She nodded. “I guess so, but-”
“Hush. Never quibble after a deal is made. It's very unprofessional.” He was walking toward her.
“I don't know much about deals and-”
“I do.” He was standing beside her and she felt suddenly smaller and more womanly than she ever had in her life. His warmth was surrounding her and she could catch the scent of soap and musk and something vaguely woodsy. “I'm an expert on making deals. I'll teach you. The first thing you should know is the difference between a takeover and a merger by mutual consent.” His index finger touched the pulse point on her neck. It rested lightly, as if testing the pounding of her heart. She felt the throbbing go wild beneath his touch. She could tell by the sudden flickering in his dark eyes that he felt it too. “I've always preferred mergers by mutual consent. It makes for a much better assimilation of assets.”
His finger was slightly unsteady on her flesh. Was she having such an effect on him? It seemed incredible, but they were so close she could see the erratic throbbing in his temple. “Now?” she whispered.
“What would you say if I said yes?”
Her gaze met his steadily. “I don't know very much about deals, but I know about meeting obligations to the people I love. You'll be giving me far more than I will be giving you. Why should I object if you want to collect in advance?”
“I can see we're going to have to do something about your sense of self-worth.” His finger moved from her throat to her lips and she experienced a burning sensitivity that startled her. The tip of his finger gently smoothed the fullness of her lower lip and the same tingling followed in its wake. Her lips felt soft and swollen. “You're ripe for a takeover, Kira. If you don't start negotiating, we may both be lost.”
“But you said-”
“A preliminary foray to seek out weakness.”
Her gaze was clinging helplessly to his. Lost. She had a fleeting memory of the complete trust she had felt in him at her first moment of awakening. If he were lost with her, she wouldn't be afraid. “Zack…”
He closed his eyes. How many times had he imagined her saying his name in just that way? The scent of a light floral fragrance wafted to him from those tousled auburn curls. He knew Marna blended a perfume for Kira from gardenias and the very lightest touch of cinnamon. But how could he have guessed the effect it would have on his senses? He'd be drunk and dizzy with the scent of the perfume and of her when he buried his face in her hair and moved over her to… He blocked the thought, but it was too late. His groin was a solid ache of throbbing need and his stomach was knotted with tension. She was here and willing. Why not?
“Zack?” It was a puzzled thread of sound.
The mondava, dammit. Marna had sent Kira to him. She had expected him to take her. He knew that, yet there was something wrong about rushing her to bed as his body dictated. No, not wrong, but not right, either. And it must be very, very right.
He opened his eyes and then wanted to close them again. Her blue eyes were mist-soft and questioning and her lips were slightly parted. He had never tasted her, never really touched her, never threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her head back so her throat arched and her breasts pressed against his chest. His gaze dropped to the full swell of her breasts encased in the amber chiffon. It would take so little to brush that veil of amber aside. She drew a deep, quivering breath and her breasts lifted and then fell. He knew she was aware of what he was thinking. She wouldn't stop him. He would take his time and pleasure her. He would roll her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. His lips would pull gently and his tongue would-Hell!
His finger dropped from her lips and he took a step backward. “Anticipation,” he said thickly. “It makes the pleasure infinitely sharper. I think we'll indulge in a few more preliminary forays before we conclude the merger.”
She should have been relieved. He was a stranger. She didn't really want-Yet, if she didn't really want him, why was she experiencing such a sinking feeling of disappointment… as if some long-awaited present had been moved suddenly out of her reach?
Her lips still throbbed where he had touched them and her breasts felt as sensitive and swollen as if he had touched them as well. It was crazy. She had met attractive men before, yet never felt this volcanic sensual upheaval. She tried to smile. “Whatever you say. It's your deal.”
“Yes.” He turned away abruptly and crossed to the desk. “I'll ring for Juana to show you to a guest room for the night.”
“I'm checked in at the Hilton in Tucson.”
He smiled. “No problem. I'll have someone check you out and pick up your bags. By the time you've showered and had a hot drink, they'll have delivered them to your room. I want you here tonight. We'll be leaving for Tamrovia in the morning.”
Her head lifted swiftly. “We will? You can manage to get away that soon?”
“You said you wanted Marna out immediately.” He pressed a button on the console on the desk. “I'll get her out. I'll work on the details and discuss them with you tomorrow on the plane. It shouldn't be too difficult to establish ourselves at the palace, if Stefan has no objection to me as your lover.”
“Won't he suspect something? One day I'm threatening to clobber him with his stupid royal scepter, and the next I show up with a lover no one knew about.”
“With his own scepter?” he asked, amused. “Now that is lese majesty. Don't worry. We'll concoct a plausible story of a previous meeting. To prepare the way, I'll contact my public relations man tonight and have him leak the story of our flaming love affair to a few well-known gossip columnists in Europe, along with the fact that you spent the night here. You needn't trouble yourself about anyone questioning the validity of our affair once we reach the palace.” He paused. “It will be clear even to the most casual observer that we're sharing a bed.”
Color flooded her cheeks. Damn, not only a virgin, but a blushing virgin. How unsophisticated could one get? She turned with relief as Juana appeared at the door. “Oh, well, I didn't think we should signal our purpose too obviously. Good night, Mr. Dam-Zack.” Lord, five minutes ago she had been on the verge of tumbling into bed with him and she wasn't even comfortable calling him by his first name.
He had caught the slip and there was suddenly a twinkle in his eyes. He bowed with mocking panache. “Good night, Princess Rubinoff. Juana will serve you breakfast in bed at nine. I'd like to be at the airport by eleven-thirty. I hope that will suit your highness's convenience?”
As if he cared. If it had happened to suit his convenience, he would have been in bed with her. “Fine,” she said softly. “I'll see you in the morning then.”
The amusement on his face faded as he watched the door close behind her. It had been touch and go toward the end whether he'd let her leave, and he wasn't at all sure he hadn't been a damn fool to do it. He was so aroused that he was sure he wouldn't sleep at all, and it was definitely questionable whether or not he'd be able to play the game he'd set for himself. Anticipation of having Kira had gone on too long for him. He would try to go very slowly and get her accustomed to him, one intimacy at a time, but-It was best not to think of those intimacies. He was hurting enough without adding fuel to the fire.
He reached for the phone and dialed Perry's number at the hotel. When he was put through, a very drowsy voice answered.
“Perry? Get moving and call Dubliss in Zurich and tell him we're postponing the Debuk project.”
Perry's voice was suddenly wide awake. “You're not going after her?”
“I didn't say that. The project is still go-we're just handling it differently. I'm going in ahead tomorrow and I'll contact him with further instructions when I arrive.”