She casually lifted the towel from around her neck, ran it across her face, and simultaneously caught the eye of the uninvited figure at her door. She summoned her aching muscles to the door, holding her towel in her hand as she rubbed away the perspiration trickling down the sides of her face.

'I thought I told you, I'd see you in about three days,' she panted, as she scanned around to find Henk Visser the alternate body guard who was relieving Chuck Trent. The bonnet cover was up, he was aimlessly leaning over the engine.

'Three days was too long to wait, I hope you don't have plans,' he murmured.

Her eyes traveled to the bag he carried, she could definitely smell Chinese takeout.

'I do have to leave,' she saw his shoulders drop, 'in about three hours,' she finished.

'I'll settle for that,' he grinned.

She opened her door, and caught Henk's questioning look.

She signaled "time-out" to him, to which he nodded, dropped the bonnet lid and went back into his car.

The minute she closed the door, Blake was imprisoning her between his body and the door, demanding a kiss.

'I__ don't hold much appeal right now, I need a shower,' she wrinkled her nose.

'Oh, but I disagree,' he leaned forward, and brushed his lips against hers.

'Five minutes,' she pushed him aside, and took the stairs two at a time to her shower.

Samantha was back in a little more than five minutes, her hair washed but tied in a pony tail, she'd slipped on a pair of denims and a low cut cotton top.

'Sorry to have kept you waiting,' she smiled apologetically.

'That's all right,' he rose from the settee and walked towards her, taking her into his arms, he lowered his head, indulging in a long breath taking kiss. Blake reached out and removed the band from her hair, 'that's better,' he smiled in satisfaction, admiring her long glossy hair cascading over her shoulders.

He smelt beautiful, a combination of expensive cologne, his very own scent and freshness as if he'd also showered before arriving at her doorstep.  While she was in the shower, he'd spread out dinner on her coffee table. It smelt delicious. He followed her eyes to the coffee table.

'Since you won't go out to dinner with me, I brought dinner to you,' he slipped her fingers into his and walked her to the settee.

'Thank you,' she smiled as he served her. There was chicken with litchi, beef with stir fry, noodles as well as rice.

'It's my pleasure,' he leaned over and teased her lips with feather soft kisses.

Blake speared a litchi and fed it into her mouth, 'So how you  been?' he asked.

Samantha laughed, then munched on the litchi, 'you mean since we saw each other twenty four hours ago!'

'No it was definitely much longer than that,' he angled his head, as if pondering on his comment.

Samantha pretended to pay attention to her dinner, but his attractive body distracted her attention endlessly, she was having difficulty tearing her eyes away from him.

'What?' she smiled, as she fed a forkful of chicken and rice through her lips.

He cast a questioning look at her.

'We're not discussing Platinum tonight,' she warned him.

'Good, we can talk about you then,' he expertly lifted his chopsticks to his mouth as his eyes slid uncontrollably from her lips to her cleavage.

'Or we could talk about you?' she countered, helping herself to one of the fruit drinks Blake brought with.

She needed something cool to quench his fiery glances, it burnt at her flesh as if he was touching her.

'Haven't you dissected me enough in these last four months,' he groaned.

'She cast a glance his way, 'the books and operations at Platinum perhaps, but not you,' she replied, placing her empty plate back on the coffee table.

'I'm apprehensive of surgeons who open you up on the operating table and don't stitch you up again,' he murmured, placing his empty plate next to hers.

She should tear her eyes away from his face, either her brain was not sending the correct signal, or her eyes were choosing to ignore the signal. She held her breath as his eyes raked over her body, it felt scorched, her throat felt dry, she tried to remember the conversation they were supposed to be having.

So she was not prepared to talk about herself, and he wasn't prepared to offer any information about himself.

'It seems we're at a stalemate,' Blake reached across, drawing her closer to him.

'So it seems,' she whispered.

