Wanton Heat (A Feel the Heat Novel) (Entangled Brazen) (13 page)

When her back was bared to the warm night air, his hands molded to her waist and moved upward, tugging down the straps holding her dress up. The cool cotton slithered down her body and pooled at her bare feet, leaving her naked bar a white satin thong.

“Perfect,” he murmured, stepping back to admire her in the pale moonlight. “You’re the most perfect woman I’ve ever met.”

Zoe knew Dom was caught up in the romance of the moment, and a horny guy about to get laid would say anything. But for one heart-rending moment, she wished she could believe him.

“This is perfection.” She splayed her palms across his chest, savoring the heat beneath the linen. She skimmed over every delicious muscle, the hardness so tempting.

Her fingers fumbled in her haste to unbutton him, and when the last button slid through the hole, she pushed the shirt off his broad shoulders, leaving him gloriously bare-chested.

Moonlight dappled his chest, highlighting the hard planes, the dips and ridges, the smoothness of skin. Gorgeous.

She leaned forward and captured a nipple between her teeth, nipping it hard.

He groaned and pulled her toward him, claiming her mouth in an explosive kiss that snatched her breath and made her cling to him.

His firm fingers kneaded her ass before he slipped a finger beneath her thong and tugged, making it rub against her clit.

He swallowed her moan, his tongue taunting her as he ripped the thong clear off and lowered her to the blanket. She had no idea if it was the goose liver pâté or the eggplant dip digging into her back, but she solved the problem by rolling onto her side.

As he ravaged her mouth, he unzipped and sheathed himself. He nudged at her entrance, and in a smooth move, she rolled on top of him so that he entered her.

She tore her lips from his to sit up, bracing her hands on his chest.

And in that moment, looking down on Dom, their bodies straining to reach orgasm, their gazes locked in wide-eyed wonder at how damn explosive they were together every single time, Zoe finally admitted the truth.

Despite all self-talk to the contrary the last few days, despite all the years’ worth of self-preservation from emotional attachment, she may have just fallen in love.

…

Dom couldn’t tear his eyes off Zoe.

Was this even real? Having her straddling him outdoors, moonlight framing her, flickering candlelight casting alluring shadows over her breasts?

Like a fantasy come to life. But at least for tonight, she was all real, and she was all his.

He’d wanted to make tonight special for her, to make up for some of his previous behavior. He’d expected her to lap up the romance. He hadn’t expected the tears. Seeing her so upset had gutted him in a way that made him reevaluate exactly how invested he was in this transient fling.

Fuck, he was in so much trouble.

He had to do his best to reassert what this was about: two people who shared a powerful sexual connection.

He thrust upward, delighting in her gasp. So he did it again and again, until they were both mindless.

She rode him with the same exuberance she had for life: wild and unrestrained. Bringing them to the brink hard and fast.

And just when he thought it couldn’t get any better, she touched herself. Fingering her clit to accelerate her orgasm.

His balls tightened in anticipation a second before he shot his load, the power of his orgasm making his head feel like it was clamped in a vise.

She threw back her head a second later, her cries of release echoing in the silence.

He would never forget this image as long as he lived: his hedonistic woman in the throes of passion.

Back arched. Breasts thrust to the night sky. The elegant column of her neck.

She was magnificent.

And he wished she was all his.

All too soon, she straightened and slid off. For some inexplicable reason, she wouldn’t look at him, and it irked. They’d just shared what was a monumentally special moment for him…didn’t she feel anything? Or was she feeling as overwhelmed as he was and didn’t want to risk another crying jag?

He needed to get this back onto familiar territory. The two of them sparring. Lighthearted. Fun. No commitment.

The way his chest ached at the thought? Yep, he was totally, 100 percent fucked.

“How about that swim now?” He turned away and took care of business. “The water’s perfect.”

“Sounds good.” She whacked him on the ass with a playful slap. “I like the idea of skinny-dipping with a prince.”

“Why? So you get bragging rights back home?”

She stepped around him, her bold stare deliberately lingering on his cock. “And my, my, isn’t there a lot to brag about.”

