A shoot of pain darted through Ana as she heard his savvy answer, a mere monosyllable with no flowery explanations, no pacification. There was not even an iota of remorse on his face or demeanor to indicate that he'd regretted his vile act, or that he was at least a tiny little bit sorry for having ditched her so heartlessly.

She found herself imagining how the alternative would have resulted in, trapped in a loveless marriage with someone who hated her with all his might. While she was doomed to love only one man, there would never have been the merest hope that he would one day reciprocate her feelings. How pathetic was that?

It seemed that she'd been spared a worse fate, even if it sounded weird. Hooked to a self-destructive man, one who was ready to trade his life in exchange for retribution, would have been the perfect recipe for total disaster.

Except that the situation had not changed, only the victim. Instead of going after her, Dev was going to ruin her sister's life with his pigheadedness. She became even more resolute to stop his madness. Involuntarily, her eyes flew to the tickets on the mantelpiece just above Devin's head, cursing herself for not having been more cautious when his eyes automatically followed hers. Frowning, his attention strayed on the tickets, and Ana knew she was doomed when his eyes flew open in shock.

"You little liar. You are going to Florida alone, aren't you?"

Vehemently, she shook her head in negation, and tried to grab the tickets but Dev was quicker anticipating her move like a lion, lurching forward before she even reached the coupons. It was inevitable, the collision made them lose their momentum and they titillated.

Unable to do anything else, Ana closed her eyes bracing herself for the impact when Dev grabbed her in his fall, his body acting like a shield. He let out a loud grunt as he fell on the carpet, absorbing the full impact as he landed with a loud thud with her atop him.

After taking a second of recovering from the shock, Ana finally consented to the luxury of his closeness to seep in, decadently indulging herself in his musky scent, and the assuaging feelings engulfing her.

Risking a peek at him to confirm whether he was having the same reactions, she was disappointed to note that his eyes were closed. Then, a thought struck her. Was he hurt?

"Devin," she whispered, nuzzling his face gently, and trying not let panic overwhelm her when he groaned softly. Was it possible that he'd broken something? She tried again, nudging her nose against his face, not wanting to move in case she aggravated the situation. Nothing. He was lifeless under her, his hands slouched and eyes firmly closed.

Stealthily, she removed her hand to caress his face in order to spawn a reaction from him, but all she managed to extract was another soulful moan behind tightly shut eyelids.

It got her worried. Devin had never been one to fuss; he'd always shove aside her worry when he'd been hurt, not having the patience to withstand the fuss she made around him. Alarmed, she tried to disentangle her body from him, but was instantly brought back in his arms by a strong pull around her waist, and her body tumbled back against him.

"Devin," she re-iterated, this time her tone had a reproachful intonation.

"Why were you going to Florida behind my back," he queried his eyes remaining adamantly closed, hands still pressing gently but firmly around her waist to keep her position intact. Flustered, she fidgeted to free herself, all she managed to achieve was put herself in an even more awkward posture. Then, she froze when she felt the hard bulge under her, unmistakable in its length. He was feeling horny over a fight? What the hell?

"Dev...," she started hesitantly, knowing that he knew she'd felt his hard-on.

"Answer me," he ordered succinctly.

Sagging her shoulders, all the fight fled from her body which slumped against him without resistance. Not subjected to his gaze, Ana stared at him with unrestricted fascination, face hard and unyielding like it had been chiseled out of granite. A clear indication that he was angry, and a perverse devilish part of her wanted to extract a different reaction from him.

Before giving herself time to think, she grinded her butt over his groin, and watched with satisfaction when his eyes popped out instantaneously with a jerk, the mammoth swell underneath her expanded even more. The dark green eyes which stared back at her held no surprise as she'd expected, but they were hooded with a certain amount of wariness as he lay motionlessly beneath her.

Knowing she was playing with fire, and even then powerless to stop herself, she slowed her movements cursing herself for having started that dangerous game when she felt desire course through her veins like a fiery liquid. It was too late – one could not play with fire without getting burnt. She was still debating mentally whether to dismount him now that his hold had slackened, when Dev gripped her butt, pressing her hard against him. The action emanated a deep moan from her, as it felt like a torturous panacea.

Green eyes homed into hers, the impact as implosive as it would have been had lightning struck them both. With mutual tacit assent, they bent towards each other, the kiss that followed as inevitable as it was necessary. The purpose was to satiate their hunger, but it only served as a catalyst to exacerbate the deprivation for each other. When his tongue surged inside her mouth, she sipped his saliva like she was drinking his very essence, the scent etched in her mind relating it with desire.

