So why was he sitting here in his office in Abu Dhabi, while Eva was half a world away in Skavanga?
Because it was business as usual and he hadn’t lost his golden touch. He’d made a third fortune.
And his life was so full.
Staring at spreadsheets and bank balances really made up for the loss of Eva Skavanga in his life. Like hell it did! He missed her fire and temperament. He missed the chaos she brought to his life. And who listened to Eva’s concerns? Had she made up with Britt? She must have done by now, he guessed. Was Leila home from university, or was Eva all on her own? He had people in Skavanga he could ask, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. He felt guilty enough already. He’d asked everything of Eva and had given her nothing but a job.
He brightened the moment he heard mail drop. It was that time of day. It had to be a mail from Eva with her latest report.
He scrolled down. Apparently, the money he’d pumped in had allowed them to create a garden around the mine. Good. She’d like that. Stretching his powerful limbs, he scanned the mail again, as if reading Eva’s words could somehow bring her closer.
And this was the same woman he could cheerfully have given away with two camels and a coop of chickens as part of the deal when he’d first met her at Britt’s wedding—a day that felt like another lifetime now. His life was dull without Eva. He’d seen what it could be like with her, and no other woman could hope to come close. He missed her. Just this contact between them over the internet raised his pulse and made him smile. He couldn’t envisage life without her. He loved her. It was as simple, and as complicated, as that.
He craned forward as the computer pinged again.
From: Eva Skavanga
To: Roman Quisvada
Subject: Future challenges
Are we in danger of seeing you in Skavanga any time soon, or are the conditions here too challenging for you?
From: Roman Quisvada
To: Eva Skavanga
Subject: Mistaken assumptions
Hasty conclusions have never been your strong suit, Eva. Just remain focused on the job, or you’re no use to me.
From: Eva Skavanga
To: Roman Quisvada
Subject: Are you firing me?
From: Roman Quisvada
To: Eva Skavanga
Subject: Firing you?
Hell, no! That would cost me money. Surely you know me better than that by now?
No, but she’d like to, Eva mused wryly, pushing her chair back as she got up from her desk and stretched. Email was a mixed blessing. The instant communication with someone half a world away was useful, but it was a soulless way to chat. She didn’t want to keep staring at a screen that made the distance between them seem even more unbridgeable.
How was it possible to miss one man so much? How was it possible to mess up so badly? Her sisters were right. Her ridiculous pride was the only thing preventing her from speaking to Roman on a personal level—that and her even more ridiculous insecurities.
A gorgeous man with everything going for him, Leila had protested. Someone prepared to save our family business? And he gave you a job. And then Britt had started in, reminding Eva that thanks to Roman’s restoration plans the mining museum was now a solid work-in-progress.
‘You’re a fool if you let him go,’ Leila had flashed with unusual vigour. ‘If your only ambition in life is to become a bitter old shrew, then you’re well on your way.’
As if she needed to be told that. Perching on the sofa by the window, she buried her head in her hands.
Feeling sorry for herself lasted barely ten seconds before she remembered Britt telling her that life was precious and no one should waste a second of it.
It was time to call pest control and put that shrew firmly in its box.
She called Britt. ‘That party tomorrow night to celebrate the revival of the mine?’
‘So you’re coming?’ Britt sounded pleased.
‘Of course, I’m coming.’
‘So...? Look, if you’re ringing me to ask if Roman will be there, I’m afraid I don’t know.’
‘You don’t know, or you won’t tell me?’
Her sister laughed. ‘I don’t know—honestly. I have no idea what Roman’s timetable looks like. He doesn’t share it with me.’
Or me, Eva thought.
‘Just don’t come dressed as one of the boys,’ Britt suggested. ‘The press will be there and they’ll want to see the Skavanga Diamonds dressed to thrill now we’re all involved in the running of the mine. And we could do with a decent family photograph—so no boiler suits, Eva. There are plenty of nice dress shops in Skavanga. I’ll come along and help you pick something out, if you like?’
‘Spare me,’ Eva begged, imagining some interminable session with snooty assistants viewing her disparagingly, and a sister who had better things to do. It was just a shame she had no idea what constituted ‘a nice dress’.
* * *
‘Where is she?’ he asked Leila, slipping the phone between his chin and his shoulder so he could open the door, speak on his cell and heft his case through the fire door without having it slam in his face. He had one thought in his mind, one thought only, and that was Eva.
‘Why should I tell you?’ Leila asked him with more honest curiosity in her voice than outright refusal.
‘I think you know,’ he said, glancing round the room to get his bearings.
‘I know you hurt her, Count Quisvada. I know your absence bewilders her. And I also know that you’re the only man, apart from our brother Tyr, who isn’t frightened of my sister. But I’m going to ask you one last time, why do you need to know where Eva is?’
‘Try this,’ he said, dumping the case. ‘Eva works for me and I need to catch up with her. Does that do it for you?’
‘How about you miss her?’ Leila countered. ‘That might work for me. How about, you can’t function without her, because my sister has taken up permanent residence in your head? That would also work for me.’
‘And you’re the quiet sister?’
