before.”
Dimitri held her close, burying his face in her hair as he inhaled her familiar scent. “I have something for you,” he whispered.
“Oh, yes?” Her eyes shone in the moonlight-tinged darkness.
“Yes. Hold on.”
Holding her close with one arm, he fished into the basket again and pulled out a flat, rectangular velvet box. “Here you go, sweetheart. I hope you like it.”
Angela stared at the box before looking at him again. “What is it?”
“Open it and you’ll see.”
“Dimitri, I…” She shuffled uncomfortably off his lap and sat next to him, crossing her legs. “I can’t…”
“It’s just a present, baby. Open it.”
Shaking her head, Angela slowly opened the box. A river of diamonds twinkled back at her, nestled in deep red velvet.
“It’s a bracelet,” Dimitri murmured. “I thought it would look nice on you.”
“It’s gorgeous,” she breathed, her fingers trembling as she hesitantly touched the bracelet. Even the moonlight couldn’t dim the sparkling clarity of the diamonds. She stared at it in wonder and then ruefully shook her head while pushing the box back towards him. “I can’t.”
Dimitri frowned. “What?”
“I can’t accept it, Dimitri.”
“But…”
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s absolutely stunning. And I’ve never owned something that wonderful before. But I can’t accept expensive gifts from you. It just… I don’t know… it feels wrong somehow.”
Dimitri rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. It’s just a gift, Angela. How can it feel wrong?”
“Exactly.” She firmly put the box back in the basket. “It feels wrong because to you, a row of diamonds is just a gift. To me it’s… well it’s something that I’ll only be able to afford after saving up for months and months,” she said with a small smile. “I just don’t feel right accepting it.”
“You and your pride,” he muttered. “I would love to lavish you in silk and diamonds every day, Angie. If only you’d let me.”
“There is something you can do for me, though.” Angela buried her toes in the silver sand as she grinned up at him.
He brushed a slow, lingering kiss on her lips. “Anything.”
“Take me back to your place,” she said.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him, crushing her large, soft breasts to his chest. “Are you that eager to get into my bed, Miss Banner?”
Angela shoved him away with a smirk. “You wish. I just want to see your place. Do you realize that you’ve never taken me home?”
“That’s because we’re always so busy at yours.”
“Oh, shut up.” Angela stood up and playfully tried to yank him to his feet. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 6
Angela couldn’t believe the sheer scale of his mansion as he gave her the tour.
“You have a fantastic house,” she breathed, looking around his kitchen. “I bet my entire flat could fit in here.”
It was artfully decorated in white and black with a glossy gold marble floor. Two shiny black island counters were positioned in the center of the room and she grinned as she ran her fingers across the granite surface.
“Two counters?”
He grinned, suddenly looking much younger than usual.