Australian Bachelors: Masterful Magnates: Purchased: His Perfect Wife. HELEN BIANCHIN

her hand into a fist and aimed it for his shoulder.

      Except his strength far outmatched her own, and he held her captive, gentling his invasion to something incredibly sensual, awakening her senses until he gained her unbidden response.

      She lost all thought as he led her to a place where nothing else mattered … except the man, and his witching power to render her boneless.

      For a wild moment she wanted more, so much more, and her hands unclenched as she linked them together at his nape, holding his head fast as she gave herself up to the magic of his touch.

      Then it was he who began to withdraw, softening the contact as he nibbled her lower lip, savouring its faintly swollen contours, and lightly brushing her mouth with his own before gently breaking contact.

      For a few timeless seconds she felt strangely adrift, then realization dawned and her eyes widened with stunned disbelief as she began fighting frantically to be free of him.

      Except one powerful arm held her immobile while he took hold of her chin between finger and thumb, then he tipped it slightly so she had no recourse but to look at him … or close her eyes. And she refused to allow him the slightest sign of her defeat.

      ‘In future you might care to consider my reaction before resorting to such a reckless turn of phrase,’ Wolfe warned with indolent ease as he released her. ‘Particularly if you want to enforce the “no sex before marriage” dictum.’

      Not only his reaction but her own, Lara admitted wretchedly as she sought to put some distance between them.

      Dear heaven … what had just happened here?

       Déjà vu.

      Except now it was worse, so much worse than she believed possible. She was older, wiser … and experienced. If you counted two brief liaisons and a vague disappointment in the sexual act, assigning the reason to her lack of emotional engagement for failing to achieve orgasm. Or had it been the result of selfish carelessness of the men in question?

      Instinct warned it would be different when Wolfe took her to bed.

      Just how different she’d discover within days … nights, she amended … aware there were only two remaining before she took his name and vowed to share his life.

      Would he assume her compliance and seek to initiate sex tonight?

      Even the thought that he might sent her into a wild emotional spin, and she barely controlled the myriad sensations sweeping through her body.

      Right now she desperately needed to get away from him, and she took the few steps necessary to retrieve her shoulderbag.

      ‘I’ll take a cab.’

      Wolfe merely ignored her and collected his keys as he followed her from the suite.

      He waited until they were in the car and the Lexus purred almost silently through the morning traffic before querying, ‘Are you sufficiently confident in Tony’s ability?’

      ‘As much as I can be. Why?’

      ‘Enough for you to finish up tonight?’

      ‘Not possible. Saturday is our busiest day, not to mention the evening.’

      ‘Need I remind you we marry Sunday morning, and board a flight to New York mid-afternoon?’

      As if she could forget. ‘Saturday stands.’

      ‘And if I insist?’

      ‘It won’t make any difference,’ Lara assured him, not willing to give so much as an inch.

      The remaining short distance was achieved in silence, and Lara reached for the door-clasp the instant the car slid in against the kerb.

      ‘Be ready at two o’clock,’ Wolfe indicated in a voice as smooth as silk.

      In your dreams, she managed silently. He could come drag her from the kitchen … if he dared.

      In fact he did, if not quite literally, but with the enthused encouragement of Shontelle, Tony, and Sally … What choice did she have but to remove her apron and give in gracefully?

      She even waited until they were safely in the car and out of earshot before railing at him for his high-handedness.

      ‘Has no one accused you of being an arrogant, overbearing control-freak?’

      ‘Aside from you? No.’

      Her eyes darkened at the sound of amusement in his voice, and she pursed her lips in an effort to control the flood of words she felt compelled to throw at him.

      Instead she concentrated on the scene beyond the windscreen, taking no pleasure in the sunshine, the almost cloudless blue skies, or the soft, budding flora unfolding with spring.

      It didn’t take long to reach the exclusive boutiques in Double Bay, or for Wolfe to ease the Lexus into a convenient parking space.

      ‘Let’s go.’

      Public mutiny wasn’t part of her scene, and she slid from the car in silence then walked the pavement at his side.

      The selection of wedding rings came first, and Lara tamped down a shocked gasp as he slid a wide multi-faceted diamond band onto her finger, then chose a gold band for himself.

      The rings purchased and carefully boxed and bagged, Wolfe led her from one boutique to another until he approved a suitable dress in ivory with a delicate lace overlay … which happened to be her size. Matching stilettos were added at outrageous cost.

      Not to be daunted, he included a set of ivory briefs and bra, showing no embarrassment whatsoever in choosing a preferred style.

      ‘Have you no shame?’ Lara demanded as they emerged onto the pavement. She barely refrained from stamping a foot in sheer frustration. ‘Enough already. I don’t need anything else!’

      ‘You do.’ His lazy drawl curled round her nerve-ends and did strange things to her equilibrium. ‘But it can wait.’

      She should thank him, and she did, with such utmost graciousness it brought an amused smile in response.

      ‘My pleasure.’

      There was doubt what form such pleasure would take, and she fought against the quickening pulse beating at the base of her throat.

      ‘Are we done?’ She needed to immerse herself in the familiar and lose herself in work.

      ‘Soon you won’t be able to escape me so easily.’ Like she didn’t know this?

      ‘So I’ll walk a little on the wild side,’ Lara offered with deliberate facetiousness.

      ‘You sound almost afraid.’

      They reached the Lexus, and she sent him a sweet smile over the roof of the car. ‘Shaking. Can’t you tell?’

      His husky chuckle sent the blood fizzing through her veins, and she deliberately ignored the exigent sexual energy as Wolfe delivered her to the restaurant.

      ‘I’ll take a cab to the hotel when I’m done,’ Lara relayed as she released her safety-belt. ‘With Tony on board, I may finish up earlier than usual.’ She slid quickly from the car and walked towards the restaurant without a backwards glance.

      CHAPTER SIX

      TONY worked with skill, co-ordinating with everyone so well there was barely a hitch as the evening progressed. Lara felt some of the tension ease in the knowledge the restaurant would continue to operate quite well without her … although the thought of walking away from what represented years of hard work to reach eventual ownership would be a terrible wrench.

      Lara’s was her pride and joy, especially so in recent months, when she’d been forced to struggle against crippling odds to hold on to it, and then only by the skin of her teeth.

      ‘Hey, get with the