His eyes bumped into hers and he held her gaze so that she shifted restlessly in her chair. Her heart gave a twitch as he leaned forward, and for a moment she thought he was about to kiss her, but instead he picked up the coffeepot and topped up their cups.
‘Actually, I do have something in mind. I just need to make a couple of calls.’
Picking up her cup, Addie wished that it was her hands and not the sunlight caressing his smooth golden skin. That she could reach over and loop her arm around his neck, press her hot, hopelessly overexcited body against his—
But wishing was all she was likely to do.
Skin prickling, she sipped her coffee. Yesterday she had felt so unhappy, so diminished by the way he was treating her. Only then they’d argued, and he’d pushed aside his obvious desire to comfort her, and his tenderness had shifted something inside her, opened her up to him. But now Malachi seemed to be on some kind of mission to prove that sex was the last thing on his mind. Oh, he kissed her, and curled his arm around her waist, but whenever she leaned into him, hoping, longing, wanting more, he merely let his hands drift over her back or arms.
Breathing out, she sat up straighter and forced herself to smile, hoping that her face appeared more composed than her body felt. ‘Great. That sounds great.’
He stared at her thoughtfully. ‘I haven’t told you what it is yet.’
Her fingers spasmed involuntarily against the cup.
‘I know,’ she said quickly. ‘But I’m sure it’ll be great—whatever it is.’
Leaning forward, he grinned at her—a long, slow, curling smile that made her heart flutter in her chest and her breasts ache.
‘How very trusting of you. Then I think I’ll keep it as a surprise!’
An hour later she was regretting that trust as they skimmed across the water in the speedboat towards—who knew where?
‘Can you please give me a clue?’ Turning round, Addie gazed up in frustration at Malachi.
Grinning, he shook his head, his arm curving around her waist. ‘I don’t want to spoil the surprise,’ he murmured, squeezing her hand.
She glanced up at him, her blue eyes wide and wary.
He laughed. ‘Trust me, sweetheart. I know what you like and you’re going to love this.’
His fingers lightly caressed her belly through the thin fabric of her dress, and eyes half closed, she feverishly imagined what she liked doing with Malachi, her skin quivering at the thought of the two of them moving slowly together, bodies entwined—
Her pulse gave a jolt and realising she needed to get a grip, she glanced past him to where a mass of greeny-brown was slowly growing larger. ‘Is that Finlay Island? Is that where we’re going?’
Smiling, he shook his head. ‘Two more minutes and all will become clear.’
At that moment, the boat curved around the island and Addie felt her mouth fall open. ‘Wh-what is that?’
He was watching her, gauging her reaction.
‘That is the Pearl Diver. She’s a submarine and my most recent acquisition. I thought you might like to join me on her maiden voyage.’
Too jolted to speak, Addie gazed in disbelief at where the submarine lay in the water. Finally she recovered and, looking up at him, she shook her head slowly. ‘Let me guess! You’re planning to build the world’s first underwater casino.’
His eyes gleamed. ‘Now, why didn’t I think of that?’ Leaning forward, he ran a finger slowly under her chin, lifting her face to his. ‘More importantly, why didn’t my research and development team? Maybe I should give you a job there.’
She glanced at him sharply. Most likely he was joking. But then with Malachi it was impossible to know. Perhaps he thought he was offering her some kind of consolation prize.
Her stomach contracted at the thought of being downgraded from his wife to an employee but she managed to hold his gaze. ‘Thanks, but I actually have a job I love.’ She stared at the Pearl Diver and then back to Malachi, her curiosity piqued. ‘So why did you buy a submarine?’ She couldn’t resist teasing him. ‘Did all those other nasty billionaires have one before you?’
The corners of his mouth tugged upwards. ‘Well, now you come to mention it—’
She shook her head. ‘You’re impossible!’
His grey eyes searched her face and suddenly she was holding her breath. Finally, when she thought her lungs might burst, he shrugged.
‘I just thought that as you liked exploring the island so much, you might want to take a look around under the water.’
‘You did?’
