‘You only think that because you’re tall—and strong, which is why you can carry me without putting your back out—’
‘You are extremely slender—’ he lowered her onto the mattress ‘—most of your weight is your breasts and your astonishingly long legs and I have no complaints about either so you have no reason to be shy.’ He stripped off his shirt and came down beside her in a fluid movement. ‘I’ve never been with a woman as inexperienced as you—’
‘I think I prefer the word “wholesome”.’ Her confidence faltered. ‘Is it a problem?’
‘No. It’s a complete turn-on. But I’m probably going to shock you.’ His dark eyes held hers for a moment and then he gently brushed away a strand of hair from her forehead with the tips of his fingers. ‘I’m going to teach you everything you don’t know, tesoro.’
The brief flicker of trepidation was swiftly transformed into breathless excitement as he kissed his way across her jaw and down her body to her exposed breasts. When he fastened his mouth over one straining peak the pleasure shafted through her and when his skilled fingers toyed with the other the torment rose to screaming pitch.
By the time he eventually pushed her thighs apart she was writhing against the sheets, the excitement ripping through her body like a vicious storm.
With no concession to the bright rays of sun spotlighting the room, Rio parted her with gentle fingers, placed his mouth against her and proceeded to subject her to the most extreme degree of erotic torture. With infinite skill, he explored her with tongue and fingers until Evie was on fire, her whole body burning in the flames he’d created. Tortured by the heat, she tried to move her hips to relieve the unbearable ache but he pinned her flat with his free hand, channelling the whole erotic experience into that one molten part of her until there was nothing in her world but him and the feelings he created.
Overwhelmed, she writhed and sobbed. ‘Please—oh—how can you do those things at the same time—?’
He gave a husky laugh. ‘I told you I was good at multi-tasking—’
Out of her mind with desire, Evie barely registered the fact that he was now above her before he sank into her with a single possessive thrust that filled her completely. The force and power of him stretched her sensitive flesh and she immediately shot into a climax so intense, so exquisitely agonizing, that her nails dug hard into the sleek muscle of his shoulder as her body convulsed around his.
He captured her mouth, kissing her with erotic intent as he slowly built the rhythm again, driving them both back towards that same peak. And this time, when she tumbled, she took him with her and he kept his mouth on hers, sharing every cry and every gasp, their bodies locked together in a shimmering heat created by the intensity of their own passion.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘YOU’RE insatiable. It’s been more than a week—you should be bored with me by now.’ Laughing, Evie rolled onto her stomach and leaned on Rio’s chest. ‘Aren’t you ever tired?’
He watched her from beneath lowered lids, his gaze slumberous and unmistakably sexual. ‘No. I find sex with you incredibly energizing.’
‘So that’s how you manage to work such long hours—’
‘You should be grateful for that,’ he said huskily. ‘Otherwise, you wouldn’t be getting any sleep at all, tesoro.’
‘It’s only two days until Christmas. You shouldn’t be working.’ Sometimes, when she woke in the dark, she discovered that he wasn’t in bed with her. On one occasion she’d tiptoed sleepily from the bed to find him and discovered him working on the laptop, his gaze fixed intently on the ghostly green glow of the screen.
‘I don’t need much sleep. I had a few hours.’ He slid his hand into her hair, pulled her head down and kissed her. ‘Ready for breakfast?’
Evie felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach. Breakfast and mornings meant one thing to her. ‘Have the newspapers arrived yet?’
He frowned. ‘I have no idea and I don’t care.’
‘I care—I keep thinking about that stupid, horrid photograph.’ The mood punctured, she rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.
‘Forget it.’ Rio shifted over her in a smooth movement, his weight pressing her into the mattress. ‘Yesterday they took photographs of you in the front row of the charity fashion show—they’ll use one of those. Not one of you naked.’
‘But you don’t know that for sure—’ She felt the sudden tension emanating from his powerful frame.
‘I do. You need to trust me.’
Reasoning that he knew a great deal more about the media than she did, Evie forced herself to relax. ‘OK. I trust you. But you do care, you know you do. That’s why we’re doing all this. You’re worried about your deal going through. Is that still all right? I mean—’ Suddenly she felt awkward asking. He didn’t talk about stuff, did he? ‘I know you don’t talk about it but you’re always on the phone and I can tell you’re stressed about it.’
‘I’m not stressed.’ Only moments before he’d been relaxed. Now he was frighteningly detached, his handsome face an expressionless mask. ‘And everything is fine.’
She shouldn’t have asked. ‘Good. Whatever it is must be worth a lot for you to care about it so much.’
‘Yes. It’s worth a lot.’ Without warning, he sprang from the bed and prowled towards the bathroom. ‘I’m going to take a shower. Order yourself some breakfast.’
His casual dismissal chilled her and Evie pulled the duvet over her naked body, feeling vulnerable and exposed. One minute they were incredibly close—the next, he shut her out.
Listening to the sound of the shower, she wondered what it was about this particular deal that was so important to him. She wished again she’d never raised the subject. Why was he so touchy? Was he worrying about it, or was it just that he didn’t like talking about it?