These two excerpts from 'Aphrodisia' by Rebecca Ambrose describe the growing relationship between Fleur and Alix. Fleur has come to the exotic island of Bahua in search of a flower that will be the aphrodisiac ingredient of a very special perfume. Alix is a botanist and custodian of the rare orchid she seeks. Together they find something even more rare, a passion for life and love that is as strong and natural as that of the pleasure-loving islanders . . .

Alix looked long and hard into Fleur's eyes, searching for the truth. In the dusky light they looked unfathomable, revealing nothing, scarcely even their colour. Yet from her face issued a sweet radiance that told him she had spoken sincerely. She did want him, possibly even as much as he wanted her. His gaze swept down over her gorgeous body, over the lush ripeness of breasts crested with tawny pink nipples, over the golden plain of her midriff to the delightful patch of light brown fuzz that adorned her pubis. Here was his blonde beauty, the girl of his dreams, and he had only to reach out and take her.

'Fleur!' he murmured, dropping to his knees beside her and touching the soft mesh of her hair. 'You came here to look for a flower, but I've found one!'

'You have?' Her eyes gleamed with dark enquiry until she caught his meaning, then she laughed. 'Oh, you mean me!'

'Yes, you!'

He leaned close and touched her pale lips with his. Fleur sighed and tried to lift her arms, to take him into her embrace, but she couldn't. Somehow they had become entangled in the pile of nets on which she lay.

'Alix, I can't seem to move my arms. There's something tight round my wrists...'

He investigated briefly, then looked at her with a smile. 'That's right. The netting's got twisted around your wrists.'

'Would you undo it then, please?'

Alix saw her tremulous mouth and wide eyes, smelt the scent of a creature at bay. He saw how her thighs pressed closer together, writhing softly, her feet nervously entwined. Then he saw beyond the anxious creature that she was becoming, knew that the sensual heart of her wanted this, longed to be held captive because then she could give her all, without conscience.

'No,' he smiled. 'I don't think I will.'

At that Fleur strained, her lovely breasts thrust up to within inches of his face, her slender hips performing a tortuous dance.

'Please, Alix!'

He said nothing, only smiled. Fleur, resigned to helplessness, stared back at him with wondering eyes, her hands fixed behind her and the rest of her body his for the taking. Alix focused on her uplifted bosom, where the teats stood out like huge pink jewels set within a ring of smaller gems. He bent his head and took one nipple between his lips. Fleur gave a moan of half-protest but her thighs pressed close to his, and he guessed she needed to feel the glory of his manhood, to know what manner of man was about to possess her. Swiftly he tore off his soray so that the meaty length of him lay against her thigh, hot and ready. Fleur uttered a long, soft sigh.

'I want to hold you,' she murmured. He knew where.

'Not yet.' His voice was gruff and he sensed that she liked it. Independent and self-confident as she was, travelling halfway across the globe like that, something in her still needed to play at this game, this charade of not being responsible for what was about to happen to her. Fleur wanted him to shoulder the projected guilt of her pleasure by pretending to take her against her will . . .

'This is nice!' Fleur sighed, appreciatively, as they sat on the ledge outside the cave drinking coffee with the sun just beginning to filter through the trees. She was still glowing with that special radiance, but in daylight it could be mistaken for a healthy tan.

'Was last night nice, too?' Alix asked, suddenly compelled to mention it.

She turned and gave him a beautiful smile. 'I think you know the answer to that question, Alix.' She leaned across and kissed him, thoughtfully, on the lips. 'I've never felt like that before, you know. It was something else, something quite wonderful.'

'For me, too.'

'I'm glad.' Then she giggled. 'If someone had told me, yesterday, that I'd be making love with Alix Tempest before the night was out I'd never have believed them. Not after the less than enthusiastic welcome I'd received from you.'

'I'm sorry about that. You bore the brunt of my disillusion with my dealings with the local women, I'm afraid.'

'And would that include your 'dealings' with Tula, by any chance?'

Alix frowned. A frosty note had crept into the conversation and he suspected that she'd somehow found out about his affair with the woman.

'Yes, amongst others. You've seen for yourself how it is here. Promiscuity is a way of life on Bahua, but it can cause more trouble than it's worth. Anyway, I practically had to prise that guy off you last night...'

'Oh yes. Why did you?'

'Why? Because I couldn't stand the thought of anyone else having you I suppose. Least of all someone who would regard you as a casual one-night stand. I thought that, being new to the island, you probably wouldn't know the score.'

Fleur's face softened. 'You're right. I don't really know what came over me. Tula took me there and there was this drumming and this hunky guy giving me the eye, and this heady incense...' She paused, her eyes brightening to an intense blue. 'Incense! That's it, isn't Alix!' She grasped his forearm excitedly. 'The flower, I mean, the one with aphrodisiac powers. That would explain it, wouldn't it?'

For a few seconds Alix stared into her animated face. Was that what she wanted to believe, that she'd been under the spell of some aphrodisiac rather than turned on by him? It wasn't very flattering to his ego. On the other hand, perhaps it would be better to go along with the idea. Things were moving very fast between them, too fast for his liking, and if she could free herself from him by telling herself that what they'd shared wasn't real, that it had been no more than a beautiful, drug-induced dream, maybe she could leave the island without regret when the time came.

'Well yes, I suppose it would.'

Fleur threw him a pleading look. 'Won't you tell me about it...please? I'd hate to return empty-handed, knowing such a plant exists, and works, but not being able to take a sample back with me.'

'Okay.' He led her to the back of the cave and switched on his solar-powered lamp. Pointing to the solution in a test tube he said, 'This is it, Ta-Liko. I call it Aphrodisia.'

'You do?' Fleur gave him a wide smile. 'That's incredible!'

'Why?'

'Because that's what we plan to call our perfume. Oh, Alix, this just has to be what I've been looking for all this time. I feel so excited!'