But there was one area where they definitely did not have a standoff.  Blake slipped his arms around her, as his mouth claimed hers, she pressed into him, as her hands went up to cup his cheek.

'Tell me you want me,' he demanded.

'I want you,' she whispered, her lips claimed his hungrily.

Blake rose, lifting her in his arms, without relinquishing her lips.  She pointed to her bedroom.  He nodded hurrying to it, and gently laid her on the bed. Blake ripped every item of clothing off her body, she did the same until their naked flesh was clinging to each other. He turned her on her tummy, his tongue traced a torturous path down her spine.  Samantha gasped and groaned loudly. 

She turned around and leaned over Blake, planting soft kisses on his chest, she followed a downward path over his navel until she came to his rigid erect form. Her tongue reached out and caressed him. She heard Blake call out her name huskily.   Her lips closed over the erect form.  Her tongue traced around the tip of him, over and over, until Blake begged her to stop.  He hoisted her up and placed her astride his hip.  She threw her head back and purred as he inserted himself inside her, raising his pelvis so he could fill her with his entire length.  Samantha moaned her pleasure.   She lifted herself up and lowering herself repeatedly, until Blake growled incoherently. She could not hold on any longer and exploded into spasms of delightful pleasure, and Blake having patiently waited, joined her. Exhausted and totally spent, she collapsed on Blake's chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, his fingers caressed into her hair, as he planted soft kisses on her temple. He held her body against his, as she snuggled up on him.

Some fifteen minutes later Samantha stirred, wanting to shift away. Blake wouldn't let her. 'You plan on holding me a prisoner,' she laughed softly.

'Do you have to move away,' he moaned.

She shifted slightly so she was still in his arms, but facing him.

'That's much better,' he murmured, kissing her lips, caressing her throat, his tongue bit gently on her earlobe, his palms running riot over her shapely bottom. Samantha sighed happily, until his tongue licked deliciously over one aroused nipple and then the other, until eventually he was making love to her all over again.

Samantha gasped at the transactions reflected on the bank statements she studied.  In the last forty eight hours she had been discreetly trailing one specific employee of Platinum. She'd alternated between her two private vehicles, her motor bike and her unmarked official vehicle, and every time she went out in disguise, her hair in different colours and styles, making her unrecognizable. She was able to build rather an informative case file of activities this employee engaged in.

She castigated herself for not earlier making the seemingly obvious connection between a certain South African diamond exporting company and its connection in London. Samantha picked up her mobile and dialed Peter Stewart at Scotland Yard.

'Samantha, you sound like you have a bee in your bonnet?' she heard Peter's familiar drawl.

'I'm on my way to visit you, clear your diary for the next twenty four hours,' she grinned.

'Will Blake have time for a round of golf?' Peter questioned.

'What?' Samantha asked uncomprehendingly.

'He told me the next time he's here, he wanted a game,' Peter clarified.

'You'll have to schedule that with him directly, but it won't be on this trip.  I'm only bringing my Nanny,' she replied.

'Aw, he's a good bloke,' Peter added disappointedly.

You've only met him once!

'Peter Stewart may I have your attention please!'

'Play it again Sam,' he sighed.

He used to always say that to her when he wanted her to draw him an explanatory picture.

'Are we on a secure line? she enquired

'Yep, go ahead,' he acknowledged.

'Okay transmitting as we speak,' Samantha confirmed.

She heard him whistle loudly, she had to hold her mobile away from her ear.

'Sam?' he questioned unbelievably.

'Prepare the paperwork Peter.  Search, seizure and warrant of arrest. I'll see you at the airport,' she cut the call.

She called Trent, informing him that they were leaving to London that night.

If the owner of the Xquisite Diamonds store thought he was going to do some brisk trading with the young couple that walked into his store he was mistaken.

'Scotland Yard,' Peter flashed his badge.

'National Prosecutions Service, South Africa,' Samantha flashed her badge.

Seeing his gloomy future flash before his eyes, he spun around making a dash for the back entrance.

