A Stranger's Kiss

importance. He’s very amusing.’
    ‘He’s also very clever. I hope you weren’t discussing business.’
    She leaned back slightly. ‘I’m not a complete idiot, Adam. I know when I’m being pumped for business information.’
    ‘I hope so.’ He pulled her close again. ‘So what did you talk about?’
    ‘Life, love, poetry,’ she teased.
    ‘A loaf of bread… a flask of wine… and thou...?’
    ‘That sort of thing,’ she agreed, nonchalantly
    ‘Well, don’t complain that I didn’t warn you.’ The music stopped and he returned her to Hanna who immediately claimed the next dance. It wasn’t the same. The man danced superbly, he was amusing and charming, but he wasn’t Adam. He was dancing with the American woman, making her laugh, being amusing and charming to her, instead.
    She sighed and Hanna was immediately all concern.
    ‘You are tired, cherie?’ he said. ‘It has been a long day for you. Let me take you home.’
    A spark of alarm suddenly penetrated. ‘Oh, no, thank you. I’d better wait for Adam.’
    ‘Surely you are off duty now?’ he said. ‘And Adam is going to be a while, I think,’ he said, a slight edge to his voice. Tara glanced around and both Adam and the American woman had apparently disappeared. She went very cold.
    ‘I am tired,’ she admitted, ‘but I don’t want to take you away from your party.’
    ‘Everyone will be leaving soon.’ He shrugged. ‘Those who haven’t already gone.’
    She swallowed. ‘Then, thank you. That would be very kind.’
    She bade goodnight to the rest of the party and allowed Hanna to usher her into the lift. He took her hand and she stiffened, but he made no other move on her and she gradually relaxed.
    He settled her in the front seat of his beautiful Mercedes and then drove slowly through the desert night, pointing out the constellations that seemed so much closer than at home.
    ‘Tomorrow afternoon I will take you out into the desert and show you what it is really like, beautiful Tara. But tonight, you need to sleep.’ They were at the villa now and he helped her from the car as if she was the most fragile bloom. A final touch of his lips to her hands and then he was gone.
    She unpinned her hair shook it loose. So much for Adam’s warning. She smiled as she unzipped her dress and stepped out of it. She slipped it onto a hanger and was putting it away when there was a sharp rap on the door and Adam’s voice rang out.
    ‘Tara!’ In her underwear, she hesitated. ‘Tara! Are you there?’
    She grabbed a wrap and held it in front of her before opening the door. ‘Yes? What it is?’
    ‘So you’re back. Are you alone?’ he demanded, his face a mask of anger.
    ‘Of course —’ But Adam swung around the door, not convinced.
    ‘What on earth made you leave...?’
    His voice died away as he took in her appearance. Her hair loose about her shoulders, a dramatic contrast to her pale skin, her figure more revealed than covered by the delicate lace that clung to her breasts before swooping over her hips.
    She stepped back, but only drew attention to the fact that she was wearing fine black stockings.
    She clutched at the wrap in an attempt to cover herself. ‘Get out!’
    He made no move to go. Instead he plucked it from her trembling fingers and flung it to the other side of the room and drank his fill. He finally dragged his eyes back up to her face, white but for the heat she knew would be staining her cheeks. ‘You do well to keep it under armour plating, Mrs Lambert. Mr Lambert is a lucky man. You can tell him I said so.’
    He turned and walked quickly from the room, closing the door behind him. She flew to it, turning the lock and standing with her back to it as if that would keep him at bay if he tried to break the door down.
    Then she shook her head. ‘Stupid!’ she said, quite softly to herself. If she had held out her hand to him he would have been unable to help himself. But she had no practise in the art of seduction, despite everything he thought of her. And probably that was just as well. There was Jane and her baby to consider, after all.
    The following morning she dressed to dampen any thoughts of lust. She screwed her hair up tighter than ever, skewering it into place with a silver pin, and covered the silk and lace with a severe navy linen dress.
    Adam was in the dining room, helping himself to coffee.
    ‘This is an Arab breakfast. If you would like eggs, the cook will prepare them for you.’
    ‘This is