Knots were forming in her stomach. Was that true? Had he really arranged this trip for her? Trying not to read anything into his words, she swallowed down the bubble of happiness rising in her throat and gave him a small, uncertain smile.
He smiled back at her. ‘You seem a little surprised.’
‘Yes—I mean, no!’ She bit her lip. ‘It’s just that I didn’t—you don’t—I thought—’ She took a breath. ‘That’s very considerate of you,’ she finished, her voice trailing off as he stared at her assessingly, his gaze seeming to reach inside her in a way that made her nerves dance into life.
‘Considerate...’ Fingers tightening around hers, he turned the word over in his mouth as though tasting it. ‘Is that what I am? And there I was, thinking I was being romantic.’ He spoke teasingly but there was an intensity to his expression she didn’t understand.
Addie felt her face still. Romantic! Once that had been her dream. And for a short time she had even believed it was possible. That Malachi was capable of loving her and of expressing that love. Now, with his hair falling across his forehead and those smoky eyes fixed on her face, it was tempting to believe there was some truth behind his teasing words. But of course there wasn’t. Her face tightened. No matter how poetic his language the only hearts he was interested in were those on the front of playing cards.
She lifted her chin. ‘I would swoon, only it’s difficult when you’re sitting down.’
His eyes narrowed, or maybe it was the sunlight playing tricks, for the next moment his face was smooth and untroubled and smiling. He said slowly, ‘I’ll just have to think of another way to sweep you off your feet.’
For a moment she could think of nothing to say. Could think only of how it felt to be the focus of his attention. To feel his smile and hear his laughter. It was like the summer sun after a stormy spring.
She took a quick breath. Now who was being poetic?
Poetry was far from her mind twenty minutes later as she stood in the bedroom of the submarine’s master suite. Instead, as a dizzying heat surged over her skin, she found herself thinking of the mind-blowing number of ways that she and Malachi could amuse themselves on a bed like that.
Feeling her insides tighten, she squeezed her thighs together, the muffled thud of her heart suddenly competing with the rhythmic throb of the engine.
‘You’re shaking.’ Malachi looked down at her, frowning. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine.’ Looking up, she gave him a quick, tight smile. ‘It’s probably too much adrenaline. I can’t believe this is happening. That I’m in an actual submarine. It doesn’t feel real.’
Malachi stared down at her face. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes dazed, and he felt his groin tighten. Almost half his life had been spent chasing the next thrill, the biggest risk, pushing boundaries—breaking rules. Yet nothing he’d done had felt as intoxicating as seeing her naked, unguarded excitement. Or knowing that he had made her feel like that.
His body stilled. A prickling heat was crawling over his skin. There was nothing between them but her dress and his shirt and shorts. He wanted her more than he had ever desired any woman and she wanted him. But he held himself back; it would happen...but when it did the time would be of her choosing.
‘Oh, it’s real, all right,’ he said lightly. Loosening his grip, he held out his hand. ‘Here. Let me prove it to you.’
Addie felt her stomach flip over as, handing her a small
black remote control, he gave her one of his devastating smiles.
‘See that button in the middle? The blue one? Press that.’
She pressed it. For a moment nothing happened, and then there was a whirring noise and the walls of the cabin started to move. Or rather they weren’t walls, she saw now, but huge blinds. As they rolled slowly upwards she took a step backwards, her mouth dropping open.
On the other side of the window was the bluest blue she had ever seen. Only it wasn’t just blue. It was white and gold and green and red. Stepping forward, she reached out and touched the glass with a hand that shook slightly. She had never seen colours like that. The coral was like a living rainbow. And everywhere there were fish of every shade and shape.
‘What do you think?’ Malachi was standing behind her.
She turned and shook her head. ‘It’s like another world,’ she whispered.
‘It’s our world!’
His arm brushed against her body as he pointed past her and through the glass. ‘See over there? That’s the wreck of the Creole Queen. The Captain came across her last month. She’s a three-master, sunk during a storm in 1785.’ He paused, his eyes roaming over her face. ‘If you like, we could go and check her out. You never know—we might find some treasure.’
