Page 151 of The Tycoon's Affair: Tempted By Desire

She pushed open the door to find a study, three walls lined with bookshelves and books. A huge desk was in front of the window, its surface covered with a computer, laptop and papers... But her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw Arkim sitting on the ground, his back against the only bare wall in the room, wearing only a pair of sweats and cradling a familiar-looking puppy in his arms.

They both looked up at the same time, and it would have been comical if Sylvie hadn’t been so shocked. The little dog shot out of Arkim’s arms and raced over to Sylvie, yapping excitedly, its stubby little tail waggling furiously. She crouched down and was almost bowled over by his enthusiasm, his tongue licking wherever he could reach.

When she was over her shock she looked at Arkim, who was still sitting there, looking for all the world as if nothing untoward was going on. ‘What on earth...? How did you get him here?’

And why?Sylvie wanted to ask, but was afraid.

Arkim shrugged one shoulder negligently. ‘I brought him back to the castle with me that day...and then I just ended up bringing him to Europe.’

Sylvie’s breath felt choppy all of a sudden, and her heart was thumping hard. In a flight of fancy in her head she was imagining all sorts of reasons that were all very,verydangerous.

She buried her nose in his fur. When she looked up again she said, ‘He’s all cleaned up...what is he?’

Arkim’s mouth quirked. ‘A Highland Westie mixed with something indeterminate.’

‘Have you got a name for him yet?’

He shook his head. ‘I couldn’t think of one. But I want to give him to you...so you choose a name.’

Sylvie’s mouth fell open and the dog squirmed to be free, so she let him out of her arms to go sniffing at something exciting nearby. ‘But...but I can’t take him. My apartment is tiny, and Giselle is allergic to animal hair.’

Arkim frowned. ‘Giselle?’

Sylvie waved a hand. ‘My flatmate. Arkim...why are you doing this?’

He rose lithely from his seat on the floor, his chest dark under its smattering of hair in the golden light. He came over to her and held out a hand. Sylvie took it and he pulled her up. He led her over to a seat and sat down, pulling her into his lap. He smoothed her trailing hair over one shoulder.

She felt extremely unsure of her footing, and vulnerable. ‘Arkim—’

‘That day...’ he interjected.

She nodded.

‘I regretted sending you away like that.’

Sylvie’s heart palpitations were back. ‘You did?’

He nodded, his black eyes on hers, not letting her look away. ‘I was a coward. You were getting too close... I asked you if you’d thought we were going to stay there for ever, but the truth is I think that’s exactly whatIwanted. Never to leave. And it just hit me: I had a life to get back to and I’d almost forgotten it existed. ThatIexisted outside of that place. I honestly haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. We’re not done, Sylvie... I need more time with you.’

‘What exactly are you saying, Arkim?’ Sylvie didn’t like the unpalatable questions being thrown up by his choice of words.‘I need more time with you...’It sounded finite. Definitely finite.

‘I want you to move in with me. Stay with me for as long as...’

‘For as long as what?’ she asked sharply, tensing all over. Because she very badly wanted him to say,For as long as you want. For ever.

‘For as long as this lasts...this crazy, insatiable desire.’

Finite. Definitely finite.

She pulled away from Arkim and stood up before he could see how raw she felt. The puppy sniffed around her feet and she picked him up and held him against her, almost like a shield. How could Arkim manipulate her like this? Give her a reminder of the exquisite pleasure he could wring from her body...tell her he regretted the way he’d behaved...the puppy...and now this. When her defences were down.

Because this is the man who all but kidnapped you and held you in his castle at his pleasure when he wanted revenge.

She pushed aside the memories crowding her head. She needed to lay it out baldly for herself. ‘So you’re asking me to become your mistress? Is that it? And the dog is meant to sweeten the deal?’ She made a sound of disgust and turned round to face the window. How could she have been so stupid...so—?

She was whirled around again to face Arkim, looming tall and intimidating.

‘No...it’s not like that. I mean...yes, I want you to stay—but as my lover...not as a mistress.’ He sounded almost bitter. ‘Believe me, I know by now that you would never languish idly at someone’s beck and call. And the dog... I hadn’t even consciously realised I wanted him for you, but I got your address from Sophie and I brought him with me. I don’t take mistresses,’ he said. ‘I thought you’d know me well enough by now to know that I don’t indulge women like that. I don’t do frills or niceties.’