The Arranged Marriage by Emma Darcy Read Free Book Online Page B

around his jaw—an intoxicating scent that made her head swim with the wish to be even closer to him, to know what it might be like if only she had the freedom to pursue the wild desires he evoked in her.
    Could he smell her perfume? Did he like it? His head was bent towards her ear, near enough for his cheek to be brushing against her hair. What was he thinking... feeling? She had the sense of him breathing her in, absorbing all he could, wanting more.
    He didn’t speak. She was hopelessly tongue-tied. The silence seemed to magnify all the sensations of dancing with him, the rhythmic matching of every movement, the heat of friction making her thighs and breasts tingle with almost unbearable excitement, the possessive pressure of the hand on the pit of her back, denying her any release from him. Not that she wanted to be released. Yet every beat of the music heightened the sheer sexuality of their togetherness and she was not the only one aroused by it.
    She felt him stir and harden and secretly revelled in his inability to hide the effect she was having on him, though he did loosen his hold on her, easing slightly away. Not quickly enough though. Reluctantly. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking.
    Gina fiercely wanted this evidence of desire to mean more than a simple response to stimulation. It was madness ... forbidden pleasure... dangerously seductive... yet she couldn’t stop herself from hoping he couldn’t help himself, either, that this overwhelming attraction was mutual.
    The rather slow track they’d been dancing to came to an end. The music continued almost, seamlessly into a much faster number. The couples around them responded to it, but Alex remained still. A sharp stab of panic cramped Gina’s heart. Was it over? Would he let her go now? Take her back to his grandmother and return to Michelle?
    The turbulent questions forced her to look up, to read whatever the expression on his face revealed. She caught an air of grim decision, his jawline tense, his mouth slightly compressed. Then his eyes were blazing into hers, seemingly demanding answers he didn’t have and the need for them was just as intense as hers.
    “Let’s get some air,” he bit out.
    He didn’t wait for a reply, taking her agreement for granted as he scooped her with him, hugging her to his side while he carved another path from the dance floor. Gina fixed her gaze on the exit he was making for, the exit that would take them out to the loggia. Her heart was skittering nervously. She was letting him sweep her out of the ballroom, away from watching eyes, and she probably should be stopping him but she couldn’t bring herself to listen to caution.
    The hand clamped on the curve of her waist and hip insisted he wanted to keep her with him. She had to know what this was leading to. There was no turning back from it. If he wasn’t worrying about what other people thought, why should she? Maybe he did simply want a breath of cooler air.
    Certainly there was a sobering pause, once they had emerged from the ballroom. Had the fever of the moment passed for him? A quick glance at his face showed it turned towards the fountain. He set off again, still apparently intent on getting her away from the crowd of guests and having her to himself.
    The few people who had stepped outside remained close to the ballroom. No one had wandered as far as the fountain. Although there was lighting in the grounds, this section of the loggia was in shadow, and Gina was extremely conscious that Alex was seeking privacy. Yet once it was attained, he seemed to hesitate over what to do next. Having come to a halt, he audibly dragged in a deep breath, then gestured jerkily towards a bench seat.
    “Best sit down.”
    He watched her settle on it but made no move to sit beside her. He stood barely a metre away, his tension so palpable Gina found it impossible to relax. Every nerve in her body was in taut waiting for what would come next. She had the eerie sense of being at