In the Brazilian's Debt

by Susan Stephens

  ‘You can’t just make everything right,’ she said. ‘You can’t just walk back into Rottingdean House and expect to pick up where we left off.’

  ‘Why not? Why not, Lizzie?’ he demanded fiercely. ‘We can do anything we want to, if we want it enough.’

  She drew breath for a moment, and then slowly relaxed. ‘Do you remember this?’ she said, pushing back her sleeve.

  ‘That’s not the friendship bracelet I made for you?’ He shook his head with surprise. ‘You’ve still got it after all these years?’ He saw the hurt in her eyes, and understood how Lizzie had felt when she thought he had deserted her. ‘If there’d been any other way...’

  There was a long silence and then she said softly, ‘I feel like you, in that I’m glad you came to Scotland, because you and Eduardo inspired me. I would never have been ready for you to leave.’

  ‘And I didn’t want to leave,’ he admitted. ‘I raged against it.’

  ‘My mother would have destroyed you. I know that now. No one turns down Serena, but you did. That was your only sin. My father’s a violent alcoholic, who would have ruined what little remained of the estate so my grandmother had good reason to take the power to do that out of his hands. I remember my mother swearing at my grandmother on that last day, saying she didn’t care if they were thrown out, because there were richer pickings for a woman like my mother who still had her looks. There was a lot of gossip after they left, and even if I didn’t understand half of it at the time, I know my grandmother wouldn’t have been granted custody of me, if it hadn’t been bad. And why would Grannie allow me to come on your course in Brazil, if she didn’t believe in your innocence? I think she was pleased I won your scholarship, because she wanted justice to prevail, and giving me her blessing was her way of apologising to you for the harm done to you by my parents.’

  ‘And what did you think, Lizzie?’

  ‘Apart from the hurt when you left?’ She shrugged. ‘I just feel awful about the whole episode now. I should have spoken out. I should have confronted my parents in front of witnesses and called them liars to their faces.’

  ‘No one wants to believe badly of their parents, Lizzie. We make excuses for them, and always try to find some redeeming feature.’

  ‘That’s our common bond,’ she said with a small smile. ‘That, and learning to trust again.’

  ‘You’ve been talking to Maria.’

  ‘Yes, I have,’ she admitted, ‘and she filled in even more of the blanks than you have done.’

  ‘Running wild in the barrio?’ he suggested, slanting a wry smile.

  Lizzie laughed as she admitted, ‘Something like that.’

  ‘And your grandmother. What did she tell you?’

  ‘She would never say a word against her son, or my mother. Old-fashioned values prevailed, I suppose—family pride, and all that. Preserving what little remained of our reputation took up most of her time, and the rest she devoted to repairing what my father had destroyed.’

  ‘Your parents won’t have the chance to destroy anything more now I’m here.’

  ‘Agreed. I doubt they’d take you on.’ Shaking her head, Lizzie laughed.

  ‘I suppose there are some compensations to my being the barbarian they talk about in the press.’

  Lizzie angled her chin to stare up at him. ‘A barbarian with a great way with horses, and that’s what matters. So, where will you start?’

  ‘My immediate plans?’ Chico’s eyes had begun to burn with humour.

  ‘No,’ she warned without much force as he ran one fingertip lightly down her cheek. ‘Not those.’

  ‘I’m going to expand the training and breeding programme at Rottingdean,’ he said, pulling away. ‘But first I’m going back to Brazil and you’re coming with me.’

  When she began to protest that she had duties here in Scotland to attend to, he added, ‘Before you say no, consider this: you need that diploma on your wall, Lizzie, if you have any thoughts at all of involving yourself in the business here.’

  ‘Working under you?’

  ‘If that’s your preference.’

  Chico’s eyes were the most eloquent eyes she’d ever seen, and right now they were inviting her to do more than help him with his equine breeding programme.

