a little problem with a curse?”
Alec glanced over at Sabina and she smiled weakly. “You must be Mrs. Lupescu.” He held out his hand to her grandmother. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Ruta looked at his hand as if he’d just offered her a rotten fish. “There is no pleasure in it. Just this warning. As long as you are in Bina’s apartment, you will behave like a gentleman. If you do not, you will suffer the wrath of one of
She turned on her heel and stormed out, leaving a dumbfounded Alec in her wake. He drew a shaky breath. “Well, I think she likes me. What do you think?”
“Is your back really hurt or are you just malingering to get into my bed?”
Alec feigned shock and disappointment. “How could you think that?”
Sabina arched her brow. “You know, one of the benefits of being psychic is that I can spot a liar a mile away.” She tipped his chin up with her finger and stared intently into his blue eyes.
“Are you trying to read my mind again?” Alec asked.
“Yes,” Sabina lied, an uneasy feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t even figure out what was going on in her head, much less his. Her only thought was to kiss him, to lean forward and press her lips to his and see where it all led. Over the past week she relived every single second they’d spent together and it just hadn’t seemed like enough.
She wasn’t psychic, but she sensed that they were far from through with each other. There was more to be said, more to learn and much, much more to experience.
Alec grinned. “Good. Now, concentrate hard. Do you know what I’m thinking?”
“I do,” Sabina replied. But this time it wasn’t a lie. She saw the flicker of desire in his eyes and knew he was thinking exactly what she was thinking. How long would it take to get out of their clothes?
An instant later, his mouth covered hers. The warmth of his lips ignited her desire and heat raced through her like fire in her veins. It had been nearly a week since she’d been kissed by him, but she hadn’t remembered it being so wonderful.
She parted her lips so that he might taste more deeply. Alec pulled her down on top of him, his fingers furrowing through her hair. Wild sensations coursed through her body, tingling at every nerve and heightening every caress. Sabina drew back slightly, her dark hair a curtain around them.
Their gazes met and she realized there was no need for words. The two of them knew exactly what they wanted-each other. Sabina didn’t care about tomorrow or next week or next month, for that matter. All she needed was now, this moment in his arms and complete surrender.
She slowly bent to kiss him again, running her tongue along his lower lip, then biting gently. He growled, then captured her mouth, this time more softly.
The light cotton dress was a meager defense against his touch. He ran his hands along her back and grabbed her waist, pressing her body against his. She felt his desire, hard and hot, between them, as his hips cradled hers. Suddenly, Sabina wanted to strip away every last barrier between them, to feel his naked body against hers.
As if he could read her mind, he sat up, pulling her along with him. Without breaking their kiss, he twisted out of his suit jacket and started yanking on his tie. But Sabina brushed his hands aside and worked at the knot herself, her fingers trembling slightly.
She knew she ought to be more hesitant. Sleeping with a man on the first date was something she’d never, ever done. Even worse, this wasn’t a date. They hadn’t had a first date-not a complete first date! Oh, hell, what difference did it make whether it happened now or later? They both knew it was going to happen, right?
Sabrina finally loosened his tie enough to pull it over his head, then began to fumble with the buttons of his shirt. He began from the bottom, and by the time their hands met, she was desperate to touch him. A moment later, he reached for the zipper at the back of her dress, then pulled it down until she could slip her arms out of the bodice.
He pulled her into another embrace and rolled her beneath him on the bed. His palm softly caressed her belly, then moved up to her breast, teasing at the nipple through the silk and lace of her bra.
It felt so right to have him touch her. She’d never experienced such desperate need for a man. Every nerve cried out for his touch. When his lips trailed kisses down her neck to her breast, Sabina held her breath, knowing what was about to come would shatter the very last ounce of resistance she possessed.
But before he could go any further, a sharp rap sounded on the door of Sabina’s apartment. She froze at the same time he did. Slowly, he pushed up and looked into her eyes. “Did you invite someone else over?”
Sabina shook her head. “I didn’t lock the door.” With a soft curse she slipped her arms back into the sleeves of her dress. But her fingers weren’t working properly and she couldn’t reach the zipper. “Do it, do it,” she cried, turning her back to Alec.
“Bina?”
“Oh, no,” Sabina muttered as she scrambled off the bed. She picked up his suit jacket and tossed it at him. “Get dressed.”
Alec stared at her for a long moment. “I’m not exactly naked. Not yet, anyway.”
“Stop it!” Sabina hissed. She quickly ran her fingers through her tousled hair, then smoothed her dress. “I’m in here, Nana.” She cleared her throat, hoping to clear away the nervousness in her voice. “Taking care of the patient.”
Ruta swept into the bedroom, a tray in her hands. She looked at Sabina, then studied Alec, who’d managed to button the bottom half of his shirt. Ruta’s eyebrow shot up. “You have taken off some of your clothes,” she said.
“I was just trying to get more comfortable,” Alec replied. “And it was getting a little warm in here.”
Sabina shot him a glare as Ruta set the tray down on the bedside table. She poured a cup and handed it to Alec. “Just make sure there is no more undressing. I will not warn you twice.” She nodded at the teacup. “Drink. It will help relax your muscles. Then maybe you can get out of my granddaughter’s bed and go home.”
Alec sniffed at the tea. “Just how relaxed are we talking here? If I relax too much, I’ll be dead.”
“I will not kill you,” Ruta said as if he’d insulted her. “It would be too much trouble to get rid of the body. Go ahead, there is nothing in it but herbs.”
Alec glanced over at Sabina and she shrugged. Her grandmother might not like him, but she’d never deliberately harm another human being. “You know, Nana, Alec may be the son of your enemy, but he is also the grandson of your friend George Harnett. And you know how protective grandparents are of their grandchildren. If there is anything in that tea, I’m not sure George would look kindly on it.”
“There is nothing in the tea,” Ruta insisted impatiently. “Nothing harmful at all. Now, drink.”
Sabina nodded at Alec and he took a sip, then set the cup down in the saucer. “I feel better already.”
“Good, then you can leave,” Ruta said.
“Not that good.” A grin quirked at the corners of his mouth. “But I’m sure Sabina will do everything she can to make me comfortable.”
She shot him another glare, then stepped up to her grandmother and took Ruta’s elbow. “Why don’t we leave Alec to relax? I’ll walk you back to your apartment.”
When they reached the front door, Sabina pulled it open, then followed her grandmother out into the hall. “You don’t have to worry about me, Nana. I’m perfectly capable of handling myself around him. He doesn’t frighten me at all.”
Maybe that was the problem, Sabina mused. She wasn’t afraid of anything that might happen between her and Alec. In fact, she was eager to plunge into a full-scale seduction the very moment she went back inside her apartment.
ALEC SWUNG HIS LEGS over the edge of the bed, then rubbed his lower back. Oddly enough, he did feel a bit more relaxed. He kicked off his shoes, then tugged his shirt over his head, tossing it on top of his jacket. The air conditioner purred softly from the bedroom window, cooling the midday heat.
Sabina returned a few moments later and stood in the doorway. Alec watched her, wondering what was going through her mind. This attraction between them was beyond all explanation. He’d taken women to bed before, but it had always been about satisfying a need. With Sabina, there was more to it. It wasn’t about him, it was about the two of them, becoming closer, knowing the most intimate details about each other.
He wanted to give her pleasure, to hear her murmur his name in the midst of her passion. Alec smiled as he
