Sinfully Summer: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance

by Aimee Duffy

  Ric knew he deserved that. ‘Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing. I want to take you out for dinner. Your choice.’

  Her brows furrowed with suspicion and again, he couldn’t blame her. He’d been the one to insist they keep things discreet but having dinner with his event organiser wouldn’t rock the boat. Keeping his hands to himself shouldn’t be a problem because after this morning he wasn’t sure that she would want him to touch her anyway.

  ‘Anywhere I want?’ she asked.

  Ric nodded.

  ‘No arguments?’

  ‘No arguments,’ he agreed, regretting it immediately. But if she wanted to drag him to a fast food place to punish him, he’d man up and eat it.

  ‘Ok.’ She slid from the bed and walked over to the suitcases by the wardrobes.

  He frowned. ‘Haven’t you unpacked yet?’

  With her back to him, she shook her head. ‘What’s the point when a room could become free? I don’t want to have to unpack to have to pack again. I hate packing.’

  ‘You don’t have to move.’

  Her fingers froze on the zip. ‘I’d prefer to have my own space.’

  She was still mad at him, why else would she insist on leaving? ‘You have your own space here. I thought we were…’ What could he say? Together? They weren’t, not really.

  ‘Sleeping together?’ Looking over her shoulder, she pursed her lips. ‘A one night stand doesn’t change anything.’

  ‘It wasn’t a one night stand.’ Where was this coming from? ‘Alexa, I thought we agreed not to lie to ourselves any more.’

  She turned back to the suitcase and unzipped it. ‘That was before I knew you didn’t trust me.’

  He crossed the room, picked her up and turned her around to face him. She struggled in his hold, but he didn’t let go. ‘That was a mistake. I shouldn’t have said that.’

  She tilted her chin and he let her see his sincerity, but she didn’t look convinced. Sighing, he cupped her cheek and touched his forehead to hers. ‘I’d like you to stay with me.’ Their hearts seemed to beat as one and he held his breath, waiting for her to speak.

  ‘Ok,’ she said at last.

  Ric didn’t realise his body had been tensed as if for an onslaught until his shoulders sagged with relief. He dropped a quick kiss to her nose, threaded his fingers into her hair and looked down at her with a smile. A quick round of make-up sex before dinner sounded like a good idea.

  Last night, when he’d thought he saw emotion burning in her eyes, it had terrified him, but the more he’d thought about it, the more he realised that was probably wishful thinking on his part. He didn’t want her to fall for him, but to be cared about would be different.

  She wasn’t with him for his money or false pretences; she had been in his bed because she was attracted to him, pure and simple. And he wanted her just as much.

  ‘I want to go to Maria’s barbeque.’

  He released her and stepped back like her words took a swing at him. Alexa’s eyes widened as she studied his reaction. Pulling himself together, he frowned at her. ‘No.’

  Steely eyes met his with challenge. ‘You said we could go anywhere I want. I want to go to the barbeque.’

  Guilt crept through the shock in his body, but it wasn’t powerful enough to mask the ice in his veins. ‘No. I’ll take you anywhere else. Even that horrid bar on the beach if that’s what you want.’

  She eyed him thoughtfully and he could almost see her brain ticking over. ‘Fine, we’ll go somewhere else if you tell me why you won’t go to the Castillos’.’

  Ric swallowed but he wasn’t going to back down. This was getting ridiculous. ‘I told you no. I don’t have to explain myself.’

  ‘Fine.’ Alexa turned back to the case and pulled out a bottle green sundress.

  His shoulders slumped with relief. ‘Get dressed and I’ll call Manuel to have the car ready.’

  ‘Tell him he can drop me at the Castillos’ on the way.’

  Fury boiled in his blood. ‘I told you we’re not going.’

  She whirled on him, her eyes a stormy grey. ‘You told me you weren’t going and you didn’t explain why. I was invited too, and I’m going. You can either come with me or dine alone. Your choice.’

  She stormed into the en suite and slammed the door behind her. The lock clicked and the sound of the shower made him pause. He’d tie her to the bed before he’d join her there. His adopted parents may know him and accept him as he was, but being in their company brought back memories he didn’t want to remember, didn’t want to have to face all over again. And he didn’t want Alexa finding out anything that would make her look at him with disgust.