  Was she in danger of taking herself too seriously? Lizzie wondered as she gave Chico a stern look. Yes. Quite suddenly, sleeping with the boss seemed like a hard-earned perk that she was most definitely entitled to, rather than a reckless risk that could land her in trouble.

  ‘Yes,’ she said, holding Chico’s wicked gaze with a challenging stare. ‘I think I might take you up on that offer. And working under you would be my preference too—at least, to begin with.’

  * * *

  Chico kicked the door shut behind him, and she was in his arms before it slammed shut. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he husked, and that was all he had time for before she was reaching for his clothes and ripping them off.

  Sweeping the papers off the desk, he pressed her back. ‘Let’s not waste time,’ he said, staring deep into her eyes.

  ‘Who’s wasting time?’ she demanded, having already unbuckled his belt. ‘I take my barbarians as I find them—preferably naked, but when it’s an emergency, I’ll take whatever I can get.’

  ‘I trust you expect me to behave like a barbarian, rather than to waste too much time on unnecessary preparations?’

  ‘You got that right.’ She groaned as he took her deep.

  She had never been more aroused. Chico was big and tough and hungry, and she liked nothing better than to feed his appetite. She loved it when he was tender and gentle with her, but she liked him fierce best of all. ‘Just don’t stop,’ she instructed as he thrust deep. ‘At least not until I tell you to.’

  ‘Understood. So, to summarise—’

  ‘Forget the summary and get on with it. I’m close.’

  ‘You’re the best asset I’ve got,’ he said, setting up a deliciously rhythmical pattern of deep, firm thrusts, ‘so you’ll come back to Brazil with me—’

  ‘I’ll come anywhere,’ she assured him, hanging on by the slimmest of threads.

  ‘You’ll graduate and play in the match, and then we’ll discuss the details of your duties—’

  ‘Stop—’ Clinging to him, she drew a breath. ‘Nothing’s been decided yet.’

  ‘It has by me,’ Chico informed her coolly as she hung suspended in his erotic net.

  ‘Then it’s no deal,’ she said.

  ‘Would you like me to stop?’

  ‘I’d like you to finish what you started.’

  ‘That can be arranged...at a price.’

  ‘Which is?’

  ‘I need you to work with me. The team I’m going to put in place will need your input.’

  ‘I need your input.’

  Chico’s teeth flashed white against his dark skin as he laughed down at her. ‘I have to say this is the first time I’ve discussed contract terms under these conditions.’

  ‘I should hope so. Now, could you just—?’

  She cried out as Chico did exactly what she needed him to do—and did it thoroughly and very well indeed.

  ‘That was amazing,’ she panted. ‘You really are the best.’

  ‘Out of how many?’

  So few she wouldn’t even embarrass herself by mentioning the number, and not one of them could make her scream. ‘Stop looking for compliments,’ she said as Chico raked his hair, making wild even wilder. ‘You know you’re the best.’

  ‘Money’s no object, Lizzie. You can buy all the stock and equipment that you need—’

  ‘Are we going to just talk about business?’ she interrupted. ‘Because, if we are—’

  ‘I’m placing all my business with you,’ Chico assured her as his m
outh curved in a wicked smile.

  Lizzie pretended to think about this for a moment. ‘Can we move this to the sofa? Only, I’ve got some business I want to discuss with you, and this desk is hard.’

  ‘Whatever you say.’

  Chico lifted her into his arms without breaking that most critical of connections between them.

  ‘This is the benefit of making love with a very strong man, I suppose,’ she commented as he lowered her carefully down onto the cushions without compromising her pleasure in any way.

  ‘I’m not letting you go,’ he confirmed, starting to move again. ‘In fact you’re not going anywhere for quite some time. I take it you’re in agreement with that?’

  ‘Fully,’ she said, groaning as he upped the pace.

  Still not entirely sure how they’d make it work once they left this room, she only knew that right now they were as close as two people could be, and something told her that this time when Chico left, they’d leave together.

