Sinfully Summer (2 page)

‘How do you refer to them where you’re from?’ he asked, knowing full well. Becoming fluent in English was the first thing he did when he left behind his former life on the streets, but he was curious to see where the conversation would go.

She cocked a perfectly manicured brow. ‘You’re going to ask me what I call my underwear?’ Shaking her head, she eyed the lift door over his shoulders. ‘My friends will be worried.’

Disappointment pulsed through him. He didn’t want her to leave. He hadn’t had the time to enjoy a woman’s company in so long, not since he started organising this charity ball, not to mention negotiating new contracts for the resort his adopted parents were having built at the other side of the city. Lately, all he did was work and sleep. It was the only way he was going to convince Antonio and Maria that he had changed, that they could trust him to run more than just the hotel, that he was ready to own a stake in their empire. A famous heiress showing up in his suite was most certainly a welcome distraction.

‘Are you going to tell me why you’re here or would you prefer to explain yourself to the police?’

She gasped and her mouth dropped open. ‘You can’t do that!’

Ric forced back a smile. ‘And why is that? Breaking and entering is against the law.’

‘Don’t you know who I am?’ she demanded. ‘The press would
love
to snap me being carted out of a fancy hotel in my knickers.’

Her eyes pleaded with him to understand, and he did. She was in the international news on a regular basis for her wild stunts and excessive partying. A road he’d almost gone down himself, even after the Castillos had saved him.

He eyed her again, wiping all signs of recognition from his expression. Her arms folded across her chest causing the swell of her breasts to almost spill out over the white lace. Heat arrowed down to his groin and he had the urge to take a step closer. To inhale the flowery scent he’d caught a whiff of when she’d been so close before. Her eyes couldn’t mask her irritation as she glared at him.

‘I don’t believe I do,’ he lied to see how she’d react.

Her feistiness intrigued him. Given the Castillos’ wealth and status, women never dared stand up to him.

‘I’m Alexa Green.’ She glared at him, one delicate eyebrow raised, waiting for his reaction.

Ric fought back a grin and kept his expression blank. ‘That doesn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?’

She dropped her arms to her sides, her fists clenched. He pressed his lips together to keep from laughing.

‘A dare.’

Ric frowned. ‘What?’

Alexa shook her head and huffed out a breath. ‘A dare, like a bet or a—’

‘I know what a dare is, Alexa. You were dared to break into my suite?’

Teasing forgotten, he eyed her again. He could have sworn she was in her twenties, younger than he, but not a minor. The last picture of her splashed over the Spanish news was of her falling out of an exclusive London nightclub.

‘It was a bit of fun.’ She waved a hand and went on, like an impatient teacher talking to an incredibly stupid pupil. ‘My friends and I wanted to make this holiday memorable, but it wasn’t to come in your suite—I had to run around the top floor in my knickers. I got caught and ended up in your lift.’ Ric did grin this time. ‘What?’

‘Nothing.’ There was no way he’d admit that her impatience was adorable. He closed the distance between them so they were toe to toe and looked down into eyes that had turned the colour of a stormy sky. ‘What age are you, Alexa?’

She straightened and seemed to gain an inch, still a head shorter than him. ‘Twenty-three.’ He could see irritation warring with lust in her expression; perhaps she was still annoyed at his lack of recognition.

But he couldn’t concentrate on that now. She wasn’t off limits. Ideal for what he had in mind.

Ric edged closer when he noted her eyes clouding over. The tips of her breasts grazed his chest with every shallow breath. Her lips parted on an almost silent gasp.

‘Aren’t you a little old for childish stunts like that?’

Stepping back, she glared at him, all trace of desire gone. ‘You can never be too old to have fun. Do you even know how any more?’

His tongue froze for a second. How much did she know about his past? There was a time in his late teenage years where he did everything he could to feel alive, almost giving Maria and Antonio a heart attack in the process. But he was sure the worst of his past was buried, they’d made sure their money kept his secrets. She couldn’t know.

He dragged his mind back to the present. ‘Oh, I know how to have fun.’

Ric’s gaze swept down over the swell of her breasts, narrow waist to curvy hips he imagined were silky and firm. Heat punched him square in the groin and he shifted, trying to ease the tightening of his trousers.

‘Mind out of the gutter, Castillo, and eyes where I can see them.’