  Alexa wasn’t surprised to see Ric perched on the edge of her bed when she returned to her room. His expression was blank, but his eyes held a calculating gleam that made her stomach jitter. She’d calmed down in the shower, although she still couldn’t regret her outburst. Why everything about his past had to be a secret, she didn’t know, but it boiled her blood that he wouldn’t share any part of it with her. Especially after she’d shared a part of herself, and, now, a part of her heart.

  Ignoring him, she made her way over to the dressing table, sunk into the chair and reached for her moisturiser. She methodically applied the tinted cream, followed by a light brushing of mascara. Her hair was a swarm of soaked curls and she didn’t really want to blow-dry and style it with him watching. It felt too intimate somehow, but he didn’t speak or move so she resigned to get on with it.

  When her hair was dry, smooth and hanging by her shoulders, he spoke. ‘Why don’t you leave your hair like that sometimes?’

  Alexa looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was narrow and flat hair didn’t help any. She liked to have it wild, untamed and textured—she thought it suited her personality. But now the messy bed-head do didn’t appeal to her like it used to.

  Shrugging, she said, ‘I will today. I fancy a change.’ She painted her lips scarlet, picked up a blotting tissue and smacked her mouth over the material.

  ‘Manuel’s picking us up in five minutes.’

  She turned to him and frowned. ‘I’m going to the barbeque, unless you tell me why you don’t want me to.’

  He scowled at her and she glared right back, sitting up straight and showing she was unwilling to budge.

  ‘Their home brings back memories I’d rather forget,’ he admitted.

  She waited a moment, but as expected he gave nothing else away. Giving him a small nod, she reached for her purse and rose from the chair. ‘Don’t wait up.’

  It wasn’t like she hadn’t known he wouldn’t let her go that easily, but it still came as a shock when he reached for her on her way past, wrapped his arms around her waist and had her on her back on the bed so quickly, she wondered if he had superhero powers.

  She looked up at him, dazed. ‘What the—’

  ‘You said if I explained, you wouldn’t go.’ His face was rigid with anger, his strong hands pinned her wrists down above her head.

  Squirming, she got a leg free and pushed it against his side, trying to move him off. ‘You didn’t explain, you told me a smidgen of the truth.’

  He was way too heavy and her legs still ached from climbing up those bloody stairs, but she kept trying.

  ‘Alexa, stop,’ he ordered, his expression blank. Empty. Damn him. She squirmed again. He shifted so his whole body pinned her to the mattress and her breath whooshed out. ‘Will you just listen?’

  She glowered up at him. The corner of his mouth twitched. ‘As you know, Maria and her husband took me off the streets and adopted me.’

  She refused to let him off the hook and glared up at him expectantly. His sigh sounded pained.

  ‘Before that I had to do things—horrible things—to survive on the streets.’ She felt his body tense above hers and she longed to wrap her arms around him, offer comfort, but he’d pinned them down. ‘Maria and Antonio found out about me, what I did, when I stayed briefly with one
of their acquaintances. I was fifteen when they took me in and angry at the world. They helped me get on my feet, got me a job and a private tutor and after I’d thrown myself into learning all I could, they gave me the money to take a year out from studying, but I knew they hoped I’d choose to work at the hotel.’

  Alexa swallowed against the lump of emotion in her throat. She didn’t want to think what he’d had to do to survive—living on the streets was horrific enough and if the haunted look in his eyes was anything to go by, she didn’t think she could handle the truth without crying for him, the little boy he’d been. She had a feeling Ric didn’t want her tears.

  ‘They haven’t let me pay them back.’ Anger leaked into his voice and she could tell their gift made him uncomfortable. ‘They refuse to take the money I wasted, but I owe so much more than that and more than anything I want them to let me buy into the resort they’re building across the city. For them to trust me as a partner. ‘I can’t stand being there because I don’t know what I can do to make it up to them. I can’t…I’ve no idea how to…’ He closed his eyes. ‘I don’t know what they want from me.’

