Not yet, not yet. Don’t jump the gun and push her away.
“I—I don’t want you to stop.” She bit her lower lip, her teeth sinking into the succulent pink flesh and the urge to kiss her was so overwhelming, it was all he could focus on.
But again, not yet. To push too hard was dangerous. She was still skittish. He didn’t want to scare her.
No, he wanted her eager. Willing. More than anything, he wanted her beneath him. Naked, her breasts pressed against his chest, her long legs wrapped about his hips. His cock buried deep inside her, connected to her so fiercely, she would be all he could concentrate on. Making her feel good, making her come, again and again and again…
“Think of it as making the perfume stronger,” he suggested, knowing he was offering a line of bull, but hoping she’d take it anyway. “If this one is successful, we’ll work on the men’s line next, and I want them closely related. Keep that in mind.”
“Fine.” She nodded, her wet hair sliding against her bared shoulders provocatively. “But what does that have to do with us here? Now?”
“Well, I think we’re creating the story here, you and I. The story of the fragrances and how they came to be.”
Her eyes lit. Now he was talking her language. It gave him a perverse thrill to see how instantly excited she became. “Oh, I love that. Tell me more.”
“All right. It’s about a couple together on the island.” He drew her closer, so close her body collided with his. A delicious tease of their bare limbs connecting, the sparks of attraction that all-too-brief contact brought to life. When he got her into his bed—and he would, he didn’t doubt it any longer—it was going to be so fucking good between them.
Unbelievably good.
/>
“Go on,” she whispered as he laced their fingers together.
“A couple on their first romantic vacation together. They’re discovering each other’s wants and needs, their likes and dislikes. Maybe they’re starting to fall for each other.” Not him, he never fell for anyone. This was all a story, a fun little sexy story where he could mess around with her for the next few days, eat delicious food, drink fine drinks and have outrageous sex all night long. Maybe even all day long too.
Oh yes, and work hard on creating the new scent. He couldn’t forget that.
“I like that.” Her expression had gone dreamy, the faint smile curling her lips so pretty, he wanted to kiss her. “It’s sweet yet sexy.”
“It’s going to be very sexy, that I can promise.” He meant every word he said. “And sweet. Hot.” Reaching with his other hand, he touched her delicate jaw with tentative fingers. Learning its shape, the softness of her skin, he brushed the delectable curve of her lower lip with his thumb.
“Let’s go back to the villa,” she suggested, her voice so low he could barely hear her.
He paused in his exploration of her. “Really?”
She nodded with a naughty smile. “I’m starved.”
He laughed, dropped his hand from her face. “So am I.”
If she wanted to postpone the inevitable with a meal, he wasn’t going to protest. A meal could be part of the seduction. He knew all about seducing a woman.
But this night, this woman, was different. It wasn’t about a quick lay he could run away from the next morning. He couldn’t escape her. They were going to work together. They had a future, one he couldn’t deny.
The idea of that, for once in his life, didn’t scare the absolute shit out of him. He wanted her. And if he was lucky, it was going to happen tonight.
Chapter Ten
The entire ride back to the resort, all Ella could think about was Rhett and what happened between them at the beach. The way he’d looked at her, the things he’d said, how he’d touched her so gently, so reverently, as if he were afraid to push too hard for fear she might break.
It was considerate of him, she could appreciate his manners, but she wanted more. She wanted passion. She wanted rough hands all over her, a crushing, bruising kiss pressed to her mouth with wet tongues and heated moans. Tearing clothes off of each other’s bodies, so overwhelmed they couldn’t make it to the bedroom. He’d take her against a wall, on the couch, on the floor, wherever they landed. And when she finally screamed her release, it was because he encouraged her every step of the way with shockingly wicked words whispered close to her ear.
A delicious shiver moved through her, heat settling in her core. Oh, yes. That was exactly what she craved.
But glancing in his direction, she realized he probably wouldn’t give that to her. Not at first. This was all on her. It was up to her to take the next step. And she wasn’t used to being the pursuer. Besides, she’d never pursued anyone like him.
Rhett was so gorgeous, he hurt her eyes. Sitting in the driver’s seat at this very moment, he looked delicious enough to eat. The T-shirt was back on, though it was covered in bits of sand that glittered when the light struck them. His skin had taken on a burnished hue with not a hint of sunburn showing, while she was red as a baby lobster despite the heavy coating of sunscreen.
So unfair.