But at least she was with him. * * * *

Night had fallen by the time he pulled up in front of the house. He put the handbrake on and looked over at Kim. She was fast asleep. Getting out of the car, he went to the back and opened the boot. He took her luggage out and looked around when a light cut through the darkness. He smiled at the woman coming out to greet him and intimated for her to be quiet when she took the suitcase off his hands.

Going around to the passenger side of the car, he opened the door and leaned in. He unbuckled Kim's seatbelt and slid it carefully off her, trying not to disturb her. He waited a moment before bending down and hooking one arm around her back, and the other under her legs.

She weighed practically nothing in his arms as he lifted her out of the car. She stirred a little, opened her eyes and looked at him sleepily, and then sighed and went back to sleep.

Kicking the car door closed, he decided to take Kim into the house and take care of the car later. He carried her through the broad front door and into the hallway. There weren't many lights on. When Kim had fallen asleep in the car, he'd called ahead to warn the housekeeper of his arrival, but she probably hadn't had the time to get most of the house ready. He didn't mind. He doubted they'd use more than eight of the rooms while they were here.

The housekeeper closed the door behind him and smiled at the sleeping woman in his arms.

"It's good to see you two finally together," she whispered.

He sighed and looked down at Kim. "Not finally yet. It's still more of a maybe. She doesn't know."

"She'll understand. I've got a feeling about it."

"You and your feelings," he said with a smile. "Give her anything she wants, understood?"

"I've already called and arranged all the necessary food. It will be arriving tomorrow morning. I'll make sure she's not left wanting anything."

He nodded and carried Kim up the stairs. She stirred a little again, looking up at him with sleep-filled eyes that said she wasn't quite aware of what was happening.

"You need some rest. It's been one hell of a day." He kept his voice low and soothing, almost purring the words at her.

She smiled slightly and yawned, her eyes roaming the corridor they were walking down before coming back to meet his. They seemed to ask a silent question, and if he was reading it right, she was going to be disappointed by his answer.

Setting her down in front of the door to her bedroom, he opened it for her and waited for her to walk in. He followed her, watching her yawning and taking in the large room. When she looked at him, he could see she was waiting for an answer to her question.

He walked over to her and looked at her for the longest time before pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"I'll see you in the morning," he whispered against her mouth and then drew back, adding quietly to himself that he'd see her in his dreams too. It was probably best that she had a night without him, a night alone with only their visions to link them. It would help bring out the bond between them again and hopefully remind her of how good they could be together.

She gave him a tired but confused look as he backed away from her. He wanted to give in to her, but even if he did, he wouldn't give her what she really wanted. The only place he could give her that right now without feeling terrible inside was in their visions. If he got into bed with her, all he'd want to do was hold her.

She stepped towards him.

He smiled, brushed the rogue strands of her hair back into place and touched her cheek.

"Night," he said, and turned and walked out of the door, closing it behind him.

Tomorrow, he'd see just how open-minded she was and just where their relationship was going to go.

Chapter 16.

Kim stretched as she woke, feeling relaxed as she sank into the soft mattress beneath her and vaguely recollected her dream. Two things stood out in it. One was the incredibly powerful feeling of connection between her and Erik. She'd felt as though they'd been entwined right down to their souls. The second was the handcuffs.

It hadn't been kinky, not like she'd expected it to get when he'd pulled the handcuffs out. It had been intense and had shown her a different side to this strong man. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her, realising that it wasn't a ceiling at all. It was a canopy.

She sat up and yawned as she looked around the room. She was in a four-poster bed in the middle of what looked like a very expensive room.

A very big expensive room.

Not really the kind of room you'd find in a little place in the country. She got the feeling that Erik had an odd impression of what was little. This looked like a big place in the country. She didn't have a clue whereabouts they were. The moment they'd hit traffic on the motorway, she'd been out like a light. The cool air and calming music had seen to that, and the comforting presence of Erik. Something about him made her feel safe, as though he'd defend her and protect her from anything.

