Rachael Thomas – Seducing His Convenient Innocent (страница 2)

‘Indeed.’ He glanced at the older man before looking over at Rio, who was almost ready to leave. He couldn’t let her go without telling her how wonderfully she’d played—and arranging dinner tonight. ‘If you will excuse me.’

He didn’t wait for a response. The only thing that mattered now was being with Rio. In just a few days he would return to Greece, where he had a full schedule of meetings for the next few weeks, and it shocked him to realise how much he would miss Rio during that time. This was all such new territory for a man who’d done nothing but play the field for the last ten years.

Rio looked up at him, that sensual but shy smile on her lips convincing him further, if he needed it, that time together in Greece with this woman was exactly what he wanted.

‘You were wonderful,’ he said as he stood in the curve of the piano, its lid lifted. ‘You play so beautifully.’ He watched her, admiring her grace and elegance in the long black dress she wore, one shoulder bare, as the silky fabric swept across her breasts, a frill of black silk over her other shoulder. Her hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck in a tousled chignon he found so very sexy as he imagined setting it free during the passion of sex.

She gathered the last of her music up and clutched it to her, the softness of her brown eyes filled with happiness. ‘Thank you.’ Her voice was light and teasing, the sparkle in her eyes flirtatious. Finally, he was breaking through her reserve. Soon this innocent beauty would be his in the most intimate way. That thought intensified the heated lust already raging inside him after his imaginings while she’d played. ‘Does that mean you will take me to dinner tonight?’

He stepped closer to her, not able to resist touching her, and brushed back a stray piece of hair, lifting her chin gently with his thumb and finger. His eyes held hers briefly, and then he brushed his lips over hers before answering. ‘It most certainly does, especially as I have to return to Greece at the end of the week.’

‘Next week?’ Her voice was husky, proving she wanted him as much as he wanted her. ‘So soon?’

‘Yes, agape mou, so soon.’ He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her until that infernal barrier she hid behind came crashing down.

‘I have to meet with Hans now, the conductor. He wants to go over some of the pieces with me, but afterwards I’ll be free.’ She paused. ‘Free to make the most of the last few nights together.’

‘Last few nights?’ He couldn’t miss the blush that had crept over her face or the sudden shyness that made her look at him from lowered lashes. He swallowed hard against the need to crush his mouth to hers, to kiss her until passion consumed them both, until desire doused them in flames.

‘Yes, Lysandros.’ Her whisper was husky and so very sexy. She moved closer to him, her gaze locked with his, the fire of their attraction almost crackling in the air around them. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? How she was tormenting him? ‘I want to be with you tonight. All night.’

He looked into her eyes, desire filling them, darkening the soft brown until they were almost black. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked softly, wanting her to know that he was willing to wait, that he understood this wasn’t something she did lightly. He wanted her to know he was prepared to take things as slowly as she wanted to.

‘Absolutely.’ The certainty in her voice was all the reassurance he needed. Tonight, this beautiful woman, with an aura of innocence, would be his.

He kissed her gently, allowing her to taste his passion, his desire for her, and when she responded with as much need for him, he had to force himself to step back from her as the crazy need for her threatened to overcome him. ‘I will make tonight very special for you, agape mou.’

‘Just being with you will do that.’ She blushed and hugged her music sheets tighter. ‘But first I must sort this out.’ She allowed the sheets of music to fall forward, as if providing the evidence for what she had to do. ‘You know how hard Hans works us. And, besides, you need to mingle with your guests.’

He watched as she walked away, turning to look back at him, smiling, her step light with happiness. The same happiness that had made him feel a different man since he’d been dating Rio, sparking off conversations about engagement with his sister. Xena had been convinced that, ever since that first date with her friend, an engagement would be a question of when, not if.

* * *

Rio felt crazy and reckless with the anticipation of all that tonight would hold. Tonight she would give herself, give her virginity to a man who was everything she wanted. He might be her best friend’s brother, might have already been engaged once, but he was the man who made her feel alive. Even though she knew he wasn’t looking for any kind of long-term, emotional commitment, he was the man she wanted to be with above all others.

She pushed open the door of the grand room where practices were held and crossed the wooden floor to the piano, her heels echoing in the vastness of the room. Hans had insisted they go over some of her pieces for the final concerts of the season. She was early, so there was time to enjoy just playing, for no other reason than she wanted to.

She hadn’t wasted time changing from her black gown. She’d wanted to get the meeting over and done with and back to Lysandros. For the first time in her life, she was irritated by the need to do such things, annoyed by the fact that it meant she couldn’t be somewhere else, doing something else. Something else she was finally ready for. Even knowing Lysandros was only interested in her physically, she wanted to be with him, wanted to know the pleasure of a night in his bed.

As she sat at the piano she thought of Lysandros, of the way he’d kissed her before she’d left. Even if he hadn’t promised her tonight would be special, it had been there in his kiss. Her heart fluttered with anticipation as she began playing, losing herself in the romance of the piece, letting all her emotion pour out through her fingers as she played.

As she ended the piece her whole body was humming with need for Lysandros. She closed her eyes and sat, hands lying on her lap as she savoured the moment.

‘Now, that was beautiful.’ Hans’s voice came from behind her. Very close behind her.

She gasped and turned around, annoyed that he’d invaded her private moment. She felt vulnerable. Exposed. He’d watched her as she’d given free rein to her emotions, as she’d allowed all the desire she felt for Lysandros to pour into the music.

‘You should have said you were there.’ She couldn’t keep the irritation from her voice.

‘And ruin such a moment?’ He looked at her, his gaze sweeping down her body. ‘You looked so beautiful. So passionate.’

He stepped closer to her as he spoke and for the first time ever Rio felt threatened by a man’s presence. The smell of alcohol hung around him and she didn’t like the way he looked at her, the way he’d wiped away the purity of her feelings for Lysandros. Mentally she shook herself. She was overreacting. Embarrassed at being caught off guard.

‘Shall we go through what you wanted to discuss?’ Desperately she tried to get the practice session back on track.

‘Play something for me.’ He seemed to be goading her. As if he’d known she’d been playing for someone else. For Lysandros.

She swallowed down her nerves, sure her embarrassment must be making her see things that weren’t there. As she turned on the piano stool and sorted her music, she was aware of him moving even closer. She glanced over the grand piano towards the big bay window and the parkland beyond, which was coming to life now with spring. In the summer it would be full of people enjoying the sunshine. Now it was empty.

‘That one,’ he said as he leant over her shoulder, moving one piece of music to the front.

Play, she told herself. Just play and he will step back.

She took a breath and placed her fingers lightly on the keys. After a few seconds’ pause, she began to play. At first it was stilted, emotionless as the uncertainty of the moment took over. He hadn’t moved at all. Was she just being panicky? Gradually, even though he remained behind her, she began to relax, and the music flowed more naturally round the vastness of the domed room.

She finished the piece and sat looking at the keys, not daring to look up at him. When his hand rested on her bare shoulder she stiffened, her eyes wide. What was he doing?

She turned and looked at his hand, unable to move any other part of her body. She should get up, should step away, but she couldn’t. Paralysed by fear, she dragged in a ragged breath.

As if her stillness had given consent, his hand moved lower, down over her chest, and she gasped, moving backwards on the stool, only to come against the firmness of his body.

‘Don’t,’ she said, snatching at his hand as it slipped alarmingly lower. Inside the fabric of her gown. Instinctively she curled herself inwards, hoping the movement would prevent what he was trying to do, but the fabric slackened, enabling him to fully grasp her breast.