Meredith puzzled him. Her concentrated frown on the gardens sprawling beyond the windows was not the expression he’d expected. But then nothing she’d done since arriving on St. Christos followed presumed convention or her normal behavior. Truthfully, nothing she’d done since she’d called him in Los Angeles matched what he knew of her. He felt her withdrawal and it was far more than physical. Sometime between her shower and his return, she’d erected an emotional wall between them.

He hated it. Maybe the wall was why he couldn’t quite keep his hands to himself and why he’d angled his chair to crowd into her space.

“You’re staring at me.” She picked up her coffee cup and cut a sideways look at him. The corners of her eyes crinkled, but it was tension, not amusement.

“I like looking at you.” He spoke bluntly. A blush pinkened her cheeks and he smiled. Candor was rare in his life. His every statement had to be vetted for potential impact, but he’d never felt the need to censor himself with Meredith. He disliked intensely the sensation he should begin. Catching a lock of her hair, he smoothed the strands between his thumb and forefinger.

She laughed and set the mug down, turning her attention to him finally. “You’re impossible.”

“I assure you, for you, I am infinitely possible.”

Her gaze locked on his, searching, and he willed for her to find what she needed. A wordless pulse raced through him, a need so visceral and base it assaulted the very core of his civility. He understood why monarchs of old locked their women up where no one else could get to them. It wasn’t a lack of trust or faith, merely a desire to possess.

God, he wanted to possess Meredith. Every thought, every moment of every day. He wanted to stamp his ownership so clearly no one would dare touch her. Yet doing so painted a target on her, and he’d learned a brutal truth by watching Anna’s life upend because he’d made a phone call to force his brother’s hand.

“And now you’re scowling.” Meredith almost sighed and Sebastian fought to get his emotions back into check, smoothing over his face. The last thing he wanted was to push her away. “Bastian⁠—”

“Meredith.” He nearly spoke over her and bit back his next words. “Please…go on.”

She paused, studying him. “It’s all right, you were about to say something.”

Accepting the invitation, he shifted in his seat and caught her hand in his. The warm satin of her skin as enticing as it was comforting. He never tired of touching her. “I know we have issues, and perhaps I haven’t been the most accessible of late, but I want to repair any injury between us.”

It was a testament to his self-control that he didn’t pick her up and take her back to bed. There, at least, he knew exactly how to please her. If he drowned her in pleasure, she might reconsider the notion of leaving him altogether.

When she didn’t outright reject his statement, he pressed on. “I want to spend time with you and get it right. I know we bent the truth to get you here.”

“If you define bent as lied then, yes, you did.” Did he detect a trace of a smile in her voice? The corners of her mouth twitched, but it was the gleam of humor in her eyes which ultimately betrayed her.

“Very well, I lied. I cheated. I facilitated fraud in order to secure your time for a few days.” Considering it was only a small portion of what he was willing to do to get her to see him, he saw no reason to avoid admitting it.

“And you’re not remotely sorry, are you?” Despite the implied chastisement, her eyes continued to warm.

“No.” He shook his head. “Not in the slightest. You are here. This—us together—was and is the goal.”

“Hmm.” She reached for her coffee mug and glanced at the grounds. “It’s impossible to be angry with you, even when I am.”

A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “So I am forgiven for the charade?”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far.” But the smile she’d been fighting began to break free. “I really did want to do the project. Return Times are a fascinating challenge.”

“Then I’ll make sure you do it. Daniel really seemed fascinated by the whole idea.” Hell, he’d finance a hundred puzzles for her to solve.

“Daniel?” Her smile faltered.

“Voldakov—”

“The owner of Spherecast.” Meredith warmed considerably and, for the first time since they’d sat down to eat, she leaned toward him. “Did you know he actually developed an algorithm based on one of my papers?”

“Did he?” Captivated by the excitement reflected in her eyes, he fought the surge of irrational jealousy. The mention of Daniel put the light into her eyes. Daniel. Another man.

“Yes.” She laughed, a giddy sound, and the tension stiffening her spine went loose. “It was all very fascinating, but he applied one of my theories to a program he was building. It uses base algorithms to identify information chunks and reconstruct an entire server’s worth of data based on stringing data theory which presupposes individual chunking of data bits will have similar bases. Then, by identifying the primary numbers and matching, you should be able to reconstruct a problem by piecing together the solution. It was a delightful challenge.”

