The Cost of the Forbidden (Irresistible Russian Tycoons) Read online

  And they were back, exactly where she had said no to him, except they were naked and he was sheathed.

  Naomi was arching into him and, just as she had been that night, about to come.

  ‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Sev warned. ‘You don’t get to come without me...’ He drove into her, right into her orgasm, and she had never known anything close to it. To be taken so strongly while already coming.

  She couldn’t even cry out as all her energy gathered around him and the only part of her brain that worked was begging for him to come but he didn’t. Sev thrust into her with such intensity that even as her come receded it never fully left. Her life felt as if it had been pale till that point. Naomi’s lungs remembered they were supposed to be breathing and she dragged in some air and then found her mouth near his ear.

  ‘Sev...’ There was almost a need for him to stop—his rapid, deep thrusts were so consuming, but then he moved up onto his elbows and slowed down but it was no less intense.

  Slow and deliberate motions that kept her in this tense sense of gridlock, with an open road ahead, but then, when her urgency increased, so did Sev’s speed and he brought her back to boiling, at his whim.

  ‘There,’ he said, as he started to come.

  ‘Krasavitsa,’ Sev said, as he reached his climax, and Naomi let out a shout of pleasure. The lights seemed to go out in her head as he took her to a place she had never been.

  Yet he was there with her.

  ‘I think,’ Naomi said, as he collapsed on top of her and they lay breathless, ‘that you just took my virginity.’

  He laughed, understanding that, until now, possibly she hadn’t had such sex before.

  ‘I think,’ Sev said, ‘that you just took mine.’

  CHAPTER NINE

  ‘WHAT HAPPENED TO the others?’

  They had slept a little, spoken a bit and filled the remaining time with the other. Now, a couple of hours from Dubai, her head felt clearer than it had in three months yet she was curious to know more.

  ‘No idea.’ Sev shrugged.

  ‘Have you looked them up?’

  ‘Why?’ Sev’s voice was scathing. ‘So we can speak about happy times?’ He relented a touch. ‘Daniil is some big-shot businessman now. I wrote to him once but he never got back to me.’

  ‘Roman?’

  ‘I don’t know. He was always in trouble, especially after Daniil left for England. I just focused on school and getting the grades so I could get a scholarship and get the hell out of there.’

  ‘Nikolai?’

  ‘Dead,’ Sev said. ‘When he was fourteen he threw himself in a river.’

  There was no elaboration, no emotion, he just told her how it was.

  ‘Why?’ Naomi asked, but Sev didn’t want to talk about that.

  Shannon buzzed and asked if they wanted breakfast.

  To Naomi’s embarrassment Sev said yes and a little while later she sat up as Shannon brought it in.

  Champagne and orange juice was very nice but what made Naomi tear up was a cake and it had her name on it.

  ‘I hadn’t told Shannon I was leaving.’

  ‘I called her yesterday.’

  So he had made an effort.

  ‘This is your leaving party,’ Sev said. ‘Though I didn’t think we’d be eating it in bed. I’m very glad that we are.’

  ‘We could have done this on the way to London,’ Naomi said, but Sev shook his head.

  He’d be in no mood to party on the way there, whether or not they were in bed, as it would still be November the twelfth.

  He looked at Naomi.

  There would soon be another reason to loathe that date.

  ‘Do you have a job to go to in London?’

  ‘My old boss emailed me a couple of weeks ago to say that his current PA isn’t working out. I dismissed the idea at the time...’ She looked at Sev. ‘What you said about working for you still...’

  ‘Naomi.’ Sev was as blunt as he needed to be. ‘It would be very foolish to come back to New York because of what happened today.’

  ‘I know it would.’

  It felt strange to be so honest and to speak with someone who was so direct. And yet, again, words that might cause offence when said by others didn’t when they came from Sev.

  She knew where she stood. Or rather where she lay.

  ‘I think,’ Sev said, ‘that when we get to Dubai you should ring Emmanuel.’

  ‘I thought he was useless?’

