The Ultimate Playboy Read online

  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—’

  ‘My father?’ she inserted bleakly.

  Surprisingly gentle hands framed her face. ‘If you were like him you wouldn’t still be a virgin. Do you get that?’

  Tears prickled her eyes. ‘But...I...’

  ‘No, no more excuses. You stopped being their puppet a long time ago—you just forgot to cut the strings.’

  Her breath stalled and her vision blurred. He brushed away her tears and she fought to speak. ‘What does that say about me?’

  His jaw clenched. ‘That we sometimes spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror to see what’s ahead.’

  She moved on top of him because, despite everything going south, her hunger hadn’t abated one iota. His hands clamped down harder on her hips.

  ‘What’s in your rear-view mirror?’ she asked him softly.

  ‘Too much. Much too much.’

  His answer held a depth of anguish that cut to her soul. Heart aching for him, she started to lean down but he caught and held her still.

  ‘No.’

  She looked into his face and saw his slightly ashen pallor. ‘You don’t want me to kiss you?’

  His chest heaved and he glanced away.

  The realisation hit her like a bolt of lightning. ‘You stopped us making love on the plane and just now because you don’t think you’re worth it, do you? Why not? Because your father told you you weren’t?’

  ‘Ruby, stop,’ he warned.

  She ignored him, the need to offer comfort bleeding through her. She caressed his taut cheek. A pulse beat so hard in his jaw, her fingers tingled from the contact.

  ‘Cara, I’m a man on the edge. A man who wants what he shouldn’t have. Get off me before I do something we’ll both regret, per favore.’

  Fresh tears prickled her eyes, stung the back of her throat.

  If anyone had told her a week ago she’d be lying on top of the world’s most notorious playboy, baring her soul to him and catching a glimpse of his ragged soul in return, she’d have called them insane.

  Her hands shook as she slowly removed them from his face. Levering herself away from him was equally hard because her knees rebelled at supporting her in her weakened state.

  Snatching at her bikini top, desperately trying to ignore his silent scrutiny, she tied the strings as best she could and secured the sarong over her chest.

  Her hair was an unruly mess she didn’t bother to tackle. What had just happened had gone beyond outer appearances.

  She looked down at him and he returned her look, the torture unveiled now. She floundered, torn between helping him and fleeing to examine her own confused emotions. Eventually, she chose the latter. ‘I have a few things to take care of in the kitchen before I go to bed. Bona notti.’

  Slowly, he rose to tower over her, and in the fading daylight she saw his bunched fists at his sides.

  His smile was cut from rough stone. ‘I’ve awakened too many demons for me to have a restful night, tesoro. But I wish you a good night all the same.’

  * * *

  I’ve awakened too many demons...

  Ruby lay in bed a few hours later, wracked with guilt.

  She’d pushed him to relive his past, to rake over old wounds because she’d wanted to know the real man underneath the gloss.

  To reassure herself he wouldn’t hurt or betray her?

  Shame coiled through her as she acknowledged that she’d been testing him. But then deep down, ever since he’d turned away from her on the plane, she’d known Narciso was nothing like her father. Or Simon.

  And still she’d pushed...

  She reared up and gripped the side of her bed. Her head cautioned her against the need to find out if she’d pushed him too far, if the demons were indeed keeping him awake. But her heart propelled her to her feet.

  She went down the hallway and knocked on his door before her courage deserted her.

  The evidence that he was indeed up came a second later when the door was wrenched open. He was dressed in his silk pajama bottoms and nothing else.

  ‘What the hell are you doing here, Ruby?’ he flung at her.

  She struggled to look up from his chest. ‘I...wanted to make sure you were okay. And to apologise for what happened earlier. I had no right to push you like that.’

  His eyes narrowed for several seconds before he turned and strode back into the bedroom. ‘I’m learning that warlocks and demons keep good company.’ He picked up a crystal tumbler of Scotch, raised it to her and took a sip.

  Ruby found herself moving forward before she’d consciously made the decision to.

  Her hand closed over the glass and stopped his second sip.

  He stepped back away from her but, hampered by the bed, he abruptly sank down. She took the glass from him and set it on the side table.

  ‘Drinking is not the answer. Trust me, I know.’

  Strong hands gripped the sheets as if physically stopping himself from reaching for her and he exhaled harshly.