She looked up at him, her eyes wide. ‘Is that possible?’
He grinned. ‘I can’t see why not. There are hundreds of wrecks out here. The odds are that some of them must have something of value on board.’
She nodded. ‘That’s true, I suppose.’ She looked up at him and smiled, wanting to tease. ‘But what happens if we do find some treasure? How do I know you won’t steal my share?’
‘How do I know you won’t steal mine?’ Slowly he ran a finger down her arm, making it impossible for her to concentrate.
She swallowed. ‘You don’t.’
For a moment she held her breath, mesmerised, as he stared at her thoughtfully, his face giving nothing away, his eyes revealing even less. Then slowly he smiled.
‘In that case I don’t think we have any alternative. We’re just going to have to keep a very close eye on one another.’
* * *
The dive was incredible. Addie had only ever snorkelled before, but Malachi was an experienced scuba diver and a surprisingly patient teacher. Afterwards they ate a leisurely lunch on a secluded beach on another island chosen by the captain, and it was then that a wave of tiredness hit her head-on.
‘I feel shattered,’ she said, stifling a yawn as they headed back to the submarine. ‘Is that normal?’
Malachi grinned. ‘Completely. First dives always take it out of you.’
She sighed. ‘I think I might just have a little lie-down. What are you going to do?’
His eyes gleamed. ‘I’m going to have a little play at being a submarine captain, but I promise I’ll wake you in a bit.’
After he’d left, Addie took a shower and then lay down on the bed, closing her eyes with relief. Letting the soporific hum of the engine wash over her, she breathed out softly...
Waking some time later, she picked up her phone and stared groggily at the screen, frowning as she saw the time. She had slept for three hours! Sitting up, she pushed back the sheet—and then her eyes widened. Lying across the covers at the end of the bed was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It was full-length and blue, the same blue as the centre of a flame, and beside it was a pair of slightly darker high-heeled court shoes.
Heart pounding, she scrambled off the bed and picked up the dress. Slipping it over her head, she zipped herself up. It was cut into a deep V at the front, and the slit running up the side practically reached her pelvic bone. But it felt divine on, like a second silken skin. Grabbing hold of the wardrobe to steady herself, she pushed her feet into the shoes then turning, she took a step forward and stared at herself in the full-length mirror.
Was that really her? It took her several nervous glances to accept that it was. The dress fitted beautifully, but...
She glanced doubtfully down at her plunging cleavage.
‘No, it’s not.’
Her head snapped up, her body tightening automatically at the sound of Malachi’s voice. Rooted to the floor, gripped by equal amounts of fear and longing, she stared helplessly at his reflection in the mirror. He was standing behind her in the doorway, wearing a beautifully cut dinner jacket, his white shirt unbuttoned at the neck, a bow tie hanging loose around the collar. In one hand he was holding a bottle of champagne, in the other a pair of long-stemmed glasses. He looked impossibly sexy and irresistibly glamorous.
‘It’s not too low. That’s what you were thinking, wasn’t it?’
She nodded, suddenly too shy to speak. He walked towards her slowly and her heart gave a jolt as he reached out and gently slid his palm around her waist, forcing her to face him.
His face was serious, his eyes dark and focused. ‘You look beautiful, sweetheart. Far too beautiful for a two-bit hustler like me! And that dress fits you to perfection.’
She swallowed, trying to play it cool. ‘Thank you. And thank you for getting it for me. But how did you know my size?’
He smiled—a sexy, curling smile that made her heart pound so hard she thought it would burst through her chest.
‘It wasn’t hard,’ he said softly. ‘I’ve been giving your body an awful lot of thought over the last few days.’
There was a tense, pulsing silence. Addie gazed up at him helplessly, the softness of his voice as much as the implication in his words playing havoc with her nerves.
Finally she managed to pull herself together. ‘You did a good job. And you look amazing too,’ she said hoarsely. ‘I love that you haven’t done up your tie.’
