The Princess and the Playboy - Valerie Parv

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injunction shocking. No one spoke to her in such a demeaning way. But in her present guise she understood and even admired his loyalty to his friend. But he had to let her tell him the truth. ‘Please let me—’

      With the swiftness of a king cobra, he moved to clamp a hand over her mouth, silencing her. ‘Not a word, understand?’

      Over the warm pressure of his fingers she saw the determined glint firing his eyes, and she had no choice but to nod. His palm tasted salty against her lips which felt swollen from his kiss. It came to her that he would be stunned when he found out how he’d treated a member of the royal family. It was a pity Sapphan no longer imposed the death penalty for lese-majesty, she raged inwardly. She would take great pleasure in making Jase pay for his callous treatment. At her nod he slowly removed his hand.

      Trying to explain would only invite more punishment so she sat in mutinous silence while he restarted the car and drove the remaining distance to Crystal Bay. When they arrived she was too stunned by the scene which met her eyes to say anything.

      He noticed her stillness. ‘It looks worse than it is,’ he assured her calmly. ‘We have a complete reafforestation plan in place to ensure that every tree removed and more are put back before we’re done. I have thousands of baobabs, coconut palms, tamarinds, frangipani and flame trees on standby for this area alone.’

      ‘Big of you,’ she muttered. She was still smarting from the physical way he had ensured her silence.

      He gave her a searching look. ‘Sulking, Allie? Or simply annoyed because I wasn’t taken in by your devious scheme?’

      She forced herself to meet his eyes unflinchingly, wishing fervently that looks could kill. ‘It must be a terrible burden, always having to be right.’

      ‘Then you admit I am right about you?’

      ‘I admit nothing of the sort.’ During her enforced silence she had decided he would find out soon enough whom he had mistreated. The longer it took the sweeter would be her revenge when it came. In the meantime, since he wasn’t prepared to listen to her explanation, she would maintain a dignified aloofness.

      ‘I’ll say this for you, you don’t lack courage.’ His tone was grudgingly admiring. ‘And you’re sufficiently beautiful and sexy to make me wish you weren’t married. But you are, and to a man I like and respect too much to indulge you. I’ll arrange for someone to drive you home before I deal with my business here.’

      ‘Afraid, Jase?’ She deliberately used his own words against him.

      ‘Afraid of what? You? I thought I demonstrated my resistance to your charms rather effectively on the way here.’

      At the reminder of his forceful kiss her insides clenched but she managed to remain outwardly calm, blessing years of royal training which enabled her to disguise her inner turmoil. ‘I was referring to your obvious fear of learning anything that might not fit your preconceptions about this place,’ she said, pleased that her voice hardly shook at all.

      He gave a grunt of annoyance. ‘You’re still determined to show me the error of my ways.’

      ‘You did a good job of pointing out mine. I only wish to return the favour.’

      His eyes glinted ferally. ‘Touché. Very well, I’ll deal with my business here then you can show me around. But if your behaviour is less than exemplary I’ll return you home so quickly your head will spin.’

      It was already spinning but she bit her tongue. She was determined not to give him the satisfaction of revealing how strongly he affected her. Even if he knew he would probably assume it was a new ploy on Allie’s part to seduce her husband’s friend.

      Silently Talay asked for Allie’s forgiveness. Now she had come this far she had to continue playing the part long enough to convince Jase to change his plans. Afterwards she would take great pleasure in setting the record straight for Allie and herself while she watched Jase choke on his ugly suspicions.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      JASE had chosen his location well, Talay admitted reluctantly to herself. The resort rested on nearly eighteen hectares of swaying palms and tropical foliage against a backdrop of lush green rainforest.

      A white sandy beach stretched around two sides of the area and curved into deep, secluded bays. A small coral reef at one end of the crescent would provide snorkelling in Sapphan’s crystal-clear waters, Jase explained. From the shore it was possible to watch shoals of brilliantly coloured fish, playing among the coral gardens almost at her feet.

      The buildings would blend with the lush jungle, waterfalls and mist-covered mountain peaks, Jase assured her. He borrowed plans from the foreman overseeing the site preparation to show Talay sketches of how the finished resort would look. Built from traditional materials, using timeless Sapphan carpentry techniques, it could easily be mistaken for the abode of an island chieftain from her country’s history, she concluded, impressed almost against her will.

      The resort would comprise several low-lying main buildings and a dozen thatched cottages, known as bures, facing the tropical sunsets. She noticed Jase took special care to describe the honeymoon bure to her. ‘It will have a hand-carved four-poster bed curtained with mosquito netting, an outdoor shower for two,’ he emphasised, ‘and a private spa and sundeck where the newlyweds can entertain themselves, without having to set foot in the main complex. Tropical fruit and champagne will be provided and even a yacht to take them to the resort’s private island, complete with gourmet provisions, if they wish to spend a night entirely alone.’

      A wave of sensual heat swept through her as his words painted a vivid picture in her mind. No need for clothing on an uninhabited island. No need for anything except the company of the man you loved and endless hours to enjoy each other, free of all commitment and restriction. Her throat felt dry but she refused to swallow.

      ‘I see the notion appeals to you,’ Jase drawled, shattering the fantasy. ‘Maybe you can convince Michael to reserve it for the two of you so you can direct those passions of yours where they belong.’

      ‘If you’ve finished lecturing me it’s my turn to show you around,’ she snapped, uncomfortably aware of how easily she could imagine sharing the private island paradise with Jase himself. Having tasted the heady pleasure of his kiss, she trembled at the thought of what other sensual treats might await his partner in such a place. It would, indeed, be paradise on earth.

      She froze in horror at her own thoughts. He was the last man with whom she should dream of spending nights in paradise, or anywhere else for that matter. He had as good as admitted that his playboy reputation was deserved. His refusal to seduce his friend’s wife, as he believed she wanted, was honourable but hardly radeeming, given the number of other fish in the sea. And he was still the enemy. Nothing he had shown her today had altered her opinion of him as an interloper here.

      She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the foreman approaching them to consult the plans spread out on the car bonnet in front of Jase. The man froze as he caught sight of Talay, and immediately brought his palms together at chest height in a gesture of respect. ‘Your Royal Highness, forgive the intrusion. I didn’t recognise you from a distance.’

      Fortunately he addressed her in Sapphanese and she answered in kind, assuring him she was not seeking special treatment but was here as Jase’s guest to inspect the site. ‘Go about your work and take no notice of me,’ she urged with a smile. She had deliberately dressed in a western-style white shirt and slim-fitting cream linen trousers to avoid being recognised too easily. So far it had worked, but the foreman was spreading the word, she saw, as the distant workers began to look their way.

      A deep V of interest furrowed Jase’s brow. ‘Your presence seems to be causing a stir.’

      ‘I’m patron of some local charities so I’m well known around here,’ she answered truthfully.

      She wasn’t sure if he accepted the explanation or not but he said no more about it as he concluded his business at the site. Unfortunately,

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