Enthusiasm shimmered in every word, her face warmed, and pure delight rippled in her laugh. “Of course, application and theory are wholly different beasts and we maintained a regular correspondence during his software build so he could get my input on troubleshooting.”

“I didn’t know you were involved in his work.” He hadn’t. Of course, it explained Daniel’s excitement when Sebastian mentioned Meredith. “What other projects have you done?”

“A few. A lot of my work is theoretical, but there are people out there who see beyond the numbers. More than one company has approached me with a proprietary interest.” She settled back in the chair and played with his fingers.

Pleased by the contact, he allowed himself the pleasure of stroking his thumb against the side of her hand. “You believe information should be in the public domain.” Of this, he was absolutely certain. In fact, her belief and speech on the subject had actually been the source of their very first debate.

“You remembered?” Why did it surprise her? The haze of pleasure in her eyes sent a jolt through him.

“Of course I do. I remember everything about the night we met. You wore a cream dress. It was perfectly understated and hugged your curves so well I was envious of it.” It had been a boring, obsequious event. One which held no interest for him, but he’d attended because Armand was in the process of launching a series of clinics and refused to reschedule for an event which only required a family face to be seen.

“That dress. Lord, I’d almost forgotten about the dress.” She covered her mouth and her face went a deeper pink, but her eyes darkened with arousal.

“I loved how you looked in it,” he told her, perfectly aware of where her thoughts went. “I loved how you looked when I ripped it off you even more.” In their enthusiasm, they’d been too impatient to take the time when the zipper jammed. Meredith laughed and he lifted their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

“I thought for sure I would have to return to my room in a towel. You didn’t even leave my panties intact.” Her eyes widened.

Still grinning at the memory, he shrugged. “You didn’t need clothes for the next several hours.”

“Hours? Try days. Three days we stayed in your suite. I didn’t know how I would ever explain to my department head why I’d missed so many of the conference lectures. Thank God they recorded all of them.” She laughed.

“We were having fun,” he told her, sobering. “Stay with me, and let’s find that fun again—you and I.”

Her amusement shifted to thoughtful consideration. “I don’t know if we can. We’re not those people anymore.”

“Yes, we are,” he argued, cupping her face and pressing his forehead to hers. “We are exactly who we were then. I am still as crazy for you today as I was the night we met. In fact, I’m showing great restraint by not stripping you naked and having you for breakfast.”

Her breath hitched at the declaration. “Sex has never been our problem, but it can’t be the basis for a relationship.”

“Why not?” Their conversation was too important. She was too important. “Do you know how many relationships out there simply make do? We work, you and me. I can be myself with you, no pretenses. I know it hasn’t been easy, and I don’t pretend to understand everything you’ve gone through, but I need you, Meredith. Stay with me. Give me these next few days. I promise, you won’t regret it.”

They needed time together, time to repair the damage of the last year. He’d kept her at arm’s length while he recovered. Not his first choice, and one he recognized as a mistake. He’d reasoned it was to protect her, which was true, to a point.

She sighed and tugged her hand from his. Rising, Meredith paced to the glass and folded her arms, staring out into the garden. Though she’d been the one to pull away, she looked so alone and forlorn he couldn’t stay in his chair. Moving behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and cradled her against his chest.

“I know I’m asking for a lot.” And if taking his pride in hand to beg would help, well, he would.

“Oh Bastian…” She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against his shoulder. It wasn’t capitulation, not yet. Her brow creased with a frown, and she bit at her lip. She hadn’t surrendered, but she considered it. “How does this even work? We’re not going to solve anything hiding away in your room.”

They weren’t hiding, but he let it go for the moment and concentrated on her question. “We spend time together. We talk about what is important to you, what is important to me. We get to know each other again…” Remember what drew them together in the first place because, though his feelings were far from waning, maybe hers had.

It kicked him square in the gut to consider the possibility, but she lived an entire life he wasn’t part of—a career she was proud of and work she thrived on. Loosening his grip, he coaxed her to turn. “Maybe you could even explain your last paper to me, the one on class polynomials.”

