Page 27 of At the Sheikh's Command
He leaned in to her. “I see Darrius is shooting me black looks again and is on his way over. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so possessive of a woman before. I think he’s fallen for you. Take care of my brother’s heart, won’t you? It’s more tender than you might think.” He hesitated. “You do love him, don’t you?”
She bit her lip and gave a half-shrug which Amare seemed to interpret as agreement.
“You don’t have to say anything. I can see it in your eyes. Anyway, don’t worry your secret is safe with me,” he said, rising to leave. “I won’t tell him.”
She was curious. “You won’t? Why not?”
“Because I believe he already knows.”
Darrius re-took his seat and looked from one to the other of them. “I hope you managed to get somewhere?” he asked.
“Oh yes, got to the heart of it,” Amare said with a big grin. “Goodbye, Leonora. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”
Amare glanced at Darrius and then, with a wicked look in his eye, kissed both her cheeks. He ignored his scowling brother. “I’ve a feeling I’ll be seeing a lot more of you, Leonora.” He smiled at Darrius. “See you later, brother.”
Darrius shot her an accusing look. “What did he mean by that?”
She shrugged. “How am I meant to know?”
She jumped on the diversion of the sudden vibration of her phone in her evening bag. Anything to avoid admitting that Amare believed Darrius and she loved each other. She tapped her phone out of habit. Amare’s handsome face looked back at her. Too late, she realized Darrius was looking over her shoulder.
“What,” he exploded, “is my brother doing sending you a text?”
Before she could explain that it was no doubt connected to his visit to Janey, Darrius jumped up and walked away, leaving her alone with Zaire, who’d just returned after flirting outrageously with one of the glamorous guests.
Zaire watched Darrius storm out and raised a laconic eyebrow at her.
“What did you say to my brother? He never loses his temper!”
“I didn’t…” She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
Zaire stood over her and bent down so he could whisper in her ear. “You’d better retrieve him or else it’ll be the talk of the night. It’s plain he’s besotted with you.”
Struck by the word ‘besotted’, all Leonora could do was nod and leave the room. Was he besotted? Both brothers seemed to believe Darrius was in love with her. They must be wrong. But what if they weren’t wrong? Where did that leave her? A future with Darrius was impossible. But that was the future. She was here now and needed to find him.
She stepped outside into the quiet of the public garden and looked around. She didn’t see him to begin with. But then she turned a corner, and he was standing, one hand leaning against a pillar, while rubbing his forehead with the other. He was obviously struggling to rein in his temper.
She ran up to him. “Darrius!” He looked around.
“What? Isn’t it enough that you humiliate me by flirting with my brother? Isn’t it—”
“Stop right there! I didn’t flirt with anyone, least of all your brother.And, may I remind you, it wasyouwho asked him to talk tome. Which he did. I told him about my colleague and the text was so I could pass on my colleague’s contact details to him.Thatwas all!”
He heaved a deep sigh. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m not angry with you.” He threaded his fingers through hers and folded his hand over hers. “I’m angry with me, don’t you see? It’s me who has the problem. I don’t know what’s come over me. You’re all I think about. You’re an obsession.”
He scanned her face and then tugged her to him and kissed her with the passion of a man obsessed with all his heart and she knew it. And it scared the life out of her.
“I need you,” he said fiercely, when at last he broke off the kiss. He gripped her shoulders until the strength of his fingers felt uncomfortable. “But you’re holding back.”
“I’m not holding back, Darrius.”
“Not in the bedroom, you’re not. But”—his eyes narrowed as if he were looking into her soul—“everywhere else? You won’t let me close.”
“Perhaps because I can’t. Perhaps because I’m not capable of the warmth you expect.”
“I don’t believe that. Our lovemaking is not warm, it’s scorching hot.”
She shook her head and pressed her hand to her heart. “Inside, Darrius. I don’t experience emotions as other people do. I think, I act, but I don’t feel.”
