Harlequin Presents--April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2

by Dani Collins

  Zoey frowned. ‘Do you give it to them?’

  He came back to place his hands on her shoulders, his eyes meshing with hers. ‘I don’t want to talk about my family any more. This is what I’d rather do.’ And he brought his mouth down to hers.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  FINN WONDERED IF he would ever tire of kissing Zoey’s soft and responsive lips. He loved the taste of her, the smell of her skin, the touch of her hands, the way her body pressed against his, as if she wanted to melt into him completely.

  But it wasn’t just the physical closeness with her that stirred him so deeply. It was the strange sense of camaraderie he felt with her. Both of them were only children who hadn’t had things easy and both of them were relentlessly driven to achieve, to prove something to themselves, to leave an indelible mark on the world. He had never felt such affinity with anyone before and it made him wonder if he was getting too close to her. He was allowing her too much access to his locked-down emotional landscape. The barren wasteland of his childhood was normally something even he didn’t revisit. But he had allowed Zoey in and it had changed something in their relationship.

  Relationship? Was that what this was between them? He didn’t do relationships as such. Not the ones that stretched into the future without an end point. He only conducted temporary relationships that didn’t go deep enough to engage his emotions. The sort of emotions that made him vulnerable in the way he had been as a child—wanting love, needing it, craving it and yet repeatedly being denied it.

  He had taught himself to ignore the human need to be loved. To ignore the need to be connected in such a deep and lasting way to another person. The sort of love that made your bones ache to be with the other person. The sort of love that filled your chest and made it hard to take a breath without feeling its tug. The sort of love that could be snatched away when you needed it the most, leaving you empty, abandoned, vulnerable. And that most awful word of all—lonely.

  Finn was not the ‘falling in love with your soul mate’ type. He had never pictured himself growing old with someone, having a family and doing all the things that long-term couples do. His career was his focus, continuing to build his empire that provided more money than he could spend and gave him more accolades than he could ever have dreamed of receiving.

  And yet, with Zoey’s mouth beneath his, and her arms around his body, her soft whimpers of pleasure made him wonder if going back to his casual approach to sex was going to be as exciting as it once had been. He was finding it increasingly hard to imagine making love with someone else. Found it hard to imagine how he would desire anyone else with anywhere near the same fervour he had for her. It was as relentless as his drive to succeed, maybe even more so. And that was deeply disturbing.

  Zoey lifted her mouth off his to gaze into his eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen from the pressure of his, and he could not think of a moment when she had looked more beautiful. ‘I hope the dinner you’ve been preparing isn’t burning to a crisp.’

  Finn had completely forgotten about the meal—the only hunger he felt was for her. A rabid hunger then clawed at his very being. He framed her face with his hands and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘You have the amazing ability to distract me.’

  Her lips curved in a smile. ‘Likewise.’ But then a tiny frown flickered across her forehead and she added with a slight drop of her gaze, ‘I’m not sure what’s happening between us...’

  Finn knew what he wanted to happen—more of what was already happening. The electric energy of being intimate with her, the blood-pumping passion of holding her, the thrill of his senses each time he looked at her. He wanted her like he had wanted no one before. But would the occasional hook-up with her truly satisfy him? For the first time in his life, he wanted to indulge in a longer relationship. Not long-term, but longer than he normally would.

  But would Zoey agree to it?

  ‘What do you want to happen between us?’ Finn could barely believe he was asking such a loaded question. A dangerous question. He was giving her control over the very thing he always controlled—when a relationship started and when it ended.

  She ran the tip of her tongue across her lips, her gaze creeping back up to meet his. ‘Nothing permanent.’

  Nothing permanent. Hearing his own words coming out of her mouth should have delighted him, and would have delighted him if anyone other than her had said it. He was the one who normally set the rules of a relationship, and yet this time Zoey wanted that privilege. And, because he wanted her so badly, he would give it to her without question. ‘Okay. So, a fling for as long as we both want it. Does that sound workable?’

