Free Untouched by His Diamonds by Lucy Ellis Page A

and Serge broke their kiss. It had only lasted a matter of moments, but it felt like for ever, and Clementine couldn’t believe she’d got so carried away from one kiss. Mouth trembling, nipples pressing tight and hot against the lace of her bra, she pulled at her dress. The silk jersey had risen up over her thighs and her hair felt tangled and messy from his hands.
    She watched him use a keycard on the door, trying to clear her head. She hadn’t known a kiss could undo her, and suddenly all her certainty about what she was doing began to fall away.
    Serge ushered her inside, his hand on the small of her back.She needed to keep a clear head if she was going to navigate these waters. ‘Wow,’ she said inadequately as she stepped into sheer luxury. ‘This is—incredible.’
    The extravagance of the hotel suite was another reminder of exactly who Serge was. A rich man. Who could buy a great deal to keep himself happy. No doubt including women.
    But not this woman. She needed to make that very clear to him. Somehow.
    ‘I’m not that impressed, you know, Slugger. Money doesn’t do it for me.’
    ‘What
does
do it for you, Clementine?’ He was smiling at her, that big, lazy Russian male smile, as if he knew something she didn’t.
    ‘Honesty,’ she replied. ‘Sincerity.’
    The smile darkened to something else. She’d surprised him.
    Her pulse was going thumpity-thumpity as she made her way slowly through the rooms—the living area, the dining room with seating for twenty-four, past the baby grand. She stopped to run her fingers down an octave.
    ‘You play,
kisa
?’
    ‘By ear.’ She lifted her gaze to his heated expression and a rush of sweet arousal washed through her body. ‘I’m a quick study.’
    She backed away from the piano, realised Serge was measuring her with his gaze. She needed to keep her wits about her with this man. She needed to keep up the banter, hold him off a little longer until she got herself back under control. Beckoning to him with one manicured finger, she fashioned a smile. ‘Come on, Slugger, we’ll see what else we can find.’
    Her heart was pounding as she strolled into the bedroom, knowing her big Siberian tiger was following.
    Cheeks pink, breathing shallow, she put her head in at the
en suite
bathroom door.
    ‘Now, that is one big tub.’
    ‘Would you like to make use of it, Clementine?’ he said from behind her.
    ‘Not right now.’ She was astonished at how steady her voice was.
    She felt his body only centimetres from her own, and she tensed. She had to be smart about this.
    She heard her zip start to slide down and suddenly knew she couldn’t do it. It came over her in a panic, most unlike her, and she pulled away.
    A few days ago she’d wondered if she could handle him. She was fast discovering her answer was no. A resounding no.
    Jerking around, she put a hand up as if she were stopping traffic. ‘Hang on a minute, Slugger, we’ve only just got here.’ Her voice sounded ridiculously girlish. ‘How about dinner and a movie first?’
    She could feel the heat coming off his body, the slam of his breathing as his chest rose and fell just inches from hers. He slid one big hand around her waist, pulling her towards him, smiling that wicked smile of his, and she realised he wasn’t taking her seriously at all.
    ‘Hey.’ She shoved at his chest with one hand and pulled on his arm with the other. ‘I’m not playing, mister. Hands to yourself.’
    She couldn’t be serious? He frowned. By all that was holy, she
was
serious. Serge released her slowly, but Clementine backed up so fast she hit the doorframe of the
en suite
bathroom, banging her head.
    Bringing up her hand to rub the offended spot, she blinked at him warily. ‘I said dinner and a movie,’ she repeated mulishly, not liking feeling this way—a little foolish and on the back foot.
    She kept her eyes on his, daring him to argue her down.
    She wasn’t a newbie at this, but Serge Marinov was something