Chapter 40
Amit rubbed his forehead, trying to concentrate on his current meeting. But his thoughts weren’t cooperating. He’d thought making love with Marianna might get her out of his system. That plan had worked with his previous mistresses over the years. But for some reason, making love with Marianna only made his need for her grow stronger by the day. It wasn’t easing the sexual need he felt for her. It was having the opposite effect. He was losing his mind, becoming addicted to her. He couldn’t think, couldn’t concentrate and couldn’t make decisions because he needed to see Marianna, needed to make love to her, and find a way to make her want to stay.
Plus, there was this nagging sensation that he was missing something. Something big. Something important.
Amit prided himself on understanding the global chess game. He knew the pieces, anticipated other countries’ moves. He regularly met with powerful world leaders, as well as business leaders closer to home. He hadn’t respected Khal when he’d first met him, thinking that the man was a rapacious dictator and a threat to his country. But having met with him, negotiated with him, Amit’s mind had changed. He now considered Khal to be a strong, confident leader, and he was also fair. He understood the give and take needed to make complicated decisions that benefited everyone, not just his country.
In fact, he might even dare to consider the man a friend. Khal’s brothers were equally arrogant, yet they possessed admirable qualities. And yet, whenever he’d visited Lativa, he’d felt compelled to seek out Marianna, even if their interactions were often charged with anger and confrontation. However, through these encounters, he had also come to know and respect the three brothers. And Marianna.
Rubbing a hand over his face, he sighed with frustration. The meeting’s speaker droned on but Amit had no idea what was being said, nor was he even aware of the meeting’s subject. Again! His thoughts were completely focused on Marianna. He wanted to know what she was doing, what she was wearing, if she was okay, had she eaten breakfast, did she prefer tea or coffee?
He wasn’t getting enough sleep either. After making love to her over the past week, he’d watch her while she slept, keeping the covers over her nakedness, jerking awake whenever she moved…to make love to her again or just to make sure that she fell back to sleep. He loved having her head against his shoulder while she slept because he could feel her soft breath caress his chest, and know that she was…safe and alive.
Was that it? Was that the reason he was so tense? So on edge? Was his concern because he needed to ensure her safety? Or was there something more going on?
“And in conclusion…,” someone said, breaking into his litany of questions.
Amit looked up in time to see everyone packing up their files. He stood as well, thanking the meeting leader for the information, even though he had no clue what he’d just spent the last hour not listening to.
This had to stop, he told himself firmly. He had a country to lead and his inability to concentrate was interfering with his duties.
“Cancel my meetings for the rest of the afternoon,” Amit told his assistant. The man looked startled, but Amit didn’t care. The command was unprecedented, but he was going to fix this…whatever this was…with Marianna. He needed to concentrate!
Walking into his apartment, he looked around, determined to confront Marianna, to demand that she stop whatever voodoo, magic, spell or…whatever the hell she’d cast over him. But she wasn’t sitting at the dining room table, working on her next article. He didn’t find her in the bedroom or the bathroom.
There was only one other place where she might be. He was confident that she hadn’t left the suite. He trusted her not to show herself and ruin Amit’s attempts to capture his cousin. At the reminder of his cousin, Amit stopped, startled to realize he hadn’t thought of the man in…days! Hell, he had no idea what was going on with Jadwat! Why the hell wasn’t he back, reporting on what he’d heard and seen? Amit had anticipated that the man would try to steal some of the ligi berry bushes for himself and had put some of his best guards on the plane with his cousin!
But Amit had been too distracted by Marianna to even remember that he had a cousin, much less follow up on the plan to discredit the bastard!
This had to stop! He had to find a way to…what? Amit always had a plan in place with backup plans just in case someone didn’t react the way he’d anticipated! What was his new plan?
Unfortunately, he had no plan at this moment! And his previous plans were shot to hell because he couldn’t concentrate!
He turned and movement outside caught his attention. That’s when he saw her…Marianna was swimming in his private pool, completely naked! Gloriously, beautifully naked!
His body instantly responded and his mind went blank. There was only one thing on his mind now and that was to feel her body writhing against his, hearing her screams of release so that he could find his own moment of bliss.
With that in mind, he hurried to the doors leading to the pool, stripping off his clothes as he went. By the time he reached the door, he was completely naked, painfully erect and with grim determination on his face.