  Any defence she had against him crumbled at the pain in his words, in his expression. She lifted her head off the mattress and kissed him hard. Ric’s eyes popped open in shock, but he didn’t pull away and finally his lids slid shut and he groaned into her mouth. He released his hold on her wrists and she threaded her fingers into his silky hair, caressed his skull.

  He pulled back abruptly. She didn’t let go of his head, tightened her fingers in his hair. Desire swirled like melted chocolate in his eyes but she could see the fear, the wariness behind it. Her heart thudded.

  ‘They want your love, you idiot, not your money. That’s why they want you around, you’re their son.’

  Ric vaulted off the bed so fast he left her fingers stinging. He glared at her, anger shining from his eyes as he raked a shaky hand through his hair. ‘And that’s the one thing I can’t give them.’

  She sat up and glared right back. ‘Don’t give me that rubbish.’ His eyes widened and she knew then she had to knock some sense into his thick skull, was he really so blind he couldn’t see how he felt? ‘You do love them. Uncomfortable or not, I saw the way you look at Maria and why else would you want to be a part of the business? They’re your family, Ric.’

  He looked at her like she’d grown an extra head. ‘You’re lecturing me on what I feel? The girl who can’t grow up, the girl who runs away from love or marriage, the girl who doesn’t even get along with her father?’

  She opened her mouth but no words would come. Nothing. He was right. All she did was run away. She’d had a marriage proposal made public by her father in the hope that she’d be embarrassed into accepting it, or whatever his reason. But she knew what love was.

  ‘Just because I don’t love him doesn’t mean I don’t know what love is.’ She rose from the bed and stomped over to him. ‘I loved my mother, with all my heart. It destroyed me when she died and I blamed him for it.’ Ric’s face softened, pity shone from his eyes and hers stung with tears. ‘You have no idea what I’m capable of. I ran from a proposal because I didn’t love the man, didn’t even like him. He wasn’t who I’d have chosen if marriage was what I wanted.’

  ‘Wanted? So you’ve changed your mind?’ His gaze was filled with disbelief. ‘It’s a nice lie, Alexa, but it won’t work. It won’t make me go to the barbeque.’

  ‘Damn the barbeque!’ Adrenaline and anger roared through her body. ‘It’s not a lie. I don’t know what I want but I know I can love. I’m not afraid of it like you are.’

  ‘Afraid,’ he scoffed. ‘I’m not afraid. I don’t lie to people. I don’t play with their emotions to get what I want.’

  ‘So why are you playing with mine?’ she asked.

  He focused on her with an intensity that made her wish she could take the question back, for the ground to crack beneath her feet so she could fall into it and be swallowed up, because that question was too close to admitting to him how she felt and right then all she felt was love and anger and helplessness.

  ‘What do you mean?’ he asked, all trace of anger gone.

  ‘Nothing. I didn’t mean anything by it.’ He frowned and she knew he wouldn’t let her off that easy. ‘Listen, I’m not hungry any more and Manuel will be waiting.’ She turned away, hoping he’d just leave but Ric never had done what she wanted him to.

  ‘Alexa, I thought we agreed what this was about. I thought that’s what you wanted.’

  Sex. She folded her arms and hugged them tight. That was all she wanted, wasn’t it? Just because her loopy heart had followed her hormones, didn’t mean she wanted Ric forever. A chill ran through her and she shivered. No, she didn’t want that. It was hard enough reasoning with him, marriage would be hell.

  ‘That is what we agreed and it’s all I want.’

  His arms banded around her waist and he nuzzled his nose against her throat. She wanted to lean back into his warmth, wanted the chill inside her to melt, but it wouldn’t—not when her emotions were all over the place.

  ‘Then we can get room service, you have to eat.’

  His breath tickled her throat and her body sparked to life. Shaking her head, she turned in his arms. ‘I’m not hungry. Actually, I’m tired.’ Drained and exhausted. ‘I’m going to catch up on some sleep.’

  He released her, but he didn’t leave right away. ‘I’ll be in the office if you need me.’ She nodded. He turned and walked to the door, pausing at the entrance. ‘If you feel hungry later, order anything you want,’ he said before he shut the door.