He grinned. ‘I’d love to pretend it was a conscious fashion choice, but sadly it’s just down to my incompetence. I did, however, manage to lay my hands on a bottle of champagne, so hopefully you won’t spend the entire evening wondering how you got stuck with a loser like me!’
A loser! Addie gazed at him. She doubted Malachi had lost at anything—ever. She, on the other hand, would lose all self-control if they didn’t leave the bedroom soon.
‘Here!’ He held out the glasses and, popping the cork, he poured the champagne. ‘To the high seas! And sunken treasure.’ He tapped his glass lightly against hers. ‘Now, let’s eat. I am starving.’
The meal was delicious: a starter of burrata salad followed by taglierini with shaved white truffles and a chocolate fondant for dessert.
‘I’m so glad it’s not fish,’ Addie said, glancing out of the window at the darkened ocean. ‘What if they’d looked in and seen us?’
Malachi grinned. He had taken off his jacket and his tanned muscular skin was perfectly offset by the pure white of his shirt.
‘I think they’d be pleased you weren’t eating them. It’s a fish-eat-fish world out there.’
Laughing, she pushed away her empty bowl and took a sip from her wine glass.
‘What are you thinking?’
‘Nothing really!’ Turning her head, she saw he was watching her, his face in the candlelight somehow softer, less guarded. ‘Just how much the children would love this. You don’t mind if I show them a photo or two, do you?’ She gave him a small, tight smile. ‘Otherwise they might not believe me.’
He shook his head, frowning slightly. ‘No, of course not.’
‘Thank you.’ The easy atmosphere of moments earlier seemed to have disappeared. Confused, suddenly on edge herself, she lifted her chin. ‘Sorry to bring up work. It just popped into my head.’
There was a short, strained silence.
‘It’s not just work, though, is it? For you, I mean.’
She looked up at him, startled. He was looking at her, his expression an odd blend of curiosity and appraisal.
‘You really care about those children.’
‘Yes. I do.’ She was shocked at how fierce she sounded. ‘They deserve it. Some of them—a lot of them—have such difficult live
s, and they’re so brave.’
‘They’re lucky to have you championing them.’ He held her gaze. ‘I can’t think of many people I’d rather have by my side, watching my back.’
She held her breath. Then why had he pushed her away? She’d been by his side, watching his back. When all the time she should have been watching her own.
She shrugged. ‘I’m not a saint. I get a lot back from them.’
Malachi stared at her. In that dress it would be difficult for any woman to look like a saint. He wondered if she had any idea how beautiful she was. How sexy. He wanted her so much. But for the first time in his life sex didn’t seem that important. Not as important as hearing her story.
‘Like what?’ Leaning forward, he topped up her glass, then his.
Her face softened. ‘Like having fun. And a purpose. After my accident I couldn’t imagine doing anything with music. It hurt just thinking about what I’d lost. I was so miserable.
‘So what changed?’ His hand tightened around his glass. He hated the idea of her being that unhappy almost as much as he hated himself for not having known about it before.
‘I did this workshop in a school and I realised that music isn’t only about that one perfect solo performance. It’s about sharing and creating.’ She frowned. ‘That’s when I accepted that I wasn’t going to have the life I’d planned. But I was going to have a life that mattered.’ Meeting his gaze, she smiled weakly. ‘Or at least one that wasn’t as boring and lonely as lying in a hospital bed for weeks and weeks.’
He was staring at her intently and she fell silent. Malachi was unlikely to be familiar with the concepts of boredom and loneliness, let alone understand them. But after a short, stilted pause, he nodded slowly.
‘That’s why I started playing cards. Boredom.’ He shifted, staring past her, his eyes suddenly cloudy. ‘I must have been about seven. We were in Europe, visiting friends of my parents’.’
Abruptly he picked up his glass and drained his wine.
‘I was always the only child, and my parents liked to party hard. Often they didn’t surface until the afternoon, and I used to get so bored and then one day one of the valets at the hotel where we were staying taught me how to play patience. Then blackjack and then poker.’
Claiming His Wedding Night Page 11