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‘Have you always known you wanted to be a chef?’
Her smile immediately dimmed and he cursed himself for broaching a touchy subject.
‘I knew I had my parents’ talent but I resisted it for a long time.’
‘I’ve seen the footage of the contest. You’re not a natural in front of the camera.’
One brow rose. ‘Gee, thanks.’
‘What I mean is, you can easily prove to your parents that they’re wasting their time trying to recruit you.’
‘It won’t stop them from trying.’
He shrugged. ‘Then tell them you have a demanding new business partner.’
She shook her head. ‘I’d rather not.’
‘You want to keep me your dirty little secret, tesoro?’
She smiled but the light in her eyes remained dim. ‘Something like that. What about you? Have you always known you wanted to be a warlock?’
He laughed, experiencing a new lightness inside. When her lips curved in response, he forcibly clenched his hands to stop from reaching for her. ‘Ever since I made my first million at eighteen.’
‘Wow, that must have brought the girls running.’
He shrugged, suddenly reluctant to dwell on past conquests. ‘It gave me the ammunition I needed...’
She frowned slightly. ‘Ammunition. To fight your father?’
‘To fight Giacomo, yes.’
‘Why do you call him Giacomo?’
He exhaled. ‘Because he was never a father to me.’
She paused and that soft look entered her eyes. The realisation that he didn’t mind talking to her about his past shocked him. He tried to tell himself it meant nothing, but he knew he was deluding himself.
‘What about your mother? Is she alive?’
Sharp pain pierced his chest. ‘My poor mama is what started this whole nasty business.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘She died giving birth to me. I was so determined to make a quick entrance into the world, I caused her to bleed almost to death by the roadside before an ambulance could arrive.’
Her gasp echoed around the sun-dappled deck. ‘Surely, you don’t think that’s your fault?’
‘Giacomo certainly seems to think so.’
It occurred to him that Ruby was the first woman he’d actively conversed with. Normally, any conversation was limited to the bedroom. But with sex off the table it seemed talking was the next best thing.
‘That’s why there’s so much animosity between you two. He blames you for your mother’s death?’
‘It may have started out that way, but our relationship has evolved...mutated.’
‘Into what?’
He started to answer then stopped. ‘Into something that’s no longer clear-cut.’ Shock rolled through him as he accepted the truth. He’d started out wanting to destroy his father. Along the way, and especially lately, the urge to deliver the kill blow had waned. Even toying with his father now no longer held any interest for him.
‘So what are you going to do about it?’
Sì, what was he going to do?
Call it a day and cut off all ties with Giacomo? The sudden ache in his gut made him stiffen and jerk upright.
‘Enough about me. You have an exceptional talent. I’m officially hiring you to cater my dinner party.’
The compliment brought a smile to her lips. Again, he forced himself not to reach out and caress the satin smoothness of her determined jaw. The urge was stronger because he needed something to blot out his confused thoughts of his father.
‘Thank you.’ She put the sun protection down and glanced at him. ‘Can I get you anything?’
He shook his head. ‘No more cocktails.’
Her smile widened. ‘Then I have the perfect thing.’
She stood and walked to the chiller behind the bar. To his surprise she returned with an ice-cold beer. ‘Sometimes a beer is the perfect solution to thirst.’
Narciso twisted off the cap with relish and took a long swig, and looked over to find her eyes on his throat. The feel of her eyes on him made his temperature shoot sky-high.
‘Aren’t you having a drink?’
She indicated the glass of water on the table next to her lounger.
‘That must be warm by now.’
Wordlessly, he held out the bottle to her. Her eyes met his and sensation skated over him. Their attraction was skittering out of control but he couldn’t seem to apply the brakes.
‘You’re thirsty. Take it.’
Slowly, she took the bottle from him. Her pink tongue darted out to caress the lip of the bottle before she took a small swig.
She held it back out to him. ‘Thanks.’
‘So beers are an exception to your don’t-drink-much rules?’
‘A small drink doesn’t hurt.’
‘Aren’t you afraid you’ll lose control with me?’ he asked roughly.
‘We established that anything between us would be a mistake, remember?’
He stepped deeper into quicksand, felt it close dangerously over him but still he didn’t retreat.
Eyes on her, he took another swig of beer. ‘Perhaps that no longer holds true.’
Her breath audibly hitched. ‘Why? Tell me and I’ll remind you when things threaten to get out of hand.’
He couldn’t stop the laughter that rumbled from his chest. ‘You mean as some form of shock therapy?’
‘If it’s what works for you.’
His gaze slid down her body. Skin made vibrant by the sun and the exertions of their dive this morning offered temptation so strong it was no wonder he could think straight.
‘Don’t worry, tesoro, I’ll try and curb my uncontrollable urges.’