He laughed. “You’ve already had your wicked way with me, so no need to lay the flattery on thick.”

“Ah, but there is.” She stepped in close, cupped him. “Because after our swim? I’m hoping for round two.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

She squeezed him in response, and he lunged for her. But she was too quick. Dodging. Weaving. Making a beeline for the water, where she executed a cute little ass-wiggling dive into the lagoon.

Dom added that snapshot to the many he’d stored away in his memory.

For when Zoe left, he had a feeling his life would be more bereft than ever.

Chapter Six

Dom had been determined to keep their final hour on the island lighthearted.

He wanted Zoe to remember this place as he did: filled with warmth and humor and magic.

So he’d brought her to his special place—the waterfall—to say good-bye.

Big mistake. Huge. Because now that they were here, he was in dire danger of saying something he’d regret. Something like “stay with me.”

“This was my hideout as a kid,” he said, taking hold of her hand as they stood before the tumbling waterfall that gushed and burbled. “When I was here, the rest of the world didn’t exist.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said, with the right amount of reverence. She got him. She really did. And he couldn’t say that about many people in this world. “But if you’re hoping for a repeat of last night’s water seduction, we don’t have time.” She elbowed him and winked. “Though maybe if you’re really quick…”

He smiled and tugged on her hand, bringing her into the circle of his arms. “I’ve never brought anyone here before.”

He wanted her to realize how special this was. Hell, he wanted her to read his mind. But what would that tell her? That he was a mess, trying to sort through a confused jumble of thoughts?

That he was seriously thinking of compromising the oath he’d made to himself to honor his father’s memory, because he wanted to keep her with him longer and thought he could achieve that by agreeing to work with her?

That he was going stark, raving mad at the thought of losing her?

“Bet you say that to all the girls.” She winked, her signature cheekiness one of the many things he’d miss about her.

“You’re the only one,” he said, wondering if the gravity of his declaration would register.

He meant it. She was the only one. The only woman he’d ever let get this close emotionally. And it terrified him.

Against his better judgment, he’d grown to trust Zoe. Hell, even his grandmother trusted her, and that was a far cry from Nonna’s feelings for Lilia.

But what if his lust for her was jumbled up with the rest of his feelings, and making him go a little nuts?

He never went out on a limb with anyone for fear of being left alone regardless when they didn’t get what they wanted. What made him think Zoe would be any different?

“Careful there, Your Highness. That almost sounded like you’ve enjoyed having me around.”

“Maybe a little?” He held up his hand, wavered it from side to side, reverting to flippant when she’d just given him the perfect opportunity to say how he was really feeling.
Testa di cazzo.
“You’ve turned out okay for a crazed kidnapper.”

“And you were the perfect hostage.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss him, an all-too-brief brush of her lips on his. “Damn shame I have to release you.”

Now it was his turn to wonder if she meant that or not, but he never got the chance to ask when she laughed and slipped out of his embrace. “Come on, let’s go. I’m overdue for a Skype conference with my partner at AW.”

So it was back to business as usual. He should be glad they were reestablishing boundaries that would only get more constricted when they reached Osturo.

But here, now, for a suspended moment in time, Dominic wished he were an ordinary guy without a title, without the burden of his heritage and the promises he’d made bearing down on him.

Because he’d like nothing better than to throw caution to the wind for the first time in his life and follow Zoe to the ends of the earth.

…

The moment Zoe entered the castle, some of the residual tension pinching her shoulders eased.

Until now, her spine had felt stiff, like she’d been walking around with a stick up her ass all day. Yeah, she’d been that tense. From the moment she opened her eyes this morning to five minutes ago, when Dom had left her to go in search of his grandmother, Zoe had been uptight and edgy.

Last night had solidified what she’d suspected for a few days. She’d fallen in love with a prince, and there wasn’t one damn thing she could do about it except leave.

The crazy thing was, she thought Dom may return her feelings. And despite the incredible night they’d shared last night, first by the lagoon and later in his bed, they’d skirted around the main issues this morning. Hinting at more but neither having the balls to say…
where to from here
?