  * * *

  They arrived back in Brazil to a fiesta. It was hard to be anything but excited when the sound of that hot South American beat thrummed through her body like an invitation to sin.

  ‘Okay?’ Chico said, turning to her.

  If only she could stop wanting him for a few minutes. It had been bad enough on the plane when she had thought the flight would never end, but now her body was demanding Chico’s most urgent attention. He had piloted the plane from Buenos Aires in black jeans and a black casual shirt with the sleeves rolled back, looking like the man she could quite happily spend the rest of her life in bed with.

  ‘I asked you, are you okay?’ he pointed out.

  ‘Most definitely,’ she said, wondering how long it would be before Chico took her into his arms and kissed her hard.

  ‘Preparations for the graduation ceremony are well under way,’ he said, bursting her bubble.

  Yes, she was a student—Chico’s student—and she had to behave as such, which meant no fraternisation, and absolutely no sex. At least, not all the time.

  Danny was waiting by the Jeep, ready to take them to the ranch. They exchanged a warm hug. ‘Welcome home,’ Danny exclaimed, holding Lizzie at arm’s length so she could assess her friend. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Of course I am.’

  ‘Yes, I can see that,’ Danny commented wryly.

  ‘How are you?’

  ‘I’ve been worried about you,’ Danny admitted, ‘with everything going on back in Scotland.’

  ‘It was a great send-off. I’m only sorry you couldn’t be there.’

  ‘I’m sure you said goodbye for me too.’

  ‘I did, and I thought about the times when the three of us—you, me, and Grannie, were together and really happy.’

  ‘I’ll drive,’ Chico stated flatly, holding out his hand for the keys.

  The two girls exchanged a glance, and were forced to wait until Chico had dropped them off outside the grooms’ accommodation before they could discuss him.

  ‘So you haven’t got him fully trained yet,’ Danny observed dryly.

  Lizzie hummed. ‘Don’t worry. I’m working on it.’

  As they carried her case upstairs, Lizzie began to tell Danny more about the trip back to Scotland—the ugly and the good.

  ‘You know what your trouble is?’ Danny remarked as they flopped down on the bed. ‘You and Chico are so stubborn—you both want to be in control.’

  ‘There is no me and Chico,’ Lizzie insisted.

  ‘Of course there is,’ Danny argued. ‘You just can’t see it yet—mainly because you’re waiting for something to happen, when you should be out there making it happen. This isn’t like you, Lizzie. Go get your man. Wrestle him to the ground and claim your prize.’

  ‘I’m sure Chico would be thrilled.’

  ‘I’m sure he would too. And I’m not being sarcastic. You owe it to Chico.’

  ‘I owe him what?’

  ‘What’s the betting that he’s waiting for you right now?’ Danny demanded. ‘He’ll be heartbroken if you don’t do this one small thing for him.’

  ‘What? Wrestle him to the ground?’ Lizzie laughed. ‘Much as that image tempts me—’

  ‘If you both go on being too proud to admit how you feel about each other, then you’re letting a good thing go to waste. And that’s all I have to say on the matter.’ Leaping off the bed, Danny turned to look at her. ‘Are you still here?’

  ‘Not for long,’ Lizzie confirmed, pushing her way through the door.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  THERE WAS NO REPLY when Lizzie knocked on the front door of the ranch house. Thinking better of her mission, she turned to go—then stopped. She tried the handle. The door was unlocked. Fate, huh?

  Walking in, she called out, ‘Hello...’

  The big house echoed back at her. Perhaps Chico was taking a shower...

  Well, she knew where his bedroom was. Guessing everyone else was out of the house, helping to prepare for the graduation ceremony, she ran up the stairs and paused on the landing. She could hear water running. Now she was tiptoeing as if she was an intruder. She was an intruder. She was here without invitation. Chico would probably remind her that she was a student here, and throw her out...

