The Billionaires Collection. Оливия Гейтс

she whispered as he closed the door of his bedroom. The sound of the ocean lapping the sands was all she could hear other than her pounding heart.

      ‘Don’t say anything, Bianca.’ His voice almost broke with huskiness as he pulled her into his arms. ‘Just feel.’

      She closed her eyes as his lips claimed hers, coaxing the flames of passion to rise once more. His hands skimmed down her sides to hold her hips, pulling her against him, proving he wanted her. She sighed into his mouth, revelling in the strength of his body. She didn’t want him to stop now. She was his—and maybe she had always been.

      When he let go of her and stepped back, she swayed like a newly bloomed flower in the wind. She was light-headed and the throbbing heat his kiss had evoked was almost too much pleasure. All she wanted was to close her eyes again.

      ‘I feel as if my whole life has been waiting for this moment.’ His words were still husky and heavily accented. ‘And it will be special for you, I promise.’

      She drew in a ragged breath as he looked at her, sizzling intent in his eyes. She wanted it to be special—for both of them. A time out of reality that could never be repeated. She wanted him, because he was the right man, the man she’d been waiting for, and alarming as it would be when she left the island and returned to her real life, he was the man she loved.

      She took a deep breath, one born out of anticipation, and moved against him and placed her palms on his chest, feeling the strength beneath them. Slowly she raised herself on the tips of her toes and brushed her lips against his. If she had to feel the moment, so did he. As he responded, her fingers opened his shirt, with an ease which astounded her. She dropped back down off her toes and trailed her fingers through the dark hair which covered his chest, marvelling at its silky smoothness—and her boldness.

      She pressed her lips against his skin, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the man she’d fallen in love with, committing it to memory. He lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

      ‘Is this really what you want?’ Harshness had crept back into his words and his expression was stern, as if he was fighting for control.

      ‘Yes.’ She could hardly speak as her pulse seemed to be jumping in her throat. ‘But if you don’t...’

      She didn’t manage to finish her sentence before he claimed her mouth in a hard and hungry kiss which took her breath completely away. She gave in to the desire which was throbbing within her, urging her on, and kissed him back as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did.

      He moved against her, propelling her backwards towards the bed, each step becoming more urgent. He didn’t stop kissing her as they fell onto the bed, the soft white covers wrapping around them as their bodies entwined.

      This was wild and so much more intense than she’d ever imagined. If this was how he kissed, really kissed, she didn’t think she’d survive being made love to. His lips, bruising and demanding, stoked the flames higher as his hands roamed over her body, the flimsy sundress little protection against the heat of his touch.

      Her hands began exploring him, spreading over his back, relishing the strength and then moving under his open shirt and over his skin. She’d never touched a man this way, never been caressed like this, and didn’t want it to stop.

      His fingers teased her hardened nipples and she gasped with the shock of pleasure which raced through her. He began to kiss her throat, moving lower and lower, and she lay there, eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of fire each kiss left behind. His fingers began to unfasten the small buttons on the front of her blue dress, but the same impatience she felt made him pull hard at the fabric until the buttons yielded and the dress tore.

      She should have been horrified, but she didn’t care about that; all she wanted was to feel his touch on her breasts, his skin against hers. In response, she pushed his shirt from his shoulders, forcing him to briefly release her as he levered himself up, and virtually tore the shirt from him.

      He paused and looked at her, his chest rising and falling rapidly with each desire-driven breath. ‘You are more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.’ Then with a wicked smile he removed his jeans, until he stood before her in black briefs which did little to conceal his hardened state of arousal.

      She sat up and began to undo the remainder of her buttons. He placed one hand on the bed and leant towards her, the muscles in his arm firming as he did so, snagging her attention. ‘No more,’ he said gruffly. ‘That is for me to do, but first I need to take care of a practical issue.’

      ‘Practical?’ Her mind stumbled. What was he talking about?

      ‘The small issue of contraception.’

      How had she forgotten that? What kind of idiot would he think she was? She watched him closely for any hint of shock at her brazen behaviour, but was more shocked when he opened his bedside drawer, took out his wallet and produced the necessary foil packet. Did he always keep his island home so prepared?

      Before she had a chance to dwell on that, he’d wrapped his hands around her ankles, then slipped off her sandals, his grey eyes watching her intently. She blushed as his attention lowered, to her exposed breasts, and had to force herself to stay there beneath his scrutiny instead of giving in to the innocent urge for modesty.

      He stroked his fingers up her legs, over her knees and under her dress and she was transfixed by the fire of need which raged in her. Just when she thought he was going to touch her intimately, he moved back, leaving her aching. But that ache was soon quenched as he moved over her, lowering his body onto hers as he claimed her lips in a kiss so wild and demanding she gasped aloud.

      As if driven by her response, he slid his legs between hers and she could feel the heat and hardness of him. All she could think about was moving against him, finding a way, any way, to get closer, and she became irritated by her half-undressed state. She could feel his bare chest against her naked breasts, but it wasn’t enough. Nowhere near enough.

      His hands moved down between their bodies as he lifted his weight from her and in seconds the remainder of the buttons were undone and her dress pushed away from her. Underwear was now the only barrier between them.

      Giving in to an instinct that was new and exciting, she lifted one leg and with pointed toes trailed it up his leg. The growl of pleasure he gave emboldened her further and she moved her palms against his buttocks, pressing him against her until a string of muttered Russian words flew from his lips.

      ‘If you continue with this, I am not going to remember your inexperience and will lose all control.’ He looked down at her, his arms braced as he held his upper body above her, but still his erection pressed against her.

      She smiled at him, liking the power over him she now had. ‘In that case.’ The taunt in her voice was clear as she wrapped her other leg around him, forcing him so close that if it wasn’t for their underwear she would be his.

      The thought sent heat spiralling through her. She wanted this man to claim her, to take her most precious gift, because somehow she’d fallen in love with him. She had no idea when, but in their constant battles for control, she’d lost her heart to him. She was already his; no matter what happened now, she was his.

      * * *

      ‘Bianca, have mercy on me.’ Surprised at the hoarseness of his voice, Liev claimed her lips once more in a kiss so mind-blowing he very nearly lost control right there and then. What was it about this woman that was so different from any other?

      ‘Never,’ she gasped as he pulled away from her and looked down at her, hair spread across the pillow and eyes closed in total abandon.

      He moved down, trailing his fingers over her stomach until he reached the final physical barrier between them, and as he slid off the bed, he pulled her panties down those delicious legs that had caught his attention the first time he’d seen her. Now that demure and controlled woman was his, her passion so fierce it almost burned him.

      She opened her eyes and looked at him, a nervous question in them. She was