by Jo Davis
“Lifeblood? That’s quite a statement.”
“My work is what keeps me alive.” Pausing, he regarded her, wondering whether she could ever understand him. But he wanted to try. “From the moment we met, I felt something very special between us. I find myself wanting to share with you what I’m all about, and I don’t want to let that go when I leave here.”
“It sounds like a lovely time, and I would like the chance to get to know you better,” she said.
“You’ll come to know more about me than almost anyone else.”
“And we’ll make love every day?” she whispered, for his ears only.
His cock rose to half-mast at the suggestion. “On every surface, darling. I won’t have it said that I can’t keep my woman happy.”
“Woman? Not women? Because I don’t do the sharing thing, ever.”
Happiness swelled in his chest. “There’s no one else in the equation. There’s only you and me.”
She studied him for so long, he started to squirm. Then she asked, “When do we leave?”
After kissing her hard, he answered. “First thing tomorrow morning.”
***
Anna sat next to Joaquin in the big, comfy leather seat on his private jet and wondered if she’d lost her mind. How did she truly know whether he was telling the truth about not being involved with other women? And even if he was on the up and up about that, what on earth had possessed her to get involved with this man and his dangerous world?
Yet she had, and the reason was simple: Joaquin was the most intriguing, magnetic man she’d met in a very long time. He was someone worth getting to know, and the rewards in happiness could far outweigh the risk.
Coming back to the present, Anna goggled at the setup. She had to play with every button and touch all the shiny surfaces.
“I’ve only seen something like this on television,” she said. “It even has a bed and a minibar.”
“We can try out both, if you would like.” The heat in his gaze was clearly meant to melt her panties.
She squirmed in her seat. “Tempting, but no—everyone would know what we’re doing.”
“There’s only the pilot, Henry and T-Bone, and the steward,” he murmured, nuzzling her earlobe and jaw. “So what if they do?”
“Wouldn’t they be able to hear?” she whispered.
“No. The bedroom is soundproof, darling.”
“Oh.”
“Out of arguments?”
“That was pretty much it.”
He chuckled. Rising from his seat, he took her hand and pulled her up. “Then I’m afraid I must insist you come with me and take a nap. They’re so healthy, you know.”
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Joaquin,” she hissed.
“Come on.”
Henry and T-Bone exchanged a knowing look as Joaquin dragged her to the back, and Henry snorted. She felt like her face was going to catch fire as her lover pulled her into the bedroom and closed the door. Briefly, she glanced around the richly appointed cabin, then returned her attention to him. He looked damned manly in his jean shorts and red tank that showed off his biceps and muscular chest smattered with just the right amount of ebony hair.
“See something you like?”
“Definitely.” Working a hand under his shirt, she smoothed a palm over his tight abs. “I was just thinking how surreal this is—me, jetting over the ocean with a sexy man. With you. I never would’ve thought my vacation would turn out like this.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Very.” Wrapping her arms around him, she held him close. He felt so good pressed against her. So strong and warm. Unable to resist, she nibbled his neck, grazed his skin with her teeth.
“Keep doing that, beautiful, and you’re going to find yourself a member of the Billionaire Mile-High Club in about five seconds flat.”
“Mmm.” She breathed in his scent as she snaked a hand down the front of his shorts, which were blessedly loose. “Sounds like an exclusive group. Can just anyone join?”
“Only you,” he said, moaning when her hand found its prize.
Cupping his balls, she manipulated them for a few moments, loving the weight of them in her hand. Her lover was hung, no doubt about that, and the memory of his balls slapping against her ass, Joaquin driving his cock into her, made her grow hot all over.
Next she grasped his cock, pleased to find him already fully hard. Closing her fingers around his length, she stroked him from base to tip, hoping to drive him out of his mind.
“God, Anna.” He groaned helplessly as she unfastened his shorts and yanked them down along with his underwear. Stepping out of them, he yanked off his shirt as well. “You’re overdressed.”
Her own shorts and T-shirt were next, quickly followed by her bra and panties. Standing naked before him, she didn’t feel the least bit self-conscious. He had a way of gazing at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. Like she was all he’d ever wanted.
She crawled into the bed and he followed, taking her in his arms. He kissed her deeply, one thumb grazing a nipple and teasing it to a peak. She let her tongue play with his, exploring. But the kiss was brief, as he had other things in mind.
“Would you get on your hands and knees for me, darling? I want to see you like that, open and ready for me.”
His request sent a thrill through her, and she complied, spreading her knees, making sure her butt was poking upward enough to tempt him. Though she needn’t have worried on that score. He moved behind her, and she heard a drawer open, the sounds of him opening a condom. Then his fingers were rubbing her slit in a slow, sensual glide.
“So pretty,” he whispered in appreciation.
She didn’t answer. Couldn’t, really, with the way he was playing her body. Arousing her unmercifully. There was nothing but his touch, his fingers creating a buzz of pleasure along her nerve endings as he stroked and teased. Then there was more movement as he repositioned himself—and his tongue went to work on her folds and clit.