“The research was only released last month.” Disbelief warred with surprise and she gave him a wondering look. “How did you know about my paper?”

“I have every paper you’ve ever published and subscriptions to all the major journals.” Needing to prove the point, he kissed the tip of her nose and took her hand, tugging her gently. “Come.”

His briefcase was downstairs in the office he used when he was on the island. He hadn’t planned to do any work whatsoever, but with Meredith in tow, he led the way down the staircase, past the open drawing room and reception hall, to a private hallway. Armand’s office was also located in the same section and, though another was reserved for George, his youngest brother never darkened the doorway of his.

At the entrance to the dark-wood paneled room, Bastian had to release her in order to open the double doors. Inside, he was gratified when she not only let him take her hand again, but threaded her fingers through his. Guiding her across the room, he paused at the oversized cherry wood desk and unlocked his briefcase with a three-digit combination.

“913.” Meredith’s little gasp dragged his attention to her. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

“Yes.” He gave her a small smile. “I told you, I remember everything.” 913 was his suite number. He’d discovered the best woman in the world behind those doors. Sentimental perhaps, but he considered it his lucky number.

She sniffed then gave him a smile that threatened to stop his heart. When she leaned into him, her breasts brushed his arm and her fingers tightened against his. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice husky and soft. “I am pretty sure this isn’t what you dragged me down here to see.”

It took him a moment to even remember why they’d come to his office. Dropping his gaze to her lips, he gave into temptation and bent his head to kiss her. The moment their mouths brushed, electricity sizzled in his nervous system and threatened to short-circuit his brain. Leashing the raging desire firing in his blood, he lifted his head and stared into her eyes. “No, the briefcase isn’t what I wanted to show you.”

The corners of her eyes crinkled and she laughed. “You take my breath away.”

“Ditto,” he told her solemnly and forced himself to open the case and pull out the journal of the American Mathematical Society. He held it up for her inspection. “See, I read everything you do.”

Her mouth went slack and her earlier tears threatened again, one splashing down her cheek. “Why?”

“Why what, darling?” He hated her tears, hated them. He wanted to make them go away.

“If you—this…why do you read everything I write?”

Did she truly not understand?

Sebastian slid into a chair and tugged her into his lap, giving into the desire he’d been struggling with since he’d seen her again to enfold her close. He wanted her near always. “Because you wrote it. You.” It really summed up everything for him.

Meredith stared down at the journal and then up at him. She was wavering.

“Say yes, Meredith.” It was a calculated risk, ordering her. She could still tell him no. “Say you’ll stay. Say you’ll give me these few days. I know we can make this work.”

Closing her eyes, she bowed her head, but she didn’t pull away. If anything she moved closer and fisted his shirt in her hand. “Do you really think we can?” Hope and longing so mirroring his own twined in her question.

“I know we can,” he told her, resolved. “Say. Yes.”

She opened her eyes, brought her face to his and kissed him. He welcomed the slow, tentative invasion of her tongue and tangled his hand in her hair. Kissing her was an erotic pleasure. He indulged his senses, lapping up the taste of her sweetness while reveling in how she bloomed to his touch.

“Say yes,” he told her between long, strokes of his tongue against hers. When she finally broke the kiss and lifted her head, he experienced the weight of her study all the way to his bones.

Whatever she’d seen must have satisfied her because she exhaled with a beaming smile. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Relief flooded him.

“Yes,” she repeated and then laughed when he crushed her close. “Yes, Bastian. Yes.”

Time. She’d given him time. Thank God.

MEREDITH

Still in his lap, she shifted to claim the journal issue, which had included the title of her research on the cover. Sebastian rested one hand on her hip and massaged her nape with the other. First his insistence they could work this out, then the combination lock to his briefcase—the number of the suite where they’d ended up spending three hedonistic days in total lust with each other—then the journal. Her emotions seesawed all over the place.

“Where did you go?” Sebastian’s quiet question tugged her from the memory of their first weekend.

“Vienna,” she smiled. “I was thinking about the conference. The dinner. What happened after the dinner.”

Wickedness deepened his smile. “I still think they could have given us a better wine selection.”

Laughter erupted through her and she shook her head. “You harangued our poor waiter until he went and brought you a bottle.”