  Her teeth sank into the fleshy part of her lower lip for a moment. Then her eyes meshed with his with a spark of intractability. ‘As long as we both agree to be exclusive. That for me is not negotiable.’

  Finn couldn’t agree more. He hadn’t been too keen on an open relationship—call him old-fashioned, but he wasn’t into sharing, especially when it was Zoey, the woman of his sensual dreams and fantasies. The thought of her with anyone else churned his gut, which was surprising to him, because he had never considered himself the jealous type. He had no time for possessive men who thought they owned a woman, but something about Zoey made him want her all to himself.

  ‘It’s a deal-breaker for me too. I might be fairly casual with how I conduct my sex life, but I have never played around on a current partner.’

  A smile flickered at the edges of her mouth and her arms wound back around his waist. ‘I’ve never had a fling before. I’ve always been in long-term relationships. Don’t you find it ironic that you’re the opposite?’

  Finn gave a wry grin. ‘Believe me, the irony hasn’t escaped me.’ He brought her closer, hip to hip, pelvis to pelvis, need to need. ‘I have an idea. Can you clear your diary for next week?’

  ‘I might be able to, why?’

  ‘I want to be alone with you, somewhere without distractions,’ Finn said. ‘How does Monte Carlo sound?’

  Her eyes lowered from his, her teeth beginning to chew at her lower lip. ‘It sounds lovely but...’

  He tipped up her chin, so her gaze met his. ‘But?’

  A flicker of something passed through her gaze. ‘It’s tempting.’

  ‘That’s the whole point.’

  She gave a half-smile. ‘It sounds wonderful. I haven’t been there before, but I’ve always wanted to go.’ But then her smile faded and a frown took up residence on her forehead. ‘But what about Tolstoy?’

  ‘I’ll get my housekeeper to look after him.’ He gave a grimace and added, ‘It’ll put the peace negotiations back a bit, but hopefully he’ll forgive me.’

  Zoey made a sad face. ‘Poor boy. Cats don’t like change and regularly punish their owners when there’s a change of routine.’

  ‘Yes, so I’m finding out. You’re the only person I’ve been able to have here since I got him. It will seriously curtail my social life if he doesn’t improve his attitude.’

  Zoey studied him for a moment. ‘If he’s turning out to be so much trouble, why haven’t you given him to someone else?’

  ‘After all the money I spent on him? No way. He can damn well adjust. I’ve had to.’

  Her lips began to twitch with another smile. ‘You love him.’

  Finn hadn’t really thought about it before, but it suddenly occurred to him that he had developed an attachment to that wretched cat. The thing wasn’t even cute and cuddly. It looked more like something out of a horror movie. But he had grown to look forward to seeing Tolstoy at the start and end of each day, even if he wasn’t the most congenial housemate. ‘Yeah, well, maybe I’ve developed a mild affection for him.’

  Zoey’s smile became playful. ‘So, the ruthless businessman has a heart after all. Who knew?’

  Finn gave her a look. ‘Not so big a heart that I would consent to taking him with me to M
onte Carlo. I do have my limits. Besides, I want you to myself. My villa is private and secluded, and I often go there when I need to work on a deadline. And, given that Leo Frascatelli has plans for a hotel revamp in Nice, which is only a few minutes’ drive away, we can do some on-site research.’

  A tiny frown tugged at her forehead. ‘But won’t having me there be a distraction?’

  Finn pressed a kiss to her mouth. ‘A shocking one, but I think I can handle it.’

  A sparkling light came into her eyes and her arms moved from around his waist to link around his neck. ‘You think you can handle me?’ Her tone was teasing, her touch electric, and he wished he could clear his diary for a month instead of a week and spend it alone with her. ‘You have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for, O’Connell.’ She pressed her lips against his for a brief moment, making him desperate for more. ‘Don’t say you weren’t warned.’

  ‘Warning heeded,’ Finn said and brought his mouth back down on hers.