  This close, the beauty of him took her breath away. His chest heaved again, the movement emphasising his stunning physique and golden skin.

  Fiery desire slammed into her so hard she reeled under the onslaught.

  Before she could stop to question herself, she slid her hands over his biceps. Warm muscles rippled under her touch.

  ‘What the hell are you doing?’ His voice was rough and gritty with need.

  Her face flamed but a deeper fire of determination burned within her. ‘I have a feeling it’s called seduction. I don’t know because I’ve never done this before.’

  She leaned in closer. He groaned as her hardened T-shirt-covered nipples grazed his chest. ‘Per amore di Dio, why are you doing it now?’

  She placed a finger over his lip and felt a tiny jolt of triumph when it puckered slightly against her touch. ‘Because it’s driving me as insane. And because I don’t want to live in fear of what I might become if I let go. So this is me owning my fear.’

  He cursed again and he shook his head. Knowing he was about to deny her, she pushed him onto the bed and sealed her mouth over his.

  He groaned and accepted her kiss with a demanding roughness that threatened to blow her away. Encouraged by that almost helpless response, she threw one leg over him and straddled his big body.

  Immediately, his already potent arousal thickened, lengthened, found the cradle between her legs. Before she lost her mind completely, Ruby reached out to both sides of the bed and loosened the ties she needed, then she worked quickly before he could stop her.

  He wrenched his mouth from hers, and glanced up. Silver eyes darkening in shock, then disbelief. ‘Hai perso la tua mente?’

  ‘No, I haven’t lost my mind.’

  ‘Clearly, you have.’ He yanked on the binds but they only tightened further. ‘Release me, Ruby.’

  ‘Nope. What goes around comes around, tesoro.’

  Feeling a little bit bolder now she knew he wouldn’t easily overpower her or dismiss her, she took a deep breath, drew her T-shirt over her head and flung it away.

  ‘Ruby...’ Warning tinged his low growl.

  She wavered but the look in his eyes stalled her breath—hunger, anger, a touch of admiration, that little bit of wonder and vulnerability she’d seen earlier on the deck all mingled in his hypnotic eyes.

  ‘I would, but the look in your eyes is scaring me right now. What’s to say you won’t devour me the minute I set you free?’ She trailed a finger down his chest and revelled in his hitched breathing.

  ‘I won’t,’ he bit out.

  She shivered again at the menace in his
voice. ‘Liar, liar.’

  ‘Madre di Dio, do you really want to lose your virginity so badly?’

  She shook her head and her hair came free from the loose knot she’d put it into. ‘No, it isn’t actually that important to me. What I want, what I crave, is to make love with you.’

  His eyes darkened. ‘Why?’

  She tamped down on what she really wanted to say. That he’d shown her another way to view herself. Another way that didn’t make her skin crawl for feeling sensual pleasure.

  ‘Do I have to have some noble reason? Isn’t crazy chemistry enough? I was absolutely fine before you touched me. You woke this hunger inside me. Now because of some stupid principle, you’re trying to deny me what I want. What we both want. I won’t let you.’

  His chest heaved. ‘I won’t let you either. Not like this.’ The roughness in his tone gave her pause. When she looked into his eyes, that bleakness she’d spotted in the kitchen on their first morning in Macau was back. ‘If you want me, release me.’

  She wanted to kiss that look away, to utterly and totally eradicate it so it never returned. Leaning down, she did exactly that, luxuriating in the velvety feel of his warm lips. He kissed her back but she could sense the agitation clawing under his skin and she drew back a little. Caressing his chest and shoulders, she touched her lips to his again in a gentle offer of solace from whatever demons were eating him alive.

  A rough sigh rumbled from his chest.

  ‘Narciso...’

  His lips trembled against hers. ‘Release me, Ruby.’

  Heart in her throat, she repeated the words he’d said to her in Macau. ‘I already have.’

  Shocked eyes darted upward. A split second later he was flipping her beneath him, ripping away her panties and flinging them over his shoulder.

  Molten eyes speared her as he tugged off his pyjamas, his gaze settling possessively on her damp, exposed sex. ‘Sorry, Ruby mio, I lied.’

  ‘About what?’ Her voice trembled.

  ‘About not devouring you.’

  Hot, sensual lips grazed down her cleavage to her navel, the rasp of his growing stubble sending electrifying tingles racing through her body. His tongue circled her navel, then strong teeth bit the skin just below.