Every demand on her own was fiercely met with fervor, like they were having a battle of will, unable to compete in the ferocity of their desire.

Not one single rational thought travelled through her mind, as she was seized by a fervent long-suppressed desire, Ana grinded harder against him gratified when she heard his lustful moan. For the first time in her life, she reveled in her womanhood, the power even more heady than the desire, as the atmosphere seemed to heat up one notch.

Time felt irrelevant as the kiss went on and on, devouring each other with increasing craving instead of fanning the fire. It was like they'd been given a feast after years of starvation. When the kiss broke, it was only to come up for air, both panting with raspy breaths, as they stared at each other with blatant sexual awareness.

After a while, Ana swallowed hard feeling her breath stabilize and she was the one to look away, as regret filled her.

What the hell had she been thinking? Had she been thinking at all? Why was she provoking him with something she wasn't prepared to offer? It wasn't worth it; she wasn't ready to bear the consequences of her act knowing their complicated history.

Gulping down her indecision, she watched surreptitiously as Dev gawked at her like a feral assessing its prey, chest heaving and the intensity of his gaze making her heart constrict with pain and another emotion she could not pinpoint. Bracing herself for his usual mockery, for him to demean what they had recently experienced, using derision as a cloak to protect himself like he always did, she turned her mutinous gaze to him. There was no way Dev would agree that there was something special between them, not after having openly admitting to himself that he hated her.

She was totally unprepared for what followed.

When she felt herself being flipped over, she shrieked at the impact of her skin against the carpet more out of surprise than anything else. Pining her to the floor, he mounted her astride careful that his weight was not resting over her like she had done. Still looking at her in that dark brooding way of his, Ana felt his gaze sear through her like a brand marking her. There was no escape; she was trapped.

When he bent towards her, even knowing that this was a stupid idea, she did not resist him as he took his sweet time to savor her mouth and lips. Liquid fire poured through her veins, and she felt every cell within herself inexorably being melted as she returned his kiss with all fervor she could muster. It was futile denying herself the only pleasure she would be enjoying in her whole damned life. Anyway, her will had a mind of its own where Devin was concerned.

Inhaling deeply, his musky scent as familiar as her own, she allowed herself the luxury to enjoy the moment as he deepened the kiss by entangling her fingers in his hair, pressing her mouth closer.

It was insane. That never-ending kiss had to stop before it got any further. Even if it felt like she was denying herself what she'd been born to achieve. Locked in that tight embrace, they were one, the way they should be, the way they should stay. Those lingering thoughts seeped inside her desire fogged mind like a curse, and she mentally retreated back before she made a greater fool of herself.

Gulping with difficulty, her hands still on his torso, Ana gaped at him with short ragged breaths, already regretting her momentary elapse. The atmosphere was so thick with tension that she could feel it tangible around her, weighing heavily over her head like an ominous cloud. Wrenching herself away from him, she stepped aside dropping her hands fluidly from him in forcibly casual gesture considering she wanted to flee. The only way to survive in that stifling air was to ignore what had happened completely.

"I want to meet my sister first."

In a familiarly mocking way, Dev narrowed his eyes at her, his expression questioning about her avoiding the subject of that recent passionate interlude, but she purposefully kept her face impassible, not showing any reaction even if it required a mammoth effort from her.

A small victory for he conceded without putting up much fight, replying her statement with equal equanimity as he put more distance between them.

"Is that why you're planning to sneak off to Florida behind my back?" he sighed with fatigue, making it sound like she was doing something sleazy. "I do understand that you want to meet your sister first. Trust me, if you find an easier way to deal with this whole mess, I'm in."

Trust him? Yeah, and hell might freeze over. However, she was not foolish to make her feelings apparent.

"I am considering what you suggested about trying to negotiate first instead of my antagonizing approach."

Stupefied, Ana could only gape at him in open wonder unable to conceal her surprise at his change of heart. Devin Crighton was conceding his mistake? Well, that was the only semblance of apology he would willingly grant. It did not matter anyway - the most important thing for her to note was that he was willing to consider another option than destroying her sister's life.

Her skepticism must have been evident for he added. "Don't look at me like that, Ana. I'm not the monster you seem to portray. Remember, I was the one willing to strike a deal with your father even if it was at my own expense. I am most eager to finish this whole drama without much ado."