  The bedroom door was slightly ajar, the shower door too. She slipped inside the room, and stood watching. Lizzie the voyeur? She couldn’t help herself. Chico had his back to her so she could indulge herself all she liked, and she loved his back view, especially with water cascading over his muscles. With his head thrown back as he stood beneath the powerful stream of water, Chico was a glorious, and a tempting sight.

  This was insane, Lizzie concluded as she kicked off her shoes. Someone should snap their fingers and wake her up.

  What exactly did she have to lose?

  She made it halfway across the room when Chico stilled. She should have remembered how keenly tuned his senses were. She stopped dead as he opened the shower door and walked out. Dripping water, he proved conclusively that his front view was even better than the back.

  ‘Lizzie Fane,’ he said, gripping her shoulders. ‘You pick the strangest times to call a meeting.’

  ‘Who said anything about a meeting?’

  ‘I can’t think why else you’d be here.’

  ‘Can’t you?’ She held his gaze. Chico’s long black eyelashes were spiked and wet, and his eyes were laughing down at her. Water was dripping from his wild, thick hair, and he looked—there were no words, and for a few crucial seconds she was speechless, motionless, and asking to be kissed.

  ‘I hope you like cold showers.’

  She shrieked as he lifted her over his shoulder.

  Water was pounding like Niagara in the shower, and he was right: it was freezing.

  ‘So,’ he said, holding her in front of him. ‘What do you have to say to me?’

  Chico kept on laughing as she gasped for breath, and the next thing she knew, he was kissing her. Not just kissing her—he slammed her against the wall of the shower and devoured her. ‘I’ve missed you, Lizzie,’ he husked, his stubble rough against her neck.

  ‘I want you,’ she gasped out.

  Chico was already working on her clothes, and they were both laughing now, because it was proving almost impossible to take them off. They were welded to her body by the water, and she had to help him, wriggling and swearing under her breath, until finally she was down to her bra and pants. ‘This last bit should be easy,’ she declared.

  ‘So, let me.’ Chico smiled as he slowly peeled off the last of her clothing with a frustrating lack of speed. Then, holding her face between his big, rough hands, he stared into her eyes and he kissed her. ‘I love you, Lizzie Fane,’ he whispered against her mouth. ‘I’ve always loved you.’

  ‘But�
��’

  ‘No buts,’ Chico cautioned, placing his forefinger over her lips. ‘We’ll work it out.’

  She stared into his eyes and believed him. This was the man she’d waited for, and nothing would ever part them again. Chico loved her. What more did she need to know?

  Chico’s kiss was so tender, so deep, so cherishing, but when they pulled apart and she saw the smallest adjustment in his gaze she read the invitation, and in an instant tender turned fierce.

  ‘I need you too,’ Chico assured her, and, dipping at the knees, he proved just how much.

  Breath left her lungs in a rush. She’d forgotten how wild her hunger for him could be. She’d also forgotten how powerful and effective Chico could be. He was an amazing lover. Pinning her hands above her head, he supported her against the wall with one arm as he thrust into her, until the collision of hot and cold, and mind-blowing sensation became too much to bear and tipped her over the edge. She broke into laughter as he soothed her down. ‘That was so good you have to do it again just so I can be sure I’m not dreaming.’

  ‘That was no dream,’ he assured her as he switched off the shower.

  ‘But we’d better be sure,’ she said.

  ‘Okay, but not here,’ he agreed. ‘You’re clean enough for now.’

  She still had her legs locked around his waist as Chico grabbed a couple of towels and walked her into the bedroom. He was still hard and deep inside her, and still obviously hungry, and so was she. It was a long time later when he dried her hair, and wrapped her in one of his big, soft towels. ‘You can sleep now,’ he said, dropping kisses on her brow.

  ‘I hope you’re joking,’ she whispered, reaching for him.

  ‘Just testing,’ he murmured.

  ‘Then, get under the covers and test me some more.’

  He laughed against her mouth as he stretched out his long, powerful limbs on the bed. ‘I think I might just do that.’