She shouldn’t fear his getting closer, she told herself. Even in the short time that she’d known him, Imogen had come to know that Seth was nothing like Greg. For one thing, it seemed to be very important to him to be honest. Maybe, given time, he would even agree to tell her a bit more about the woman he’d loved and lost so cruelly.
‘I want you to set the pace, sweetheart, but be aware that you’re already testing that decision to the max,’ he admitted candidly. ‘Do you have any idea what your body does for that dress? When I first saw you I thought you were very sweet and young. Now I can see that you’re undoubtedly a woman...a very sexy woman...’
In the next moment he was laying his lips against hers and passionately taking her mouth. With a helpless gasp Imogen greedily opened for him, taking his hot silken tongue inside and meeting it with her own. It was the most heavenly kiss she’d ever experienced.
He was moving his hands down her back in the exquisite silk gown. They went straight to her hips and cupped them, drawing her against him. The sensation was so intimate they might have been naked together. The heat he aroused was explosive. It was akin to witnessing the incredible firework display in London on New Year’s Eve. Into the dark blazed a melee of kaleidoscope colour that absolutely dazzled her.
As he brought her even closer with an undeniable thrill, she felt the hard ridge behind his fly and knew that she wanted more...much more. But somewhere in the middle of the shocking revelation that she wanted to give herself to him body and soul, she felt her eyes welling up with tears. A hot stream slid unchecked down her face and Imogen knew that Seth had tasted them on his lips.
‘Hey...’ Holding her away, he lightly gripped her shoulders. ‘Why are you crying?’ He sounded perturbed.
‘I suppose I’m feeling a bit emotional. But you don’t believe in that, do you? Giving in to emotion, I mean?’ She didn’t disguise her accusatory tone.
‘Do you think I’m so hard that I wouldn’t care if you’re upset? What’s wrong? Will you tell me?’
Imogen knew he must see the tussle going on behind her eyes. Her heartbeat was going crazy. ‘I can tell you... But I’m not sure whether you’re going to like it, or even if you’ll believe me.’
‘Try me.’
Folding her arms across the exquisite silk of her dress, she determinedly met his gaze. ‘My fiancé stood me up at the altar because I wouldn’t have sex with him before we married. He paid me back by cheating on me with another woman and chose to leave me standing there to make me look like a fool. Then he refused to return my share of the deposit on our house because he said I didn’t deserve it. It was my fault that everything had gone so wrong.’ She shuddered. ‘What I’m trying to tell you is that I’m a virgin, Seth.’
Now she really had his attention. ‘You were saving yourself for your husband? Is that what you mean?’
Forlornly, Imogen nodded. ‘Yes...’
‘Was it a matter of principle that you refused him sex?’
Squirming, she sensed her cheeks flush heatedly. ‘I had good reason. When my mum got pregnant with me my father immediately told her that he was married. Then he admitted that he’d seen their relationship as “a little bit of fun” on the side. After that he walked away as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Because of what happened to her I vowed I would never be so easily duped by a man, and that I wouldn’t sleep with anyone until I was sure. I wanted someone I could trust...someone who would be glad to honour his responsibilities to both me and to our children if we were to have them.
‘When I fell for Greg I held on to those beliefs. I honestly thought that our union would mean so much more if we waited until we were married. At first he liked the idea. But then...then he started to show his frustration.’
‘Like I said before, you’re well rid of the man. You deserve better—that’s why it didn’t work out. Not because you did something wrong.’
‘I totally understand if you want to call off our deal...’
Seth’s brow creased in disbelief. ‘Why on earth would I want to do that?’
‘Because I’m not experienced in the way most women my age are. If we get together, like you suggested, I would probably disappoint you. And, whilst I know you want me mainly as a companion, I honestly don’t know how I’d cope if we slept together and then you sought pleasure with other women because I didn’t please you.’