Page 16 of Out of Office Nights (Royals of Cartana #2)

‘Sabeen!’ The bark of warning only made her bolder. ‘Wait!’

She didn’t. The spark of magic and the absence of despair fizzed in her blood. She might have resisted taking a break, but now she was here, she accepted it was exactly what she’d needed.

Her gaze on the horizon, she gunned the throttle. With a daring glare, she shot off, laughing with a freedom she hadn’t felt in for ever when his eyes widened.

He followed immediately, of course.

Teo Domene wasn’t in the habit of letting anyone best him. But she squeezed every ounce out of their little game, speeding up when he did. Circling him when he slowed down but never letting him close enough to risk her upper hand.

He watched her, his face set in increasingly frustrating lines. Until finally he conceded. ‘We’re going back. Now.’

‘You’re giving up? Was it not enjoyable for you?’ she asked, unable to hide her pleased smirk.

‘I have to. I can’t risk you doing anything foolish on my watch like breaking that beautiful neck.’

Her body reacted wildly to those words, her nipples hardening while her thighs clenched with the sensation pulsing between them.

The moment she reached the cabana, she snatched up a towel and held it against her body in a bid to hide and alleviate the turbulent feelings.

‘Did you enjoy your little adventure?’

‘You wanted me to relax. That was me relaxing.’

He raked a hand through his wet hair, completely—hopefully—oblivious to what the sight of his tight, bronzed body was doing to her. ‘Evidently. I’ve never heard you laugh before.’

‘Whereas I’ve heard you laugh far too many times.’

He remained sombre, watchful in a way that reminded her of his twin. In a way that made her insides jump because Teo in this mode was a little frightening with his incisive intuition.

‘Speaking of which, you said the first thing on the agenda was relaxation. What’s the second?’ she asked after wrapping the towel tight around her body.

His gaze probed hers for several beats before taking a seat on the beach lounger next to hers. Pouring from a pitcher of ice-cold fruit punch infused with dates, cinnamon sticks and mint, he handed it over to her.

She took it and sipped, nearly rolling her eyes at the heavenly taste.

‘Your grandmother,’ he said.

Her heart lurched, but the hot objection she’d intended cooled far too rapidly and died altogether. Buying herself time, she took another sip, then stretched out on the lounger.

With her gaze on the horizon, she replied, ‘Why do you want to know about her?’

‘It’s undeniable that she had a huge influence on you. Still does.’

She flicked her gaze away for a quick reprieve before his sheer will pulled it back. ‘She wouldn’t have approved of you.’

One corner of his mouth quirked, but his face remained serious. ‘I’m aware that you think she might not initially have.’

She frowned at the puzzling response. ‘How?’

Those incisive eyes probed even deeper. ‘Among other things, you tense up every time I walk into your living room. That armchair was hers, wasn’t it?’

She inhaled sharply then nodded jerkily.

‘Tell me the significance of it.’

‘It was her favourite chair. But it was also meaningful beyond its comfort. She used it whenever she wanted to have an important talk with me. I… It feels like every significant turning point in my life has involved that chair.’ Tears pricked her eyes, but she rapidly blinked them back.

‘Since she died, I only sit in it when I miss her counsel and her warmth. I couldn’t let anyone else sit in it. ’

He nodded and surprised her again by saying, ‘And you shouldn’t.’

Something tight inside her eased, and Sabeen found she could breathe even easier. Which triggered a fresh smarting of tears. What the hell was he doing to her?

He’s the Playboy Prince, damn it.

He shouldn’t be this considerate. This in tune with compassion.

He should be pushing his sexual aura on her so she could storm off in a huff, pull the protective cloak tighter around her precious emotions.

Not unsettling her with the dangerous idea that this connection developing between them could be as wild as his quicksilver eyes promised.

Insanely beautiful, even. But above all and most importantly: non-toxic .

Solid. Strong enough to withstand past devastation.

‘Tell me of your time with her.’

Was it her imagination, or did he sound wistful? Jealous, even.

Her belly clenched for several seconds. Then tension eased out with her next breath. ‘She brought me up as much as my mother did. Jida felt she had to be strict over certain things where my mother was more…chill.’

‘They clashed over that?’

Sabeen nodded, the memories a little bittersweet.

‘Repeatedly. I like to think I got the best of both worlds. And they loved each other, so it wasn’t too disruptive or dysfunctional.

’ She caught his mouth tightening at the clarification, reminding her of the rumours swirling around his family.

