! I saw red and hit him, but even in my rage the worst part, the thing that ripped my pride to shreds, was the fact that I never for a second considered letting you go. I didn't care if he was your lover.' His dark gaze burned into hers as he amended quickly, 'No, I did care, I was absolutely gutted, but there was no way in the world I could live without you. Never to have you in my arms again, to bury myself deep in your feminine softness. . . Ego, pride, you could trample on the lot and I still couldn't let you go. I love you. . .'

Saffron's eyes widened. She had longed for his love for so long and had tried to believe that it was possible. But she hadn't dared hope for anything like this. Her dynamic, powerful husband was laying his heart at her feet. She leant towards him. 'I lo—' But she stopped as the reason for her distress the previous evening came back to taunt her.

Alex, sensing her hesitation, pulled her up and on to his lap, his arms tightening fiercely around her. 'You don't have to say you love me. Not now. I simply want the chance to win your love.' His dark eyes searched her beautiful but wary face. 'I will in the end; I'm a determined man and I'll never give up, supposing it takes a lifetime.' His hand slipped beneath her shirt and stroked up her back while his other hand caught her chin and turned her face to his. 'How can I persuade you to take a chance on me?'

'I went to Athens yesterday to surprise you, and hopefully talk you into letting me go back to work.' Saffron burst into speech, refusing to give in to the seductive trail of his hand on her bare back. "The island is quiet in the winter; I was feeling lonely and it seemed a good idea at the time—until I went to the apartment and discovered you shared it with Sylvia.'

All his protestations of love faded against the incontrovertible truth, Saffron realised sadly. Sylvia was his mistress. She had seen it with her own eyes on this very yacht, outside this very cabin, never mind last night.

She attempted to slide off his lap but with easy strength Alex held her close and, falling back on the ted within seconds, she was flat on her back, Alex leaning over her, his lower body imprisoning hers while his hands rested either side of her head.

'It's no good denying it, Alex. I saw your clothes next to hers in the wardrobe.'

'Saffron, darling, I'm flattered by your jealousy but I swear I have never, ever made love to Sylvia. In fact I have never so much as looked at another woman since the moment I saw you. A few of my clothes may still be in the wardrobe, but I have never stayed there with Sylvia or any other woman. I offered Sylvia the use of the apartment for the rest of her stay in Greece simply because she told me she was tired of living in a hotel, and as it was my fault she had to stay here to oversee the selling of the health club chain I thought it was the least I could do. I moved out to a hotel.

'In a way it was your fault. I'm off-loading the health clubs so you can't possibly think, even for a second, I would be involved in anything so seedy as a massage parlour.' He grinned cheekily. 'Anyway, I hope to keep my own personal masseuse.'

Saffron was stunned by his action but still found it hard to forget Sylvia so easily.

Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, Alex lowered his head, his hard mouth brushing gently over her brow, down her nose and finally touching her lips. 'Think, Saffron. We have never spent a night apart since Aunt Katherina revealed I was not the villain you thought.'

He was right but she still wasn't convinced. 'Alex, I know you and Sylvia were once lovers.'

'Rubbish.' He bit the tip of her chin gently. 'Forget Sylvia; I love you and right now I want you quite desperately.'

Saffron sighed softly, her pulse speeding as Alex moved his long legs either side of hers, allowing her to fed his urgency. 'When we were cruising I saw Sylvia leaving your cabin early one morning,' she got out breathlessly.

Alex reared back. 'Never.'

'Don't lie to me, Alex. I walked into the hall one morning and Sylvia was leaving your cabin.'

'Saffron, I swear to you she had not spent the night with me. For God's sake, you know I spent the whole of the cruise trying to get you into bed; how could I look at another woman?'

That much was true, Saffron allowed.

'I don't know why the damned woman was at my door, but I'm telling you the truth.' His dark eyes bored down into hers, his expression grim. 'Sylvia's leaving my employ next week, she's going to work for the new owners, but before she does I'

m damn well going to get to the bottom of this.' He rolled on to his side and sat up, shoving his hand distractedly through his black hair. 'I don't know how to convince you, but I will,' he said adamantly, with a swift return to his usual masculine arrogance.

Saffron tried to sit up, but he shoved her back among the pillows. She saw his shoulders coming near, the determined light in his black eyes, and she lifted her hands to his chest in an effort to restrain him. She refused to let him convince her with sex. It was too important.

'Saffron?' he rasped in query.

She looked at him, his jutting chin, the firm line of his jaw, and she almost believed him, wanted to give in to the promise in his eyes. But she remembered just how hard and insensitive he could be, even resorting to violence with James.

'Your own mother told me you always took one or more of your women on the family cruise.' And, determined to air all her grievances, Saffron added, 'And she didn't dare tell you that your father loved Aunt Katherina.'

She stopped. She should not have said that; she knew Anna had a great ability to be economical with the truth. She waited, holding her breath, expecting Alex to explode, but instead, to her absolute amazement, he threw his head back and laughed out loud.

'My God, I should have guessed; dear, demented Mother.' And, gathering her in his arms, he rolled across the bed, swinging her on top of him.

Sprawled across his hot, hard body, his arms tightening around her, she could only gasp, 'Demented?' Alex was the only demented person around here, she thought as he continued to laugh.