by Sarah Morgan
His powerful body was taut, as if she was treading on a subject that he loathed. ‘Be ready early, wear something that dries easily because this is a rainforest and you’re likely to get wet. