Page 24

M addie focused on her slow, even breathing as the light to the ensuite bathroom flicked off.

Laying facing the wall, she couldn’t see Carlos but her senses prickled as he moved through the dark room.

The sheets beneath her were soft and cool on her skin.

The flutter of clothes landing on the floor reached her ears and her fingertips tensed against her cheekbone.

Carlos had been up for hours talking with Hector.

She’d pretended to be asleep, staring at the ceiling in the darkened room, waiting for Carlos and Hector to storm in after finding someone who had witnessed her fight with Tony.

But that moment never came. If Carlos found out she’d lied about seeing Tony on deck, the charade was up.

He’d kill her before she could even get a scream off to Nate.

He cleared his throat and the sheets lifted, followed by a sharp dip in the bed as he got in not-so-quietly. Her heart knocked inside her ribcage. She’d never be at ease sleeping beside him.

Please, pass out. Please, pass out.

She’d been seeing Carlos for more than two weeks and by some stroke of good fortune had managed to dodge having sex with him. Last night he’d been out until the early morning hours with Tony and Hector.

Tonight, it was just her and Carlos under the sheets.

Her mind rolled through the rolodex of excuses.

Nate’s scent still clung to her skin despite their shower, her cheek still tickled from the soft abrasion of his five o’clock shadow, and the place that still throbbed for him still held his orgasm.

Her eyelids twitched as Carlos shifted in the bed, inching closer to her. She’d worn the most chaste pair of pajamas she owned, cotton pants and a Henley shirt. If it were Nate beside her, she’d be butt naked, eager and ready for him.

Please God, don’t make me have to have sex with this creep.

Carlos’s hand rested on her hip and the scruff on his face brushed against her ear. Ice filled her veins and her muscles seized. His hips thrusted forward, jabbing her in the butt with his dick. She flinched at the invasion and fluttered her eyes.

“Oh, hi darling. I didn’t hear you come in.” Her voice was gritty, and hopefully, sleepy enough to deter him. She rolled onto her back and rested the palm of her hand on the side of his face.

His deep, onyx irises glimmered at her in the darkness, stark in comparison to the whites of his eyes. The heavy stench of whiskey hung on his breath, invading her nostrils. She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth to keep from turning her head away.

“I need you,” he whispered, his arm slid under the covers and across her chest, placing him partially on top of her. “Right now.”

His mouth crushed down on hers and his hand shoved up her shirt, grabbing her bare breast and squeezing it in his fist. He climbed on top of her, his other hand tugged at her pants while balancing himself on his knees.

Panic shot through her and she caught his hand, her fingers digging into his wrist with sharp determination. It took every ounce of self-control not to hurl him over the side of the bed. He broke away from her and a deep crease etched his brow.

Her chest rose and fell between them and her throat clamped shut. “What’s wrong?” His voice dropped to a low growl, demanding more than he was asking. She’d witnessed Carlos drunk before, but never to this extent, and never when she’d been alone with him.

She lifted her shoulders sheepishly. “I have my period, honey. I thought I told you.”

His body stiffened against hers and his fingers flexed on the soft tissue of her breast, but they didn’t release their hold. A beam of moonlight peeked through a slit in the blinds and caught his face. His jaw worked in a side-to-side motion, his sharp, black eyes never left her face.

“No. You didn’t tell me.” He released his ironclad grip and pushed off her.

The movement was abrupt and harsh. He adjusted the blanket over him.

Heat radiated off his body and the air crackled between them.

“Don’t you think it’s fucking strange that we haven’t had sex yet? Because I sure as hell do.”

She stared at the ceiling and clenched her hands into fists on her stomach. How she reacted was the key to him suspecting her or not. She spun onto her hip, pushed herself up to her elbow and snapped her eyebrows together.

“You know, it’s not my fault you got sick on the yacht, nor is it my fault you decided to stay out gambling all night.

I don’t care, do what you want, but don’t complain that we haven’t had sex when you’re hardly around.

And guess what else? I’m a woman, and I get my damn period.

I didn’t time it, and I sure as hell can’t do anything about it.

” The words flung out of her mouth rapid-fire.

The planes of Carlos’s face hardened as she flopped back down, fisted the covers in her hand and yanked them as she turned her back to him.