There was something sexy about that. A knight in shining armour.

And his steed?

That car was incredible. When she'd pictured the type of car he'd probably drive, she'd done a good job. It was definitely sleek, curvy and irresistible. She'd never been in an Aston Martin before. She'd give anything if he'd let her drive it. She could just imagine the thrill of being behind the wheel of something so powerful and eye-catching.

Getting out of bed, she investigated the room, pulling the drawers in the dresser out and looking inside them only to find them empty, peering in the cupboards and eventually finding herself in the bathroom. It was more modern than the bedroom, the cream marble tiles contrasting against the darker, more earthy, trim. It was so light with the sun coming in through the etched glass window. She couldn't see out of it, but then she was thankful for that since it meant no one could see in. The toilet and sink were white, and expensive looking. She frowned. There was no shower. Instead, there was a beautiful roll-top bath sitting on ornate iron lion's feet in the middle of the room.

Sumptuous didn't cover it.

All it needed was to be full of water and with red rose petals floating on the surface, and it would be straight out of a dream. Maybe a few candles too.

And Erik.

This place was probably costing him a fortune to put her up in, and they weren't even sharing a room like she'd been expecting them to.

Walking out into the bedroom again, she saw her suitcase on a stand. She went over and opened it, looking at what she'd packed. She'd thrown pretty much everything she could get her hands on into the suitcase, unsure of what to pack and too drained to think straight. It was all there, from a swimming costume to a thick jumper. She looked at the jumper. Why on Earth she'd thought she'd need that, she'd never know.

Pulling out a long cream sundress, she placed it on the side and put some underwear with it. A modest cream bra and knickers. She was here to talk business, not be seduced. She frowned. He didn't seem to want to seduce her anyway. She hazily remembered the chaste kiss last night. She'd felt the passion pushing to get free in that kiss, but he'd kept it so light and almost emotionless.

He was probably just being cautious.

After all, she'd flown off the handle at him about Laura.

She frowned when she thought about her, and then remembered that today was Tuesday and they were supposed to be at the office signing Erik's contract with his brother. Scratch that. Erik was supposed to be there. She was off the case.

She still couldn't believe he'd done that. It infuriated one half of her while the sentiment behind it melted the other. He'd only wanted to make her feel as though she could be with him, but what damage had he done to her career? She hoped he'd done it tactfully and not made her sound incompetent.

Going into the bathroom, she stripped off her underwear and drew herself a warm bath. She stepped into it and sighed, closing her eyes, giving herself a moment to relax before starting to wash herself. She grabbed the soap that was sitting on a little dish attached to the side of the bath and cleaned herself while thinking about Erik.

She wondered where he was. He'd said he'd see her in the morning. She looked through the bathroom doorway to the bedroom beyond. The tall heavy curtains were drawn. She couldn't tell if it was morning or not. For all she knew, it could be mid-afternoon.

Getting out of the bath when she was done, she dried herself off with the fluffy white towels on the rack and then went into the bedroom to get dressed. When she was clothed, she sprayed herself with perfume and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She glanced at herself in the mirror on the dressing table and realised that she looked quite pretty in the sunny dress.

She went to the curtains covering one of the windows and threw them open. She gasped.

In front of her was a perfectly manicured garden with a box hedge maze at the far end. Beyond that, stretched a long field with trees all around it.

This definitely wasn't a little place in the country.

She went to her bag and took her mobile phone out. It was almost midday. She sent a quick text to Simon to say that she still wasn't feeling well and asking him to explain things to Laura, and then went to the door of the room.

She noticed there was no fire escape route sign on the door, and no lock.

Opening the door, she stared at the other side of it. There was no number.

This wasn't a hotel.

She closed the door behind her and walked down the hall, listening for any sign of Erik or someone who she could ask where he was.

