"I was wondering if you were coming at all," she said lightly as she moved toward him. "You didn't show up for dinner."
"I learned my lesson the last time," he said. "I had only two days of anticipation to go through before that first night, and I nearly went crazy. I would have been tempted to toss the tray off the balcony tonight."
"Me too."
He went still. "You mean that? I was afraid you'd think I was rushing you."
"Well, a little, maybe." She smiled teasingly. "Tomorrow was the day for Hannibal's arrival."
"It still is." He drew her into the room and shut the balcony doors behind them. "This is still a Khadim night. I promise you. Stay here while I turn on the light."
He was gone, a pale ghost in a darkly shadowed room. Then the soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the darkness as he turned to look at her.
"Oh yes," he said after a long moment. "I knew you'd look like that in the gown. The richest of wine and the most shimmering of silver-gold. There's nothing more beautiful on the face of the earth."
"I love it," she said. "It makes me feel like a princess."
"Every bride should feel like that." He was moving back to stand before her. "And that is a bridal outfit, Pandora." He cupped her face in his two hands. "Why not take advantage of it?" His lips were hovering near hers. "We could be married tonight. Why don't we fly to Marasef and get the formalities out of the way? You know you're going to do it anyway."
"Probably," she said huskily. He was so near. The warm scent of spice and soap was enveloping her, and his eyes were almost mesmerizing.
"Not probably. It's a certainty." His fingers were on her shoulders, kneading the flesh through the supple brocade. "Haven't you kept me dangling long enough?"
"I wouldn't play games like that. It's just that it's so important that I be sure."
"Yes, I know." His teeth nipped gently as her lower lip. "I wish I didn't. It would be so much easier just to rush you off your feet." He chuckled. "Well, there's one way I can whisk you off your feet."
He suddenly picked her up and carried her toward the bed, his face alight with laughter as he looked down at her. "I'm giving you fair warning. By morning I have every intention of wresting that promise from you." He laid her down in a flurry of cranberry brocade. "I'm going to be such a very seductive Khadim that you're never going to want to do without me again."
"That's no challenge. I don't want to do without you now."
His face was beautifully tender as he gently brushed back a lock of hair from her face. "Then you realize how simple everything is. Neither one of us will be without the other from now on. Turn over, love, and let me get you out of this thing."
She rolled over on her stomach. "It's not a thing, it's beautiful." She heard the hiss of the long zipper and then felt a breath of cool air on her naked back. She heard him inhale sharply. "I see you don't believe in wasting time either." His palm reached out to cover the smooth curve of her buttocks. "Lord, that's pretty."
"I told you I didn't play games."
"Then I'll have to teach you. Certain games are very enjoyable." He was deftly slipping her arms out of the sleeves. "I'm sure you'd be better at them than you are at mahjongg."
"I'd have to be," she muttered. "It's an idiotic game anyw—" She gasped as she felt his warm lips at the hollow of her back. When she got her breath back she asked, "Is that a fair move?"
"If you like it." His teeth gently nipped the soft flesh below the hollow. "Tell me what you like and I'll make up new rules as we go along."
"You always do," she said with amusement. "Ouch!" That bite had been decidedly more punishing than the last. "You did have dinner, didn't you?"
"No." The lightness was completely gone from his voice. "I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep last night. Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever going to be able to do either again." His hands were running up and down her back in long, caressing strokes, savoring the silkiness of her flesh. "I'm tired of keeping
things light. I don't feel light, dammit! I feel serious as hell."
He was lifting her, turning her over on the rumpled cranberry brocade. She was startled when she saw the intense look of hunger on his face. "No seduction?" she asked softly.
"I'm trying." His gaze was traveling over her, finally fastening on the soft golden nest of her womanhood. "It's never been so difficult with any other woman." He lowered his cheek and rubbed it against her belly. The slight abrasion caused her muscles to contract, and her hands went involuntarily to his shoulders. "It was a game with them. Skill against skill." His warm breath was searing her. "I want to make it so good for you and I'm afraid I'll foul it up." Her heart was pounding wildly, and she felt a burning begin between her thighs. "This means something to me."
"It means something to me too." Her heart jerked as his lips moved against her in the most intimate of kisses. "Philip!"
"You're so sweet here," he said as his hands cupped her gently. "But then, every part of you is sweet. Do you know how beautiful you are?"
Her hands clenched on his shoulders, her nails digging into the silk of his shirt. "Yes. No. What did you say?" His tongue touched her, and she arched up against him with a little cry.
He raised his head. "I love to hear you cry out like that, but it makes it hard as the devil to hold on." He lowered his lips to kiss her hand, which was still clenching desperately at his shoulders. "But it bothers me that you seem confused about how lovely you are. I think we should clear that up once and for all." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "Come on." He propelled her across the room, Ignoring her confusion as he whisked her into the Khadim suite.
"Philip, I don't understand—" She broke off. They were before a floor-length triple mirror that was standing upright against the wall. The lamps were off in the suite and the only light was that streaming from Philip's room. It came as a little shock to see her own slim nudity offset by Philip's fully clothed figure behind her.
"I remembered how excited you were in the dressing room." Philip's arms slid around her waist. "I thought you might like this." His hands slid down to slowly massage her belly. "The night I had it installed I lay in that bed just looking at it, imagining how you'd look standing here surrounded on three sides by mirrors. Do you know what that did to me?" He lowered his head to whisper in her ear. "I was hurting so much that I wanted to run to you and bury myself in you and stay forever. I've ached like that every night since then." One hand had left her and begun to unbutton his white silk shirt. She could see the tanned flesh and the dark triangle of hair on his chest emerging from the opening in the shirt, and her eyes clung helplessly. The hard, impersonal sheen of the glass contrasted with the intimate picture it was reflecting and the explosive emotions seething between them.
"See how pretty you are." His hand was tanned and graceful as it moved up to cup her breast, surrounding and lifting it. "This is what I see when I look at you. All this sweet firmness." Hepinched the pink crown with thumb and forefinger. "This lovely budding."