Page 19 of Out of Office Nights (Royals of Cartana #2)

A sound born from frustration, from this insane yearning she couldn’t excise from her soul rippled over the water, circled and returned stronger, probably because he’d also made a similar sound.

‘This is stupid. I don’t… I shouldn’t…’ She started to shake her head. The touch lingering at her ear curled over her nape, stopping the action.

A droplet ran down the corner of her mouth. She caught it with the tip of her tongue. Another sound left him, zipped directly into her veins.

‘Teo…’

He surged closer, bringing his towering temptation to bear. ‘No one else controls your fate or your desires. Only you do. Own it, Sabeen. Don’t falter now.’

‘Even if what I want is crazy?’

His mouth quirked, but his eyes remained ferocious, penetrating her feeble objections. ‘The best things are born from a little chaos.’

‘You have an answer for everything, don’t you?’

That flash of bleakness returned. ‘No, tesoro . I do not. But as I’ve made abundantly clear, I don’t let that stand in the way of what I crave. The question is, are you woman enough to do the same?’

The Playboy Prince psychoanalyst was back, taunting her with a shiny vision of the impossible that somehow felt within reach. And since he was right there…within reach…

‘Teo…’

His chest heaved on a mighty breath. Then that hand on her nape was moving.

Along her jaw. Caressing her collarbone.

Lingering on the pulse frantically beating at her throat.

Pausing, his eyes meeting hers. Gauging her reaction.

Smiling that triumphant smile when she swayed closer, the water moving over her skin causing waves of sensual delight she wanted to drown in.

Then his hand closed over one breast.

A moaned ‘Yes…’ drifted out then a more frantic ‘Yes!’ jerking free, her head falling back as his thumbs deliciously tortured her pebbled nipples. Fiery pleasure arrowed with unerring accuracy between her thighs, plumping up her sex, making her legs thrash in the water.

Teo’s leg captured hers, pinning her to the side of the pool. He roughly pulled one bikini cup to the side and sucked one eager nipple between his hot lips.

‘Oh!’ Her eyes rolled back in her head as her fingers clutched his hair, held him captive against her as he rolled his tongue over her flesh.

After an eternity and not nearly enough time, he dragged his head up. ‘ Dios mio , you’re so beautiful.’

Joy sang through her. Then need pounded hard on its tail.

Perfectly in tune with the clamour devouring her, he returned to teasing her, his other hand delving beneath the waistband of her sodden shorts.

Anticipation screamed through her, then she was shuddering as he found her swollen nub, flicked it with his thumb as his teeth grazed her nipple.

Between one heartbeat and the next, Sabeen was flying high.

Her nails bit into his shoulders, futilely fighting to stay whole even as she surrendered to being ripped apart by pleasure.

One finger breached her core then another. Her visions fogged, incoherent words peppering the charged air as Teo, his gaze now pinned on her face to watch her every reaction to his sorcery, joined her with a litany of praise.

The combination of the water lapping the underside of her breasts, his thumb wreaking sweet havoc and the fingers thrusting into her heated channel sent her over the edge.

‘There you go, hermosa . Take it. Own it.’

Her scream intensified with the fierce onslaught of a seemingly unending release, the mouth trailing over her throat, lightly biting her jaw, before sealing possessively over her mouth, devouring her desire, granting her the most prolonged bliss she’d ever known.

Far too soon, though, reality impinged on it.

She’d fallen under Teo’s spell once more.

And not just that, she’d done it out in the open, where any staff member or bodyguard wandering past could’ve seen them.

Hell, any cunning paparazzo with a powerful lens could’ve taken pictures, splashed another scandal all over social media.

She’d set herself up to experience shades of the tumult she’d endured nearly three years ago—tangling with Nathan Gray, the notorious player who it turned out was merely toying with her.

Even if Teo was different— No. Pushing aside the shock waves of residual pleasure, she tugged her bikini back into place, sidling away from him.

Aware he was watching her with hooded eyes, probably ready to ridicule her protesting way too late, she struck out for the pool steps.

‘Sabeen—’

‘No. It’s…it’s late. I need to go.’ Hurrying out of the pool, she snatched up a towel and high-tailed it to the guest bedroom.

Tugging off her shorts and throwing a sundress over her bikini took ten seconds. She was shoving her things into the beach-bag when he appeared in the doorway.

He hadn’t bothered with a towel, and in that moment, he looked every inch the Playboy Prince, destined for a centrefold magazine piece. Or the most decadent Christmas perfume ad.