“I was trying to impress a lady,” he admitted. “Cheap wine was not going to cut it.”

“You were not.” She tried to laugh it off, but when he lifted his brows and stared at her with utter sobriety, her amusement faded.

“I most certainly was.” He slid his fingers up into her hair and began to massage her scalp. The touch was downright hypnotic and the tension beading her muscles since she’d walked in to shower began to ease.

“Why?” The man commanded attention when he walked into a room. She’d only seen him in passing, following a panel where she’d engaged in a heated disagreement with an economist. The man cited her dissertation in his presentation and misrepresented her findings. She’d been livid by the time he finished. She’d intended to address the situation privately—and then he’d called on her.

Sebastian’s brows climbed. “Because you were the most beautiful woman in the room—and the most intelligent—and even after bribing someone to switch out the dining cards so I could be seated next to you, you barely noticed I was there.”

It was her turn to gape. “Of course I knew you were there. Everyone at the table stood and Doctor Ramanijun nearly had a heart attack when I didn’t stand along with everyone else. Wait—you bribed someone to sit at our table?”

He continued to massage her scalp and, even as she leaned into the touch, he traced the shell of her ear with his lips. The lightest of kisses, it sent heat radiating along every nerve. “Oh, yes. I’d seen this vibrant, passionate woman argue quite brilliantly earlier in the day and I wanted to meet her. They’d seated you too far away for my liking. Then you were more interested in the septuagenarian than me. I had to do something.”

Uncertain whether she was more shocked he’d been trying to impress her or the fact he’d bribed his way onto her table, Meredith fumbled for words. She settled for a helpless, “But why?” Why go to all that trouble? For her? Because she’d gotten angry with someone?

Sebastian caught her earlobe and tugged on it. A pulse in her belly echoed his touch. She drowned in sensation whenever they were together. He really was the only man she’d ever met who could get her mind to shut down. In fact, after all their years together, she’d learned his nearness greatly impeded her ability to puzzle through a problem.

It took her a moment to realize he’d stopped and considered her with a frown. Her system was so haywire, she floundered for what put the dark look on his face.

“You really don’t know, do you?”

The disbelief in his voice brought her back to earth. “No,” she admitted, even though her face flamed. “I’m nobody.”

His mouth compressed into a thin line and his expression hardened. Even his black eyes seemed to glaze over with a fierce kind of ice. “Don’t ever talk about yourself in those terms again. You are more than somebody. You’re the most beautiful, vibrant, alive woman I’ve ever met. You are not coy about pleasure or dislike and you take such joy out of the simplest things. You are also brilliant and your mind fascinates me like no other.” He tapped the journal still in her hands. “I read these because I want to comprehend all the facets. I want to be a part of it even in some small way. Do not ever call yourself nothing. You are somebody, Meredith Blake. You’re a professor, a teacher, a researcher, a gifted doctor of mathematics, a daughter, a friend—and you’re mine.”

If his statement hadn’t already robbed her of speech, he claimed her mouth in a kiss that branded her all the way to her soul. The journal slipped out of her hands and she gripped his shoulders. He sought entry to her mouth with his tongue and she welcomed him. Emotions detonated inside of her and his fierce declaration left her defenseless.

He cupped her breast and her nipples tightened even as her belly went low and taut. Digging her fingers into his shirt, she’d barely pulled two buttons open when a knock sounded at the door.

Sebastian growled—actually growled—and lifted his head. “Go away.” Order delivered, he captured her open mouth in another wet kiss and the interruption slid away as she ran her palms across the hot skin of his chest.

The knock repeated, but Sebastian ignored it. When it came a third time, he dragged his head back and turned a look so primal and fierce on the door, she prayed she’d never be on the receiving end of it. “What?” he demanded. When she would have scrambled off his lap, he tightened his grip on her, refusing to allow her escape.

“Please forgive the intrusion, sir, but your brother needs to speak with you immediately.” Vidal’s announcement lanced the bubble of passion and Sebastian swore, colorfully she imagined, in Norwegian. At least she thought it was Norwegian.