Samantha took pursuit.  He found difficulty maneuvering around the enclosed area, and when she had the advantage, Samantha hurled herself in the air, and brought him down by his ankles. She read him his Rights and then instructed Trent who was stationed with one of Peter's men outside the front door to handcuff the owner and march him to the awaiting car.

'You clean up pretty nicely,' she grinned at Trent who was decked out very smartly in a fashionable suit, a change from his standard jeans and T shirts when he rode his bike back in South Africa.

'Seeing you always attract the media,' he nodded his head to the outside, 'I thought I'd look as smart as you always do,' he teased.

'The media___how the hell___?'

'Peter's Superior is talking to them right now,' Trent threw in before she could finish.

Samantha glared at Peter angrily.

'What's wrong?' Peter questioned innocently.

'Why is your principle talking to the media? I have unfinished business in South Africa!' Samantha yelled.

'He's talking to___' Peter sprinted outside before finishing his sentence. He hurriedly separated his boss from the journalists, and attempted to disperse them.

Samantha signaled to two of Peter's men to seize and document an inventory of all the confiscated diamonds. The discreet bogus order she'd asked Blake to generate had speedily reached this dealer's office. Within another twenty minutes, she was ready to head back to South Africa.

Peter had had absolutely no success whatsoever in dispersing the journalists. The second she exited the store to climb into the vehicle, she was thronged.

'Senior Superintendent St. Claire can you inform us of the syndicate that is responsible in the dealing of the rogue diamonds?'

'Senior Superintendent St. Claire will Mr. Blake Tresscott be extradited to Britain?'

Samantha cast a scathing icy glare at Peter's boss.

He looked away uncomfortably.

'Let's get the hell out of here,' Samantha instructed Trent.

'So you mean I donned this stylish outfit for nothing?' Trent teased when they were airborne and in transit again.

Samantha had not said two sentences, since they had departed London.

'You joined the wrong profession if you want to be a celebrity,' she tossed at him.

'But you have celebrity status,' he needled Samantha further.

'You want me to hook you up? I'm sure I can call in a few favours' Samantha remarked acidly.

'Sam relax,' Trent consoled, 'I'm sure your cover's not blown yet.

'The global media's reach is instant.  How could it not be blown?' she questioned irritatedly.

She didn't want her suspects going into hiding back home. She wanted things wrapped up in the next twenty four hours. And then she wanted to dedicate her undivided attention on Tobias and his handlers.

Samantha breezed into her Director's office. She'd completed her report on the plane. Her warrant was already waiting for her to arrest the South African link to the smugglers involved in the exports. She made quick work of springing on them in the early hours of the morning. Now she was ready to deal with the link inside Platinum. She called Blake informing him she was on her way to wrap things up.

Samantha was dog tired. She had hardly slept in the last forty eight hours. She was staying awake on adrenalin alone. She'd given Trent the day off, offering his "stand by" to cover for him, but he'd declined. For once she rode with him, in the official vehicle.

'Samantha, you've been rather busy,' Blake rushed to his door, to greet her. He shut the door, and took her into his arms.

'Blake, I___' she did not get to complete her sentence, his lips had taken possession of hers, not giving her any opportunity to speak.

'I missed you,' he murmured passionately, 'kissing her hungrily, his hand slipping under shirt.'

'Blake!' she pressed her palms against his chest.

He inhaled deeply and with considerable effort dragged his mouth away.

'I'm sorry for all the negative publicity in London,' she started.

'I'm innocent. I don't care about it,' he replied somewhat angrily. She knew he was not angry at her, but at the media's inflamatory views.

'But the adverse publicity must have a detrimental effect,' she enquired.

'As soon as you wrap this up, all will be smoothed out,' he replied with a nod.

'I like your positive attitude, Mr. Tresscott.'

'I don't want to ever hear you address me that way,' he instructed.

'Yes Mr. Tresscott,' she grinned.

