Modern Romance December 2019 Books 5-8. Jane Porter

alternative did he have? With many of his guests having arrived early to make the most of their trip, he could use all the people he could get, both up here and down at the hotel. Stacey’s team was in place in the village while she was here, ready to act on any changes to her plans for the party brought on by the weather.

      At least she appeared to be following orders for once. For now. Maria had reported back that warm clothes had been delivered to Stacey’s suite of rooms, and she was enjoying a bath. She could stay one night, but no longer. His libido couldn’t take it. He had nothing to offer Stacey that she’d be interested in. Money, jewels, fashion meant nothing to her. Her practical nature was fulfilled by her rigorous working regime, but when it came to the personal side of things, she was a dreamer, a romantic, who, now they’d had sex, would expect more than he could give.

      A beautiful woman had sought refuge under his roof, but all he could think about was keeping his thoughts and feelings locked up tight.

      That wasn’t strictly true, was it? However many times he told himself that this was Stacey, the imp who used to plague him at her father’s farm, his straining groin begged to differ. Rearranging his over-packed jeans, he grimaced. He couldn’t even trust himself to guide Stacey to her bedroom, and had left that task to Maria. Having known her intimately, he wanted her again, and that want was like a fury drilling away inside him to the point where he found it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

      He had to have her. It was as simple as that.

      Would it be so simple for Stacey?

      A humourless laugh escaped him at the thought that she was quite capable of turning him down. Stacey wasn’t like anyone else he’d ever known. She lived life by her own rules, and his gut instinct warned him that obeying him would figure nowhere in her plans, a thought that only sharpened his appetite.

      He glanced at the thick fur rug in front of the hearth, longing to hear her moan beneath him as her eyes and mouth begged him to take her again. To feel her hips straining to meet his; to have her until she couldn’t stand; to bring her more pleasure than she’d ever known—

      Stop! Get over this obsession with Stacey and accept that she’s here to work!

      How was he supposed to forget the telling signs of arousal in her darkening eyes when she looked at him? Or his desire to kiss every inch of her body? The disappointment on her face when he’d passed her over to Maria had told him everything: Stacey wanted him as much as he wanted her.

       Get over it. Forget it.

      Pouring a stiff drink, he gulped it down. Discarding the glass, he gave a roar of frustration as he planted his fist into the wall.

       CHAPTER SEVEN

      BACK TO SQUARE one with Lucas?

      Possibly, Stacey accepted as Maria showed her to her room. She touched her lips. Having returned with relief to the chalet, Luc had seemed almost eager to hand her over to someone else, while she was still obsessing over the ice crystals outlining his mouth, and the frosting of snow dampening the thick whorls of pitch-black hair escaping his ski hat. Having so recently been familiar with every naked inch of him, she found it strange now to think how awkward she would have felt if she’d reached up to push back his hair. She touched her mouth again, remembering.

       As if she could forget.

      The heated racks made the boot room a cosy space to strip off outer clothes, but Luc had shown no interest in conversation. Appearing lost in thought, he’d tugged off his gloves and tossed them on a chair. His boots had gone onto the racks, and he’d grunted at her to do the same with hers. Then he’d stilled and turned to look at her.

      ‘Well done, you,’ he’d murmured, frowning as if he couldn’t quite believe she’d insisted on going with him into the snow.

      ‘And you,’ she’d said. ‘Thank you…’

      Another few long moments had gone by as they had stared into each other’s eyes, and then, enclosing her cheeks in his big, strong hands, Luc had kissed her, but not as Luc the lover, more as a caring friend, which had almost been worse than not being kissed at all.

      ‘And this will be your room while you’re staying with us, Señorita Winner.’

      ‘Thank you so much. It’s beautiful,’ she said, jolting back to the present as she realised Maria was waiting for a reaction to a most beautiful suite of rooms.

      ‘Please do remember what Señor Da Silva told you about the shower,’ Maria cautioned as she opened the door on a fabulous marble-lined bathroom.

      ‘I won’t forget anything Señor Da Silva said,’ Stacey promised, which was the absolute truth. Memories were almost certainly all she’d have to take away from here.

      Climbing out of a deliciously warm scented bath some time later, she swathed herself in towels, and began to pace her room. Like everything else she’d seen in the chalet so far, the guest suite was the last word in luxury. Everything was operated from a central console by the bed. She would expect nothing less of a tech billionaire. Exactly like his expert kisses—kisses that conveyed so much, whether that be kisses of reassurance, or kisses in the height of passion—Luc was a genius. It was as simple as that.

      She’d rather have that genius here at her side, celebrating life, than be raising the bed with the flick of a switch, and lowering it again, just because she could. It wasn’t enough to try and stop thinking about Lucas when he occupied every corner of her mind. It was all too easy to picture them both on the bed—intimate, close, loving, kissing. Turning her back on the offending mattress, with its lush dressing of crisp linen sheets and cashmere throws, she wished fervently he could open up enough for her to know if this ache in her heart was futile.

       Had she given up?

      She stared into the mirror. That wasn’t the question.

      This was the question: Was she wasting her time pining for a man who might never reveal himself to anyone?

       There’s only one thing for it…

      Seduce him?

      Honestly, sometimes her reckless inner self came up with some extraordinary ideas.

      Why not? that same inner voice demanded. You’ve got the tools, now go to work!

      She laughed as she pushed away from the console table beneath the mirror. Seducing Lucas Da Silva would certainly be a first.

      Maria was as good as her word and had dropped off a set of sweats for Stacey to wear. Fortunately, they fitted, along with the underwear, which was still in a pack from the store. She took her time going downstairs to join Lucas, as she wanted to have a proper look around. Everything she’d imagined about Lucas Da Silva’s mountaintop eyrie was improved upon. She’d seen a lot of fabulous homes with the team, but nothing close to approaching this. Floodlights were on outside, revealing the smooth carpet of snow with its shadowy mountain peaks beyond. The sky had cleared and the moon was shining brightly, adding to the illumination that revealed a heated outdoor swimming pool with steam rising, and a veranda overlooking the ski slopes where the torchlit procession would take place.

      ‘Wow,’ she murmured.

      ‘You approve?’

      She swung around. ‘You spying on me?’

      Luc’s low growl came from a shady corner of the room. ‘I’m having a drink.’

      Now she saw him properly, firelight flickering off the harsh planes of his face as he lounged back in a big, comfortable chair.

      ‘Come and join me,’ he suggested. ‘Unless you’ve