Chapter Fourteen
“This is your idea of relaxation?” she asked Leonardo, pointing at the lush green trees and the overgrown bushes crowding the national park of Tijuca. “I was thinking visiting an air-conditioned museum or something.” Six days after Maria’s funeral, she had begged him to get her out of the house. She hoped by going out she’d get Harry’s attention. The bastard hadn’t called again, and she knew deep down Harry would rejoice at the chance of meeting with her. Although, to be fair, she doubted he’d go for a hike.
Leonardo flashed her a smile. “I grew up without cars. Walking comes naturally to me.”
“Yes, but this is hiking. I thought a well-to-do lawyer like you would take a woman to do something more glamorous.”
“You’ve been cooped up at home. Do you think now is the time to be picky?” he asked. Addie had practically ushered them out, promising she’d watch Lyanna. She was getting sick of staying at home or going out with the bodyguards. Maybe so was Leonardo. He didn’t use security when he left by himself or with her.
The idea he could protect her set a strange quickening in her pulse. “I guess not.”
“I’ll show you one of my favorite places. The highest peak of Rio de Janeiro is only an hour and a half away. It’s one of the best views of the city.”
“An hour and a half?” No wonder his body was ripped. While the tourists and even some locals favored a guided tour, Leonardo knew exactly where he was going. He’d been given a map at the entrance, which was still neatly folded in the back pocket of his perfect ass.
She licked her lips. Ever since that night they hadn’t been intimate. He never gave her the contract to sign, but based on their verbal agreement, the deal was done. He no longer needed to touch her to lure her into doing anything. Her heart raced. Was it fair to blame him? She’d done it.
“I know the way. Follow me,” he said. She tried hard to pay no attention to the wide planes of his back stretching against the white cotton shirt. He also had on gym shorts, and she had never seen him so casual. Sure, she’d seen him naked, but this was so…normal.
They passed a few visitors who talked loudly about a waterfall. She wondered if they’d peg them for a couple hiking together. Could she settle for the fantasy? Every day that went by her heart beat a fraction quicker when he called her name and her skin prickled at the nearness of him. Her body was betraying her and there was nothing she could do about it.
She pulled down the hem of the shirt Addie had lent her. Addie was shorter than she was, so the black halter shirt kept sliding up her abdomen. The shorts were a lot more forgiving.
“Why didn’t you give me the contract to sign yet?”
“I’ve been busy. I have it ready, I just need to print it.”
“Good. I want the best for Lyanna.” Even if it’ll suck for me personally.
“Me, too,” he said.
I believe you. The words tingled at the tip of her tongue, but did she need to voice them? Besides…the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, painfully aware of his presence.
To distract herself, she grabbed a bottle of water from the backpack and took a big swig. She realized while she lifted the plastic bottle he watched her, his lips parted like he was about to kiss her. “Want some?” she said, pointing at the bottle. “It’s hot here.”
“Hot, indeed,” he said, and his gaze dropped to her lips.
Oh God. Was it wrong to want him to take her, right there, in the middle of the forest, in broad daylight? Her sex tingled with anticipation, her clitoris throbbing.
She waited. He grabbed the bottle from her hand, and when his fingers brushed hers, a thrill of excitement surged up her arm, electrifying all her nerve endings. Her nipples puckered in full alert. She was like an exotic fruit, ready to be picked and eaten.
He took a drink and gave her back the bottle. “Thanks. We’d better get going.”
…
Leonardo swallowed. For the past half hour, he’d been hiking without any idea where he was going, even though he’d done this dozens of times. Satyanna followed behind him, but he saw her ahead of him.
After Maria had died, he’d talked to the authorities and pressed to have charges brought against Harry Clemonte, but there were no witnesses or evidence. Their hands were tied, and he hated that.
He’d agreed to get out of the house, foolishly thinking some time with her in the outdoors would get his mind off of the recent events.
“Hey,” she called out to him, and he glanced over his shoulder.
Her hair was all disheveled, and the top clung to her skin. When she lifted her arms, he could see her belly button. Desire pounded hard in his bloodstream, but he willed it away—or tried to.
“What?” he asked.
“Is that a waterfall?” she asked, pointing at a famous bank of water to the south.
He nodded.
She cocked her head in the direction of the famous landmark. “Let’s go.”