His gaze rose at a leisurely pace back to her frowning face.

‘
That
is not the kind of fun I was referring to.’

He cocked a brow. ‘Don’t tell me you hadn’t thought about it. I saw you eyeing me up.’ He grinned and her mouth popped open.

‘I’ve just met you!’ She looked annoyed, but from the lust darkening her eyes he knew he was right.

Ric chanced a step closer. ‘And yet you want me.’

Alexa retreated a few steps and banged into the wall. ‘Hold it right there, Castillo.’ She held her hand out again, palm forward, an inch away from his shirt.

‘Call me Ric.’ He reached out and curled his fingers around her arm, her racing pulse made his smile grow wider. ‘Your body’s reaction can’t lie.’ His thumb traced light circles on the inside of her wrist.

Alexa’s eyes darkened further to a stormy grey. ‘It’s adrenaline, not lust.’ She snatched her hand back.

The breathless reply made his already heated blood sizzle. He lowered his head, hovered his lips above her ear. ‘Keep telling yourself that, you might start to believe it.’

Alexa wasn’t the kind of woman he’d want a short liaison with—her personal life was too messy and far too public for his liking—but he couldn’t deny his attraction to her. Any more than she could deny hers.

She planted a hand on his chest and pushed him back. Ric could see her cheeks tint with arousal and her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.

‘My friends will be wondering where I am. They’ll end up phoning security to hunt me down.’

Ric guessed it was time for a cold shower. Alexa headed for the lift. He reached out and clasped her by the arm; his palm tingled at the contact. ‘Wait.’

She turned to face him, her eyebrows raised. ‘I’m not going to sleep with you, Ric. Forget it.’

If her gaze hadn’t dipped to his chest at the same time as she licked her lips, he might have believed her. But that’s not what he wanted. This time. ‘You owe me a date.’

‘Excuse me?’ Pulling out of his grasp, she glared at him.

His gaze dipped to her rosy pout, slightly damp from her tongue. Another bolt of heat headed south. ‘I have a party to go to tomorrow night.’ Actually, he had networking to do and having a beauty like Alexa on his arm might convince some of the old men with too much money and wives long since gone to attend his charity ball in a few weeks. ‘And you’re coming with me.’

Taking her would be risky, but he’d never let that stop him before. She was unpredictable and if the media suspected he was having a fling with her, they’d dig deep into his past. Then again, her father’s status was well known even here and he could work that to his advantage. He had no doubt she could be charming, he just had to keep her in check.

She laughed. ‘I don’t think so.’

Ric shrugged. ‘Then I’ll be happy to call security and have them hold you until the police arrive.’ Her brows drew together and Ric continued. ‘If you really are press worthy, I’m sure I can arrange for one of the reporters to shoot the story.’

Fear flashed in her eyes, but it was gone in a heartbeat. She smirked at him. ‘I’m going back to my room.’

Irritation warred with amusement, but in two steps he was in front of the elevator doors.

She glared at him, then turned back to his apartment. ‘Fine, I’ll take the stairs.’

‘Good luck with that, the door is locked.’ He smirked at her and slid his phone from his pocket. ‘Last chance.’

Her eyes widened, but she straightened her shoulders. ‘You wouldn’t.’

He lifted an eyebrow and hit speed dial, then the speaker. The ringing sounded in the room.

‘Hola, Señor Castillo,’ a voice answered. Alexa paled.

Ric lifted the handset closer to his mouth.

‘Fine, I’ll go with you.’ She glared at him.

He smiled. After telling security they weren’t required, he disconnected the call. ‘Good choice. It won’t be so bad. Fine dining, champagne and I’ll even buy you a new dress.’

She crossed her arms and his gaze dropped to her cleavage. ‘I have my own party clothes.’

An image of her in her usual style, a barely-there concoction of silk, flooded his mind and his whole body heated up. His gaze snapped to hers and he glared right back. ‘It’s formal, Alexa.’

Puffing out a breath, she stepped closer. ‘I can do formal. Do you know how many corporate affairs my straight-laced father,
Robert Green
, has dragged me to over the years?’ She poked a white tipped finger nail into his chest. ‘Far too many. And it better not be as boring as those.’

He grabbed the offending finger, used it to haul her body against his, lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ‘the night will be as fun as we make it.’