It was fair enough. The faster they would be able to conclude the matter, the sooner they would both be able to get on with their lives, and put that wrecked chemistry between them behind. For a moment, Ana wondered how he could appear so unaffected by the searing kiss they'd just shared – was he completely immune to the attraction she could feel pouring in her every cell? Her mind was a pathetic piece of fried wires, not able to focus on anything else other than the sizzling fire which had started within her.

Just before he went for the door, he seemed to perform a double-take whirling round to face her with his eyes as glacial as the Antarctic. "I'm warning you Ana. No more sneaking behind my back getting ideas for the coming week. I have to head to my main office to sort a few loose ends before our trip. I expect you to behave."

Spoken like a true despot. And she reacted accordingly – like a demure Victorian damsel, nodding her assent not even trusting her voice at that instant. Her heart was still tripping in her chest, and she was trying to concentrate on not showing her that her wobbly knees might ditch her anytime.

Seemingly mollified by her diffidence, he strolled towards the door but not before issuing another staggering command. "No more gallivanting around the city as well."

The week which followed passed without any mishaps, her mind was still in turmoil though even when she knew that Devin was miles away, jumping every time she saw someone with his physiognomy. It was no reprieve, and she had to manage her charity works and modeling projects for she had no certainty of the duration of her absence. The only positive outlook was that she was not invited to any prominent party which inadvertently solved her 'gallivanting' problems.

Aimee sounded like a broken record with her incessant warnings about Devin Crighton, and Ana felt confident that this time over, she wouldn't concede for him to get under his skin. No bloody way. That torturous trip was only to make sure that Dev was correctly compensated before they could both put the past where it should be – behind them.

By the time Dev came to pick her from her apartment, she was already fidgety with her nerves in tatters at the prospect of seeing him again. However, when he arrived, wearing dark shades which hid his expressive eyes, it was hard to judge his mood, and she figured it was for the best.

After a reigning silence which hovered like a dark shadow between them, they finally checked in the nearest hotel for their meeting with the next Alyssa. Obviously, the Mr.-know-it-all had completely forgotten about making prior reservations which left them with no room available at the last minute. It took them more than an hour to persuade the manager to allocate them the only single room available, which was already reserved, but which Dev managed to obtain with his charm and money.

Ana, however, was not impressed.

"Where do you plan to sleep for the night?" she asked, her expression as rigid as that morning, not an ounce of her usual easygoing personality on her face.

"Relax," he replied, addressing her for the first time since they'd begun their trip, removing his shades to search around the room after the room servant had left. "That couch looks pretty comfy."

That was an understatement. She was no snob; even if the room was small with a simple décor of pastel green and blue amalgam, the luxurious timeless Italian architecture was unmistakable. However, there was only one bed, albeit a king-sized one which white satin bedsheets, with a couch forming an 'L' at the far corner which looked insufficient for a large man.

She sighed. Why was she so desperate to have him look at her? "Can you imagine the uproar it would create in the media if ever the story comes out?" she queried annoyed with herself to be bothered about his foul mood, or the tension so tangible between them that she could feel it down to her toes. Stubbornly, she avoided his gaze as she sat on the opposite side of the bed, flinging her personal belongings on the small table.

He straightened from his bent position as he was trying to unlock the safe, to bury his treasures most obviously. "I reckon it wouldn't be the first time," he inferred with his usual disdain, finally daring to grace her with a fleeting glance. Ana frowned at him in question. "The gossip columns mentioning you can testify that your life has not been boring during the past years, so you can skip the prudish act with me."

He'd read articles about her?! Well, she'll be damned. Was that why he was pissed off? He'd learnt something not very pleasure to his manhood? Too bad for him. She'd never been one to pour through those vicious magazines which kept targeting celebrities maliciously not even reflecting the truth about the person they actually were.

To have Devin Crighton leeching through those tabloids just to have information about her genuinely stunned her, and she could not resist goading him. "You've read articles about me? Should I be honored?"

She was even more surprised when he bestowed her a serious expression, his brown eyes weirdly brilliant as they gleamed in the dimly lit room. "Trust me there was nothing flattering - you're better off not knowing."

Opting for a casual shrug to show him her insouciance, she leant against the bed with a weary sign as the softness of the mattress took in her weight. A peek in his direction showed him eying the bed with envy which made her sit up promptly.

"Don't even think about it Dev," she muttered crossly. "You are sleeping on the floor if the couch doesn't fit."

For one second, Ana thought a devious look crossed his fallen angel features, then he reclaimed his infuriatingly cold mask, before bowing mockingly. "Yes ma'am," he growled, his smile enigmatically suggesting some complacency. Most probably, he was too ecstatic to be so near his objective – his ultimate goal in life.