Her insides quivered but she kept her muscles tense, fighting the shake that wanted to overtake her. Silence fell around them like a heavy cloak. Carlos didn’t move and the urge to turn to face him tugged at her.

He let out a deep, rumbling groan and the bed swayed beneath her as he moved. His hand curled around her shoulder and his hot breath blew over her ear.

“It’d better be gone in a few days.” He spoke carefully, his words carried the weight of a man who’d always gotten what he wanted—she would be no exception. His thumb bit into her shoulder and she dug her nails into her palm to prevent grabbing his hand and snapping his wrist.

“Have a good sleep,” he mumbled. His words drawled into a long, drowsy slur and a snore split through the air before he finished.

Maddie exhaled a long, low breath. There was no way to tell if he’d even absorbed a single word she’d said. She probably could have agreed to have sex and stalled and he would have passed out.

She closed her eyes and pretended she was in bed with Nate. His warmth surrounding her and the soft timber of his breath on her neck. She drifted off with the memory of his mouth on hers.

***

Maddie tucked her hair behind her ear and bounced on her toes as she rapped her knuckles against Nate’s stateroom door.

Once Carlos had passed out last night, he hadn’t woken up until his alarm this morning.

She, however, had jumped every time he moved, fearful he would come on to her again.

Thank god he hadn’t. Footsteps sounded inside, paused, and the lock snapped open.

“What the hell are you doing?” he breathed. His fingers snaked around her elbow and he towed her into his suite.

She planted her palms on the smooth cotton of his T-shirt, his muscle bunched beneath her skin as he closed and locked the door. “I didn’t know you were coming,” he chastised. But his hands landed on her hips, almost as if they had a mind of their own.

“Carlos is gone, he and Hector left for the excursion. I didn’t want to waste time texting.” Not when she could be in his arms instead.

His lips curved into a grin and he pulled her closer. He sucked her bottom lip into his, his teeth bit gently and she moaned.

He pulled away and took her hand. “As much as I want to continue with that thought, we need to take this opportunity to go through Carlos’s computer.”

She curled her fingers into the heat of his palm, and he slipped his shoes on and grabbed the key card from the entryway table. He stopped, his gaze landed on her bare legs and the short hem of her fitted blue summer dress. His fingers grazed the top of her thigh and slid in between them.

“Mmm. I like this.” He bent and pressed a kiss to her shoulder, his hot, wet tongue flicked over her bare skin and goosebumps erupted over her body.

She fisted her hands into the front of his shirt and lifted to her toes. Her nipples tingled and tightened, aching for his attention.

Nate straightened and slapped his palm to her ass. “Let’s go.”

Disappointment coursed through her, but she followed Nate into the hall. He took the key card from her and swung the door open, propelling her in after him. He shut the door, and secured the chain and lock.

“How’d you manage to stay behind today?” He slipped off his shoes and she quickly stepped out of hers and led him to the office where Carlos kept his computer.

Housekeeping had visited while they were at breakfast, so every surface gleamed and the scent of lemongrass hung in the air.

She’d left the windows open and the warm ocean breeze floated about the massive space.

“I told him I had been up half the night with cramps. I was surprised he was still willing to go snorkeling, but I guess Hector made him get out.”

She swung the office door open, Nate made his way to the desk, and slid in the chair in front of Carlos’s computer.

“Did he say anything else about Tony?”

She nodded as her hand steadied the door, keeping it ajar so they would hear if someone came in. Not that it would help much. They’d be screwed if Carlos came back early, though they were scheduled to be gone until dinner.

“Don’t worry. Dylan and Ashley are snorkeling on the same tour as Carlos and Hector.”

She tangled her fingers together in front of her waist, slowly crossed the room, and stopped at the desk. All she’d wanted since last night was more of Nate.

“He asked me if I had seen Tony when I stepped out to take Ethan’s call.

” She rested her hip against the desk and Nate brought the computer to life.

“I made it obvious I was offended and hurt by the accusation, and he apologized and admitted Hector had given him the idea. I think he’s going to be a problem. ”

The cool, slickly polished surface reminded her of the dining room table in Nate’s suite. Desire pooled in the pit of her stomach and warmth spread to the insides of her thighs. God, she wanted him.