Vidal, wisely, didn’t respond to Sebastian’s epithets. Meredith bit her lip, and tried to get her ragged breathing under control. Pressing a kiss as gentle as his expression was not to her lips, Sebastian murmured, “Forgive me, I have to take his call, but I will make it quick.”

She started to ease off his lap, but he once again tightened his grip and frowned at her before plucking the phone up from the desk. He greeted his brother in the same language he’d sworn in. The cool, smoothness of his voice belied his temper so perfectly, if she hadn’t witnessed the transformation she’d never have known he was upset in the first place. Though she couldn’t make out the words, she heard the deep timbre of his brother’s voice muted as it was by the phone. It held a similar cadence and accent to Sebastian’s.

“When?” Urgency punctuated the word and Sebastian’s mouth tightened. He glanced at her, and she could almost read the regret in his expression as he gave her a gentle tap. Understanding the request, she slid off his lap and stood with his assistance. He ran a hand up her arm and caressed her cheek before circling the desk. “I’m going to my computer right now. How certain is Peterson?”

Standing behind his desk, one hand palm down as he stared at his computer, he looked commanding. But it was the tousled dark hair and the broad expanse of his chest revealed by the several opened buttons on his shirt, which transformed his command into something more primal and masculine.

“No,” Sebastian said. “It’s loading now.”

Meredith glanced away from him, vividly aware of every breath he took. Scooping up the journal from the floor, she set it on the desk and stroked her finger across the cover to trace his name on the subscription label. Sebastian Dagmar. He subscribed just so he could read her papers. She’d never made a big deal out of being published. In fact, she’d only mentioned it in passing a handful of times if she recalled correctly—one time specifically because he’d taken her skiing and she’d needed to finish reading the final copy before it went to print.

It seemed to lend an even greater import to his actions. Awareness of his regard kept her peeking at him from behind the fall of her bangs. He wasn’t speaking, but she could still hear the murmur of his brother’s words. Staring at him only fanned the flames of need he’d lit with his kisses, so she forced herself to look away.

“Impossible.” Sebastian’s impatience ratcheted up with every syllable. He paused. “I said it was impossible…” and he switched languages between one word and the next. Whatever their topic, it was private. She suddenly felt very self-conscious standing in the middle of his office with her blouse open to her navel.

Glancing away, she began to button it up as casually as possible. One entire wall of his office was comprised of bookshelves. Family pictures scattered amongst the books, along with a couple of model airplanes and a replica of Rodin’s The Thinker.

The statue reminded her of their last trip to Paris and their midnight visit to the Musée Rodin. She mentioned she’d always wanted to see it and he’d whisked her away in a private car at one in the morning. They’d toured the whole exhibit with only Vidal for company—not even a docent insisted on going with them.

They’d spent a magical evening together. When she’d complained about her shoes and Sebastian insisted she take them off. She’d spent nearly a half hour just staring at the seminal piece, moved beyond words. Daring to run her finger over the man’s tiny fist, she smiled at the memory and then investigated the photographs.

His brothers were prominent in them, as was a silver-haired woman she recognized as his mother. She’d seen the dowager princess once. Or rather, she’d seen her briefly. They’d attended an opera in New York, a very hurried affair—a car picked her up and zipped her to the city. She’d met him at a hotel and he’d surprised her with tickets.

It was one of his favorites, he’d told her, and they’d entered the theater through a private entrance and taken equally private stairs to a box. The opera proved a wonderful experience. During the intermission, she’d excused herself to go to the restroom. When she’d returned, Sebastian had been in a discussion with the woman, and bid her farewell without introducing her to Meredith.

Meredith hadn’t realized who the woman was, not until later. It was the first time the reality of her place in Sebastian’s life settled in—of course one didn’t introduce the mistress to the mother.

He’d gone very quiet behind her. She glanced over to find his tense expression focused on the computer screen. She really should leave him to the discussion with his brother and stop snooping through his things before she tossed the fresh chance they were taking to her own insecurities.

She had the door half-opened when he spoke again. “Meredith?”

Glancing back, she gave him a quick smile. “It’s all right, talk to your brother. I’m going to take a walk and cool off.” She meant it to be playful, but it came out tighter and a little more fraught than lighthearted. Riding the emotional seesaw left her unbalanced.