  ‘He’ll do,’ Sev said. He certainly wasn’t going to tell Naomi he had only said that in the hope she might stay.

  Yes, he didn’t want her gone, but for her to return solely for him, Sev knew, would be cruel.

  ‘Do you know what you need?’ Sev asked.

  ‘What?’

  ‘A holiday.’

  ‘If I want my old job back I’ll probably have to start straight away. I might see if I can take a few days, though.’

  ‘No, I mean a proper one. How about we have a holiday before you go back to London? Both of us?’

  ‘We’re going to be busy.’

  ‘No, we’re not.’

  ‘You told Allem that you’re going to have to squeeze two weeks’ work into four nights.’

  ‘That’s just so I can bill him adequately.’

  ‘But the work still has to be done.’ Naomi frowned.

  ‘Most of it already has been.’ He looked at her and smiled. ‘Can you keep a secret?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘It will take me a couple of days... And before you say I’m overcharging, I’m not. He’s paying for my knowledge, not the actual labour. And,’ Sev added, ‘I’d end up with far too many clients if I didn’t pace things. So,’ he said, ‘how about it.’

  ‘A holiday?’

  ‘A proper one,’ Sev said, and then he gave her another tiny glimpse of insight. ‘I’ve never had one before.’

  He’d travelled the world many times over and yet he’d never taken a break.

  ‘I don’t know...’

  ‘Think about it,’ Sev said, and got out of bed and went to the shower.

  Naomi did think about it.

  She had been scared that if she slept with him she might fall deeper and, of course, she had.

  Only she wasn’t scared now.

  Naomi was sure of her feelings for him.

  Oh, it would be a very foolish woman to expect more from Sev.

  It didn’t stop her wanting more, though.

  And some might consider her foolish for upending her life to give herself and her father a chance, but even if it hadn’t worked out, she was glad that she had.

  ‘How about it?’ Sev asked, as he took the towel from his hips and started to dry his back while facing her.

  ‘How about what?’ Naomi smiled.

  ‘The holiday.’ Sev grinned. Really, she was nothing like he’d thought she’d be, and he had thought about it a lot!

  ‘Oh, that!’ Naomi just lay there looking at him, but her mind was already made up.

  No, she wouldn’t throw her heart in the ring and she would hold back but, yes, she would open it up enough for potential hurt. There would be no declarations of her feelings and no asking Sev for more than he was prepared to give.

  And she would walk away with her head held high.

  At least she would have given them a chance.

  ‘I need an answer.’ Sev was still drying himself.

  ‘Yes, please,’ Naomi said, looking at his hardening manhood. She laughed as he threw down the towel and got back into bed.

  ‘I wasn’t asking about that!’

  CHAPTER TEN

  DUBAI WAS, AS PROMISED, humid and hot, but they were whisked straight from the plane to a stunning hotel complex that was icy cool and very elegant.

  Allem proudly showed them around.

  It was beyond luxurious.

  There were private beaches and pools and Naomi could only guess what the rooms must look like.

  ‘We host a lot of foreign
delegates as well as royalty,’ Allem explained. ‘I never want their privacy or safety to be compromised as has happened at some other hotels. Last month one of our main rivals had their accounts system hacked into,’ Allem told Naomi. ‘Some very personal information was revealed, which is why I have been pushing for Sev to come and update all our systems. While I employ the best IT staff, I would prefer—’

  ‘It will be fine,’ Sev interrupted. ‘I’ll meet with them but I’ll check it myself.’

  It was clear Allem really only trusted Sev to have full access to everything.

  ‘I’ll return on my way back from London so if there are any glitches I can work on them then.’

  ‘We’ll see you both again.’ Allem beamed but Sev shook his head.

  ‘Just me. Naomi has resigned. I’ll have a new PA, but he shan’t be starting for a couple more weeks. Any problems, just contact me directly, Allem.’ He glanced over at Naomi. ‘I’ll be fine now. I’m going to meet with the IT team. I should be back around two. Just take the day and relax.’