“Yes, please,” she begged.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
Her entire being shut out everything except his mouth and tongue. The ecstasy built as he sucked and laved, driving her insane. When she was too close to coming, his mouth was suddenly gone.
“I’m going to fuck you, nice and slow at first. Then hard and fast. I want you to come so hard, you squeeze every ounce of cum from my cock.”
“Now. I want you.”
Needing no further encouragement, he lined up the head of his cock with her entrance and pushed inside. Thanks to his attentions, he slid in with ease. True to his word, he pushed in gradually, almost making her scream from the sheer decadence of it. There was something primal and naughty about this position, being fucked from behind, impaled on his huge shaft. She never wanted it to end.
He pumped in slowly, then out. Repeated the action over and over, until she was mindless. His strokes increased gradually, and soon he was fucking her hard and deep, his fingers digging into her hips.
“Yes! Fuck me!” she cried.
“So sweet and tight,” he growled. “Shit. Not gonna last.”
Their flesh slapped in noisy rhythm as the heat began to unfurl between her legs. Her orgasm exploded and she cried out again, riding the waves as he joined her. She felt his heat and wished there were no barriers between them, but the thought was fleeting. He was surrounding her, filling her, and it was so very right.
Spent, he kissed her between the shoulder blades and then pulled out carefully. “You blow me away, you’re so responsive.”
“You make that easy. We certainly don’t have to worry about being compatible in the bedroom.”
He laughed and gathered her in his arms.
Anna snuggled in and sighed gently. She knew that outside the bedroom was a different story. Their lives were worlds apart. But she didn’t want to think about that now, not with the scent of their sex on her skin and them winging their way to his h
ome.
She’d worry in a few hours, when she received what would undoubtedly be the biggest culture shock of her life.
***
Culture shock didn’t begin to describe the expression on Anna’s face when the limousine carried them through the security gates and onto the grounds of his estate.
Joaquin studied her reaction carefully, and then looked out at his property, trying to see it through her eyes. Most of the time he took his wealth for granted and never really noted the acres of rolling lawn, the thick trees. The sculpted gardens surrounding the driveway and the massive Tudor-style mansion at the end of it.
“This is incredible,” she breathed, craning her neck to look out the window.
“It’s home. Truthfully, I don’t think about it much.”
“Amazing.” She shook her head. “Guess it’s just what you grew up with, right? Wow, if I lived here, I’d never leave.”
Those words caused a strange twist in his heart. “You say that now, but even the grandest of houses can become a prison of sorts.”
That caught her attention, and she looked at him. “I can understand that, especially for a man in your position. But to me, this is all new.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy it here. It will be wonderful to have someone around who can appreciate it with me.”
“I know I will—the home and the company.”
Her smile made his heart leap. When had he so looked forward to being home? Never, and he had Anna to thank.
When the car turned in to the circular drive and parked in front of the house, he could practically feel her vibrating in excitement. Her enthusiasm was infectious as his driver opened the door and gave her a hand out of the limo.
“Oh, it’s so gorgeous here! Looking out the window didn’t do it justice. Can I get a tour?”
“Of course. Why don’t we get your bags situated, let you freshen up. Then I’ll be glad to show you around and even introduce you to Rio. He’s supposed to be here somewhere.”
“Sounds great.”
Joaquin grabbed Anna’s bags and had T-Bone take his own ahead to his suite. Not wanting to be presumptuous, he showed her to a bedroom upstairs, pointing out his own as they passed it. At her questioning look, he explained there were no expectations, no obligations.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured into sleeping with me. Your stay here is going to be stress-free, if I have anything to say about it. That includes knowing that your choices are just that—yours to make. If you wind up in my room, as much as I want you there, it’s because you chose to be there.”
Immediately, he knew he’d taken the right stance and said the right thing. Which was good, because he’d meant every word. A man had no right to expect more from a woman than she was willing to give, and he despised any man who thought he was entitled to ride roughshod over her body and her freedom just because he’d slept with her a couple of times. Growing up, he’d seen his bastard of a father treat his mother in that horrible, degrading fashion too many times.
“Thank you,” she said, touching his face. “That’s really thoughtful of you, but don’t be surprised if your new guest refuses to stay put in her room.”
“In that case, I’ll look forward to finding a beautiful, lost woman wandering my bedroom.”
“When I end up there, I can assure you I won’t be lost.”
Stepping into him, she pulled his head down for a kiss that seared him to his toes. He loved tasting her, feeling her soft body pressed against his. After several moments, they broke apart.
He smiled and tried to calm his raging libido. “I’ll let you get settled. Just come on down whenever you’re ready.”
Reluctantly, he left her and went in search of his youngest brother. Even though the mansion was sprawling, there were only so many rooms they actually occupied. He checked Rio’s bedroom, knocking and getting no response. Then he went downstairs and searched the study, living room, and game room. The kitchen was the last place he looked, and he found his brother with his head stuck in the refrigerator.
Rio strongly resembled Joaquin and Manny, with the same dark hair and eyes, but their younger brother was not quite as tall, his build more lean. He must’ve just come in from the pool, since he was wearing a pair of swim trunks and his T-shirt was damp.
