THE BILLIONAIRE'S LOVER

18 | IN WHICH SHE'S HOT AND BOTHERED

They were still had two weeks before a month into their contract, and she already felt so. . .she couldn't explain it.

Malora kicked her shoes off and got out of her heavy, clinging blouse and trousers. It was strangely liberating to watch them sink. Then they turned around and floated dreamily on her back. The sky was blue in a way that it never was in London. A lone seagull high up circled and cried. The fierce sun beat on her face, but there was a cool breeze and the waves lapped gently against her relaxed, drifting body. Malora felt almost hypnotized.

God! This was the life. She could just eat coconuts and stay here forever. She thought of Titan telling her that the motto of island life was: Take your time. No hurry.

Time passed.

'Hey,' someone called. Reluctantly Malora righted herself and treaded the waters.

Titan was standing at the water's edge a little away from the pier. He was shading his eyes with his hands and not wearing shoes or a shirt. The sun bounced off all of that golden chest, making her mouth water. Holy hell, he was truly hot.

'Want some lunch?' he shouted.

Food? Brilliant idea. Come to think of it she was actually starving hungry. 'Yeah, I do.'

'Come on then.'

Malora started swimming toward him. When she could feel the sand under her feet she started walking toward him. Her limbs felt strangely heavy and lethargic. Malora looked at Titan and he was staring at her with hungry eyes. Must be the heat, but she felt as if there was a powerful coil of need inside her. A powerful desire to fall on him on the beach. The sun was hot on her head and the ground was the softest, whitest, most pristine, fine sand she'd ever had the pleasure of walking upon.

Malora walked up to him and stopped a foot away. They stared at one another, each mesmerized by the other. He reached out a hand and glided his finger along her wet cheek. His skin was hot and his touch birthed a yearning inside her, something new. Something she had never felt before. Malora felt her cheeks blazing. The air around them shimmered.

She looked enquiringly into his eyes.

But they were fierce wells of gray avalanche that were devoid of any information. Malora had the impression that her body was on fire. She shook her head slightly. Confused, dazed by the sun. Perhaps it was some sort of heatstroke. She shouldn't have lain in the midday sun without easing herself into it slowly.

He leaned in, caught her face in his hands and lightly brushed his lips against hers. The disconnect between the naked lust in his eyes and the tenderness of his lips disarmed Malora. And suddenly the thought—she liked this with this man. She totally, completely and terribly liked him. The likeness that was way beyond normal. It was almost leaning toward love.

The knowledge was like freezing wind on her wet skin. Malora shivered.

Back up, Mal. Back up.

She said the first thing that came into her head. 'Did you say something about lunch?' Her voice was croaky and thick.

He licked the salt from her mouth and said, 'Mmmm. . .'

Malora had to stop him. She needed to think about this new. . .development. It was not good news. 'I'm hungry.'

'Mmmm.'

'Seriously hungry.'

'The color of your hair. . .your body. . . You looked like a sea goddess or a mermaid coming out of the water. In this wretched world you are. . . perfect.'

His voice was like rich, dark golden syrup. It coated her skin. He kissed her ear and glided his lips along the lobe. The action was like being on a familiar road. She'd traveled it before. Many times. Some part of her even knew where this road led to. She emptied her being of thought and surrendered herself to desire. It rippled like a forest fire through her, swift and unstoppable.