  ‘I hope you will enjoy your stay,’ Allem said, ‘and I trust that you both will be comfortable. Anything at all that you need, just say.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  He stood there as she walked off.

  ‘Why did Naomi resign?’ Allem asked.

  ‘I’ve no idea,’ Sev admitted.

  He still didn’t know. Yes, sex might make things awkward in the end but they were far from awkward now.

  ‘You’re finishing at two?’ Allem checked.

  ‘I decided to have a bit of a holiday, that’s why. If anything doesn’t get done, I’ll be back after London. It will give me a few days to tweak things as well.’

  ‘You must let Jamal and I show you around. We can go out on the water—’

  ‘No, no,’ Sev interrupted, and made no apology for turning down Allem’s kind invitation. ‘We’re just going to relax. Naomi might be starting a new job pretty soon.’

  ‘Oh, so you’re both having a break? I see that Naomi is no longer wearing her ring,’ Allem commented.

  ‘No.’

  ‘I’ve put you in adjoining suites.’ Allem had remembered Sev’s request from the last time he had been there.

  Sev liked company.

  Just not all the time.

  Times, though, had changed.

  ‘No need for adjoining suites,’ Sev said. ‘Move Naomi into mine.’

  By the time Naomi had arrived at Reception, Allem had made a call and, unknown to her, the arrangement had already been made.

  Naomi was checked into a room that was more sumptuous than any she had ever stayed in, or could even had imagined staying in.

  The furnishings were amazing, from Persian rugs to vases filled with exotic flowers.

  The Persian Gulf stretched out before her and there was an alfresco area with its own pool and spa.

  And then she found out why. This wasn’t Sev’s PA’s suite, she realised as the cases she had packed for Sev were delivered and the contents put away, and it was a little closer than she had expected him to be over the coming days.

  They had travelled together a lot.

  It felt strange, knowing that there wasn’t a door that could be closed between them, and for the first time since making her decision Naomi had doubts.

  This was going to hurt.

  She did her best to push their imminent parting out of her mind.

  For an hour or so she dealt with work but then she looked through one of the brochures in the suite and decided that, no, they would not be eating in a restaurant tonight and made some reservations.

  It was her holiday too!

  She enjoyed a morning at the spa and was lying on a vast bed, looking out at the Persian Gulf, when the door opened around three and Sev came in. ‘It took longer than I thought but his guys will be working on it round the clock tonight and I’ll be back onto it tomorrow. For now we can relax.’

  ‘I thought that we’d have separate rooms.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I just did,’ Naomi said. ‘Come on, you need to get changed.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘We’ve got a date with the desert. Camel riding, a meal and belly dancing, and then star-gazing till midnight.’ Naomi smiled. ‘My treat.’

  ‘You’re kidding me?’

  ‘No.’ Naomi shook her head. ‘I’m not.’

  ‘I don’t do that sort of stuff.’

  ‘Well, I want to.’

  ‘Allem will arrange a private tour—’

  ‘I told you,’ Naomi said, ‘this is my treat. If you don’t want to go, that’s fine. I think the transport drops us back here about one. I wanted to book the overnight trip but I wasn’t sure what time you’d have to work tomorrow.’

  It turned out to be the nicest, maddest, most beautiful thing that either he or Naomi could have done.

  The desert was stunning, especially looking at it as you rode a camel. The group they were in made a lazy procession as the sun slid down the sky and it was like being bathed in liquid gold.

  The magic didn’t end there. They arrived hungry at camp to the smoky scents of dinner. They sat on rugs and ate, and their group were all amazing. Some were backpackers, there was a couple on their honeymoon and another here for their wedding anniversary. The shisha pipe came around and Naomi had her feet painted with henna as she ate the best dates she had ever tasted. Then they watched the belly dancing and, as Naomi had known it would be, it was wonderful.

  Sev thought so too.

  Usually his view was an office, or hotel window, or looking out from his plane.