Rumours she’d paid no heed to but now triggered her curiosity in light of the shadows that haunted him. The test of fire he’d spoken of.

‘You loved her, and she loved you. So why are you so terrified of that chair?’

Her head swivelled to meet his shrewd gaze. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said hotly.

‘It goes beyond grief, dulce .’

Her heart banged against her ribs, hammering at her throat. Drowning out the sound of the waves crashing to shore.

He was unravelling her. With a shocking comment here, a sceptical glance there, a simple command to relax . The more she struggled to deny him, the looser the reins on her emotions became.

She was sure it was why she blurted a stupidly unguarded question. ‘Why are you helping me? And don’t tell me because it’s in my contract.’

‘Fundamentally, yes, but if you’re seeking deeper meaning, I thought that was obvious, carina .

You’ve achieved the impossible height of intriguing me.

And I sense that once you shed that baggage you’re lugging around, the wells of talent will gush like the proverbial river.

I’d be a fool to let all that potential go to waste. ’

So…this was solely a professional advantage he sought to gain.

Her reeling heart berated her for being a fool.

She turned and faced the glittering horizon, willing the free fall of dismay to stop.

Lifting her gaze higher, she followed the vapour trail of a jetliner for a full minute.

Then she shook her head, a peculiar but unstoppable certainty striking deep.

‘That’s not all. You think you know me so well, but I see you too.

This whole process isn’t just about me.’

Stealthy tension crept over him. He presented her with his regal profile as the silence stretched taut. Just when she thought he’d ignore her, he spoke. ‘You’re right. In a manner of speaking.’

‘Explain,’ she insisted. He’d delved deep beneath her foundations. Just why she needed to reciprocate she wasn’t sure, but it felt imperative.

His jaw rippled. Then he exhaled. ‘I have doubters. In Cartana. Doubters I intend to make eat their words. Is that satisfying enough?’

A month ago, she would’ve been stunned. But she recalled the shadows, his solemnity and bleakness. ‘Who would doubt you?’ she asked because it felt…absurd. He held more talent in his pinkie than most tapped into in their entire lives.

‘I’ll give you three guesses.’

She frowned. She’d seen him with his brothers, had seen their pride during the wedding. She’d barely encountered his mother. Or seen him interact with his father, for that matter, even though they’d both been present. ‘Your parents?’ she whispered.

The tight clench of his face verified her guess.

Before she could press for more, he bit out, ‘Now answer my question, Sabeen.’

She scrambled to recall what he’d asked. Her grandmother. The chair. ‘She didn’t entirely approve of my modelling, but she was on board with the new direction of my career.’ She shrugged. ‘I care about not disappointing her.’

‘That’s not all. You’ve been so brave. Don’t stop now.’

She stifled a growl. ‘This is the furthest thing from relaxing. You know that, don’t you?’

He merely arched a brow. Waited.

‘Fine. Her worry and disappointment went deeper. She was…scared for me emotionally too. And some of her predictions were realised. I haven’t been able to bring myself to seek her forgiveness or counsel. Or sit in her chair. Are you satisfied?’

He treated her to that heavy silence until she wanted to squirm. ‘Moderately,’ he eventually said.

She cast her gaze around for a distraction, realised she’d left her phone behind. Then she saw him recline, his eyes drifting shut.

He was giving her the reprieve she desperately sought.

It should’ve eased her disquiet. Instead, she found herself examining him.

Tracing his aquiline nose, those sensual lips that still haunted her dreams. The dark mole she hadn’t noticed before.

The corded power of his arms. His ridged torso rising and falling in steady breathing, thick thighs she wanted to run her hands over.

Repeatedly . To the visible bulge of his shaft beneath his damp swim-shorts.

She swallowed the sudden warmth in her mouth as heat stung her, tunnelling deep to rest, urgent and delicious, between her legs.

‘Look your fill, tesoro . I’m not going anywhere,’ he drawled, then his eyes still closed, he let loose a wickedly devastating smile that had her surging off the lounger, his rich laughter following her as she threw herself into the sea once more.

For the next two hours, Sabeen remained on her guard while she sipped cocktails which appeared as if by magic, and snacked on exquisite Moroccan hors d’oeuvres. But when it became clear Teo wasn’t waiting to pounce again with his invasive questions, she truly relaxed.

Did she believe his probing psychoanalysis was at an end? Not by a long shot. But perhaps he’d truly meant for her to relax today.

So she did.