“I was thinking we could get to the peak, first. It’s the highest peak in Rio,” he said. And that would keep them moving, and not talking or exchanging glances that stretched beyond reason.
Her smile made him uncomfortable. “You always have a plan, right? Sometimes it’s best to detour.”
“This is the detour. My plan was to watch you like a hawk at home,” he said. That was why he hadn’t been at his firm and asked for some of his associates to step in and pick up the slack. Until this situation was solved, he couldn’t focus on any cases. It wouldn’t be fair to the clients, and it wouldn’t bring Clemonte to justice. “Now, thanks to you, and also my sister-in-law being a pain in the ass, I have to do it here.”
She made a face. “Have you always been such a stickler?”
A part of the tension dispersed, and for a second the burden on his shoulders lessened. Another power she had over him—to put him at ease when he was too stressed. Shrugging, he decided to join in on the fun. Why not? Ever since she came into his life, a tsunami had flooded him with long-waited passions and conflicting emotions. Deaths, but also another life. Lyanna. “Rumor has it I was a wild child when I was a toddler.”
She chuckled. “Didn’t your former girlfriends ever complain about your lack of spontaneity?”
Leonardo snorted. She was painting him like a wooden statue, dusting in the back of some run-down museum. Was he that bad? “Women find it endearing,” he said, hating himself for wanting to impress her.
“Yes. I’m sure the size of your bank account, and, er, other things, never came into consideration when you acted all diehard perfectionist.”
Other things. He rubbed the back of his neck. Was she talking about his cock so casually? His pulse raced, the first sign of the desire clenching his gut. Before something else hardened, he shook his head and gestured for her to follow him. At this point, avoidance was the only strategy he had. Either that or…giving in.
They made their way to one of the dozens of waterfalls. A few visitors took pictures, standing on the stone steps. A couple kids started to cry, probably tired from the sun and the hiking. All the sounds faded to the background when his eyes drifted to her. She was downright entranced by the water streaming down. “Can I borrow your cell phone?”
Cell phone? He slid it out of his pocket and gave it to her.
Satyanna snapped some pictures from the waterfall to the yellow birds on a taller tree. “So beautiful.”
“Do you miss taking pictures?” he asked. He remembered she took her professional camera with her during that weekend one year ago, and she had also mentioned she studied photography in New York.
“Yes. I could get back to it, after this whole mess is over,” she said, and glanced at him.
He sighed. “You could.”
The kids ran out of sight, and the poor parents excused themselves as they marched through them. What kind of co-parenting would he and Satyanna do? He’d drawn the contract, yes, but how would they get along on a daily, weekly basis? For the rest of their lives?
“Here, look at me,” she said, yanking him from his thoughts.
She was taking pictures of him.
“That’s enough,” he said, waving her off. “Let’s keep going.”
“No. Let’s pretend I have this badass camera and not an iPhone. Here, move in front of the waterfall,” she said, and before he could answer, pushed him so the waterfall streamed behind him. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, restless on the ground. “Look at me,” she said. “No. Not like that. Relax. I can tell you’re tense.”
How complicated was this? Just take the damn picture. Although he thought if he talked like that that would be a moot point. She would find a way to annoy him even more. “Fine.”
“Smile.”
To tease her, he opened his mouth as wide as he could, determined to make this a cartoon-worthy grin.
“Not like that. Look at the phone like it’s a camera…and you’re trying to seduce it. Quirk your lips to the side, lift one eyebrow. You wanna be relaxed, but with your posture in place,” she said, slipping into professional mode.
Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. When he’d agreed on escaping the madness so they’d both not go insane, he’d imagined the outdoors would help relax them and maybe clear their heads. Instead, his cock kept twitching and a thrill surged through him whenever she looked at him like she was still hungry for him. “Good job. Very nice. Take off your shirt.”
“What?”
“Just do it. It’ll look more natural with the backdrop. Plus, there’s a patch of sweat on your abs.”
“Who’s the diehard perfectionist now?” He bit back a smile. She was enjoying this—not just being out of the house, but taking pictures even if it was with a phone camera. Why not indulge her for a bit? Hadn’t she given him what he wanted by agreeing to stay? He pulled the shirt over his head, and tossed it on the cemented ground.
She licked her lips. “Nice. Tilt your head to the side.”
His cock strained harder against his shorts. God. He hoped she was shooting him from his mid-section and above, otherwise that’d be embarrassing. Embarrassing? No. It’d be real. Honest.