Determined to ignore him, she started to type furiously on her iPhone, communicating with Aimee about pending loopholes, and when she was done she was startled to discover that the night had settled in.

Looking at him, she politely inquired if he wanted room service also, and ordered for two plates to be sent up their room when his answer was affirmative. He was also engrossed in his laptop, sometimes walking over to the balcony when his phone rang.

Gulping down her nervousness, she finally admitted to herself that she was dreading the sleeping arrangement, and her heart nearly stopped when she emerged from the bathroom to halt before a naked man. Well, almost naked, her feeble mind resonated with hazy stupor. With his back turned, his only attire was a pair of tight black CK trunks which hugged his derriere like a second skin, he exhibited the epitome of the perfect male. Who the hell had sexy muscles with ripples on the back??

She gulped. "You're not going to sleep like that!" she shrieked in indignation, when she finally recovered her voice.

The 360 degree turn he performed was so hasty that Ana's head spun with the speed. Or was it the sight of his perfect body which was making her giddy? His front was even more appealing, with his finely sculpted body on exuberant display, not huge like the contemporary male models which was used to. "Aren't you models supposed to be comfortable with nude bodies all the time?"

He was right. She'd encountered enough naked men throughout her career to be supposedly immune to the combination of perfect physique along with devastating features. Except none had created havoc with her system like the man standing in front of her was doing, and that too without much effort on his behalf. The teasing glint which had fleeted his face was back in full force as he grinned deviously seeming to pick up her mood.

"I'm not totally naked you know. Usually I go all through the Tarzan mode. If you want, I can remove my..."

"Uhhhhm no thanks," she stammered, darting towards the bed but not before hearing a deep mischievous chuckle. Snuggling under the quilt as far as possible, she squeezed her eyes shut to make an effort to wipe off the vision from her mind. The image of him standing without self-consciousness, so majestically in his nakedness where his torso had not one ounce of fat, his abs well-defined into a six packs.... Stop!

Sleep was impossible. Not with a half-naked man across the room which seemed to be sending crazy signals to her body, and it took a herculean effort not to tussle around. Keeping her eyes tight, she ignored him completely – or at least tried to and feigned sleep.

"Are you asleep yet?" she heard, and she clamped her mouth shut hoping he would take the hint. And he did!

When she heard the bed squeak, she flung her quilt aside sitting up with a jerk. "WHAT THE HELL...?"

"Relax," he drawled softly, silencing her with a finger on her lips. "I'm not going to sleep a wink on that couch and the bed is wide enough for the two of us. If you feel so outraged at having your modesty violated, please be my guest to switch."

All thoughts flew from her head apart from the fact that his fingers burnt her lips, her mouth forming an 'O' almost automatically, wanting to feel more of the sensation he was causing. She stopped herself just in time – she was no sucker, especially not for this man.

Wrenching herself away from him, she purposefully scatted as far from him as possible, her body curved into a small ball to avoid any physical interaction.

"Goodnight then," he whispered in a husky voice.

Minutes ticked by, and she lost the track of time staring blankly into the dark, cursing herself for craving for that man. Regular lights snort came his way, and her languorous mood together with her determination to sleep was not helping. After analyzing every ramification of their heated kiss, she finally gave up her mental fight turning round carefully to ease the stiffness of her right side.

It was her undoing. Even in the dark, she could discern his inherent features, his face devoid of its any trace of cynicism making him look younger and ... vulnerable. A lock of hair had dislodged on his forehead, giving him a sexy rakish look. With him off-guard, Ana permitted her gaze to roam hungrily over his face and body, giving free reign to the veneration she usually hid around him, feeling that she would be content watching him all her life. When he stirred, she was unprepared for it, and closed her eyes with a jerk.

"Don't look at me like that unless you are prepared for what follows next," he whispered in a husky voice but her eyes remained adamantly closed, berating herself for her faux pas.

He was right, she should heed his warning. Wasn't that what she'd been repeating to herself ever since they had crossed path again. Playing with fire wasn't a good idea. That sentence reiterated in her mind until she fooled herself into believing that she was strong enough to resist him. Then she opened her eyes, and knew the exact second that she was doomed. Dark green eyes glittered in the night, fixing her with a hypnotic fascination, and for the first time in her life she threw all caution out of the window.

She wanted to live; if the only moment she felt alive was in his arms, then to hell with the consequences.