Heat built between them, and an urgency that made him nearly forget where he was. Fueling him with the temptation to pull her down onto the sand on his beach and take her, no matter how many other guests might be wandering the night.
That’s what finally grounded him again. The realization at just how far gone he nearly was. Dios. From a simple kiss. A kiss that left him as dazed as a knock on the head.
Andrés pulled his mouth from hers, so discombobulated by his own reaction that he could barely appreciate the murmur of protest she made. But it soon registered, along with the passion-drugged look in her eyes when her lashes fluttered upward.
Ah, yes. She wanted him. Would likely accompany him to his room if he requested. But that would be something he never did. Bring a woman back to his room without knowing everything about her. Without having Pablo discuss the confidentiality contract.
He smoothed a thumb down the softness of her cheek, then shocked himself by making the request anyway. “Join me for a drink later tonight in my room.”
“In your room?” she repeated. The haze of arousal slowly faded from her stare, like a wave retreating back to the sea. Instead her expression turned wary, and she gave a slow shake of her head. “I-I can’t. I’m sorry.”
Her cheeks filled with color and she glanced beyond his shoulder to look at some point down the beach.
A moment ago she’d been melting in his arms, and now she appeared eager to be far away from him.
“Why is that, Chloe?”
Her breathing hitched; she lifted her chin and swung a defiant look back to him. “I don’t owe you an explanation of why I’m choosing not to go to your room. Now if you would please release me.”
She’d dismissed him. Quite curtly. Andrés’s gave a tight smile, and he found himself torn between amusement and dismay. “After that kiss, cariño, I think you at least owe me a reason.”
The color in her cheeks heightened. “Excuse me? I don’t recall actually asking you to kiss me.”
He offered a small smile. “Though you may not have used words, you most certainly asked.” He let his fingers trace the skin of her lower back, just above her sarong. So delicate. So alluring. “I know when a woman desires me.”
Her mouth fell open and her eyes flashed with anger now. “Well, guess what? I know when a man is far too arrogant for his own good.”
Her body trembled with indignation beneath his fingers. He was surprised to find himself enjoying her frustration as she struggled to deny the attraction between them.
“Come to my room tonight,” he cajoled. “I promise you will not regret it.”
She made a noise of exasperation. “Do you ever get told no?”
He gave a slight shrug and replied matter-of-factly, “I do, but generally in the context of no, don’t stop.”
Her lips twitched, and he thought for a moment perhaps she might be fighting amusement.
“Chloe,” a male voice called out from down the beach. “Are you coming with us or not?”
Andrés stilled when she winced. Had she declined because she was with someone else? His nostrils flared when he realized the kick in his gut was something akin to jealousy.
No. That couldn’t be right. He set the thoughts of jealousy—of her being already spoken for—quickly aside. Chloe would not have succumbed so easily to his kiss if she had belonged to another man.
“I…I really must go,” she stammered and lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry.”
Chloe pulled away from his embrace with more force this time, determined to be free from whatever sensual spell he had cast over her. She turned and fled down the path to join her friends, her heart still pounding frantically in her chest.
Pressing a hand to her warm cheek, she shook her head, completely overwhelmed and befuddled with what had just transpired.
How had she completely lost herself in that man’s embrace? That man? Good heavens, she didn’t even know his name.
Of course she’d been kissed by men in the past, but never had she experienced such a hot urgency from a kiss. Or the staggering vortex of pleasure that threatened to drag all thoughts of reason from her mind.
Come to my room. Those four little words still rang in her ears, keeping her pulse racing and spreading heat low in her belly.
Casual sex. That’s all he’d been offering. And despite her irritation at his shameless suggestion, she’d been tempted to do something completely out of character and take him up on it.
How many nights prior to flying out from Seattle had she envisioned the perfect summer with her dream lover? Finding something similar to what she’d read about in the diary? Of course she’d known it was silly, and so very unlikely that she’d ever find the equivalent to what they’d had.