“Should’ve known I’d find you stuffing your face.”
Straightening, Rio turned with a bottle of beer in hand and gave him a grin. “Hey, you’re back! How was the trip?”
“Rather … satisfying.”
“Oh, yeah?” Twisting off the metal cap, he took a swig of the brew. “You rushed out of here like your ass was on fire. I gather you found whatever, or whomever, you were looking for?”
“I did.” His lips curved upward. “And I brought her home.”
His brother snorted. “Nice. Not sure you want her in the middle of our problems with Santos, though.” Joaquin gave him a look. “Henry and T-Bone filled me in on what happened in Aruba with Petrov.”
“I’ve got an estate full of guards to protect her and everyone else here. Besides, for all their threats, not one of the families has ever followed through.”
“You’re lying to yourself and you know it, brother. We’re living on borrowed time, especially with Santos bringing Petrov into the picture. Santos is getting nervous that you’re about to cooperate with the feds and roll on everyone.”
Joaquin shook his head. “I would never do that unless the families push me into a corner and leave me no choice. I just want them to stay the fuck out of my affairs, and I’ll do the same for them. Why can’t they get that through their thick skulls?”
“Everyone has a price. They’re terrified the FBI is going to find yours and use it.”
“This is part of the reason I cut my trip short. I want to find a way to extend an olive branch, a sign of goodwill.” He paused, knowing Rio wouldn’t like his idea. “I’m considering throwing a cocktail party at the casino, in the private ballroom. Invite our business acquaintances—”
“Have you lost your mind?” Rio plunked his bottle on the counter and sputtered, half choking on his beer. “That’ll be a security nightmare, not to mention a lot of trouble for zero results. No good can come of having all of them in the same room.”
“It’s not like we haven’t entertained before, bro, and the security at the casino is second to none. If I’m going to sway the families, it’s got to be done the old-fashioned way—with lots of ego stroking and plenty of cash flow.”
“It’s still a big risk.”
“But a calculated one with potential reward.”
Rio wasn’t happy, but he reluctantly gave in. “You know I’m behind you all the way, but Manny’s going to be pissed.”
“Manny got his stupid ass tossed in jail and is awaiting trial without bond,” Joaquin said dryly. “I don’t give two shits what he approves of at this point.”
“True that.” Rio sighed. “Just tell me what you want, and I’ll make sure it gets done.”
“Thanks. I knew I could count on you.” Pausing, he eyed Rio. “And if all goes well, I’m going to rely on you even more in the months to come.”
“Meaning?”
“I’ve got a plan. I’ll let you know when I have the details ironed out in my head.”
“Sounds mysterious. And knowing you, something that’s sure to piss off almost everybody.”
“Don’t be so sure. I have a feeling you’ll like it just fine.”
“Hey, am I interrupting?”
Joaquin turned to see Anna hovering in the doorway to the kitchen and waved her forward. “Not at all. Come meet my brother Rio.”
“Hello,” she greeted him with a friendly smile. “I’m Anna Claire. Joaquin has told me about you.”
“And you’re not running away screaming? I’m sure none of it was good.”
“On the contrary, he had nothing but good things to say.”
“Was he running a fever?”
They laughed, and Joaquin forced
himself not to bristle at the way his brother was ogling his lover. He was really giving her the once-over, making his appreciation plain. He knew Rio wouldn’t dare poach, but it was still annoying.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her close. “How about we ride into AC and I’ll show you my casino? Then we can have dinner at one of the restaurants if you’d like.”
“Sounds fantastic. Should we change?” She glanced down at herself in worry. “I didn’t bring anything fancy on my trip.”
“You look beautiful the way you are,” he said honestly. “Anyway, tourists dress in all sorts of clothing in my establishment, from shorts and sandals to dresses and suits. I say we go low-key in what we have on, and we’ll go shopping for you tomorrow.”
Relief was etched on her face, and he thought she looked adorable. It was always funny to him the stuff women worried about.
She nodded. “Okay. That works.”
“Let’s go, then. I’ll have the car brought around.”
“See you two later,” Rio said, and gave his brother a wink.
Out front, they waited as the limo pulled to a stop and his driver opened their door. He let Anna get in first, and then climbed in to sit next to her. As the car pulled away, she ran her hand over the leather seat in admiration.
“I can’t fathom what it must’ve been like to grow up surrounded by all of this. My parents were such regular people; I don’t know if they would’ve lived like this even if they could have. Well, my mother might now that my dad’s gone, but still.”
“See, you say that, but I don’t have a clue what regular people are supposed to look like. Am I not normal?”
“No, sorry, but you’re not.” Her smile softened her words. “You’re in the top one percent of the entire world when it comes to how you live.”
“Hmm. Well, that can’t be helped. I never knew others weren’t like us until I hit puberty and my father started taking me places and introducing me to new things. And then I knew we were different, of course, but in a detached way. Like I could see the world around me but it didn’t touch me, really.”
“That’s amazing to me.”