The Spanish Consultant

by Sarah Morgan

With a soft laugh he lowered his head to within an inch of her mouth, hovering tantalisingly close, allowing their breath to mingle but still not touching her.

  A slow burn began inside her and she shifted her hips, desperate to relieve the tension.

  His attention drawn by her wanton movements, he gave an earthy groan and crushed her mouth under his.

  His kiss was hot and hard and intensely sexual and she clutched at him desperately, writhing against him in an attempt to get closer still.

  Breathing hard, he detached himself and worked his way down her body, using his incredibly skilled fingers to torment the hardened peaks of her full breasts.

  She arched and cried out in desperation and his mouth replaced his clever fingers, his tongue teasing the damp tips with an erotic expertise that made her squirm.

  She could feel his breath warming her and then he sucked her into the darkness of his mouth and she gasped in disbelief as she felt the sensation deep in her pelvis.

  Instinctively she parted her thighs and immediately his fingers were there, exploring and teasing her in the most intimate way possible. He knew exactly how to touch her to create maximum sensation and soon she was beyond modesty or control.

  She felt totally wanton, agitated and feverish, and he continued to torture her with pleasure, teasing her until she gasped his name in an agony of longing, desperate for him to give her the fulfillment she craved.

  Driven totally wild by his leisurely exploration of her body, she twisted under him in a frenzy of almost unbearable anticipation, but he shifted his weight and held her still, refusing to give her the satisfaction she sought.

  ‘Jago, please…’ Her whole body was burning with erotic sensation and she was sobbing now, begging for him to stop tormenting them both. The excitement was intolerable, a fiery ache deep inside her that threatened to consume her whole being with its intensity.

  He stared down into her flushed face, his eyes dark with a depth of arousal that made her catch her breath.

  ‘Jago…’

  ‘Tell me you want me,’ he said thickly, stroking her silken hair away from her damp skin. ‘I need to hear you say it, querida.’

  Trapped by the raw emotion she saw in his eyes, she could barely speak.

  ‘I want you—now.’

  He muttered something in Spanish and slid a strong arm under her hips, moving her under him. Her breath came in pants as she felt the silken thrust of his arousal against the very heart of her and then he drove into her with a hard thrust that brought a gasp of ecstasy to her lips.

  She cried out his name and he plunged deeper still and suddenly all she could feel was heat.

  The scorch of his mouth as it covered hers.

  The burn of his body as he moved with a pagan rhythm that drove her to a level of excitement that she’d never experienced before.

  And the fire within her.

  Desperate to be closer still, she arched against him and he gave an earthy groan and withdrew before sliding into her again with a force that made her sob with ecstasy.

  She was no longer in control of anything. She wasn’t aware of anything except the explosive excitement that consumed her body as he thrust hard into her with a rhythmic force that drove her to a state of such intense arousal that it seemed too much to bear. Arching against him, she slid her hands over the smooth muscle of his back, urging him closer still, her body screaming for completion. And then suddenly, when she thought she could bear it no longer, he sent her flying into a shattering climax which seemed to last for ever, her whole body unravelling in an ecstasy intensified by the shuddering throb of his own release.

  Completely wiped out by the experience, Katy lay still, aware of the pounding of his heart against hers, of the damp warmth of their bodies as they clung together so intimately.

  His breathing still uneven, he shifted his weight and rolled onto his back, taking her with him, and suddenly she was hideously aware of just how out of control she’d been.

  She squeezed her eyes tightly shut in a rush of embarrassment.

  What had happened to her?

  For goodness’ sake, she’d virtually begged the man!

  Mortified by the intensity of her response to him, she rolled away from him, only to find herself dragged back against his hard, muscular body.

  ‘Stop trying to create distance between us,’ he murmured huskily, sliding his fingers through the length of her hair with all the smug satisfaction of a man who’d just got exactly what he’d wanted.