They’d been so close at the waterfall this morning. She wasn’t a complete fool. She understood the significance of him pointing out she was the only woman he’d taken there.

She’d wanted to push him for answers, had wanted him to articulate if he was feeling half of what she was. But she hadn’t pushed, for fear of what that may mean. A frightening choice between her head and her heart.

And she’d be damned if she listened to her heart. Women made stupid decisions based on their impressionable hearts. Now that she’d fallen in love, she understood why. Love turned logic to mush and fueled futile fantasies, the main one being her staying with Dom if he asked her.

What was worse? The surreal romance of the last twenty-four hours had pushed business to the back of her mind when it should be at the forefront. She couldn’t afford to mess this up, but what if after all this, Dom still said no?

Not once during their time together had the business/pleasure lines blurred. When she’d been in his arms, she’d been totally in the moment, not considering business at all. But now that they’d returned, and he’d said he’d give her his answer today, the enormity of the situation hit.

Would she have the guts to walk away if Dom said no? Business-wise, she should stay and fight for what she wanted. Personally, if she spent any more one-on-one time with him, she may just blurt the truth, and that wouldn’t help either of them.

Damn, she was in a bind. Of her own making.

“My grandson is happier than I’ve seen in ages, and I have you to thank for that.” Catarina breezed into the room, her expression serene.

By looking at the regal older woman, Zoe never would’ve guessed a Machiavellian mastermind resided in that scheming brain.

“You knew that storm would keep us stranded for days.” It was a statement, not a question, and to Catarina’s credit, she nodded immediately.

“Of course.”

“And you wanted us stranded together for that long because…?”

“I think the glows you’re both sporting is answer enough.” Catarina sat on an ivory armchair and rested her hands in her lap. “I saw instantly you sparked something in my grandson. That morning you arrived? He appeared more alive than he has in years.” She shrugged. “So I played matchmaker and pushed you two together for a while? No harm done.”

Zoe wanted to tell the queen she was wrong. A huge injustice had been done, because what the monarch saw as a short-term solution to her grandson’s unhappiness had resulted in potentially breaking Zoe’s heart.

Why was it, when she’d finally decided to shed her old ways and look for a committed relationship with one guy, that he had to be out of reach?

“You, my dear, look radiant,” Catarina said, pride in her scheme audible. “And Dominic is positively beaming.”

Catarina paused, tilted her head to one side, studying her. “After hearing your entire presentation, has he agreed to your terms?”

“Not yet.” Zoe shook her head. “He’s giving me his final answer today.”

“Interesting.” Catarina’s gnarled fingers drummed against her thigh. “If he hasn’t said an outright no, you may just have succeeded in your quest to change one stubborn man’s mind.”

“I hope so.” Because the reality was, Zoe wasn’t so sure.

She’d done the unthinkable and let hormones cloud her judgment. Because if she hadn’t had sex with Dom, hadn’t fallen for him, she probably would’ve kept badgering him for an answer. She would’ve hassled him and harangued him 24-7 until he’d given her an answer just to get her to shut the hell up. She would’ve stayed focused on the ultimate goal, instead of letting him sweep her off her feet.

“This is none of my business, but do you have feelings for my grandson?”

Startled by Catarina’s bluntness, Zoe tried to school her face into a blank mask, but by the knowing glint in the older woman’s eyes, it was too late.

“I thought so.” Catarina nodded, surprisingly smug. “Well, then, you’ve both got more than a business proposition to figure out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out,” Zoe blurted, unnerved by Catarina’s perception. “My life is in LA. Dom’s is here. We’re from different classes. We have absolutely nothing in common.”

“And yet you fell in love with him in less than a week,” Catarina said, annoyingly calm. “I think that says a lot.”

“You’re wrong,” Zoe said, her empty protest sounding too loud in the cavernous room.

It was bad enough she’d bought into the ridiculous romantic fantasy she’d concocted in her head; having the queen articulate it like it was fact didn’t help.

“Am I?” Catarina stood and to Zoe’s shock, bent to kiss her on the cheek. “There are no class distinctions on these islands. The monarchy is but an ancient title. As you know, my grandson is a modern businessman who makes calculated decisions.” She straightened and bestowed a kind smile. “I’m hoping he makes a wise decision when it comes to you.”

