by Jennie Lucas
Hearing her phone blast Ruby’s unique ringtone in her evening purse, Miller latched onto the excuse like a lifeline, not quite meeting Valentino’s eyes as she slipped away from the group.
Heading straight for the softly lit Japanese garden she’d glimpsed from the dinner table, she let the subtle scent of gardenias and some other richly perfumed flower wash over her as she walked.
* * *
Tino watched Miller wander down the steps and along a rocky pathway towards the infinity pool that glowed as cobalt-blue as her eyes.
Dexter laughed at something TJ had said and Tino glanced back to find that his eyes were also on Miller. As they had been most of the night. Even a blind man could tell that they had history together. And the way her boss had tried to stamp his ownership all over her had Tino wondering if Miller hadn’t needed an escort this weekend for more than just a deterrent for her avaricious client. Perhaps she needed cover for an office affair as well.
He was sure he’d heard talk about Dexter being married, and as a third generation Italian from a solid family background if there was one thing Tino didn’t condone it was extramarital affairs.
His brows drew together as he considered the possibility that Miller and Dexter were lovers, and he didn’t like the feeling that settled in his gut.
Was that why she flinched every time he got within spitting distance of her? She didn’t want her “real” boyfriend to get jealous? If so, she’d soon learn that he wouldn’t play that particular game. Not for another second.
Tossing back the last of his red wine, Tino placed the glass on a nearby table before heading down the steps to the garden.
Obviously hearing his quiet footfalls on the loose pebbles, Miller turned, her face half in shadow under the warm light given off by the raised lanterns that edged the narrow path.
Tino stopped just inside the wide perimeter he’d come to recognise as her personal space and her eyes turned wary. As well they might.
‘I came down here to be alone,’ she said, her dainty chin sticking out at him.
Tino widened his stance. ‘Are you having an affair with Caruthers?’
‘What?’
She seemed genuinely appalled by the question, but she needed to know this was a boundary he wouldn’t cross. ‘Because if you are this little ruse is over.’
Her gorgeous eyes narrowed at his blunt comment.
‘Of course I’m not having an affair with Dexter. But even if I was it would be none of your business.’
‘Wrong, Sunshine. You made it my business this weekend.’
Miller shook her head. ‘That’s rubbish. You were the one who offered to come, and I can tell you I’m not very happy with the job you’re doing so far.’
Tino felt a surge of annoyance that was as much because of his attraction to her as because of her snotty attitude. ‘Want to explain that?’
She leaned in towards him and he got a whiff of her sexy scent. Unconsciously, he breathed deep. ‘You agreed that you would follow my lead, but despite your silver-tongued sophistication you’ve failed to pick up on any of my signals.’
‘Silver-ton...? Sunshine, you are deluded.’
‘Excuse me?’
She mirrored his incredulous tone and Valentino didn’t know whether to put her over his knee or just kiss her. The woman was driving him crazy. Or her scent was. He’d never smelt anything so subtly feminine before, and on a woman who seemed determined to hide her femininity it didn’t bear thinking about. Like his unusually possessive exchange with her deadbeat boss inside.
‘I never promised to follow your lead. That was an assumption you made before you so imperiously waltzed out the door. And if there’s nothing going on between you and Caruthers, why is he behaving like a jealous boyfriend?’
‘Why are you?’
‘Because it’s my job. Apparently. Now, answer the question.’
Her gaze turned wary again. ‘I don’t know what’s up with Dexter except that he doesn’t believe you and I are a couple.’
Tino rocked back on his heels and regarded her. ‘I’m not surprised.’
She flashed him an annoyed look. ‘And why is that? Because I’m not your usual type?’
Since when was a ballbreaker any man’s usual type?
‘Because you act like a startled mouse every time I touch you.’
‘I do not,’ she blustered. ‘But if I do it’s because I don’t want you touching me.’
‘I’m your boyfriend. I’m supposed to touch you.’
‘Not at a business function.’ She frowned.
He felt completely exasperated with her. ‘Anywhere.’ His voice had dropped an octave because he realised just how much he had enjoyed touching her all night. How much he wanted to touch her now.
Incredible.
‘That’s not me,’ she said on a rush.
Her tongue snaked out to moisten her heart-shaped mouth; that succulent bottom lip was now glistening invitingly.
Valentino thrust his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and locked his eyes with hers. ‘If you want people to believe we’re a couple you’re going to have to let me take the lead, because you clearly know diddly squat about relationships.’
She looked at him as if he’d just told her the world was about to end. ‘Now who’s making assumptions? For your information, if we were in a real relationship something else you would know is that I’m not the demonstrative type.’
She had thrust her chin out in that annoyingly superior way again, and Valentino couldn’t resist loading her up. ‘Well, that’s too bad, Miller, because if we were a real couple you’d know that I am.’
Which wasn’t strictly true. Yes, he liked to touch, but he didn’t usually feel the need to grab hold of his dates and stamp his possession all over them in public—or in private come to that. The only reason he had with Miller was because she had avoided eye contact with him most of the evening, and with all the interest in their relationship he’d had to do something to make it appear genuine.
