"Yes, that's all that's important." It had been true before this all started. She doubted if it would ever be true again. She tossed the bouquet she was still carrying onto a marble bench they were passing and brusquely picked up her skirts as they approached the helicopter. "I can do without anything else if I have my camera."

Tanadahl was not a palace, not even a very large house, but a charming residence of white stucco and red tile that looked as though it could have been transported from Mexico or southern California. From the air its lovely landscaped terrace and garden looked less impressive than comfortable. The place radiated an atmosphere of… Ronnie mentally searched for the right word. Intimacy.

"Well?" Gabe asked as he waved at Dave and the pilot lifted the helicopter off the ground and headed back toward Marasef.

"I like it," Ronnie said. "It's much better than the palace. I'm not into all that grandeur."

"Neither am I." He led her across the courtyard to the front door. "That's why I bought this place. Sedikhan is a very enlightened and progressive country, and whenever I have to be anywhere in this part of the world, I stay here."

She took off the veil and headpiece she still wore. "I need a bath." She looked at him. "And then we need to talk."

He nodded. "Pilsner threw a rod in the works. We have to find a way to get around it."

He was not giving up, she realized in despair. He would not admit it was hopeless. He would never give up.

He took her elbow and escorted her into the oak-tiled foyer that opened into a huge sunken living room. The interior of the house appearedto be as charming as the exterior, featuring high ceilings, book-lined walls, and a stone fireplace. Pearl-gray cushioned couches and chairs repeated the color of the lush carpet and offered a striking contrast to the deep burgundy of the miniblinds shading the long windows on the south wall and the occasional pillows tossed on the couch. Though the decor was of no particular period, the emphasis was clearly on comfort and offered only a few touches of Mediterranean opulence in the mother-of-pearl inlaid screen and a wonderfully crafted gold camel on the coffee table.

"We're on our own here," Gabe said. "There are no permanent servants. A crew comes from a nearby village twice a week to clean and garden. We shouldn't starve. I never know when I'll have to make a trip over here, so I give orders that the kitchen be always stocked."

"That's good."

"Your bedroom is second on the right." He gestured down the hall to the left of the foyer. "Take your time. Relax. I'll come and get you in an hour or so and we'll see what we can round up in the way of food. If you need anything, call me."

"I will." She turned and walked toward the bedroom he had indicated.

"Ronnie."

She turned to look at him.

He frowned, troubled. "It's going to be fine. I know you're upset by this Pilsner mess, but this is only a setback."

She smiled wearily and nodded. "See you."

He didn't understand. He had been an American all his life and couldn't comprehend what it was like to want something so much that it was an ache inside you, to want to belong. He wanted to help her, intended to sacrifice and work, do everything he could to make her dream come true, but even he didn't realize how deep this disappointment went.

' Good heavens, why was she feeling so sorry for herself? she thought in self-disgust. It was her own fault for allowing her hopes to be raised when she knew the odds. She would just have to adjust to this dilemma and make sure her defeat didn't hurt Gabe.

But she didn't have to worry about that right now.

She was here with Gabe and she would do what she had done all her life to survive and make life worth living.

She would seize the moment she had been given.

• • •

She hesitated for a moment outside Gabe's door. Good grief, she felt foolish. He would probably hoot with laughter when he saw her. Well, she couldn't stay here all night. Seize the moment, dammit. She threw open the door and stepped into the room. After all her mental preparations she was immediately deflated by the sound of the shower running in the adjoining bathroom. Not yet. She drew a deep breath and silently shut the door. She should welcome the postponement, not be disappointed. It gave her a few more minutes to prepare herself.

The shower was turned off and she could hear movement. He would be here in a moment.

The bathroom door opened and she braced herself.

He was naked; his tousled dark hair had been hastily dried, but it still gleamed with moisture.

She swallowed. "Hello."

He stopped in the doorway, stiffening as he saw her standing there draped in nothing but the wedding veil she was using as a shawl. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"At the moment I'm shivering. I didn't haveanything else to wear and I knew you liked veils, so I-"

He cut her off. "I suppose you have a reason for this."

