The Ultimate Playboy(42)

                Unable to stand his stare, she started to turn away. His eyes dropped to her bare legs, heat flaring in his gaze. The power of it was so forceful she took a step back. Then another.

                ‘Stop,’ he rasped.

                ‘Why?’

                ‘I need you.’

                Her heart hammered. ‘What?’

                His nostrils flared as he reached and captured her arm. Strong fingers slid down her elbow to her wrist. Ruby’s pulse raced harder under the pressure of his fingers as he raised her right arm.

                The electronic beep as he activated the smartwatch on her wrist knocked her out of her lust haze. Biting the inside of her cheek to bring her down to reality worked for a few seconds, until he started to speak.

                Sicilian wasn’t in any way similar to the language she’d learnt growing up, but she managed to pick up a few words that had her frowning.

                ‘You’re not returning to New York?’

                ‘Not yet. My plan was to take a long-needed vacation after Macau.’

                Her heart sank. ‘So I still have to wait until you come to New York to finalise this agreement.’

                ‘Not at all, Ruby. I leave for Belize tonight. And you’re coming with me.’

                * * *

                The sight of her open-mouthed was almost amusing. Almost. Had he not been caught up in the maelstrom of severely thwarted desire, Narciso would’ve laughed at her expression. As it was, he couldn’t see beyond the need to experience again the sensational taste of those lips.

                Pure sin. Wrapped in sweet, angelic deliciousness.

                He’d never kissed lips like hers. Or tasted nipples like hers. In fact, so far Ruby Trevelli was proving disconcertingly unique in all aspects. Even the confession of her bastard of an ex’s betrayal had touched him in a way he most definitely did not desire.

                The flash of pain he’d seen had made his insides clench with an alien emotion that had set even more alarm bells clanging.

                He hadn’t intended to go to Belize till after the party he’d planned for when his Russian deal was completed.

                But he was nothing if not adaptable.

                ‘Belize?’ Astonishment blazed from her stunning blue eyes.

                ‘Yes. I have a yacht moored there. We’ll sail around along the coast, dive in the Blue Hole. And in between, you’ll stun me with your culinary delights. But be warned, nothing short of perfection will satisfy me.’

                ‘I’ve never provided anything short of that. But...’ She hesitated, again displaying that reticence he’d sensed in her earlier. If she wanted to play hard to get, she was going about it the right way. He wanted her...hard. But he was no pushover.

                ‘But what?’

                ‘We need to agree on one thing.’ Her pulse throbbed under his thumb. He wanted to stop himself from caressing the silky, delicate skin but he couldn’t help himself.

                ‘Sì?’

                ‘From now on things remain strictly business between us. The next time we have a discussion, I’d rather do it without the need for ropes.’