Her pelvis tightened as she fought resurging heat.

‘What are you doing?’ he rasped then shook his head. ‘You’re staying here. Neither of us are in a fit state to drive. I’ve given the bodyguards the night off.’

She gritted her teeth, knowing it would be selfish and insensitive to insist she be driven back to her house.

‘You really need to stop thinking I’m your puppet to command.

Or believe that every woman who lets you within a foot of her wants to jump into your bed.

’ Dear God, why had she said that when she’d just willingly participated in a sexual act that still trailed magic in her blood?

‘ Santo cielo. You’re standing in a perfectly adequate guest room. You should wait until you’re invited into my bed before you make assumptions one way or another.’

Heat enflamed her from head to toe. Snatching up her bag, she shoved her feet into her flats and headed for the terrace, ignoring the heavy footsteps thudding behind her. Two steps down the stone slabs leading down the beach, she heard his sharp inhalation.

He caught her arms, turning her to face him. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’

‘What does it look like? I’m walking home,’ she replied.

A frown clamped his brows. ‘That’s out of the question.’

‘Watch me.’

She sailed past him as he dragged his fingers through his hair. Less than ten seconds later, she felt his domineering presence behind her.

‘Should you be out without your bodyguards, Prince Domene?’

She felt more than saw the bone-dry glare he threw at her back. ‘What they don’t know won’t hurt them.’

‘Are you sure?’

His longer stride easily propelled him closer. ‘Someone in the palace will throw a fit at some point. Not to mention my twin brother will flay me alive. I’ll happily blame you if I’m thrown into some dungeon.’

Her feet slowed, a spike of worry catching her middle even though she suspected most of that was nonsense. ‘Teo, seriously, this is ridiculous. You forget I grew up here. I know my way home.’

He walked past her then waited for her to catch up. ‘Good. Then, we’ll make good time. Come on.’

When her feet refused to move, he rounded on her, ruthless resolution etched deep into his face. ‘I’m seeing you home safe, carina . And that’s non-negotiable.’

‘Is being an infuriating, domineering alpha bred into you at the palace or taught from birth?’

That sardonic twist of his mouth again. ‘I wasn’t brought up in the palace, so it’s safe to say it’s in my DNA.’

‘Oh joy,’ she muttered.

Glinting eyes drifted over her face. When that wave of simmering heat threatened again, she quickened her steps. The effect of her climax still lingered, a thrilling reminder and a throbbing demand for more.

Both conditions she was going to fiercely deny, battling it all the way to her front door.

Her hands shook as she slotted the key in the lock.

She knew she should’ve drawn a line under the whole day then. Just as she knew she wasn’t going to the moment her gaze drifted over him.

‘Your clothes are still damp.’

He arched a brow. Said nothing. Don’t say it…don’t—

‘Come in. I’ll dry them for you.’

Somewhere in the cosmos, Sabeen was sure deities were laughing at her as she did her utmost not to stare at a half-naked Teo, wearing only a towel and sitting at her dining table.

Molten silver eyes watched her restless pacing. ‘You’re wound up.’

‘I guess your relaxation day failed after all,’ she snapped then the fight fizzled out of her. Courtesy forced her to continue. ‘That’s not true. I… Parts of it were great. Thank you.’

His wry look intensified. ‘But?’

‘But…the pool thing…that shouldn’t have happened.’ At his silence, she huffed. ‘This is where you say you agree with me.’

He shrugged. ‘It happened. I’m not going to waste time debating what should or shouldn’t have been. There’s no point.’

She resumed pacing, stuck in the curious no man’s land of wishing the dryer would ping quickly so he’d leave and wanting him to stay.

To volunteer morsels of his life so she could justify this sudden urge not to push him away and protect herself.

For him to deliver another insightful analysis that cut away more of her self-doubt and show her a clearer path to the centre she’d lost. The solid ground she hadn’t felt for a depressingly long time.

Her feet slowed as she passed the sketches on the dining table. She felt his gaze on her, steady but savage. Willing her to do…what, exactly?

It was nearing midnight. The right thing to do was see to his clothes, bid him goodnight and go to bed.

But…the right thing had gone out the window the second she’d invited him in. So she pulled out a chair. Watched him stride into the kitchen and set the kettle on the stove.

‘What’s this?’

She turned sharply, her chest squeezing when she saw him holding a white wooden box instead of the tea she’d assumed he was making.

The delicate but distinctive sound when he set the box down gave away the state of its contents.