Leila chose to ignore that. ‘I know you have resources, Count Quisvada. Why don’t you find her yourself?’
Because using them would take too much time. He wanted to see Eva now. Right this minute, Roman reflected impatiently as he lifted a slat on the blind at the window to stare out. ‘I’ve tried all the usual numbers. She’s not answering.’
‘And suddenly it’s an emergency?’ Leila demanded sceptically.
‘Yes, it is.’ He missed Eva more than he could say and he wanted this conversation over with. Missed her was in fact a preposterous understatement. He couldn’t think straight without her. He wanted Eva back in his arms where she belonged. He had driven her away and now he had every intention of making things right. He tried another tack. ‘Come on, Leila,’ he coaxed in what he hoped was a winning voice. ‘I thought you were supposed to be the easy-going sister?’
‘The pliable one, do you mean?’ she said, surprising him with her heated response. ‘Appearances can be deceptive, Count Quisvada.’
Tell my friend Raffa that, he thought, remembering the third man in the consortium’s reaction when Raffa Leon had first caught sight of Leila’s photograph. Raffa had thought the youngest Skavanga Diamond innocent and appealing. Roman had always thought her shrewder and more obstinate than she looked. Guess who’d been right?
‘Call me Roman,’ he said politely. ‘And tell me where she is today. Please,’ he added, holding on to his patience by the slimmest of threads. ‘If you care anything about your sister, do it. And do it now. I need to find her, Leila.’
He closed his eyes and let out a long, relieved breath as Eva’s sister finally dished up the information he craved.
‘Are you still there?’ Leila demanded.
&n
bsp; ‘Thank you,’ he whispered on autopilot, his mind full of Eva.
‘Do you love her?’
That woke him up. ‘Forgive me, Leila, but you’re not going to be the first to hear how I feel about your sister. And now, if you will excuse me—’
He ended the call on some platitude or other. Urgency had entered his thinking when the plane landed, and it was at crisis point now. It wasn’t enough to admit the word love and keep it to himself, he had to tell Eva face to face how he felt about her. And he had to do that right now.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SHE HAD TO accept that sometimes she made terrible choices, and that potentially this was one of those times. The assistants had just assured her that the tight blue dress with the bright pink collar looked amazing with Eva’s flame-red hair and ivory complexion.
‘As in, amazing I can look this bad?’ she said, reaching for the back zip.
‘As in let me do that for you...’
‘Roman!’
‘Eva,’ he murmured, holding her stare.
Her world had just tilted on its axis. How could Roman Quisvada be standing right in front of her in a dress shop on the main street of Arctic Skavanga? No one knew she was shopping today...except for her sisters.
‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded as if he didn’t have every right to be there.
‘Window shopping.’
His voice was low and his stare was direct, while she wasn’t even sure his name had made it to her lips, or that she’d even said hello properly.
And he was her boss, Eva reminded herself as she filled her eyes with him. The shock of seeing him had rendered her speechless. Tall, dark and preposterously handsome, Roman was standing in the doorway, muffled up in a dark ski jacket, jeans, boots and scarf, staring into her dazzled eyes. He was like the one fixed point in an increasingly uncertain reality. Even the assistants had backed away, and were cowering together as if they had never encountered such a powerful force. She didn’t blame them. Roman wasn’t someone you instinctively stepped in front of. Rather, you stood to one side in the hope that he didn’t notice you. Unless you were Eva Skavanga, of course.
‘That dress is hideous, Eva. I can’t imagine why you’re wearing it. We’re leaving,’ he added. ‘I’ve seen something better down the street.’
‘You have?’ she said, shooting sympathetic glances at the hovering assistants.
‘I’m booked in across the road at the hotel,’ he explained, ‘and I saw you come in here. You’re looking for something to wear at the party tomorrow—’
‘And that’s why you’re here?’
‘That’s one of the reasons,’ he said. ‘Turn around so I can get you out of that thing.’
Eva was sure she heard a collective sigh rise from the cringing assistants as Roman slid the zipper down her back.
‘Now go put your clothes on,’ he said with all the confidence of a master of seduction. ‘I’m going to take you to buy a dress.’
* * *
‘I don’t need you to buy me anything,’ she protested, having recovered slightly from the shock. ‘And,’ she began as he ushered her through the door and out of the shop.
‘And I’ve been away too long,’ he suggested.
As his mouth crashed down on hers she could only agree. Backing her up against the plate-glass window, Roman pinned her in position with his hands on either side of her face. She was vaguely aware of the assistants with their faces practically glued to the glass behind them.
‘Are you determined to make a spectacle out of me?’ she demanded when he finally released her.
Roman’s answer was to smile, and when he yanked her close this time she didn’t waste time trying to push him away, she just laced her fingers through his hair and responded.
‘Are we going to make it to the party?’ she murmured, speaking her thoughts out loud.
‘I very much doubt it as we’ve only got a little over twenty-four hours.’
‘But the dress—’
‘I’ll have it delivered,’ he said, steering her safely across the road.
‘How do we know it will fit?’
