Seduction: The Billionaire's Bride of Vengeance

She didn’t have to look back at him after that first time to know that his eyes were constantly upon her. She could feel them raking over her, burning into her, making her aware of her body in ways which were as disturbing as they were embarrassing.

Her fiercely erect nipples were bad enough, especially since she wasn’t wearing a bra. Even worse was the dampness between her thighs.

Nicole had stayed in the powder room for several minutes, after which she’d escaped outside, hoping that some fresh air would bring her wayward flesh under control.

But the air outside was hotter than the air inside.

She felt his presence before he spoke, her skin breaking into instant goose-pimples.

‘We meet again, Nicole,’ he said quietly as he materialised next to her.

Nicole’s fingers tightened around her evening bag before lifting it from the top of the railing. Slowly she turned to face him, grateful that he could not hear her heart thudding behind her ribs.

‘Did you get your keys?’ she asked him with creditable cool.

His smile was light and might have been charming on any other man. But not on him and not when accompanied by the predatory gleam which glittered in his cold blue eyes.

‘Indeed I did,’ he said. ‘I hope you got everything you wanted from the house.’

‘Yes, thank you.’

‘I was surprised to see you here. I presume you’re a friend of Megan’s.’

‘We went to the same school.’ No way was she going to explain her presence here any more than that. It would make her sound like some charity case.

‘What are you doing out here?’ he went on. ‘You missed all the toasts and speeches.’

Trust him to notice. But then he would, wouldn’t he? He’d been watching her all evening. And now he’d followed her out here.

Nicole could not pretend that she didn’t know the reason why. She’d been the object of male pursuits ever since she’d left boarding school. Up till her experience with David, she’d enjoyed the mating game.

But that had been before she was told she was a bore in bed.

‘I had a headache,’ she invented.

‘Have you taken something for it?’

‘Yes,’ she lied again.

‘And?’

‘I’m feeling better.’

‘In that case, would you like to dance?’ he said, his blue eyes fastening hard onto hers again.

Lord, but they were powerful, those eyes. And oh, so sexy.

‘I … I think I’d rather stay out here,’ she replied, somewhat shakily.

‘That’s all right. The music’s loud enough. We can dance right where we are.’

Before she could find some other excuse, he took her bag, placed it on top of the railing, then drew her into his arms.

‘I’m sorry if I was rude to you the other day,’ he said softly as he began to move her back and forth in a slow, sensual rhythm.

Nicole swallowed, but didn’t say anything in return. Her brain was far too busy trying to get a handle on the wild heat rushing through her. His holding her even more tightly did little to free her mind, or soothe her instant panic.

‘I have a confession to make,’ he whispered into her ear, which was now perilously close to his mouth. ‘From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you.’

Nicole jerked back out of his arms, her eyes widening as they flashed up to his.

‘I dare say you’ve had many men say that to you over the years,’ he went on. ‘Please believe me when I say I don’t make a habit of such rash declarations. That’s why I was rude to you at first, because the intensity of my feelings took me by surprise. And because I was sure that a girl as exquisitely beautiful as you are would already be taken. But your being here tonight, alone, indicates that maybe I was mistaken …’ His eyebrows lifted questioningly. ‘Is there a lover or boyfriend in your life at the moment? Someone overseas perhaps?’

Nicole still couldn’t find her tongue, but she did manage to shake her head in the negative.

The satisfaction in his eyes was both flattering and frightening. ‘Then I’m free to tell you that seeing you again tonight has done nothing to lessen my interest. In fact I want you more than I’ve wanted any woman before in my life.’

The passion in his voice, and in his eyes, both dazzled and dazed her.

‘You take my breath away,’ he ground out, cupping her chin firmly with his right hand and lifting her mouth up towards his rapidly descending lips.

His kiss was not gentle. But she loved it, wallowing in the bruising force of his lips and the savage invasion of his tongue.

If he’d stopped within a decent span of time, she might have had some common sense left. But he went on and on, draining her of the rest of her will, pushing her beyond any thought of where this would end, beyond everything but the need to keep on being kissed by him.

His wrenching his lips from hers brought a soft cry of dismay.

Russell stared down at her parted lips and dilated eyes and wondered if this was all for real—for him, Russell McClain, the man.

Her surrender seemed amazingly quick, as though she was possessed by the same mad passion which had governed both his lust-filled words earlier and his kisses just now. But it didn’t seem logical that the coolly composed creature he’d met the other day would suddenly turn into a wanton.

Of course, party girls like her did live a pretty fast life. For all he knew, she could be on something tonight, some recreational drug which had lessened her inhibitions and heightened her appetite. Or maybe she’d imbibed too much of the top champagne James had had flown in from France for his wedding; a few glasses of that could make a girl very amenable to a man’s advances.

On the other hand, maybe she’d had some time to think about her changed circumstances since arriving back in Sydney. Maybe she’d decided that Daddy’s lessened wealth might not last forever and she would need a new gravy train if she wanted to continue the good life.

Which meant this show might not be for him, Russell McClain, the man … but for Russell McClain, the potential billionaire.

Perversely, Russell no longer cared what her motivation was for looking up at him as if she couldn’t wait to go to bed with him. All he cared about right at that moment was where she would be before this night was out. He’d never felt anything like the arousal he was feeling right now. His flesh had moved beyond pleasure and into the realms of sheer and utter pain.

‘So there you are!’

Russell suppressed a groan at the arrival of the plump brunette Nicole had been sitting next to inside.

‘I was wondering where you’d got to,’ the girl added, her eyes avid as they flitted from one to the other. ‘Have I interrupted something, sweetie?’ she directed at Nicole. ‘If so, please just say so and I’ll go. I’m nothing if not discreet.’

Nicole blushed furiously, surprising Russell. It was hard to fake a blush. There again, it could be a blush of guilt.

‘Nicole and I are just leaving,’ he stated firmly.