“You don’t have to⁠—”

But she waved him off. He’d switched to a foreign language for a reason and she wasn’t offended at all. Everyone deserved the right to a private conversation. Closing the door as quietly as she’d opened it, she glanced up and down the length of the hall. Maybe a walk in the garden beneath his room would give her a chance to clear her head and sort out her muddled thoughts.

Choosing the direction of the open reception hall and sitting room, she found the door—and a lot more people than she’d realized were in residence. A maid polished the tables and a guard stood just inside the door. Both nodded to her politely when she made eye contact and, when she hesitated, the man at the door gave her an inquiring look.

“I don’t suppose you can tell me where the garden is?” she asked.

“Are you planning to go outside, ma’am?”

It was an odd response. Why else would she be asking where the garden was? “Yes, Basti—er—His Highness is on the phone. I thought I would get some air.” They’d let her go outside, wouldn’t they?

“Of course, ma’am. If you’ll give me a moment?” He touched a finger to his ear. “Miss Blake is stepping outside to take some air. She requires an escort.”

She most certainly did not. “I’m perfectly capable of⁠—”

“Meredith.” Terry’s greeting threw her lifeline, and she spun around to find him approaching from another hallway.

“You’re still here.” Guilt-flavored-relief swamped her. She’d all but forgotten Terry and his possibly precarious position thanks to defending her during her mad reunion with Sebastian.

“Of course.” He gave her a questioning smile. “Gerard said you wanted to take a walk outside.”

“I do and I don’t really need an escort.” However, if they required her to have one, at least it was someone she knew.

“Well how about a friend, then?” He kept his tone light and gestured toward the sitting room. “The doors are right there.”

Nodding gratefully, she followed him to French doors that opened onto a wide, stone veranda. The entire house was surrounded by a wide expanse of green and fresh air touched with a hint of salt wrapped around her as soon as she stepped outside. Steps led down from the veranda toward the garden, a wild profusion of colors decorated the garden with roses being the most prominent. Someone took very good care of it and, while she knew next to nothing about gardening, she knew what she liked.

Not slowing, she kept going until she was completely out of the house and amidst the floral scents. Dragging the sweetness into her lungs, she paused and tilted her face up to the sun. She needed to calm the riot in her system.

When she’d broken up with Bastian, she believed it to be the right thing to do. But seeing him now—she couldn’t imagine never seeing him again. So how the hell did she reconcile needing him and wanting him with the position she’d have to occupy to be with him?

“Meredith, are you all right?” Terry was right behind her, close enough for the sound of his voice to make her jump. “I’m sorry.”

She was the one who should be sorry. Terry was her friend, and she kept forgetting he even existed. “I’m fine.” She let out a shaky breath. “I just have a lot to think about.” Being with Bastian made thinking impossible, but when it was the two of them—it always felt like it was just the two of them. All of his beautiful, powerful male force focused on her. He was a relentless addiction in her blood and, like any good addict, could she possibly make good choices when it came to him?

Terry touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where we were going.”

“It’s all right.” She’d already forgiven him the deception. At the end of the day, Bastian would have gotten his way with or without Terry’s assistance. “You did tell me to turn the job down.” Sebastian was his employer.

“Yeah, but I could have done more, especially if you didn’t want to be here.” He gave her a shoulder squeeze.

“Really, it’s⁠—”

“O’Connor, you can leave us now.” Sebastian’s voice cracked over the quiet and Terry’s hand fell away from her. She turned to find Sebastian’s dark brooding gaze locked on Terry until he backed up a pace.

“I’ll be nearby if you need me, Meredith.” Terry nodded to the edge of the garden, then inclined his head to Sebastian before walking away.

Once Terry was out of earshot, Meredith lifted her brows. “You were a little rude.”

“He oversteps a lot.” Sebastian answered curtly and closed the distance between them. “Why did you leave?”

“You were talking to your brother. I really didn’t think you wanted to discuss family business in front of your mistress.” Two could be tart, and she was tired of dancing around the topic. He didn’t have the right to act all lord of the manor in one breath and become a coaxing lover in the next. The shifting behavior confused the hell out of her.

Sebastian’s harsh expression changed to one of shock. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him wear such a look before, but when he spoke, danger edged his words. “My what?”