  Desperation spread through her body like a flood. Would she always be this vulnerable to him?

  ‘Sex doesn’t change anything between us.’

  ‘Shut up,’ he groaned, rolling her under him and proceeding to kiss her again. ‘You definitely talk too much.’

  So instead of talking, she found herself kissing him back and this time he took her with agonising slowness, each slow, deliberate thrust designed to drive her to the very heights of desperation. Unable to believe that he could arouse her again so quickly, Katy closed her eyes and gave herself up to sensation, totally unable to control her response.

  ‘You feel so good,’ Jago groaned, and her eyes flew wide and clashed with his as he thrust into her with surprising gentleness.

  Transfixed by the look of male appreciation that she caught in his eyes, her stomach tumbled over itself and she felt swamped with love. He was just so amazing in bed. It would have been so very easy to believe that he loved her.

  She felt her body tingle as he aroused her yet again to a state of mindless abandonment, but yet again he chose to delay satisfaction until their bodies were both screaming with unfulfilled excitement before driving them both, gasping, to a ferocious climax.

  The first shafts of morning sunlight were fingering their way through the open window when she finally fell asleep, and when she awoke he was gone.

  After a day of back-to-back presentations and discussions, during which she’d watched with helpless hunger as Jago had wowed the extremely high-powered audience with his cool intellect, Katy returned to the hotel and opened the door of her room.

  She was immediately assaulted by the powerful scent of flowers. And not just one bunch of flowers. Her room seemed to contain the entire year’s stock of an average florist.

  Taken aback, she walked into the room, her eyes focusing on a card which had been left on the table.

  She picked it up and read it.

  ‘You look very beautiful when you’re asleep. J.’

  They were from Jago.

  Jago, who’d never sent her flowers before.

  Still reeling over the sheer volume of blooms, she heard the door of her room close suddenly and turned to find him standing there.

  Her heart stumbled in her chest and she felt her whole body react to his powerful presence.

  He was staggeringly good-looking.

  To even think that she could resist him was to totally underestimate the impact of his explosive brand of sexuality.

  He removed his jacket with a shrug of his broad shoulders and jerked off his tie. ‘It’s been a very long and very boring day, querida,’ he murmured huskily, dropping the tie on the bed with careless disregard for its future appearance. ‘Concentrating on my slides was a formidable challenge. All I could think of was getting back to the hotel and being with you.’

  Katy stared at him helplessly.

  All he could think about was sex. He was just so basic and she really ought to be protesting, but already he’d undone the buttons on his shirt and her mouth dried as the fabric fell apart to reveal a tantalising glimpse of his tanned, muscular chest. Unable to help herself, her eyes traced the dark hairs as they travelled down and into the waistband of his trousers.

  ‘If you want to help, please, feel free,’ he teased her gently, and she felt the colour touch her cheeks.

  ‘Jago, we ought to talk.’

  They hadn’t resolved anything and she just knew he was going to hurt her again. After all, never, despite all his c
ommands that she give up Freddie, had he once implied that he felt anything for her other than lust.

  She had to tell him that, despite what had happened between them the night before, nothing had changed.

  She still had no intention of renewing her relationship with him in the long term.

  ‘Talking never seems to clear the air between us,’ he pointed out thickly, moving towards her with effortless elegance and tipping her backwards onto the bed.

  He came down on top of her, confident and fully in control, and she realised helplessly that he was fighting the battle with the strongest weapon in his armoury. His ability to excite her to a state of mindless desperation.

  And he was winning. Despite all her reservations about the future, the truth was that this was now, and she wanted him so much.

  Suddenly losing her natural shyness, she stroked her fingers through the curling hair on his chest, loving the feel of his hard muscles. He was just so strong. Her breathing jerky, she followed the line of silky dark hair with the tips of her fingers, pausing as it vanished into the waistband of his trousers. She felt him suck in a breath and realised that for once he seemed uncertain.