In fact she should be thanking him for taking his role so seriously instead of busting his balls over it.
‘Listen, lady—’
‘No, you listen.’ She stabbed a finger at him as his mother used to do when he was naughty. ‘I am in charge here, and your inability to read my signals is putting this whole farce in jeopardy.’
Tino thrust a hand through his hair and glanced over his shoulder as the lilting murmur of chattering guests wafted on the slight breeze. ‘Is that so?’ he said softly.
‘Yes.’ She folded her arms. ‘Trust me—I know what I’m doing.’
‘Good, because right now anyone watching you spit at me like an angry cat will think we’re having a humdinger of an argument.’
‘That’s fine with me.’ She gave him a cool smile that he knew was meant to put him in his place. ‘It will make our relationship seem more authentic than anything else that’s gone on tonight.’
Valentino saw red at her self-righteous challenge.
He stepped farther into her personal space and gripped her elbows, gratified when her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
‘What are you doing?’ she demanded in a furious whisper.
Yeah, what are you doing, Ventura?
Tino stared down at her, watching the pulse-point in her neck pick up speed. His body hummed with sexual need and he wondered what it was about her he found just so damned tempting.
She was more librarian than seductress, and yet she couldn’t have had more effect on his body if she’d been standing in front of him naked. It was a thought that was a little disconcerting and one he instantly pushed aside.
He wasn’t that attracted to her. But he was that annoyed with her, and while he might not have ever felt the need to put a woman in her pla
ce before he did now. And he’d enjoy it.
‘Why, Miller, I’m just doing what you asked. I’m going to make this farce of a relationship look more authentic.’
Before she could unload on him he took full advantage of her open mouth and planted his own firmly over the top of hers in a kiss that was more about punishment than pleasure.
Or at least it was meant to be. Until she stupidly tried to wriggle away from him and he had to clamp one hand at the back of her head and the other over her butt to hold her still.
She fell into him, her soft breasts nuzzling against his chest, her nipples already diamond-hard. They both stilled; heat and uncertainty a driving force between them. Her silky hair grazed the back of his knuckles and his fingers flexed. Her eyes slid closed, her soft whimper of surrender sending a powerful surge of lust through his whole body.
Her silky hair slid over his knuckles and made his fingers flex, and then she made a tiny sound that turned him harder than stone.
Tino couldn’t have stopped his tongue from plunging in and out of the moist sweetness of her mouth if he’d had a gun to his head. All day he’d wondered if she’d taste as good as her summery scent promised, and now he had his answer.
Better.
So much better.
He was powerless to pull back, his brain as stalled as the Mercedes he’d accidentally flooded in the second race of his professional career.
He gave a deep groan of pleasure as her arms wound around his neck, and he gripped her hips to pull her pelvis in tightly against his own.
His arousal jerked as it came into contact with her soft belly, and it was all he could do not to grind himself against her.
So much for not being that attracted to her.
He urged her lips to open even wider and she didn’t resist when he possessed her mouth in a carnal imitation of the way his body wanted to possess hers. An instantaneous fire beat flames through his body, and her low, keening moans of pleasure were making him hotter still.
He had to have her.
Here.
Now.
His hand slid to her bottom, the outside of her thighs, drawing her in and up so that he could settle more fully in the tempting vee of her body. He felt her fingers move into his hair, her feminine curves pressing closer as she rubbed against him. Tino couldn’t hold back another groan—and nearly exploded when he heard someone clearing their throat behind him.
Bloody hell. He drew his mouth back and took a moment before reaching up to unwind Miller’s arms from around his neck. She made a moue of protest and slowly opened passion-drugged eyes. He knew when her senses returned from the same planet where his had gone that she’d be more than pissed.
‘Sunshine, we have company,’ he whispered gruffly, his unsteady breath ruffling the top of her hair.
He gave her time to compose herself before turning to face the person behind them. He was certain it was Caruthers. He also gave himself time to get his raging hard-on under control. Not that it seemed to be responding with any speed.
* * *
Miller looked up at Valentino and was aghast to realise that she had become so completely lost in his kiss that she had quite forgotten they were in a public place.
Never before had she been kissed like that, and heat filled her cheeks at the realisation that she wouldn’t have stopped if Dexter hadn’t turned up. That she would have had sex with Valentino in the middle of a garden like some dumb groupie.
Not wanting to dwell on how that made her feel, Miller shoved the thought away before lurching backwards.
‘Dexter...’ she began, trying to organise her thoughts on the hop. She was almost glad when Valentino took over.
‘You wanted something, Caruthers?’
Miller closed her eyes at Valentino’s rough question and wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
‘I came to let Miller know that TJ has opened champagne in the music room. As we’re here in a professional capacity to win the man’s business, it might be prudent for her to join us.’
