LITMIR.BIZ

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of anything.

      What bothered him the most was the faint but insistent notion that she might be setting herself up to land in a Montoro’s bed. Gabriel’s to be exact. Did Maria have fantasies of becoming a princess?

      Almost instantly, Alex was ashamed of his doubts. He had no basis at all for such a supposition. Merely his own jealousy. Though he knew a relationship with Maria was not likely to be good for either of them, he winced at the thought of her being with another man. Surely it was a dog-in-the-manger attitude.

      As they wandered the grounds, he tried to keep his mind on the flora and fauna and not on the long-legged grace of the beauty in front of him. The more time he spent in Maria’s company, the less control he had over his fantasy life. Already, he’d been awakened twice on this trip by intensely erotic dreams.

      Now, with her three feet ahead, his hands itched to feel the silky hair that tumbled down her back. It bounced and swung as she walked. In his imagination he could see that same hair spread out across his pillow, those wide-set eyes, drowsy with passion, staring up at him.

      Damn it. He was hard and hot and horny, none of which were appropriate conditions for the man who was supposed to be orchestrating a diplomatic dance that could affect thousands of lives.

      Clenching his jaw, he concentrated on naming the flowering shrubs they passed. Anything to keep from staring at a heart-shaped butt and narrow waist made for the grasp of a man’s hands.

      Despite her claim of jet lag, Maria seemed indefatigable. The various pathways were clearly marked, so it was easy to circle back around in the direction of their accommodations. At the very last turn, they lingered beside a small lagoon, taking advantage of a patch of shade.

      A pair of peacocks strutted on the far bank. Birdsong echoed from every direction. Maria leaned against a tree trunk, propping one foot behind her. “I like the wildness,” she said, smiling dreamily. “The landscape is passionate and alive.”

      “If it were you, would you go back to a country where you had never lived? Simply to fulfill a destiny you didn’t choose?”

      She gazed toward the water, her profile as familiar to him now as his own face in the mirror. “I honestly don’t know. My life is so different. Once my mother is gone, I’ll never have a chance to press the issue of my father’s identity. And she won’t even discuss her own family, because they threw her out when she ended up pregnant and unmarried. So the idea of having a family tree that can be traced back almost two thousand years is hard for me to grasp. My past is a blank slate.”

      “I’m sorry,” he said.

      “It is what it is.”

      She wasn’t trying to elicit his sympathy. Her words were matter-of-fact. He wondered, though, if she recognized the vein of wistful sadness he heard in them.

      Her skin glowed with heat and perspiration. It occurred to him in that quiet moment that her beauty was intrinsic, not dependent at all on the paints and potions she had so whimsically described. She might look much like this after a bout of energetic lovemaking.

      Shifting restlessly from one foot to the other, he fought the urge to take her in his arms. Clearing his throat, he glanced at his watch. “We should get back and clean up.”

      She nodded, smiling at him with such sweet openness that his heart clenched in his chest. “I’m glad I was able to come on this trip. I know you put in a good word for me, and I’m grateful.”

      He stared at her, his body rigid with desire. “I don’t want your gratitude, Maria.”

      Hurt flickered in her eyes, only to be replaced by dawning surprise as she realized what he wasn’t saying. “I asked you before what you needed from me. And you wouldn’t answer.”

      “Correction. I didn’t answer because you weren’t willing to listen.”

      She straightened from her relaxed pose against the tree and took a step in his direction. “And if I’m ready now?”

      He shuddered, no longer able to hide the hunger that rode him hard. “Come here,” he said, tugging her by the hand until she landed against his chest. He linked his hands at the small of her back, allowing himself one tiny nibble of a shell-like ear.

      She looked up at him, her eyes huge. “Men are strange creatures.”

      He choked out a laugh. “What does that mean?”

      “I’m all sweaty and icky.”

      Inhaling sharply, he shook his head. “Definitely not icky. Trust me on that one.” He found her mouth with his, going in for a quick pass and then lingering to taste every nuance of warm, willing woman.

      Maria was not shy, but there was a certain hesitance in her response, a tiny awkwardness that perhaps signified a lack of experience. That same pesky tenderness surfaced, making him want to protect her from himself. And wasn’t that a conundrum...

      Finally, her arms went around his neck. Now they were pressed chest-to-chest, hip-to-hip. There was no way she could miss the state of his body. He was hard everywhere.

      Though it took everything he had, he kept the kiss gentle, the embrace circumspect. They were standing where anyone could see them. And they had a very critical appointment in less than an hour.

      One more minute. That’s all he needed. His tongue stroked hers. “Hell, Maria. You make me forget my name.”

      “Alex,” she whispered, straining against him, standing on tiptoe. “Smart, sexy, adorable Alex.”

      “Adorable?” He frowned, trying to focus as she sucked on his bottom lip.

      “Adorable,” she said firmly. “You’re so serious and dedicated and straight-arrow. It’s lovable and charming.”

      He forced himself to release her, though when she clung to him in protest, his resolve weakened. His heart slamming in his chest like a pile driver, he took her wrists in his hands and dragged them away from his neck. “I’m not feeling at all dedicated right now, Maria. If it weren’t for the possibility of alligators in that lagoon, I’d be tempted to pull you down on the ground and have my adorable wicked way with you.”

      “Alligators?” Her shriek sent a flock of birds skyward.

      If he’d hoped to derail the possibility of sex, he’d succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. His companion looked scared to death.

      He shook his head in bemusement. “You do know where we are, right? Alligator alley?”

      “I didn’t think they were everywhere.” She clung to his arm as he led her back toward their quarters.

      Alex ushered her inside the villa and shut the door. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. Gators aren’t aggressive as a rule. Though they might grab the occasional cat or dog.”

      “Oh, Lord.” When she went white, he realized his assurances weren’t helping.

      “Go take your shower,” he said. “As long as you stay out of unknown pools and ponds, you’ve got nothing to worry about, I swear.” He leaned down for one last kiss. “I’ll protect you.”

      * * *

      Maria turned the water as hot as she could bear it, stepping into the shower and trying to stop shaking. Maybe her fear was irrational, but while she could handle the occasional mouse or nasty spider, alligators were beyond her experience. Maybe this was what people meant when they said every Eden has its serpent.

      Miami and Coral Gables were beautiful beyond belief. Lush...tropical...a garden paradise. She’d never anticipated a dark side.

      As she dried off and re-dressed in the outfit she’d worn earlier, she hoped she had chosen appropriate attire for the weekend. Unfortunately, there was no manual for how to hobnob with royalty in America.

      Her navy linen sheath dress was very plain, its only adornment a trio of quirky wooden buttons on either shoulder.

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