  Now he breathed in the warm night air and that night, amongst strangers, they lay on their rugs and looked up at the stars as a guide pointed out constellations and star clusters.

  ‘That was amazing,’ Sev admitted afterwards, as they still lay looking up at the stars. ‘Emmanuel won’t be nearly as much fun.’

  ‘He might be once he’s resigned.’ Naomi smiled and looked at him.

  ‘Did you call him?’

  ‘Yes,’ Naomi said. ‘He’s completely thrilled. He offered to come out to Dubai to transition...’

  ‘You said no to that, I hope. I know the bed at the hotel’s big but I’m not sharing with him too!’

  ‘I said no, that there’s no need for him to come here at this stage, though you might want him after London.’

  ‘No.’ Sev didn’t want to think about London, or the trip back here afterwards.

  ‘Anyway, I said that I’d be in touch with dates shortly.’

  And Sev got back to looking at the stars. He knew then that she was leaving for sure.

  Naomi wouldn’t change her mind and come back and work for him; she simply wouldn’t do that to Emmanuel.

  ‘What about your father?’ Sev asked. ‘Did you call him?’

  ‘No.’

  All too soon it was over and Sev actually wished that Naomi had booked the overnight trip. They headed back to the hotel and it would seem the fairies had been in while they’d been out—a sunken bath had been run and there were petals floating on the surface of the water. The lights were dimmed and there was champagne on ice. Even Sev blinked.

  ‘I think we’ve got the honeymoon suite.’

  They had.

  And, yes, it was like a honeymoon.

  Except at the end of it they would be parting ways.

  * * *

  Over the next few days Sev worked harder than he ever had just to give them more time to do the things Naomi wanted to do, like parasailing, long lazy lunches and dinners taken on the beach, and slow walks afterwards.

  The moon was so big and yellow, as they walked, that it almost looked like the sun had stayed up too long.

  ‘I called my father,’ Naomi told him. ‘I just wanted it over and done with.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘I didn’t say I knew about the party. I just said that I hadn’t been able to find a new job or somewhere to live and so I thought it might be better to sta
y in London rather than come back.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘That he was sorry we didn’t get a chance to say a proper goodbye. I honestly don’t know if he meant it.’

  She looked at Sev and wondered how their goodbye would be.

  ‘I’m going to stay in touch with my sisters, though.’

  ‘Why?’ Sev asked.

  And she looked at a man who just didn’t care and wondered when her heart would get the message—he never would!

  ‘Did you ever contact your sister?’ Naomi asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Sev said. ‘Renata. She’s ten years older than me, a single mum with a daughter...’

  ‘Your niece?’

  Sev shrugged.

  ‘I guess.’

  ‘Don’t you care about them?’

  ‘Nope.’ He saw the flash of confusion in her eyes, and he was damned if he’d tell her why. ‘You rely on others for your happiness too much, Naomi. You just hand out that heart and you wonder why it comes back broken. I’ll tell you what happened. I did look up my sister and I was welcomed into their home and I met my niece, Mariya. Then I came back to New York and for a couple of months we spoke most weeks. Then I got a phone call. Renata told me that Mariya was sick, very sick with a very rare form of cancer.’

  ‘Sev!’ Her eyes actually filled up. She might not know her sisters well but with the thought of one of them being so ill and so far away, she could understand his pain.

  ‘I was devastated. I’d only just found a family and I asked if there was anything I could do. Renata told me about a treatment that was available in America. It was Mariya’s only chance...’

  He could see the concern in her eyes.

  ‘She only had a few weeks to live. She was too weak to come to the phone. I offered to pay for the treatment, to bring her over to America. I was going to send the jet and sort out medical team to fetch her but...’

  He looked into those spaniel eyes that would trust in others for ever, no matter the hurt they caused, and when Sev hesitated, she assumed the logical conclusion.

  ‘It was too late?’

  The logical conclusion if you had a warm heart.

  His had grown cold for so many reasons.

  ‘Hey, a bit of advice, Naomi, never, ever respond to an email asking for your bank account details.’