He released her trembling frame, took a step back and hit the button for the elevator. After a lingering glance at her almost-naked body he pulled his t-shirt over his head and handed it to her with a shred of regret. Alexa’s mouth fell open as she fixed her attention on his chest. Ric smirked as she accepted the shirt with a shaking hand.

‘Put this on.’

Alexa obeyed slowly, as if the sight of his naked skin cast a dreamlike spell over her. Ric couldn’t believe it, but in his shirt she looked even sexier than she had in her underwear. Legs that went on forever held his gaze and, even though he knew what was under the white cotton, he wanted to rip it off and find out all over again.

He cleared his throat. ‘A limo will pick you up out front at seven. I’ll meet you at the event.’

Alexa startled out of her trance. ‘But where are we going? How long will it take?’

A ping announced the arrival of the elevator and Ric gestured for Alexa to enter. She did, then held her finger on the open button, her eyebrow raised in question.

He tried not to smile. He’d given her an ultimatum she couldn’t refuse, yet she wouldn’t admit defeat.

‘Do you like surprises?’ he asked.

Alexa pressed her lips together as if considering his question. ‘Not the kind that lead to a party with the atmosphere of a wake.’

He chuckled again, wondering whether she had a brain-to-mouth filter at all. ‘You’ll just have to hope it’s something better.’

She folded her arms and pouted at him. He smiled as the doors began to slide shut.

‘Don’t be late, Alexa. And remember, it’s formal.’

The clink of metal slamming together halted her not-so-innocent reply.

After the lift had disappeared, Ric headed for the bathroom, intent on taking the cold shower for as long as he could. Alexa fired his blood like no woman had in a long time and she would no doubt look spectacular all glammed up by his side.

But he’d need to make sure he kept a stranglehold on his libido. Falling into bed with Alexa—as tempting as it had been tonight—wouldn’t be a smart choice. The girl was wild, unpredictable and far too irresponsible. He knew he was walking a fine line using her status to tempt guests to the ball, but dating her crossed it completely. That would draw the kind of attention he didn’t need. Especially if the media dug too deep into his past…

Chapter Two

Wild. Daring. Completely bonkers.

Alexa had been accused of all these things, but it didn’t bother her. Ric’s accusation that she was childish hit a nerve. She twisted the knob and threw the door open. Jenna yelped into the hotel phone, while Sarah paced the living room. They both turned to her with wild, worried eyes.

Alexa shut the door behind her. The gymnasts in her tummy felt more like heavy weight champs. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Where have you been, Alexa?’ Sarah stomped towards her, a frown marred her brow.

‘It’s okay, she’s back now,’ Jenna spoke into the receiver then hung up. She glared at Alexa. ‘We’ve been worried sick.’

Hugging her stomach, she swallowed. ‘The dare didn’t go as planned. I ended up in Enrique Castillo’s penthouse.’

She was rewarded with wide eyes and gaping mouths. Jenna recovered first. ‘His t-shirt?’

Alexa nodded, her eyebrows pulled together. ‘He blackmailed a date out of me too.’ The arrogant, pushy, git. She shook her head in exasperation, who’d have thought he’d actually back up his threat? If it was her father, he wouldn’t want bad press for his hotel. Not Castillo. ‘Tomorrow night. Some mortuary gig.’

Well, not quite. But it didn’t sound promising.
Formal,
in her opinion, meant boring and there was nothing she loathed more than boring. Except having to call her father to ask him to bail her out of a Spanish prison. She shuddered at the thought.

‘A date?’ Sarah perked up, skipping over the fact Alexa had said blackmailed, and clapped her hands like a loon. The shiny diamond on her ring finger sparkled in the light.

Alexa quelled a grimace as a chill ran through her. Why her friends felt the need to settle down so young was beyond her. Then again, they hadn’t been brought up by her father.

‘And he’s gorgeous,’ Jenna added, already on her way to the mini bar. Did neither of her friends hear the word blackmail? Jenna pulled a bottle of Cristal from the fridge. ‘This calls for a celebration.’

‘I don’t think so.’ Alexa accepted the champagne flute though—how could she not? The sip she took was heavenly and exactly what she needed right now. They settled down onto the sofas. ‘I’m not looking for
the one.
’ And even if she was, Alexa knew it wouldn’t be Ric. Lush as that chest may be…