Zoe tried to convince herself Catarina meant in the business arena, but they both knew differently.

Zoe didn’t dare hope there was a chance for her and Dom, but for a wishful second, it sure was nice to dream.

When Catarina left the room, Zoe fired up her iPad to Skype Allegra. With the time differences between here and Australia, it should be late evening Down Under. What Zoe needed right now was Allegra’s cool logic. A voice of reason. Anything to distract from the nerves making her hands shake.

She needed Dom to agree to her business proposal. As for anything else? Didn’t bear thinking about.

Allegra’s face popped onto the screen, her eyes a little unfocused. “Hey Zo-Zo, how’s it going?”

Zoe grimaced. “Oh my God, look at your eyes. I’ve interrupted another sex-athon.”

Allegra grinned, the grin of a well-satisfied woman. “Don’t worry about it. Jett’s making me a hot chocolate while we chat.”

“You’ve got him under this already.” Zoe pressed a thumb to her forehead. “Lucky bitch.”

Allegra chuckled. “Have to say, I never in a million years dreamed I’d be this happy.”

While Zoe was pleased for her BFF, she couldn’t help the small sliver of jealousy that wounded her already fragile heart. “You deserve it, babe.”

“I do, don’t I?” Allegra squared her shoulders, a woman confident in the love of her man. “So do you have a verdict on the ad campaign yet?”

“No, but I should know shortly.”

“That arrogant prince holding out on you?”

Allegra didn’t know the half of it.

“About that…has Kaluna considered other alternatives to expanding the resort? Because now that I’ve had the grand tour of Ancora, I can understand where Dom’s coming from.”

And she’d gone as far as to jot down a few alternative ideas that could meld both their visions if he were enlightened enough.

Allegra frowned. “Dom?”

Damn, Zoe had just tipped her hand. She’d wanted to put out a few feelers to see if there was a way that Dom would get his way, and she would get hers. A compromise. Instead, she’d just alerted her friend that what she shared with the prince had moved way beyond business.

“Don’t tell me you slept with him?” Allegra shook her head.

“Fine. I won’t tell you then.” Zoe tried to sound upbeat, when in fact she knew she’d screwed up by screwing Dom.

Allegra waggled a finger at the screen. “What were you thinking?”

“Probably the same thing you were when you
slept with
Jett on Palm Bay.” Zoe tapped her bottom lip, pretending to ponder. “Because as I recall, technically he was business, too, but that didn’t stop you.”

“Touché.” Allegra’s wry grin made Zoe laugh. “But royalty? Seriously?”

“You can call me Princess,” Zoe said, faking a bow.

Allegra’s smile faded. “Zo-Zo, this is serious. You know we can’t muck up Kaluna’s worldwide advertising campaign.”

“Believe me, I know,” Zoe said, well aware there was more on the line than Kaluna’s campaign. Their entire company depended on scoring this gig.

The sly glint in Allegra’s curious gaze alerted Zoe to the incoming question as her friend leaned closer to the screen. “So how was he?”

“Unbe-fricking-lievable.” Zoe mock swiped her brow. “And that’s an understatement.”

“Wow,” Allegra mouthed. “That good?”

“Better.”

Allegra hesitated, and gnawed on her bottom lip, as if holding back.

“What?” Zoe prompted.

Allegra sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s just that before you left, you said you weren’t doing the fling thing anymore. That you were taking a break from the casual lifestyle.”

Zoe bit back her first response of “maybe I found something more,” and the silence stretched to uncomfortable. Allegra stared at her with concern.

“Oh, no, hon, you’ve fallen for him? But he’s an Italian prince. And you’re…”

Stung by what her friend hadn’t said rather than by what she had, Zoe squared her shoulders. “I’m what? Too common? Trashy? Flamboyant?”

Sadness downturned Allegra’s mouth. “I was going to say you’re an LA girl through and through. Your whole life is there. And you’ve just been made partner at AW. How could you give all that up?”