‘I’ve made an educated guess,’ he said, leading her step by wicked step towards the brilliantly lit hotel entrance. ‘I’ve taken a suite—’
‘No. Seriously?’ she said, making them both smile as her gaze fixed on Roman’s sexy mouth.
‘With a very big bed,’ he murmured as they waited for the elevator.
‘I’d expect nothing less.’
‘As well as all sorts of other possibilities, should you choose to be adventurous,’ he added as the steel doors slid open.
‘I’m sure I shall be.’ Her heart was beating so fast she wondered if it would be possible to draw her next breath as Roman swiped his room card in the control panel. ‘The penthouse floor?’ she confirmed.
‘Unless you’d like to do some sightseeing along the way?’
He had already pressed the button to stop the lift, and before the machinery even had a chance to obey his hand was on her and Roman was undoing his zipper.
‘Let me take them off,’ she insisted, struggling frantically with the waistband of her briefs.
‘I’ve got a better idea.’
She shrieked with excitement as they hit the floor.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll add underwear to the dress order,’ Roman soothed, pressing her back against the cool steel wall.
‘Or maybe I’ll just stop wearing underwear. I mean, what’s the point?’
‘No point,’ he agreed, lifting her.
She barely had time to wrap her legs around his waist before he cupped her buttocks and entered her, sinking deep to the hilt. She lost control at once, and the enclosed space resounded with her screams of release.
‘Greedy,’ Roman murmured, moving steadily to get the best out of her.
‘Are you kidding?’ she said, having calmed enough to speak. ‘I haven’t even got started yet.’
Roman laughed, a deep, contented rumble she could feel through his polar jacket.
‘Again,’ she insisted in a fierce whisper as he made the mistake of reaching for the lift button.
He slammed into her and they used all their considerable combined strength to reach the conclusion they both needed so desperately, as quickly as they could. Her screams this time could probably be heard in Rome. She didn’t care. She was only glad Roman had the presence of mind to take charge, and move the lift on.
‘Before we break the cables,’ he explained.
He let her down gently, steadying her on her feet as the elevator started to move again. Retrieving her ruined briefs, she stuffed them in her pocket as the steel doors slid wide. A small, private lobby, elegantly decorated in understated Skandi-style, faced them as they approached a sleek beech wood door leading into the penthouse suite.
‘This door looks solid,’ Roman murmured as he let them in.
‘You’re just taking advantage of the fact that I’m not wearing any underwear,’ Eva commented wryly as Roman tugged off his jacket and tossed it on a chair.
‘You bet I am.’
Yes, the door was solid. They proved that conclusively. And Roman was efficient. With a few, deep, well-judged thrusts, he pushed her over the edge again.
‘This isn’t fair. What about you?’ she gasped, clutching him as she dragged in some necessary breaths.
‘The floor?’ he suggested.
‘That rug looks soft,’ she agreed. ‘Like this?’
‘Perfect,’ Roman murmured, dropping to his knees behind her.
And, oh, it was perfect. She lifted her bottom as high as she could, while he controlled her with his hands, taking firm hold of the soft, plump flesh. She felt so gloriously exposed, and he was so gloriously skilful
. He sank deep, and knew just how to touch her.
‘Open your legs a little more for me, Eva.’
She did so and let out a shaking cry as Roman found her with one finger and began to circle the most demanding part of her.
‘So soon?’ he demanded, knowing full well she couldn’t hold on.
She didn’t have time to answer him, and could only wail her appreciation in time to the violent bolts of sensation, while she rested with her face pressed into the soft fur rug.
‘And now the bed?’ she suggested when she could find her voice.
‘It’s too far away. And now the sofa,’ Roman argued, tugging his shirt over his head.
Arranging her with her hips balanced on the very edge of the seat, he knelt in front of her, and, lifting her legs onto his shoulders, where the wide spread of his body kept them well apart, he braced his arms against the back of the cushions.
‘It’s my pleasure to serve you,’ he said, teasing her with just the tip.
‘Serve away,’ she encouraged, groaning with pleasure as he thrust inside her and began to move. ‘Again,’ she screamed, losing herself in the moment.
They almost made it to the bed, but not quite, as a console table with a handy mirror on the wall behind it got in their way. It proved to have a very firm surface indeed and provided them with a welcome diversion on their way to more pleasure on the bed.
* * *
They made it to the party. Just. Eva in an ivory silk off-the-shoulder dress that made her feel like a princess for a night, and Roman in a dark dress suit that still managed to make him look like a marauding pirate with his thick ink-black hair, deep tan and disreputable stubble. There had barely been time for bathing, dressing, hopping round on spindly heels while she tried to arrange the ankle strap on each foot, before Roman yelled that it was time to leave. And as for him—just enough time to rake his still-damp hair as they waited for the elevator to arrive, and there had not been time for him to shave. Not that she was complaining. She loved him just the way he was, and looked on proudly as, after hugging Eva as if they had been parted for years, Britt introduced Roman as a leading member of the consortium responsible for reviving the fortunes of both the mine and the town that bore their name.
The Flaw in His Diamond Page 14