She darted glances at the small screen then at him. A small smile played on her lips like she had insider’s information on a high-profile case and refused to share.
“Good job,” she said, and came to show him the pictures, but he couldn’t give a fuck about them.
He’d endured enough.
Impatient, he snatched her into his arms, and without any warning dipped his head and captured her lips with his. She gasped, but opened her mouth to accommodate him. Soon her tongue was following his head, her hands wrapping against his exposed torso.
She chuckled, a flush reddening her face, but didn’t fight him. She wanted him, too, didn’t she? And he was going to give her the one thing he found impossible to hold out.
“Come with me,” he said, stretching his hand to her. She took it in hers, and for the next few minutes no words were spoken. He guided her through the back area of the waterfall, and walked through knee-length grass. When he found an area shaded by trees, he slammed her against one of them. Moaning, she wrapped her legs around him.
“I don’t have condoms, but I-I can’t get pregnant anyway…”
Leonardo shut her up with a long, torturing kiss. His cock throbbed, desperate for relief. Was it wrong that he hadn’t even thought about birth control? That he just wanted to fuck her, fuck her until this crazy need disappeared?
He pulled her top up and fumbled with the bra. She helped him, opening the clasp, and her pert, gorgeous breasts bounced free for his tongue. She caressed his head while he lapped at her taut nipples, her fingers kneading his scalp and sensitizing his entire being. Pre-cum coated the tip of his cock.
“So good,” she whispered.
It was about to get better. He inserted a finger into her shorts, fumbling until it found the way into her underwear. She bucked against him, squirming, ready to be taken.
An electric current surged through him. Groaning, he thrust his finger into her sex that was drenched with desire. He found her bundle of nerves and flicked it, teased it, caressed it. She moaned against his lips, eyes semi closed, unruly hair covering part of her face.
“Fuck.” He pulled down his shorts and plunged himself inside her. She clenched around him, her walls clinging to him.
His cock throbbed, the blood rushing to the tip of his length. He slipped out just enough to thrust into her again. Hard. Deep.
She breathed in small pants, her hands scratching his shoulder blades. Squirming, she lifted her head and licked his lips. Her hot tongue traced them. Damn her.
Holding her head back, he continued to withdraw only to return to her sweet wetness again. Once. Twice. Three times. With each thrust she moaned louder, and he covered her mouth with his hand so people wouldn’t hear them. Then he realized as her body shook she was whimpering from pleasure. She grabbed him closer and nipped at his shoulder. The pain shot another level of awareness into his body, and he fucked her until he spilled himself into her.
A few seconds went by before any sounds around him even registered. All he found was peace and silence. A couple of parakeet birds were singing, and he heard voices from other tourists not too far away. Disengaging from her, he pulled his shorts up and stayed in front of her while she recomposed to ensure her privacy.
“What just happened?” she asked, her voice still coarse.
“I detoured,” he said. Just once. Just this once. The next day, he’d have her sign that damn contract. And all would go back to normal. “What was that about you not getting pregnant?”
She smoothed her hands over her shirt. “I can’t. During my emergency C-section, the doctor discovered my placenta was growing into the uterus. My uterus was tearing badly, and a hysterectomy was the only way to stop the severe bleeding. Even if I could carry another pregnancy, doctors would be against it because I also had eclampsia. It wouldn’t be fair to risk my life like that when I have one baby to take care of.”
“I understand. Did you take it hard?”
Her smile couldn’t disguise the sadness in her voice. “I’ve always wanted a big family. I didn’t have much time to really think about what not being able to have another baby meant. I have Lyanna, and especially because I lost her, I should be grateful.”
He cleared his throat, and nodded. “It’s okay to be sad about it. Doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate your life or Lyanna.”
She sniffed, and blinked a couple of times as if fighting tears. “I guess.”
He wanted to say there were other ways to form a family. She had been on one end of the adoption process, and she could be on the other, too. But that statement got trapped in his throat, and he ran his hand down his face, hoping to hide his own emotions. Wasn’t he a hypocrite to suggest she adopt a child when he wasn’t stepping up the way she wanted him to, the way she needed, as a man? She’d settled for living in Brazil so he could be a better father. She’d been proving over and over she deserved a man who cared for her in the deepest, most intimate level. One thing occurred to him. What if he had been the one who was unworthy? Unworthy…of her?