Miller smoothed her eyebrows and stepped out from behind Valentino, determined that Dexter wouldn’t see how mortified she felt right now. ‘Of course.’ She forced herself not to defend her actions, even though she desperately wanted to.
‘Good. I’ll leave you to pull yourself together,’ Dexter said stiffly.
He was clearly upset with her, and he had good reason to be, Miller thought. She was here in a professional capacity, and even if she and Valentino really were lovers it didn’t excuse her poor behaviour.
Although they had been secluded from the other guests, Dexter had found them—which meant anyone else could have.
A small voice informed her that Valentino had probably achieved his goal and put paid to Dexter’s suspicions about the genuineness of their relationship, but Miller wasn’t listening.
She wouldn’t have chosen to do it that way, and she was furious that Valentino hadn’t given her a choice. Furious that he had used his superior height and strength to hold her against him to prove a point. A point he had clearly enjoyed.
As did you. The snide voice popped up again, reminding her of how she had wrapped her tongue around his and tried to climb his body to assuage the ache that was still beating heavily between her thighs.
God, what a mess.
Valentino moved his arm in a gesture for her to precede him up the path and Miller determinedly made the same gesture back to him. He cocked an eyebrow at her, his eyes lingering on her mouth; his trademark sexy grin was more a warning than an indication of pleasantness.
Miller narrowed her eyes and thought about stomping on his foot as she strode past, but she decided not to give him the satisfaction of letting him know he had succeeded in rattling her again.
She knew he liked to take control but, dammit, this was not his show to orchestrate. She was in charge and it was time to set some clear boundaries between them. She’d dealt with alpha males in her line of work before, and she’d deal with this one too.
CHAPTER FIVE
FEELING as if the past hour had taken a day to pass, Miller unfolded a woollen blanket and laid it on the bedroom floor.
‘What are you doing?’
She glanced up to find Valentino lounging against the bathroom doorway, watching her. His face was stony, but it only highlighted the chiselled jaw that was again in need of a razor. He wasn’t wearing anything other than his black jeans, unbuttoned, and his biceps bulged where he folded his hands across his superbly naked chest.
‘Problem with your shirt?’ she said, and could have kicked herself when his mouth curled into a knowing smile.
‘Only in as much as I don’t wear a shirt to bed.’
Miller raised an unconcerned eyebrow. ‘Lucky you wear jeans, then.’
‘I don’t.’
His eyebrow rose to match hers and she turned back to unfold a second blanket she’d picked up from the end of the bed. Flicking it out, she laid it on top of the first.
‘I repeat—what are you doing?’
‘Making up a bed. What does it look like?’
Valentino looked bored. ‘If you’re worried about whether or not I’m going to jump your bones now that we’re alone, I doubt I could get through that passion killer you’re wearing with a blowtorch.’
Miller stood up and moved to the wardrobe, where she had seen a group of pillows on the top shelf. She was glad that he didn’t like her quilt-style dressing gown. It had been a present from her late father, and although the stitching was frayed in places she’d never get rid of it.
Thinking about her father made her remember the day her parents had told her they were separating. She’d been ten at the time, and while they’d talked about it calmly and rationally Miller had felt sick and confused. Then her mother had drive
n her from Queensland to Victoria and Miller’s world had gone from cosy and safe to unpredictable and unhappy. A bit like the steely, coiled man feigning nonchalance in the bathroom doorway.
‘Or are you worried you won’t be able to keep your hands to yourself after that kiss?’ he asked.
Miller cast him a withering look and returned to the bed she was setting up on the floor. She wasn’t going to stroke his ego by responding to his provocative comments.
He’d felt her response to his kiss and it still rankled. Afterwards she’d pretended that she’d been acting for the sake of their audience, but she hadn’t been, and she needed time to process that.
In the space of a short time the solid foundations of her secure life had become decidedly rickety, and she wasn’t going to add to that by letting her plans for the future be derailed by a sexy-as-sin flamboyant racing car driver who treated life like a game. Because Miller knew life wasn’t a game, and when things went wrong you only had yourself to rely on.
It had been a tough lesson she had learned hard after being sent to an exclusive girls’ boarding school, where her opinion hadn’t meant half as much as her lack of money. Teenage girls could be cruel, but Miller hadn’t wanted to upset her mother by telling her she was having a terrible time at school. Her mother had needed to work two jobs in order to give Miller a better start in life than she’d had, so Miller had put up with the bullying and the loneliness and made sure not to give her mother any reason to be disappointed in her.
‘If you think I’m sleeping on that, Sunshine, you’re mistaken.’
Valentino’s arrogant assurance was astounding, and Miller stared open-mouthed as he crossed to the bed and placed his watch on the bedside table.
Fortunately she had already anticipated this problem and, she thought grumpily as she fluffed up her pillows, she hoped the bed had bugs in it.
‘Good to know. At least there won’t be any more arguments between us tonight.’
* * *
Tino smiled. He couldn’t help it. Which was surprising since he was still irritated as hell by that kiss out in the garden and the way he had become completely lost in it. Drunk on it.