‘I’m glad you can. I’m not so sure about myself,’ she blurted.
For a moment, he thought his hearing was impaired. ‘What did you just say?’
She shut her eyes and cursed as he’d only heard a true New Yorker curse. ‘I feel as if I’m skidding close to the edge of my control where you’re concerned. After Simon—’
‘I am not Simon,’ he grated out.
She trembled. ‘Believe me, I know. But even though I keep telling myself what a bad idea this is, I can’t stop myself from...wanting you.’
The blunt delivery made his eyes widen. ‘You realise how much power you’re giving me by telling me?’
‘Yes. But I’m hoping you won’t take undue advantage of it.’
Slowly, he set the bottle down. ‘Come here.’
‘Did I not just mention undue advantage?’
‘Come here and we’ll see if the advantage is undue or not.’
* * *
Ruby stood slowly and stepped towards him, fighting for a clear breath as he loomed large, powerful and excruciatingly addictive before her. Her skin burned where he cradled her hips in his palms.
‘What do you want, Ruby?’ he rasped.
She looked into his face and every self-preservation instinct fled.
She’d never met a man like Narciso Valentino before. Everything she’d found out about him in the last few days had blown her expectations of him sky-high.
His name might indicate self-absorption but she was learning he was anything but. He could’ve reported her to Zeus when he’d found out she’d applied to be a Petit Q under false pretences. He could’ve sent her packing after she told him about his company owing her. Stopping himself from seducing her and his generosity with the clothes coupled with his easy companionship this morning as they’d scuba-dived at one of the most beautiful places in the world had shown her that Narciso could be nothing like his name.
Little by little, the traits she’d discovered had whittled at her defences.
And now...
‘As crazy and stupid as it is, I want to kiss you more than I want to breathe.’
Dear God, what was wrong with her?
‘Dio mio.’ He sounded strained...disarmed, as if she’d knocked his feet from under him.
She ought to pull back, retreat to the safety of her cabin. Instead, she took his face in her hands, leaned forward and kissed him.
His grunt of desire slammed into her before he seized her arms. Leaning back against the lounger, he tugged her on top of him. Strong arms imprisoned her as he moulded her body to his.
The evidence of arousal against her belly was unmistakable, gave her strength she hadn’t known existed. She plunged her tongue into his mouth, felt the stab of pleasure when he jerked beneath her and groaned long and deep.
Firm hands angled her head for a deeper penetration that made her pulse thud a hundred times faster.
He made love to her with his mouth, lapping at her lips with long strokes that pulled at the hot, demanding place between her legs.
Her hands hungrily explored his warm, firm muscle and hair-roughened chest. When her fingers encountered his nipple, she grazed her nail against it, the way she knew drove him mad.
He tore his mouth from hers, his eyes molten grey as he gazed up at her.
‘Cara mia, this will not end well for either of us if you don’t stop that.’
Brazenly, she repeated the action. And watched in fascination as it puckered and goose bumps rose around the hard disc. Before she could give in to the urge to taste it, Narciso was moving her higher, stark purpose on his face.
‘One bad turn deserves another.’ Roughly, he tugged at her bikini string and caught one plump breast in his mouth as they were freed from the garment.
The sight of him feasting on her in the dimming light was so erotic, Ruby’s nails dug into his chest.
Her hips bucked against his hardness, that hunger climbing even higher as she rubbed against his full, heavy thickness. The thought of having that power inside her made her whimper. When his teeth tugged at her in response, her moan turned into a cry.
Foolish or not, dangerous or not, she wanted him. More than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. For the first time, Ruby understood a little bit of the passion that drove her parents. Of the need that forced two people wholly unsuited to stay together. If it was anywhere near this addictive, this mad, she could almost sympathise...
‘Narciso...please...’
One hand splayed over her bottom, squeezed before grabbing the stretchy material of her bikini. He pulled, sending a million stars bursting behind her closed eyelids as the pressure on her heated clitoris intensified her pleasure. At her shocked gasp, he pulled tighter. Liquid heat rushed to fill her sensitive flesh. Almost immediately, she needed more, so much more that her body was threatening to burst out of her skin. She sank her hands into his hair and bit down on the rough skin of his jaw.
He cursed and froze, hard fingers gripping her hips. When the sensation slid from pleasure to a hint of pain, she lifted her head to gaze drowsily at him.
‘What...?’
‘Before this goes any further I need to be sure you want this,’ he rasped.
She looked down, saw her state of undress, saw his hard, ready body.
Instinctively she went to adjust her clothes, her face flushing with heat. ‘God, what’s wrong with me?’
He stopped her agitated movements with steady hands. ‘Hey, there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re a sensual creature, with natural needs just like—’
