The Platinum Collection: A Diamond Deal: The Flaw in His Diamond / The Purest of Diamonds? / In the Brazilian's Debt

‘I’m not frightened,’ she cut in.

‘You’re very tense...’

Her cheeks were burning. Her body was in turmoil. She could not have anticipated how it would feel to be drawn up close against Roman’s hard frame. And she wasn’t about to tell him that. ‘Dancing with me must be such a chore for you,’ she said instead.

‘A workload beyond imagining.’ Shifting position, he made sure that even more of her was welded to him.

They did move well together...very well.

‘People are staring at us. What must they think?’

‘That you’re new in the village. They’re wondering who you are and why you came here with me.’

‘I hope they don’t think we’re in some sort of relationship?’

‘Almost certainly.’

‘And you don’t care?’ She gazed up and shook her head.

‘I never explain my private life and I certainly don’t excuse it.’

She would hold herself stiffly from now on. She wouldn’t look at him.

But there was something about Roman that drew her gaze. The quirk of his brow, the curve of his mouth, and that wicked glint in his eyes.

‘Do you get some sort of kick out of tormenting me?’ she demanded when he surprised her by glancing down with amusement as if he knew her fascination.

‘I get a kick out of you staring at me.’

His frankness was alarming.

‘And as for teasing you? Yes. I like that too. Let’s call it payback, shall we, Eva? Though you must agree there’s a type of chemistry between us that’s bound to cause comment—’

‘I do not agree,’ she flashed.

Roman smiled down at her. ‘You’re so attractive when you’re angry. And you’ll regret it if you pull away,’ he added when the music stopped. ‘This next dance is one you shouldn’t miss.’

He was smiling that dangerous smile again, and that made her suspicious. ‘What’s so special about it?’

‘Tell me afterwards, Eva.’

‘Do you mind if I get my head out of your chest first?’

‘Be my guest.’

Wrenching herself back, she noticed people watching them. What did they expect? What were they waiting for?

There was only one certainty: Roman had won another round and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

* * *

He loved the way Eva blushed. Dancing with Eva was fun and sexy. He couldn’t remember having such a good time. She had natural rhythm, and he enjoyed teasing her. Eva was easy to tease and easy to rouse to passion. Her feelings were near the surface and yet strangely bottled in. When she forgot to be tense, he felt her potential to be wild and free and deeply sensual. Who wouldn’t be excited by that? But why did such an attractive woman sell herself so short? Was she really so inexperienced? Eva’s reputation did her no favours, he suspected.

She scowled at him as they waited for the next dance to begin. He’d always found dancing the perfect prelude to sex, though he was comfortable with the thought that sex wasn’t a compulsory activity. It just surprised him that a woman with Eva’s passion was so fiercely attached to chastity. ‘You will tell me why eventually,’ he murmured.

‘I will tell you what?’ she snapped defensively.

The elderly matchmakers had picked up his interest in Eva, and he had no intention of disappointing them when the next dance began, though Eva was growing increasingly edgy, as if she suspected she was being set up.

‘I don’t enjoy dancing,’ she said, confirming his thinking by glancing towards the onlookers as if she would like to be one of them. ‘I avoid it when I can.’

‘In the same way that you avoid men?’

She was shocked into silence for a moment. ‘How do you work that out?’

‘I hope you’re not going to deny it, Eva?’

‘I’m just not interested—though I don’t expect you to understand. I just don’t consider serial dating compulsory—’

‘Calm down, Eva. I’m not looking for a fight. It’s a free world. You do what you want.’

‘I’m relieved to hear it.’

‘Sarcasm doesn’t suit you. And neither does lying about your interest in men.’

And when she looked ready to go off like a rocket, he explained, ‘You tell me one thing while your body tells me something else.’

‘I’ve been dancing,’ she snapped, her eyes blazing fire. ‘And that requires my body to move, in case you hadn’t noticed.’

He laughed. ‘Not quite so enthusiastically against mine—though please forgive me if I’ve misinterpreted the signals.’

She huffed as the music began.

‘Has someone hurt you, Eva?’

‘I haven’t come to the party to discuss my personal life with you. I’m here for one reason, and one reason only, and that’s Skavanga.’

‘So you were just born awkward?’

As Roman stared at her with open amusement, Eva’s ever-dodgy control valve blew. ‘If you mean, do I know how to speak up for myself? Then, yes. I do. And if you mean, do I know how to avoid becoming another statistic for some overconfident bed jockey to brag about? Then, yes. I’m happy to tell you that I can do that too—’

The air rushed out of her as Roman yanked her into his arms.

‘Eva,’ he growled. ‘You talk too much.’

* * *

A cheer distracted her. Turning, Eva saw that the bride and groom had just come onto the floor to join them in the traditional dance. Everyone was cheering. Even she forgot Roman’s insufferable arrogance and smiled. That was the thing about weddings. You could let yourself go without people thinking you were slightly mad. And this did seem to be what everyone had been waiting for.