  With a smile that was pure female seduction, she dealt with the rest of his clothing, and if it wasn’t done with quite the finesse he’d managed, neither of them seemed to notice.

  Certainly not Jago, whose shocked exclamation had turned to a groan of earthy satisfaction as she explored him with incredible intimacy. Aware of the reaction of his body, she drove him wild with her mouth and tongue until he dragged her away from him with a rough groan.

  He looked at her with a glazed expression and she derived considerable satisfaction from the look of stunned amazement on his handsome face. He looked positively shell-shocked. Feeling immensely satisfied that she’d finally managed to make him lose control, she leaned forward to kiss him and he caught her in lean, strong hands and moved her so that she was straddling him.

  Still breathing heavily, he slid her flimsy dress up to her hips and moved the dampened silk of her panties to one side with lean fingers.

  Shocked by the revelation that he didn’t even intend to undress her, Katy trembled with anticipation, a gasp of helpless excitement wrenched from her as she felt him position her to receive him.

  She felt the silken throb of his erection against her and then her eyes flew wide as he slid into her, hard and strong, holding her writhing hips still as he ground deep inside her.

  Cheeks flushed, lips parted, Katy moaned as she felt him move, unbelievably aroused by the force of his possession.

  It was over quickly, both of them reaching a climax of such unbelievable intensity that they clung together for endless moments before Jago smoothed her tangled blonde hair away from her face and snuggled her in his arms.

  She closed her eyes in disbelief, hardly knowing herself.

  ‘You’ve never done that before,’ he said softly, shifting slightly so that she was forced to look at him. ‘You were always much too shy.’

  She knew it was true and felt hot colour touch her cheeks. Somehow making love with Jago felt different now that she was older.

  At eighteen she’d been hideously self-conscious and gauche and she was only now beginning to realise how careful he’d been with her, how much he must have been holding back. Their love-making had possessed none of the wildness that he’d displayed in the last twenty-four hours.

  He touched her cheek with gentle fingers, his expression thoughtful. ‘We will be checking out tomorrow,’ he told her. ‘We’re visiting my family.’

  She stilled in his arms. His family?

  Jago always avoided questions about his family and she knew better than to ask.

  Why was he taking her to meet them?

  And why was she excited at the prospect?

  This wasn’t what she wanted, was it? Whatever she felt for him, she didn’t want to renew her relationship with Jago.

  She closed her eyes tightly, knowing that she should send him back to his room and go straight home to England without meeting his family.

  But how could she when she was loving every minute of their time together?

  Why shouldn’t she just enjoy herself for now? Why shouldn’t she just make the most of this time in Spain, she reasoned, ignoring the tiny voice in her head that warned her this wasn’t real.

  She’d have plenty of time to face reality when they returned to England.

  They left the following afternoon, immediately after the last lecture.

  Having cleared her room and packed, Katy made her way to the foyer of the hotel, intending to check out before going with Jago.

  The hotel manager met her at the marble reception desk. ‘Everything has been taken care of,’ he said in heavily accented English.

  Katy stared at him in confusion. What did he mean—taken care of? How could her bill have been taken care of?

  The hotel manager suddenly looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly. Following his gaze, Katy turned to find Jago approaching. Just looking at him made her legs turn to jelly. He was so good-looking it was almost indecent. Surely no one man should be blessed with such incredibly good looks, she thought helplessly. Didn’t he have a single flaw? He was wearing jeans and a black polo shirt that emphasised his dark, exotic brand of masculinity.

  Reaching her side, he gave her a brief smile and then turned his attention to the hotel manager, conversing in rapid Spanish which she found totally incomprehensible.

  The two men obviously enjoyed a good relationship and suddenly they were descended on by staff who carried her luggage towards the door of the hotel, leaving them to follow.

  ‘You shouldn’t have had to carry your case downstairs,’ Jago muttered as he strode towards the entrance of the hotel, leaving her struggling to keep up with him.