She didn't meet anyone between her room and the garden. She walked along the patio that stretched the length of the back of the house. The garden looked even more impressive at this level. She was a few steps above it, looking down. Her gaze traversed the rose bushes that were fenced in by low square hedges. They were made into patterns, each wide square a little different in design. There were tall trees off to her left and right, enclosing the garden and making it feel private and safe.

Peering around, she still couldn't see anyone, so she walked down the steps towards the maze. She looked back at the house when she was almost there. It was massive. She'd only been to houses this big when visiting National Trust properties. She'd never known anyone who lived in one.

Was this Erik's?

Was this the family home he'd grown up in?

She couldn't imagine a place like this having a jar of peanut butter, not even if it was the housekeeper's.

Turning her back on it, she took a deep breath of the fresh air, letting it fill her lungs and fill her with summer at the same time. The sun was hot as it beat down on her, warming her and making her feel content. The flowers smelt beautiful. It all conspired to relax her and she was soon humming to herself as she watched bees go about their business and butterflies, miles away in her thoughts and enjoying the outside.

A flash of the house made her close her eyes and frown.

Another one and she was seeing herself.

She opened her eyes and they widened when she saw a large black cat slinking out of the maze.

It stopped and looked at her, raising its head and sniffing the air as though trying to catch her scent.

She froze, hoping that she'd become invisible by doing so.

She'd heard of rich people being eccentric, but keeping a panther and letting it roam loose around the grounds was just asking for a court case.

Her eyes widened further when she remembered that Simon had said one of the rumours he'd heard was about a girl being mauled.

Her heart started a slow steady thumping that quickly accelerated. She kept still as the panther lowered its head and stalked towards her, its shoulders shifting as it did so. Its golden eyes were locked on her. It licked its lips and she squeaked at the sight of the large canines.

She trembled, petrified as she waited for it to reach her, too scared to run away as her mind kept telling her that it would hunt her if she did. Her heart was pounding painfully fast. The panther was going to attack her.

It growled, low and deep.

She could almost feel it rumbling through her.

She tensed when it closed the gap and sniffed her foot, working its way up her leg. It was massive. If it

stood on its back legs, it would easily be as tall as her. The sight of the huge paws made her shake. She

could imagine the power in a single blow from one. Would she even stand a chance?

She was surprised when it rubbed against her, sleek fur tickling her knees and dragging her dress with it as it arched against her and turned away. It came back, rubbing its chin against her thigh.

Maybe it was a good sign.

She'd seen programs about big cats. She tried to remember what they'd said. Was it scenting her?

It growled again as it rubbed the length of itself against her. It vibrated through her. She looked down as

it nudged her hand and went under it. Her fingers trailed over the velvety fur between its ears. She didn't

dare stroke it. It seemed to want her to.

It came around again, doing the same thing and making her stroke over its head and along its back. Its tail tickled her arm as it passed. A giggle slipped through her tightly clenched teeth and she began to feel a little more relaxed.

It rubbed against her hand and she instinctively knew what it wanted. Curling her fingers as it passed, she buried the tips of them into the soft black fur and rubbed it behind the ear. It stopped moving and pushed up against her, its front paws leaving the ground. She rubbed a little harder, pushing her fingers through the thick hair and wrapping her hand around its left ear, pulling softly as she brought her hand up the length of it.

She was amazed at how she suddenly felt unafraid of it.

When it began to purr, she stroked it more, urged on by the strangely familiar sound. She bent down

slowly, bringing herself onto eye level with it. It looked at her as she rubbed its fur, fascinated by the lush velvet feel of it and the way it was reacting to her.

It closed its eyes, looking content.

She frowned when it turned away, slinking back into the maze.

Standing, she realised that she wasn't alone. She spun on the spot, finding herself being watched by a

woman.

The woman smiled and walked towards her.

She didn't move. The adrenaline from meeting the panther was still affecting her legs and she was afraid