  * * *

  The following day, Zoey met up with Ivy and Millie for a quick catch-up over a drink after work. She always looked forward to catching up with her friends but, since they had both become so happily engaged, she felt a little on the outer. The irony was, she had once been the marrying type. It was why she had been with Rupert for so long—seven years. Every year that had passed without him presenting her with an engagement ring she had made excuses for him. He was under the pump at work...he wasn’t ready for marriage yet...he wanted to pay off some debts first. She had spent years of her life waiting, only to have her loyalty and commitment thrown back in her face.

  And now, she was the one who didn’t want to settle down.

  ‘Millie told me about your little hook-up in New York with Finn O’Connell,’ Ivy said with a smile. ‘You do realise I fell in love with Louis after a one-night stand?’

  Zoey gave her a droll look. ‘I’m not going to fall in love with Finn O’Connell, okay?’ She was in lust with him and it was wonderful. She had never felt like this before, so alive and in touch with her body. When he had first suggested the trip, she had been assailed with doubts. Would she be setting herself up for hurt by spending such concentrated time with him? But she reassured herself it was just a fling. She was the one in control and she would stay in control. Five days with him in Monte Carlo would be divine. It was just what she needed right now, a chance to put some of her past disappointments aside and enjoy herself by living in the moment.

  Millie leaned forward to pick up one of the nibbles from the plate in front of them. ‘How will you stop yourself? I said the same thing about Hunter. When love strikes, it strikes, and you can’t do anything to stop it.’

  Zoey topped up her wine from the bottle on the table. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been in love, or at least not like you two are. What I felt for Rupert was... I don’t know... I told him I loved him plenty of times, and he did me, but...’

  ‘But?’ Millie and Ivy spoke together.

  Ivy blew out a little breath and twirled the wine around in her glass. ‘I think I might have been in love with the idea of being in love. Of being important to someone, you know? Really important to them, not just someone they lived with who did the bulk of the cooking and cleaning and was available for sex whenever they wanted it.’ She gave the girls a wincing look and asked, ‘Too much information?’

  ‘You’ve never really talked about your relationship with Rupert so honestly before,’ Ivy said. ‘Maybe acknowledging the problems you had with him will help you to not to repeat the mistakes in a future relationship.’

  ‘That’s exactly what I’m doing,’ Zoey said. ‘I’m doing what I want for a change. That’s why a fling with Finn O’Connell is perfect for me right now. We want the same things—a no-strings, no-rings, no-promises-of-for-ever fling.’

  ‘So, will you bring him to my wedding as your plus-one?’ Ivy asked, looking hopeful.

  Zoey gave a short laugh. ‘I’m not sure a romantic wedding would be Finn O’Connell’s thing at all. Besides, I don’t want to broadcast it too publicly that I’m having a fling with him.’

  Ivy and Millie exchanged speaking looks. Zoey frowned at them both. ‘What?’

  ‘Are you sure a fling is all you want from Finn?’ Ivy asked, with a look of concern. ‘Have you really changed that much to go from having a long-term relationship history to wanting nothing but flings with people who take your fancy?’

  ‘Of course I’ve changed,’ Zoey said. ‘No offence to you two, but I can’t see myself settling down with someone any more.’ The inevitable hurt, the vulnerability, the crushing disappointment when the person you had committed your life to let you down. Why would she sign up for that? It was better this way, she had way more control.

  ‘I think it’s sad that you feel that way,’ Ivy said. ‘I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with Louis. To think I might have missed out on feeling like this about someone and have him feel the same way about me is too awful to contemplate.’

  ‘But what if Finn wants more?’ Millie chimed in.

  ‘Not a chance,’ Zoey reassured her and reached for a marinated olive from the plate. ‘He’s a playboy with no desire to settle down.’ She popped the olive in her mouth and chewed and swallowed. ‘Look, be happy for me, okay? I’m spending the next five days with him in Monte Carlo. It’s kind of a working holiday but there’ll be plenty of time for...other stuff.’

