Minutes later she opened the door to her rooms and entered the darkened space. Snicking the door shut behind her she stepped forward and straight into the looming figure that emerged from her sitting room.
‘Sayid?’ The word ended in a muffled sound of pleasure as his mouth slammed into hers, sealing her lips.
Instantly desire rose like a whirlwind, blotting out doubts and her earlier restless dissatisfaction.
This couldn’t last but for now he was hers.
Throwing her arms around his neck, Lina fell into him.
‘Where the devil have you been?’ he growled against her mouth. ‘I was going to send out a search party.’
Strong arms lashed her close, lifting her high till her dancing slippers no longer touched the floor. She adored his strength, his ability to make her feel at the same time delicate yet powerful enough to match him.
Tunnelling her fingers through his thick hair she nipped at his bottom lip, smiling at the low rumble resonating at the back of his throat.
He moved, powering her across the space till she felt something cool and hard at her shoulders. Disorientated, Lina opened her eyes and realised they were in her sitting room, up against the reinforced glass door that led onto her balcony.
Pressed between Sayid and the door, she curled her leg up, hitching it around his hip. A shudder racked her as the move brought her up against his erection. Her need for him, for the affirmation of his lovemaking, escalated to impossible heights. It took only that, his mouth and his body against hers and she was lost...desperate.
Holding tight, she tried to climb higher, but was frustrated by her dress. The skirt wasn’t wide enough. A whimper escaped just as one big hand closed over her breast, sending a spasm of pleasure rocketing through her.
Seconds later dark eyes snared hers. For a moment Lina gazed into his proud face. Then there was a whirl of movement as Sayid gripped her waist and put her down. Thankfully he held her as he spun her around, or she’d have lost her balance.
Dazed, Lina stared through the glass at the city lights spread like glittering jewels across the dark plain before them. Then the sprinkle of lights blurred as Sayid tugged her long skirt high, baring her legs and hips. Cool air rushed around her bare flesh and she shivered, surprised at how exposed she felt, though she still wore all her clothes. But then her dress was rucked up to her hips.
Her heightened senses discerned the familiar musky scent of arousal sharp in the air. The sound of laboured breathing, and, she closed her eyes in thankfulness, the rasp of a zip.
Her blood pounded as Sayid slid his hand onto her hip then delved forward to the flimsy fabric of her panties.
Lina’s breath stopped on a gasp at his sharp tug and the sound of tearing fabric.
‘Sayid?’ But whatever she’d been going to say died as he kissed her, open-mouthed and hungry, on the sensitive spot at the base of her neck, while his long fingers slid low through the damp curls between her legs. Instantly she opened her legs wider, winning a husky sound of approval. Then that questing hand slid further and she arched into his touch.
‘You want me, little one?’
Lina nodded, her voice locked somewhere in her throat. She opened her mouth but only managed a sound of raw pleasure as his fingers flirted with the sensitive bud.
‘I’ve wanted you all day.’ Sayid nipped at her neck then pressed an open-mouthed kiss there, sending fiery trails through her blood. ‘I wanted you at the wedding when you danced for all those other men.’
Lina was about to say she’d danced for him and no one else, but he spoke again. ‘I wanted to march over there and claim you, drag you off and have my way with you.’ His voice was ragged and sharp with need. A need she felt as he pressed his erection against her bare buttocks. Instantly Lina braced herself on the window, pushing back towards all that inviting heat.
‘You can have me now,’ she whispered, her own voice thready. Lina had no pride, no desire to hold back, when she wanted exactly what he did.
‘I can, can’t I?’ Pleasure rang in his husky voice as he clamped her hips and jerked her back against him. It was what she wanted but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Lina circled her pelvis, needing more contact, and felt him jolt in response. Seconds later heat nudged between her legs, resolving into the press of his erection probing, then pushing further till she snatched a shaky breath, wondering at the sense of being utterly possessed.
‘Easy, little one. It’s all right.’
She needed to catch her breath, grow accustomed to this powerful invasion that filled her to the brim in the most wonderful way. Yet even as the thought surfaced, Sayid moved, withdrawing then surging back again with a force that expelled a soft breath from her lips.
One hand left her hip to capture her breast and Lina couldn’t stifle the moan of pleasure rising in her throat. It coincided with his next thrust and she found herself arching hard to meet it.
In the distance the city lights dissolved into a blur, then disappeared altogether as his other hand arrowed down her belly to press on the nub at the centre of her desire.
Just then Sayid thrust hard again and everything rose within her, exploding in a shattering climax that splintered her soul and festooned the darkness with shards of radiance more brilliant than any city lights.
He rose high within her, then she felt the heavy, desperate pulse as he spilled himself in ecstasy, heard his sharp cry of triumph, and lost herself just as his arms folded around her, drawing her flush against him.
* * *
The rest of the night was like that. Intervals of desperate desire and radiant delight interspersed with quieter moments of incredible closeness.
It was as if an unseen barrier had fractured, Lina pondered drowsily as she lay, eyes closed, smiling while Sayid traced her body with light fingertips. He’d said he was a passionate, demanding man, but she’d never realised exactly what that meant before. Or how much she revelled in his earthy, carnal nature.
It was as if, in responding to him, Lina had discovered a new facet to her femininity. A readiness for whatever erotic delight Sayid wanted.
Because she too had a strongly sensual nature? Or was it more—was it because this was Sayid?
Lina shivered and instantly that caressing hand paused. ‘I’m sorry. I’ve kept you awake. You need your sleep. You’ve got time before breakfast.’
As he said it, she felt him move away across the bed.
‘Sayid?’ She opened her eyes to discover it was day, early rays of light spilling across the room.
‘Shh. Sleep while I shower.’ He pressed a kiss to her hand then straightened, so magnificent with his tall, muscled form that Lina simply stared, arrested. Even now his powerful masculine beauty undid her.
Then, before she could protest, he was gone, leaving her wishing for more.
Not just more sex. But wishing for things that were impossible.
DELIBERATELY SAYID TOOK his time in the bathroom, showering, shaving and donning fresh clothes. Lina needed sleep. He’d kept her awake through the night. Desperation had clawed at him, a need to sate himself on her before their allotted time ended.
Day six. He had today and tomorrow—that was all.
Unless he renegotiated with Lina.
Surely that would be no problem. She was as avid for him as he was for her.
No, the difficulty was the precedent it would set, admitting that for the first time ever his self-imposed