Jay gave a shaken laugh. ‘And now?’
Zoe took hold of the wickedly skilful hand at her breast and carried it lower, to where they both had everything to discover.
‘Now I know it,’ she said coolly. ‘And, oh, boy, have I got some showing off to do.’
But he made her wait. ‘Not until you admit there’s a little matter of love involved as well.’
He watched her eyes darken and nearly lost his resolve. But this was important. And he was good at physical self- control.
Her head fell back. ‘Love…’
He stroked her so slowly that her eyes crossed.
‘I don’t know what love is,’ she moaned.
‘Yes, you do.’
He saw her bite her tongue as she tried to hold on to her senses.
‘Okay, okay,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I fell in love with you at first sight. I thought you looked like a Mogul prince and I knew you were for me. I wanted you to make love to me, but I wanted you to talk to me and live with me and listen to me for the rest of our lives as well.’
Jay was humbled. He said so.
Zoe writhed. ‘Good,’ she gasped. ‘I hope that’s everything you want. Because I don’t think I can hang on much longer…’
‘Everything,’ said Jay. ‘Except maybe…’
Their bodies slid together in a slow, voluptuous locking. Somehow it took them into another dimension. He saw her eyes widen and widen as she realised it, too. For a moment he held her very still, looking deeply into her eyes. No reservations. No disguise.
Her lips parted. ‘I love you.’ She framed the words soundlessly, as if she were talking direct to his spirit. Her eyes were honest. All guards down now.
‘Yes,’ said Jay.
And took her on a journey he’d thought he knew by heart—and found he had never travelled it before.
Later they lay entwined in the dark. From his pillow they could see the fuzzy moon above the trees.
‘What would you have done if I hadn’t come looking for you?’ said Zoe.
She could feel his smile against her skin. At once she detected teasing. She knew him so well now.
‘What?’
Jay did not take his possessive hand off her naked waist. ‘I was going to try and bribe you,’ he said lazily.
‘Don’t believe it.’
Still keeping one hand on her, he stretched a long arm and extracted what he was looking for from a pocket in one of the garments on the floor. He flicked it across the bed.
‘I spent today cancelling the merger. I thought I’d rather stay small and keep my self-respect,’ he said. ‘You taught me that. So I thought it would please you.’
It was a little velvet pouch. Zoe fingered it, but it was of less importance than what he was saying.
‘I taught you?’ She hardly dared to believe it.
‘My darling.’ He stroked her hair behind her ear. ‘I love the way your curls cling to my fingers.’
‘Electricity,’ said Zoe impatiently. ‘What do you mean, I taught you?’
‘Love that electricity.’ Jay gathered her close. For all the teasing laughter in his voice, Zoe knew this was serious. ‘You saw right through my protective colouring right from the start,’ he told her. ‘Then, in Venice, you went further. You saw the man I’d forgotten was there.’
‘Oh!’ Her eyes filled. ‘Oh, Jay.’
He unlaced the pouch. Stones fell out, heavy and warm and gleaming faintly in the darkness.
‘Very useful, your not having any jewellery,’ he said lightly. ‘When we’re old we can take up collecting rubies as a hobby. But for now—’
It was a necklace. She turned it over. In the light of the moon she saw the sheen.
‘Do they solidify silk, somehow?’ she said doubtfully.
He switched on the bedside light. The necklace was made of enamels—turquoise and rose and peacock and flame. The colours of his fantastic shirts. The colours of his imagination.
The colours of his life.
‘Put it on for me,’ she said softly.
His fingers were not entirely steady.
She ran her hands all over the compact and elegant body. She had, she thought exultantly, the right now. She was his and he was hers.
She leaned over him, her hair catching the light. It was as soft as silk against that wonderful golden skin. They gave a sigh of exquisite longing at exactly the same moment.