tables on her, she shook her head. Desire was still roaring restlessly through her. She wanted nothing more than to walk back into his arms, to hold him.
Which was precisely why she knew she couldn't ever go back to that place she'd just visited.
Not ever. It was far too dangerous.
"I'm not lying." She wished her voice was firmer, stronger, more believable. Even to her own ears she sounded weak. It infuriated and shamed her.
"I don't want you." Maybe if she kept saying it, it would be so.
"Ah, but I want you." He trailed a finger sensuously down her bare arm, making her body quake, and her blood heat, wanting to prove to her, to force her to see what was between them.
She jerked back, unwilling to admit that just his slightest touch could reduce her to mush. "You can't have me."
She couldn't succumb to passion, couldn't forget all that she'd learned growing up, all the pain and heartache a man like this could bring to a woman's life. To her life.
"Oh, but I will have you, Faith," he whispered confidently, only infuriating her.
"You arrogant…" Her voice trailed off and she caught herself before she said something she knew she'd regret. Her eyes darkened. Anger quickly smothered the passion, making her realize how foolish she'd been. She welcomed the anger; it was familiar, comfortable, something she knew she could handle. "I don't know who you think you are—"
"I thought you knew." His voice had gone soft again, laced with steely determination. "I am Sheik Ali El-Etra—"
"Auggh!" She wanted to smack him. "You're gonna start with that nonsense again? Tossing your title around like I should bow to you?"
"Nonsense?" His brows drew together slowly as he tried to comprehend what she'd just said to him. No one had ever dared refer to his title as nonsense. He stiffened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "There are those who would bow merely because of my title, Faith."
Frustrated and fuming, she blew out a breath. The man was insufferable. Arrogant and pigheaded.
"Yeah, well, I'm not one of them. I am not one of your beautiful bevy of the brainless. Nor am I interested in a one-night stand, I don't care who you are." Eyes shooting sparks, Faith lifted her chin. "And I have a news flash for you, Sheik. You may have had everything you've ever wanted in life up until now, but there's one thing you will never have." She gave his chest a poke, furious at the smug arrogance shimmering in his eyes. "Me."
With that, Faith turned on her heel and marched away, leaving Ali standing in the middle of the dance floor, alone, staring after her with a perplexed look on his face.
"Ah, dear Faith, but on this too you are wrong." Slipping his hands in his pocket, he watched her sail through the doors into the cool, dark evening with a confident smile. "I will have you."
Four
Prosperino, California
I n the dark, the elegant Colton estate rose like a proud, welcoming beacon atop a high, rocky cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
A cool, foggy mist swirled in the evening wind, rising through the darkness, wrapping the elegant mansion in a lazy, hazy shawl.
Moonlight silhouetted the jagged cliffs and the aprons of beach scattered along the shoreline. The scent of salt and the ocean mingled with the fragrance of tea roses, dianthus and begonias from the grounds' magnificent gardens, perfuming the night air with a sweet, subtle bouquet.
Christened Hacienda del Alegria —House of Joy—the sprawling Colton house had once rung with laughter and love, children and family.
But not anymore, Emily Blair Colton thought sadly, as she crossed the circular driveway at the front of the house. Now the house held more tension and sadness than anything else.
Although it was late and dark, she dreaded going home, dreaded going into the house that had once been a home.
But not any longer.
Pausing in the darkness, silhouetted by shafts of the high moon, Emily glanced up at the house that had once meant security and stability to her, the home that
Which was precisely why she knew she couldn't ever go back to that place she'd just visited.
Not ever. It was far too dangerous.
"I'm not lying." She wished her voice was firmer, stronger, more believable. Even to her own ears she sounded weak. It infuriated and shamed her.
"I don't want you." Maybe if she kept saying it, it would be so.
"Ah, but I want you." He trailed a finger sensuously down her bare arm, making her body quake, and her blood heat, wanting to prove to her, to force her to see what was between them.
She jerked back, unwilling to admit that just his slightest touch could reduce her to mush. "You can't have me."
She couldn't succumb to passion, couldn't forget all that she'd learned growing up, all the pain and heartache a man like this could bring to a woman's life. To her life.
"Oh, but I will have you, Faith," he whispered confidently, only infuriating her.
"You arrogant…" Her voice trailed off and she caught herself before she said something she knew she'd regret. Her eyes darkened. Anger quickly smothered the passion, making her realize how foolish she'd been. She welcomed the anger; it was familiar, comfortable, something she knew she could handle. "I don't know who you think you are—"
"I thought you knew." His voice had gone soft again, laced with steely determination. "I am Sheik Ali El-Etra—"
"Auggh!" She wanted to smack him. "You're gonna start with that nonsense again? Tossing your title around like I should bow to you?"
"Nonsense?" His brows drew together slowly as he tried to comprehend what she'd just said to him. No one had ever dared refer to his title as nonsense. He stiffened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "There are those who would bow merely because of my title, Faith."
Frustrated and fuming, she blew out a breath. The man was insufferable. Arrogant and pigheaded.
"Yeah, well, I'm not one of them. I am not one of your beautiful bevy of the brainless. Nor am I interested in a one-night stand, I don't care who you are." Eyes shooting sparks, Faith lifted her chin. "And I have a news flash for you, Sheik. You may have had everything you've ever wanted in life up until now, but there's one thing you will never have." She gave his chest a poke, furious at the smug arrogance shimmering in his eyes. "Me."
With that, Faith turned on her heel and marched away, leaving Ali standing in the middle of the dance floor, alone, staring after her with a perplexed look on his face.
"Ah, dear Faith, but on this too you are wrong." Slipping his hands in his pocket, he watched her sail through the doors into the cool, dark evening with a confident smile. "I will have you."
Four
Prosperino, California
I n the dark, the elegant Colton estate rose like a proud, welcoming beacon atop a high, rocky cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
A cool, foggy mist swirled in the evening wind, rising through the darkness, wrapping the elegant mansion in a lazy, hazy shawl.
Moonlight silhouetted the jagged cliffs and the aprons of beach scattered along the shoreline. The scent of salt and the ocean mingled with the fragrance of tea roses, dianthus and begonias from the grounds' magnificent gardens, perfuming the night air with a sweet, subtle bouquet.
Christened Hacienda del Alegria —House of Joy—the sprawling Colton house had once rung with laughter and love, children and family.
But not anymore, Emily Blair Colton thought sadly, as she crossed the circular driveway at the front of the house. Now the house held more tension and sadness than anything else.
Although it was late and dark, she dreaded going home, dreaded going into the house that had once been a home.
But not any longer.
Pausing in the darkness, silhouetted by shafts of the high moon, Emily glanced up at the house that had once meant security and stability to her, the home that
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