Page 28 of Rio

She shifts in her seat.

“Don’t deny that you feel something for me, princesa.”

“You should forget that night ever happened.”

“Hard to forget when you vanish without saying goodbye.”

“I thought my silence would speak volumes.”

“It did,” I say softly.“But I still kept listening, waiting for you to break.”

“Break?”

“From your stubbornness, and give in.”

She looks away, jaw clenched.I take in the gold earrings, the neckline of her dress, the thick black satin line extenuating her eyes.But still my gaze goes to her lips.Red, thick and plump, I want to ravage that mouth.

She’s furious, and still so beautiful even when her face twists with anger.“Let’s go outside,” I suggest.She hesitates, but seems to be thinking about it.“You can shout at me out there.You can even slap me, if it’ll make you feel better.”

A smile tugs at her lips.“You give me permission to do that?”

“Princesa, I give you permission to dowhateveryou want to me.”

She doesn’t speak for a few seconds, and I can almost hear the hum of whatever’s sparking between us.If the thoughts going through her head are anything like mine, I bet she’s already molten heat between her thighs.

Raquel and I are fire on fire.

No retreat, no surrender, just heat building until something explodes.

“I’d want to know why you’d want to slap me,” I say, all cocky charm, trying to coax a smile from her.But it’s not forthcoming.

“You gave me permission.There doesn’t have to have a reason.”

I push my luck, say what’s on my mind, give her honesty.“I think of your panties dangling on your fingers.”

“I never did find them.”

I can’t contain my grin.“That’s because I have them.”

She blinks, her thick and curly lashes framing her eyelids perfectly.Her pupils grow larger until the deep brown of her irises is just a mere ring around them.I love that she’s trying to make sense of what I just said.That she’s trying so hard to not be shocked.I wonder if she’s secretly thrilled.

“I kept them.I’ve used those panties, and kept them, unwashed, in my drawers.They have your scent on them.”

“You kept them for what?”

I cock my head.She’s even sexier when she plays naive.“With them wrapped around my hand, I’ve fisted myself more times than I can count.”

She lets out a gasp.It’s a sexy little rasp.The kind of rasp I imagine she lets out when she’s coming down from an orgasm.What I wouldn’t give to find out for sure.

“Tell me you don’t think about that night?”I whisper close to her ear.I’m pushing, but I know this woman.I know what she’ll take, and what she won’t.

“It’s getting hot in here.”She flaps a napkin near her face.She’s heating, my princesa, and I have no doubt that she’s hot and wet, for me.

“Let’s get some fresh air,” I suggest, and this time she gets up.We walk outside, along the restaurant’s side terrace, along a cobblestone path studded with lights and weaving around a lush garden.

The oppressive heat clings to me like Saran wrap, and I immediately feel oppressed by the weight of it.But Raquel?She seems to handle it.She’s looks as cool as a cucumber, even if there’s a dewy sheen over her skin which suggests otherwise.

“Why are you here, Knight?”She folds her arms and leans back against the wall, surveying me.