"Fine. The shell-pink I'll wear later," Elvie said, turning to Bella, who was hovering nearby. "What do you think, Bella? It would go best, don’t you think?"Bella nodded. "Absolutely. It’s perfect."Having Bella there meant so much to her. Why had Zander gone into so much trouble? It made her feel that he cared for her. Really cared for her. Or did he just really care what people made of their somewhat over-the-top honeymoon?Though she knew it was for a show, to let the media swarm like bees to honey, it still unnerved her.Bella grinned at her, while Gerald and Almera bid their goodbyes.Elvie grasped her friend’s hands again. "Bella, you didn’t let on that, you know, did you?""No, but even if I took my contacts out, I could see you’re halfway to being in love with him, if you’re not fully there already," Bella said. "Truly, he’s something else to look at, isn’t he? And that smile. Gosh, I’m halfway in love with him myself. Not that I wasn't since working with him, but don't get t
"This—I mean, this is over the top Zander, we go through all this for a show. This isn't a real honeymoon; there is no need to—" "Is it?" Zander said as he drew Elvie closer and pressed his mouth to hers in a kiss that felt unlike any other kiss he had ever experienced. It wasn’t because of the witnesses gathered from not so far away, taking pictures, or the solemnity of the show, like it was a movie set. It was a kiss that had a sacred element to it. A promise had been made, and this kiss sealed it. Her lips clung to his, her hands resting against his chest, her right one over the thud of his heart. Elvie smelled of summer flowers, and her lips tasted of strawberries. Zander held her against him, praying his erection would cool it in time to turn to walk back through the gathered paparazzi. He’d always considered it tacky when a kiss went on too long. But now he wishes he could freeze time. Stay right there and sup at her mouth until this burning ache in his flesh subsided—if it eve
The warm sun was setting by the time Zander steered his luxury yacht away from the jetty on his island. Elvie stood beside him, a light wrap around her shoulders, and waved back to the guests standing on the jetty and the beach, including Bella, Eva, and the grinning Gerald, who was in proud possession of the bouquet.Bella was standing a short distance from Matheo, and Elvie could see the goggle-eyed looks Bella was casting in the butler’s way, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. On the handsome scale, the butler was like Zander—off the scale. But, while the butler had a tendency to smile rather than frown, Zander had a more brooding demeanour, hinting at a man who preferred his own company and kept his own counsel. Bella wasn’t the sort of girl to get her head turned by a good-looking man, but she was a sucker for a man with secrets, given she had one or two of her own.Zander manoeuvred the boat in the direction of the setting sun, which was now a fireball of red suspen
Elvie closed her eyes before responding, "Yeah?""You okay?""Yes. A little dizzy, but erm, I think I’ll have a drink. Would you like champagne? I feel like some, don’t you? This is a good one. Wow, I’ve been to the vineyard. It was amazing, so picturesque." She fumbled with the foil around the top of the bottle, sudden nerves and shyness assailing her.Zander came over, took the bottle from her, and placed it back in the ice bucket. He put his hands on her waist, his expression as tender as she had ever seen it. "You’re nervous. Why is that?" He said it as a statement, not as a question. Elvie pulled at one side of her lower lip with her teeth, her cheeks feeling as if someone had lit a fire under them."It was probably a fluke down at the beach. I might not be able to do it again."He lifted her chin with the tip of his finger, holding her gaze with his. "No one’s keeping time here, wife; we can do whatever we want. Hmmm, what do you want us to do anyway?" He teased her. "You can ta
Zander had worshipped her body, not exploited it. He had caressed it, not coerced it. He had respected it, drawing from her a depth of passion she had never given to anyone else. She hadn’t been capable of it with anyone else. Her body had never wanted anyone like it wanted him. It was as if she was programmed to respond to his touch alone. Zander leaned his weight on one elbow and used his other hand to stroke her cheek. His eyes held hers in a gentle tether that made her feel even closer to him. It was as if he had glimpsed who she really was and liked what he saw. “You are amazing, wife.” Elvie gave him a shy smile. Silly to be feeling so shy after what they’d just done, but still. “I don’t suppose you’ve had too many dreams like this?" He idly curled a strand of her hair around one of his fingers, the slight tug on her scalp making her shiver in delight. “Maybe?” “Good, because it’s nothing any man should take for granted. What pleases one woman might not please another. Commu
A few hours later, Zander stood and breathed in the warm night air scented with the brine of the sea. He loved being out on the water, away from all his responsibilities. Out here, he could breathe. He could reflect on the goals he had achieved instead of dwelling on the ones he hadn’t. He wasn’t sure why he’d told Elvie about his past—not in so much detail. But she had shared a lot about herself—deeply personal stuff that couldn’t have been easy to share.He enjoyed being out here with her—maybe a little too much. The desire that roared between them wasn’t something that was going to fade away any time soon. Not on his part, anyway.Zander didn’t know what it was about her that made him so fired up. She was beautiful, but then he slept with many beautiful women. No, it was more than that. She was captivating, she was pure and honest; she was too kind for her own good, she wasn't selfish, she was everything he wanted for a woman—for a wife. She was smart and funny, and she responded t
He tugged at her yoga pants, and she slipped down off the bench to free them from her body, leaving her in a tiny pair of black knickers with tiny hot-pink bows. Zander picked Elvie up, carried her to the living area, and laid her on one of the leather sofas. He removed the rest of his clothes and came down beside her, his mouth coming back to hers in a kiss that sent incendiary heat throughout his body. Her tongue wrestled and writhed with his, and her lips were soft, supple, and playful. Her teeth got into the action with little kittenish bites that made the blood thunder through his veins. It had been a long time since he’d worried about losing control, but, with her mouth working its mesmerising magic on his, he seriously wondered whether he would go the distance. Need pulsed, powered, and panted through him. Elvie’s body beckoned to him, her legs opening and her arms around his neck as tight as a vine.Zander put his hands around her wrists, encircling them like handcuffs, but sh
"You could set up a consultancy of your own. You could help your brother."Elvie had always resisted the thought of working for her brother’s company.She had been so determined to be independent from her parents and from her brother. But she knew there were opportunities that would be career-enhancing and personally satisfying. "I don't know; I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to juggle my job without taking on anything else, especially with Thea. Now, you.""Me?""Yeah.""Zander, you need a trophy wife. I can play the game you want, regardless of whether I'll be Bella’s assistant or not.""I’m not expecting you to quit your job to cater to my needs," Zander said. "You have the right to work where you please. I have business commitments too. I’m just putting out the idea in case you’d like to think about it."She bit her lip and said, "What would be the point of setting up something I will then have to stop once our marriage is over?"His gaze suddenly seemed to be darker t