She tried to shrug carelessly. "I thought I was making it pretty clear."

"Not to me. I told you I didn't need sex to relax me."

It hadn't occurred to her that he would assume she was here for that purpose. The scene in her suite last night seemed a thousand years ago. "That's not why I came."

"Go on," he said curtly.

She hadn't expected him to be this wary or herself to be this uncertain. She searched wildly for an answer that would make her feel less vulnerable. She tried to make her tone flippant. "It's been a bad day. I need to take the edge off."

"Then get the hell out of here," he said harshly.

She gazed at him helplessly. "I can't," she whispered. "I have to have you."

His gaze narrowed on her face. "Me or anyone?"

"You." She moved to stand before him and slowly let the veil fall open to reveal her breasts.

Her voice was uneven. "I lied. It has to be you, Gabe."

"You're damn right it does."

He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

She could feel the warmth of his skin through the thin veiling, the strength of his arms as he placed her on the bed and followed her down.

The veil was ripped away and thrown… somewhere.

He stared down at her, his breath coming harshly. "Damn, you're…" His hand reached out and closed around her breast. It instantly responded; her entire body was responding. Heat seemed to travel from his grasp to every part of her. "Lovely…" He watched the flush come to her cheeks, her nipples grow taut. "This is lovely."

His head slowly lowered and his mouth touched one hard nipple. Her chest was lifting and falling as his tongue followed, caressed and teased. Then his whole mouth enveloped her and he began sucking strongly as his other hand kneaded and plumped her other breast.

She bit her lip to keep from screaming at the incredible sensation.

He was making sounds himself, deep, groaning sounds of need that were as exciting as hismouth on her breast. He was over her, straddling her. He began rubbing against her, flesh on flesh, hair on hair, in a frantic sexual rhythm.

He lifted his head. "I can't-it's been too long." A shudder went through Gabe. "I'm sorry. It's got to be quick."

"That's all right." Her arms clutched him tightly. "It doesn't matter." Nothing mattered but that she was close to him, closer than she had ever been before, and would soon be even closer.

He drew a deep breath and said, "No, it's not fair. I'll try to…" He parted her thighs and began rubbing, petting her, tugging at the tight curls. "I wanted to spend more time here…" Two fingers moved down and entered.

She arched upward with a little cry.

"Tight," he murmured. "So tight." He began to stroke in and out slowly as he reached up with his other hand and searched for the nub. When he found it, she cried out again.

He began to rotate the nub while he stroked her, gradually increasing both tempos until she received a sensual jolt with every movement.

She could hear the animallike cries coming from her throat, but they seemed to have no connection with her. The only awareness she hadwas of that part of her his fingers were caressing, stimulating.

"You like it?" he asked fiercely. Another finger joined the others within her. "More?"

"More." Her head was thrashing back and forth on the pillow. "Gabe, it's-"

"Shh…" His hands were gone and he was nudging against her. "I have to be careful. You're so narrow."

She was agonizingly empty and he was too slow. Her hands grabbed his hips and tugged him forward. "To hell with careful," she said. "More."

He sat up, looking down at her. "Ronnie, I don't want to let go." He laughed desperately. "That's a lie, but I'm afraid-"

"More."

He plunged forward to the hilt.

Pain and then an exquisite fullness, a joining.

"Lord!" He went still, deep within her.

Fullness but still a hunger.

"Don't pay any attention," she gasped as her fingers dug into his hips. "It doesn't hurt. Get on with it."

"It's a difficult thing to ignore." An expression of desire so intense it was almost pain crossed his face. "Lord… it feels good."

He liked the tightness, she realized hazily. She instinctively tried to give him more.

A shudder went through him. "Don't do that yet. I'm too-" He looked down at her and his hands reached out to tangle in her hair. "Lord, you're completely… beautiful."

He meant it. She was beautiful to him at this moment. She knew she would look back on this moment with tenderness, but it wasn't tenderness she wanted now. "For heaven's sake, don't pay me compliments. This isn't the time."

His laughter again had an element of desperation in it. "I'm trying to keep from acting like a sex maniac and hurting you."