'For that you are going to be punished,' he pulled her back into his arms, and his mouth was demanding a long passionate kiss.

'Blake___' she tore her lips away, 'are you ready for this?' she enquired.

He inhaled heavily.  Anger and disappointment reflected in equal measure in his stormy eyes.  'Yes.' he nodded.  'I'm ready.'

She placed her palm on his face, cupping his cheek, 'it's finally over,' she whispered.  'Today you're going to be vindicated.'

Samantha opened the door and nodded to Blake's secretary,  who made the call and summoned the employee in question.  Blake paced up and down his office silently wrapped up in his own thoughts.

She walked up to him, placing her hand on his arm, halting him, 'it's going to be okay,' she whispered.

He nodded and went to sit at his desk, awaiting the Judas that was betraying him.

There was a soft knock on the door, Blake's eyes went to Samantha, she nodded.

'Come in,' Blake responded unemotionally.

His face was a mask as the employee walked in, but just for a fleeting nanosecond, his eyes reflected shock, disappointment, unbelief and hurt. Samantha wanted to wrap her arms around him, but when Blake stood up, she quickly took charge.

'You wanted to see me, Mr. Tresscott,' the employee mumbled nervously.

'Mrs. Gage, I'm Samantha St. Claire from the National Prosecutions Service.'

The woman went as white as a sheet as she  looked from Blake to Samantha, totally in shock.

'Why__Mrs. Gage__ Why?' Blake demanded.

'Blake!' Samantha intervened.

He raked his fingers through his hair and turned his back on them to look out the window.  Samantha placed her file in front of the employee.

'Mrs. Gage large sums of money have been deposited into your bank account from a source in London. You want to tell us about that,' Samantha enquired gently.

The woman covered her face with her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Samantha took a packet of tissue from her handbag and handed it to the woman.

'He___ he said all I had to do was inform him every time we despatched a delivery and to give him the barcodes,' she continued to weep.

Blake turned around and stared at the woman.

'Jack was always losing his job because of his drug habit,' she admitted, 'the bond, Jamie's university fees, was too much to manage___'

'Didn't you think to come and talk to me?' Blake barked.

'Blake!' Samantha cautioned again.

'I'm sorry Mr. Tresscott,' she started to sob again, 'he told me I did not need to steal any diamonds, and he said no harm will come to you___'

'No harm Mrs. Gage! Have you been following the media? My integrity is in question. I'm being labeled a rogue dealer all over the world!' Blake yelled.

'I am so sorry___ I am so sorry. I never meant you any harm Mr. Tresscott.'

Blake had kept so much to himself.   The pain, the humiliation of it all. He had had to live with the media daily hinting at him being a rogue dealer. The negative media no doubt affected his business relationships, but he had borne it all alone. He never cried on her or anybody else's shoulder. She needed to right this for him.

'Mrs. Gage I'm placing you under arrest as an accomplice for the fraudulent trade of illegal diamonds.'

She continued to sob unabashedly louder.  Samantha slipped on her ear piece and called Trent in.  He knocked, walked in, handcuff in hand to escort Mrs. Gage away.

'May I speak to you privately?' Blake enquired of Samantha.

Samantha nodded to Trent, who led the sobbing woman outside.  As the door closed, she waited patiently for Blake, he seemed to have difficulty speaking.

'I don't want to press charges against her,' he dragged out awkwardly.

'Blake!   She committed a crime.  What of your reputation, your international clients__'

'She is over fifty years old.  Her son needs her. She will never survive in our prisons,' he spoke quietly.

He was not concerned about his reputation, or the damage to his business. He still had his employee's interest at heart.

'Blake I can't tell you what to do. It's your call,' she spoke quietly.

'I'll never be able to sleep at night, if I send her to prison,' he turned around, his eyes filled with compassion for a rogue employee.

'Well I guess that wraps up my investigation at Platinum,' she concluded.

His eyes locked with hers, he stared for a long moment before speaking.