  Millie and Ivy exchanged can you believe this? looks and Zoey rolled her eyes. ‘What is it with you two? No one is going to fall in love, okay?’

  ‘We just don’t want you to get hurt, Zoey,’ Millie said. ‘You’ve been through a lot with Rupert and your dad. The last thing you need is to get your heart broken again.’

  ‘Don’t worry, it won’t get broken.’ Zoey wondered now if it was her pride that had been hurt rather than her heart when it came to her ex.

  And, as long as she kept her pride intact during her time with Finn, she would be perfectly safe.

  * * *

  Finn and Zoey flew the next day from London to Nice and then drove the twenty-minute drive to his villa in Monte Carlo in a luxury hire car. Zoey stepped out of the car and gazed at the Belle Époque style three-storey villa, with glossy, black wrought-iron balconies on the two upper levels. She had thought his London home was stunning, but this was on a whole new level.

  ‘Oh, wow, it’s lovely...’ she said, shading her eyes with her hand from the brilliant sunshine to take in the view over the water in the distance.

  Finn placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her forward towards the villa. ‘I’m glad you like it.’

  ‘How could anyone not?’ She stepped inside the villa and turned a full circle in the marble foyer. A large crystal chandelier hung from the tall ceiling. The floor was beautifully polished parquetry, partially covered with a luxurious Persian rug that picked up the black and white and gold theme of the décor. A large gilt-edged mirror on one wall made the foyer seem even more commodious than it was, and that was saying something, because it was huge. There were works of art on the walls that very much looked like originals and there were fresh flowers in a whimsical arrangement on a black-trimmed marble table in front of the grand, sweeping staircase.

  Zoey turned back to face him. ‘Oh, Finn, this is truly the most amazing place. How long have you had it?’

  ‘A year or two. It was a little run-down when I bought it, but it’s come up well.’

  ‘It certainly has.’

  ‘Why don’t you have a look around while I bring in the bags?’ Finn said. ‘The garden and pool are that way.’ He pointed to the right of the grand staircase, where she could see a glimpse of lush green foliage through a window.

  Zoey walked through the villa until she came to a set of French doors leading out to the garden and pool area. Finn hadn’t been wrong in describing the villa as secluded a
nd private—the pool and garden were completely so. A tall hedge framed two sides of the property, and the twenty-metre pool in the centre overlooked the sparkling azure-blue of the Mediterranean Sea in the distance. The garden beds in front of the tall hedges either side of the pool were a less structured affair with scented gardenias and colourful azaleas. There was an al fresco dining and lounge seating area on one side, and a cleverly concealed changing room and shower and toilet nearby.

  Zoey bent down to test the water temperature of the pool just as Finn came out to join her. ‘Fancy a swim?’ he asked.

  She straightened and smiled at him. ‘Don’t tempt me.’

  He came over to her and took her by the hands, his warm, strong fingers curling around hers. ‘Look who’s talking. Do you know the effort it took for me to keep my hands off you during that flight?’

  A frisson coursed through her body at the glinting look in his dark gaze. ‘It took an effort on my part too.’

  He brought her closer to the hardened ridge of his growing erection, his hands settling on her hips. A shockwave of awareness swept through her body, desire leaping in her core with pulsing, flickering heat. ‘Take your clothes off.’ His commanding tone sent her pulse rate soaring.

  ‘What, here? What if someone’s watching?’

  He smiled a devilish smile. ‘I’ll be the only one watching.’

  Zoey shivered in anticipation, for she knew without a single doubt he would more than deliver on the sensual promise glinting in his gaze. ‘I’ve never gone skinny dipping before. In fact, there’s quite a few things I haven’t done before I met you. You seem to bring out a wild side in me I didn’t know I possessed.’

  ‘I happen to like your wild side.’ He brought his mouth down to the shell of her ear, gently taking her earlobe between his teeth and giving it a soft bite. A shiver raced down her spine with lightning-fast speed and a wave of longing swept through her. He lifted his head to lock his gaze back on hers and added, ‘It turns me on.’