‘Are you torturing me on purpose?’ she demanded in a shaking voice.
‘Maybe,’ he admitted. ‘What if I am?’
‘Brute,’ she exclaimed as he lowered her onto the bed and kept her pinned there.
‘Hussy,’ he countered as she reached for him to take matters into her own hands.
‘You make that sound like the biggest compliment on earth,’ she commented, raising one brow with amusement.
‘Where you’re concerned, it is,’ he said. ‘And why shouldn’t you feel free?’
‘For once in my life?’ she suggested.
‘No more talk, Lizzie. Not tonight.’
It was just as well Chico had put an embargo on conversation, as she resented the time she might waste forming words. She wanted him. It was that simple, and that complicated, Lizzie thought as Chico protected them both. The urge to feel close to him again was stronger than anything—to be held by him, and feel the reassurance of Chico’s arms around her; to feel his trust, and to trust in him. Trust was the worst thing of all to lose, she had concluded over the years that had separated them. Doubt and lack of trust were so corrosive.
‘Where are you now?’ he demanded, jolting her out of these thoughts.
‘I’m with you,’ she whispered, smiling into his eyes. And Chico was magnificent, a powerhouse of muscle and strength. She was enslaved by the magic he could work with his hands, and drew in a shuddering breath as his fingertips grazed her arm. He really was the master of the innocent touch that promised so much more.
‘Whatever I say you must do, you must do,’ he proposed.
‘You’ll be lucky,’ she said, smiling into his wicked black eyes.
‘Really?’ Chico challenged her. ‘Shall we put that to the test?’
‘Please,’ she encouraged.
Her excited cries shivered on the sultry air as Chico drew the tip of his erection slowly down, while holding her firmly in place so she had nothing more to do than accept the pleasure. The sheer size and weight of him forced an exclamation of excited alarm from her lips, and that was all it took to make him stop. ‘Don’t—’
‘Don’t stop?’ he queried, frowning as he stared down at her. ‘You’re shivering.’
‘With anticipation,’ she said as she linked her hands behind his neck. ‘I want you,’ she whispered, moving to help him.
‘Then, I’ll take it easy.’
‘No need.’ She sucked in a breath as Chico found her, touched her, and did things with his hands that made the world and all its complications go away.
Covering his hand with hers, she encouraged him. Heaven was a steady rhythm, and a man who knew just what to do. It was the most natural thing on earth when she thrust towards him and drew him in, though she inhaled sharply as Chico moved deeper, stretching her beyond what seemed to be possible, but he was so skilful and patient that pleasure soon eclipsed the shock of his invasion. Even so, he waited a moment so she could grab a breath.
‘OK?’
‘Too good,’ she managed.
Turning her face into his chest so he couldn’t see the glimmer of tears in her eyes, she rejoiced at finally being where she belonged with Chico. She’d waited so long for this, and it felt so right, even better than she had imagined. ‘More,’ she whispered, digging her fingers into his shoulders.
Chico buffeted her relentlessly to a steady and dependable rhythm, until she cried out wildly, ‘Faster—harder—’ The first pleasure waves were building.
‘As hard as you want, bonita,’ Chico promised as she clung to him. ‘I love to see you like this.’
Helpless and greedy for more? ‘Just don’t stop,’ she begged, thrusting fiercely in time with him. ‘Please—don’t ever stop.’
‘That’s one request I can’t refuse,’ Chico admitted as he stared down at her.
‘Then don’t,’ she exclaimed, letting go in a noisy and violent release.
She would never be able to get enough of Chico. Her whole body had sprung to ravenous life. The more he made love to her, the more she wanted him. It wasn’t until he was soothing her down yet again, and she glanced towards the doors onto the balcony, that she felt the first twinge of unease. The party was still in full swing. She should be down there—not compromising her position by sleeping with her boss.
‘I’m not finished yet,’ Chico murmured as he followed her glance to the window.
His husky voice called her back to the seductive world only they inhabited, but even when he murmured, ‘Ride me,’ and the temptation to do just that was like a fire burning inside her, she hesitated as she wondered if their raw lust for sex would ever balance with her emotional needs.
‘Problem?’ Chico queried.
‘No...’ She smiled as she surrendered. Chico was doing things with his hands that made all thoughts of reality vanish, and he quickly brought her to release.
‘I can’t seem to get enough of you,’ she admitted when she could catch her breath again.
‘Excellent,’ Chico growled as he tumbled her beneath him.
Resting her legs on his shoulders, he brought her to the edge of the bed, spread her wide and thrust deep, and for a while she forgot everything else, but when he soothed her down and brushed a distracted kiss against her brow, she sensed the fantasy was over. There was a change in his eyes. Chico was replete. He’d fed and now it was time to move on.
He proved her right, withdrawing carefully and swinging off the bed.
‘Where
are you going?’
She had tried so hard to keep her voice even and undemanding, but the raw doubt shone through, and in spite of trying so hard not to sound needy that was exactly how she sounded. She couldn’t help herself. She felt empty, and inexplicably apprehensive about the future. She’d grown up and learned to feel, but Chico’s feelings were still heavily guarded.
He stopped at the bathroom door and turned to look at her with nothing but ordinary warmth on his face. ‘I’m going back to the party before they miss me.’ He laughed as if he recognised that it was far too late for that, and with a wry smile raked his hair into some semblance of order. ‘But I’m still going back.’
‘Of course,’ she said, flicking her hair back in an attempt to appear equally sophisticated, as if having the most extraordinary sex in the middle of a party was all completely normal and run of the mill for her, too. Chico couldn’t have made it clearer that this had just been a pleasant interlude for him, and that this extraordinary event for her was just part of the evening’s entertainment for him.
‘I’ll take a shower,’ he said pleasantly. ‘You can use the other bathroom. Or wait for me to finish, if you want.’
This was all so cuttingly routine, when she had thought the past few hours life-changing. Chico didn’t say anything else. He didn’t even trouble to grab a robe. Why would he? This was his house, his bedroom—his rules. Naked and glorious, he headed for the bathroom, grabbing his clothes on the way. Quite suddenly she felt like an intruder in his bedroom.
He was back while she was still giving herself a stiff talking-to, and all her stern resolve to get up and get at it, and just put this behind her, fell away at the sight of him. Dripping water and magnificent with just a towel around his waist, Chico was completely relaxed as he rubbed his hair dry, while she was still trying to work out how to behave in this new role of his temporary bedmate.
‘You don’t have to come down right away, Lizzie,’ he said, turning to her as if sensing her indecision. ‘Take your time. You can sleep for a while, if you want to.’