'Thank you Samantha,' he walked towards her and stood in front of her.

'My job offer to you still stands,' he spoke quietly.

She looked away. With Tobias on the loose, the Kingpin still to be caught, Sutcliffe awaiting trial, there were too many loose ends for her to have peace of mind to just quit right now. She did not know how long it will take her to bring down Tobias and his handlers, and there were many more like Tobias making it unsafe in South Africa and in the world at large. She could not single highhandedly save the world, but she had her small little part to play.

'You must excuse me.  Trent and I are on our way to Durban, for the next forty eight hours.'

'Do you get any time to breathe?' he asked frustratedly.

'I'll call Mrs. Gage back in for you to chat with her,' Samantha reached out and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly for a moment, before she reached up and kissed him.

'Good bye Blake,' she hurried out without looking back.

In the two days that Samantha was in Durban building up her case against Tobias' handlers, he had been very busy.  With his drug consignment confiscated, Tobias had declared an all out war on Samantha.  He had left a calling card for Samantha. The left passenger tyres of both her vehicles and the back tyre of her bike were slashed. He had not entered her apartment.  The surveillance cameras had not been tampered with, and she would have definitely known if he had entered. If that was not enough, she was getting explicit death threats on her mobile, which she had not bothered to share with anyone.

She was so tempted to pick Tobias up and lock him away forever, but she kept him outside for two reasons. She wanted him to think, he was cleverly avoiding her, and secondly she wanted him to continue engaging with his Chinese counterparts.   She needed more time to devise her plan to get access to the Chinese kingpin. For now she had to put up with his annoying distractions.

Samantha was having a screaming match with Trent, who wanted to inform their Director of the latest tyre slashing episode.  She was arguing against informing the Director about this petty situation. Her boss had warned her that her trouble was going to escalate, so why bother him?  Even with their raised voices and angry shouts, she was able to  hear the greeting behind her from somebody she thought she had said good bye to.

Samantha turned around and just stared at the attractive frame of Blake Tresscott standing in her car park. He stared right back.   The both of them forgot Trent was in the vicinity, until Samantha dragged her eyes away and looked at Trent.

He seemed to understand she wanted privacy.   But before he walked away, he informed her categorically, 'our conversation is not over,' and then went off in a huff.

Thank heavens the tyres had all been replaced!

'What was that all about?' Blake asked conversationally.

'He takes his nanny duties too seriously,' she replied and walked up the stairs to her apartment.

'He must have a valid reason,' Blake shot back, as he followed her inside her living room.

'Can I help you?' Samantha asked irritatedly.

'Yes, for starters,' he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, until her lips parted and her hands went around his neck in surrender.

Blake gently lifted his head and gazed into the depths of her piercing grey eyes, dark with passion.

'I'd gotten used to seeing you rushing around Platinum, it's conspicuously quiet without you there,' he murmured.

'Blake this must end.   It's going nowhere,' she moved out of his arms.

'It can go somewhere if you allow it to Samantha,' he pulled her back into his arms.

Very slowly her eyes lifted to his, it was tender and appealing, wanting her to submit to something she had absolutely no intention of subjecting herself to. Once was enough, thank you very much.

'I want you in my life Samantha,' he murmured, as he planted soft kisses down her throat.

No, Blake, no!

But she was unable to resist the magnetic charm that tore at her defenses as her head angled to allow him better access to throbbing flesh at her throat. She sighed softly, and moved her lips until it was joined with his. Blake had been waiting for the advantage. He moulded her slender body against his,  kissing her hungrily, and she responded in kind. He hastily undid the buttons on her blouse, to allow his tongue to seductively travel down that erotic part to her aroused nipple. She gasped as his tongue was mercilessly teasing her. Samantha pressed his head closer.  Her fingers raked wildly through his hair.   He moulded his body to hers so she should feel his erect form highly aroused and in need of her.