  She looked at him with some amusement. ‘Jago, I can carry my own case!’

  ‘Not in this hotel,’ he growled, pushing open the swing doors and snapping his fingers.

  Katy’s mouth fell open as a stunning black Ferrari pulled up at the entrance.

  Accepting the keys with a nod of thanks, Jago shot her a satisfied smile. ‘Your carriage, senorita.’

  In awe of the sleek lines of the beautiful car, she slid inside, feeling herself enveloped by the sumptuous leather interior.

  ‘Wow…’

  He slid into the driver’s seat next to her and smiled at her childish exclamation.

  ‘I agree,’ he said, laughter in his voice. ‘This car is definitely “wow”.’

  She couldn’t resist teasing him. ‘Boys with toys, Jago?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Everyone’s staring,’ she muttered, clearly conscious of the looks they were receiving.

  ‘That’s why I bought the car,’ he drawled. ‘It increases my street cred no end.’

  He pulled out into the traffic and she looked at him curiously. ‘It’s yours?’

  ‘It is mine. I keep it here for my trips home.’

  He kept a Ferrari just for his trips home. She couldn’t contain her questions any longer. ‘Do you often come home?’

  ‘As often as I can.’

  She rolled her eyes at his answer, which was typical Jago. ‘Do you ever give anything away?’

  His smile was totally unapologetic. ‘As little as possible.’ There was a silence as he negotiated a particularly busy junction and then he spoke again. ‘I come back to Spain about once every two months—sometimes more if I have to.’

  ‘To stay with your family?’

  He hesitated. ‘I have business interests in Seville.’

  ‘But you’re a doctor.’

  He smiled. ‘How can you be the child of Charles Westerling and be so totally lacking in commercial awareness?’

  She blushed and looked away. She hated business and found her father’s approach to business ruthless and distasteful.

  ‘Working with your father taught me just how fragile financial success can be,’ Jago said quiet
ly. ‘After I left his company I used the money I’d made to invest in various business ventures in Spain. I own the hotel where we just stayed.’

  He owned it?

  Katy’s head spun round and she stared at him. ‘Is that why I had such a fabulous room?’

  ‘You liked it?’ He gave her a smile that was thoroughly male. ‘Good. I thought you would enjoy it.’

  ‘And somebody had settled my bill.’

  ‘There was no bill, querida,’ he said smoothly. ‘You were my guest.’

  She digested this information. ‘Where did the other delegates stay?’

  He gave a careless shrug. ‘At various hotels around the city.’

  So he’d made sure that they were staying separately from the others.

  She took a deep breath. ‘The money you invested—’

  ‘Was not the money your father gave me as a severance package,’ he drawled, his voice low and deep. ‘I can read you like a book. I used that for something entirely separate, as I hope to show you in a few hours.’

  Not wanting to threaten the delicate truce between them, Katy relaxed back in her seat and enjoyed the Spanish countryside.

  They drove along dusty roads, passing olive groves and almond trees, and Katy suddenly felt happier than she had for ages.

  Whatever he’d done in the past, she couldn’t help loving him and just being with him made her feel good.

  They’d been driving for about an hour when they approached a small village and Katy noticed a crowd gathered by the side of the road.

  ‘Stop, Jago!’ she cried out, and put a hand on his arm. ‘Something’s wrong. Someone’s on the ground—there must have been an accident.’

  Jago responded immediately, pulling into the side of the road. In an instant Katy was out of the car.

  A young woman was lying on the pavement, clutching her throat, struggling for air.

  Her heart thumping frantically against her chest, Katy dropped to her knees, making a diagnosis without even the briefest hesitation. She knew instantly what she was seeing.

  She’d seen it before.

  ‘Get away from her and give her some air,’ she said, aware that they were looking at her blankly. Fortunately, at that moment Jago appeared by her side and spoke in fluent Spanish. The crowd parted instantly.