  Tears welled in her eyes and she blinked them away. She sunk onto the bed, feeling like all the life had been drained out of her. Lying down, she stared at the ceiling and her mind drifted to Ric. His accusation that she had lied felt truer than what she’d said about not fearing love. Because right now she was falling hard and absolutely terrified. Why couldn’t she just have kept him at a distance like she managed with everyone else? What was it about this arrogant businessman that had got under her skin?

  She slipped into sleep, still not knowing any of the answers.

  Another week passed without seeing much of Ric. Alexa knew he needed to be on site more, but his penthouse was so big and quiet without him there. Cold even.

  She stacked the huge pile of RSVPs on the table in the kitchen and ticked them off against the names on the guest list. More people than she or Ric were expecting had accepted their invites and the yacht would be at full capacity.

  The week had been a blur of organising appointments for Together and hammering out the final details for the party. In the lead up to next Friday, she’d begin decorating the boat since Mark and Justin were back in the States, finalise the flower arrangements and seating plan. There was so much to do, she reckoned enough to keep her occupied and her mind off Ric.

  Her phone buzzed and vibrated on the table. She looked at the screen and smiled when she saw Ric’s number.

  ‘Hello stranger,’ she answered.

  His throaty chuckle sent shivers down her spine. ‘I’m taking the rest of the night off. Where are you?’

  ‘At home.’ Alexa coughed as she realised her folly. ‘I mean at your home. The penthouse. You know my home’s in London. I just meant…well, it’s where I’m staying and—’

  ‘Relax, querida. I’m on my way there. Are you dressed?’

  Her brow furrowed at the excitement in his tone. ‘Why would I need to be dressed?’

  ‘I want to take you out, wear something pretty. I’ll be there in five minutes.’

  ‘Out where? Wait, Ric—’

  ‘I’m driving, Alexa. I have to go. I’ve missed you.’

  The phone disconnected and she slid it shut, gaped at the device for a second. He missed her? He wanted to take her out? Where the hell had grumpy Castillo gone?

  Once the shock had cleared, she ran through to her room to find something to wear and then changed her mind. Instead, she ran b
ack to the lift. Removing a sock, she placed it on the floor outside the doors. A few steps later, another sock. Next, she stripped off her blouse and left it hooked on the handle of the door to the hall, all the while excitement coursed through her.

  Leaving her thong in the hall and hooking her bra on her bedroom door, she scuttled through to the bed and lay down on the silk in the sexiest pose she could. This, after a week without sex, seemed a better way to make up than going out to some bar or restaurant.

  The metal clanking announced the arrival of the lift and her whole body sparked to life. He missed her. And he told her. Her silly heart swelled in her chest. She’d come to realise that her feelings for him were a one way street, and she accepted it, but his confession, however blasé, meant more than she ever thought it would. Still, she didn’t have all the answers—like what would happen after the charity ball when she would have to return to London—but she wasn’t scared of her love any more. That, at least, felt like progress.

  ‘Alexa,’ he called. She waited and heard his laugh. ‘I see you still don’t follow instructions very well.’

  The amusement in his voice sparked the fire in her belly. God, she’d missed him too. He needed to get that gorgeous bum there soon or she’d spontaneously combust.

  She readjusted her pose on the bed, just as he swung the door open. The slow smile he treated her to made her heart sputter. His gaze travelled the length of her body, from her head to her toes, lingering on all the nakedness in between.

  ‘So,’ she couldn’t hide her grin at his obvious arousal. Welcome to the club, Ric. ‘Where did you want to go?’

  ‘You want to go out, now?’ he queried, his gaze trailing over her breasts.

  Feeling a bit cheeky, she pinched a nipple between her thumb and forefinger and squeezed. A moan escaped her lips and she swore she heard him growl.

  ‘I want you to get naked and show me just how much you missed me.’

  His gaze met hers. ‘That can be arranged.’

  Slowly, he undid his tie, threw it on the floor. The shirt came next, but he unbuttoned it slowly, only showing a growing slither of hard brown muscle beneath. Her mouth watered and she wanted to get up and rip it off him but she loved that he took his time. It made the anticipation in her tummy build higher.