'I want to make love to you Samantha,' he groaned huskily, gazing into her piercing grey glassy eyes, that were filled with desire, looking so clear like the depths of the water in a clear ocean.

She hastily lifted his shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor.   Her fingers caressed over the length of his spine, and pressed against his masculine shoulder blades. Blake scooped her in his arms and without much effort, hurriedly took the stairs two at a time. He lowered her to the floor inside her bedroom, Samantha was in a hurry as she unbuckled him.  She stripped him of his jeans and briefs, and pressed her body against him. Blake groaned his pleasure, and carried her to the bed, where he took his time and made wild passionate love to her over and over until they were totally spent and lying in each others' arms satiated and content.  Samantha was leaning over his chest.  Her hair was caressing his face, he lifted his head and his lips gently caressed her nipple so close to his cheek.

Samantha moaned softly, 'I don't think I have any more energy left,' she sighed.

He rolled her onto her back, and brushed his lips to hers, smiling tenderly into her eyes. His fingers raked into her beautiful hair that he adored so much.

'Would you believe me if I told you, I did not come here with the intention to make love with you,' he murmured, placing a trail of kisses from her breast to her navel.

'Bit late for that,' she laughed softly.

Blake shifted away from her, turned her on her side so they were facing each other.

'I came to extend an invitation to you,' he informed her soberly.

Samantha did not want to know about any invitation. She was not going anywhere in public with Blake Tresscott, not now, not ever.

'Invitation?' she repeated warily.

'Yes, I sent an invitation to your Director and to all your staff that assisted to complete the investigation, inviting everybody to a celebratory dinner.'

'You didn't need to do that, it was __ in the line of duty.'

She struggled to find the words to finish her sentence, considering the delicate position she and Blake were in at the moment.

'I was looking for an excuse to be with you again,' he confessed.

'Blake this dinner thing__I don't think it's a good idea,' she murmured.

'Why?' he tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear.

Because I don't want to serve you on a silver platter to my enemies!

When she did not answer, he cupped her cheek and informed her, 'it's all settled, your Director has accepted, so it's happening on Friday evening at Platinum.'

At least it was just going to take place at his company.

'So how did things go with Mrs. Gage?' she enquired.

'I told her I won't press charges, and she could keep her job, if she promised to put Jack into rehabilitation.'

'You're going to risk keeping her on!'

'I'll bet my life, she will not attempt betraying me again,' he stated.

'You're very trusting,' she murmured, looking away.   Trust was a luxury she could not afford.

'I've paid off her outstanding bond account and Jimmy's university fees, so she won't be tempted by any offers.   She won't have reason to succumb to any temptation.'

'You're a good man Blake Tresscott, an endangered species,' she smiled.

'Keep going,' he grinned.

She laughed softly.

'Promise me you will be there on Friday night,' he pleaded.

'With Kerry and Katie, you should have your hands full.  You won't even notice my absence,' she teased.

'You noticed?'

She raised her eyebrows at him in response.

'I'll save a dance for you,' he murmured.

'There's dancing too!  Oh no, this is getting worse.

Blake lifted her up as if she weighed nothing and hoisting her atop him.  Í'm not letting you go, until you agree to attend.'

Samantha gazed down into his eyes, 'okay,' she capitulated.

'No. Say "Blake I promise to be there at seven,"' he commanded.

'Blake, I promise to be there at seven,' she complied, laughing at his insistence. 'So my Director is going to be there!' she groaned.

'Yeah, I figured if I wanted to celebrate with only you, you'd decline, so I had to try any devious means to get you to agree,' a smirk crossed his handsome face.

'You''re going to have to behave yourself,' her fingers raked through the curly fine hairs on his chest, 'and I don't like devious people,' she murmured.

'Me neither,' he concurred, 'now me; I'm trusting and I'm a good man I've been told,' he arched an eyebrow.

She dropped her head back onto her pillow and laughed.

                                                                                      -end Chapter Ten-