that
in his bed.” His fingers played with her clit. He pressed his lips to her bare
shoulder and plunged his middle finger inside her.
Her eyes popped
open. The scene in the mirror made her knees buckle.
Antonio supported
her effortlessly. He rocked his hips against her buttocks making the hard ridge
of his erection impossible to ignore. “Feel what you do to me, and to every
red-blooded male who sees you. You’re a desirable woman, Clare, and I want you
more than I’ve ever wanted any woman.”
She believed him,
if only for that moment in time, because it suited her to. He nudged her feet
farther apart and inserted a second finger into her slick channel.
“Let me give you
pleasure,” he pleaded unnecessarily.
She was past
rational thought, past the ability to refuse him anything no matter what the
cost later on. What he was doing to her went beyond every fantasy she had ever
had about being with him, and there was no way she would end it now. She spread
her legs and rocked against his palm.
“That’s it, babe.
Take what you want. Let it happen.”
A third finger
stretched her. She groaned and let her head fall against his shoulder in surrender.
He pressed his lips to her neck, scraped his teeth across the vein pulsing
there, and she shattered. Unintelligible sounds escaped her throat. Antonio
murmured incomprehensible things in her ear while her body convulsed and poured
liquid love over his hand. And through it all, he held her in the shelter of
his arm wrapped around her waist, cloaking her with his heat and strength.
She slowly became
aware of her surroundings and that his hand cupped her now, gently massaging
the tender flesh between her legs. Embarrassment washed over her like a blazing
sunset. She grabbed at his arms, trying to dislodge them only to have him
tighten his grip.
“No. Let me hold
you a minute longer, Clare.”
She didn’t dare
look in the mirror, choosing to keep her eyes tightly shut, acquiescing to his
demand because she had no choice. Her weak struggles were nothing compared to
his strength.
“I’m truly
humbled, bella. Thank you for letting me see you this way.”
They stood there,
silent but for their labored breathing, until her knees ceased to tremble and
her skin became chilled. He eased the robe onto her shoulders and deftly retied
the sash at her waist before letting his hands come to rest on her hips.
Braver now that
she was covered, she raised her gaze once again to the mirror. He peered over
her shoulder.
“I don’t want you
to doubt your beauty ever again,” he said. “I wanted you the first moment I
laid eyes on you, and I’m going to have you.”
“Antonio….”
“Shh. No more
protests. We’ll take it slow. We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.” He
turned her to face him. “Say you’ll spend time with me. Say you’ll give us a
chance.”
He tugged her
closer, and she shuffled her feet to stand between his. When his arms closed
around her, she pressed her cheek to his chest. His heartbeat thumped out a
steady, reassuring rhythm. Her hands came up to embrace him as naturally as if
they did it every day. She took her first deep breath since Antonio appeared at
her car window earlier in the day. Beneath his understated woodsy cologne, he
smelled of what she supposed was pure testosterone. Saying no to him wasn’t an
option.
“Okay.”
Chapter
Eight
Two days had
passed since their spa date, and Clare hadn’t heard a word from Antonio until a
few minutes ago. Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone? She’d shown him more of
herself, literally and figuratively, than she had any other man—ever. She’d
shown him enough to send him running back to New York, she thought.
But he hadn’t run.
He was on his way up to her office. Probably to say goodbye. Well,
goodbye, yourself, Antonio Ramirez. Go find yourself a skinny-assed actress to
play the part of your wife. I’m through playing your games.
She shoved random
clutter into her
in his bed.” His fingers played with her clit. He pressed his lips to her bare
shoulder and plunged his middle finger inside her.
Her eyes popped
open. The scene in the mirror made her knees buckle.
Antonio supported
her effortlessly. He rocked his hips against her buttocks making the hard ridge
of his erection impossible to ignore. “Feel what you do to me, and to every
red-blooded male who sees you. You’re a desirable woman, Clare, and I want you
more than I’ve ever wanted any woman.”
She believed him,
if only for that moment in time, because it suited her to. He nudged her feet
farther apart and inserted a second finger into her slick channel.
“Let me give you
pleasure,” he pleaded unnecessarily.
She was past
rational thought, past the ability to refuse him anything no matter what the
cost later on. What he was doing to her went beyond every fantasy she had ever
had about being with him, and there was no way she would end it now. She spread
her legs and rocked against his palm.
“That’s it, babe.
Take what you want. Let it happen.”
A third finger
stretched her. She groaned and let her head fall against his shoulder in surrender.
He pressed his lips to her neck, scraped his teeth across the vein pulsing
there, and she shattered. Unintelligible sounds escaped her throat. Antonio
murmured incomprehensible things in her ear while her body convulsed and poured
liquid love over his hand. And through it all, he held her in the shelter of
his arm wrapped around her waist, cloaking her with his heat and strength.
She slowly became
aware of her surroundings and that his hand cupped her now, gently massaging
the tender flesh between her legs. Embarrassment washed over her like a blazing
sunset. She grabbed at his arms, trying to dislodge them only to have him
tighten his grip.
“No. Let me hold
you a minute longer, Clare.”
She didn’t dare
look in the mirror, choosing to keep her eyes tightly shut, acquiescing to his
demand because she had no choice. Her weak struggles were nothing compared to
his strength.
“I’m truly
humbled, bella. Thank you for letting me see you this way.”
They stood there,
silent but for their labored breathing, until her knees ceased to tremble and
her skin became chilled. He eased the robe onto her shoulders and deftly retied
the sash at her waist before letting his hands come to rest on her hips.
Braver now that
she was covered, she raised her gaze once again to the mirror. He peered over
her shoulder.
“I don’t want you
to doubt your beauty ever again,” he said. “I wanted you the first moment I
laid eyes on you, and I’m going to have you.”
“Antonio….”
“Shh. No more
protests. We’ll take it slow. We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.” He
turned her to face him. “Say you’ll spend time with me. Say you’ll give us a
chance.”
He tugged her
closer, and she shuffled her feet to stand between his. When his arms closed
around her, she pressed her cheek to his chest. His heartbeat thumped out a
steady, reassuring rhythm. Her hands came up to embrace him as naturally as if
they did it every day. She took her first deep breath since Antonio appeared at
her car window earlier in the day. Beneath his understated woodsy cologne, he
smelled of what she supposed was pure testosterone. Saying no to him wasn’t an
option.
“Okay.”
Chapter
Eight
Two days had
passed since their spa date, and Clare hadn’t heard a word from Antonio until a
few minutes ago. Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone? She’d shown him more of
herself, literally and figuratively, than she had any other man—ever. She’d
shown him enough to send him running back to New York, she thought.
But he hadn’t run.
He was on his way up to her office. Probably to say goodbye. Well,
goodbye, yourself, Antonio Ramirez. Go find yourself a skinny-assed actress to
play the part of your wife. I’m through playing your games.
She shoved random
clutter into her
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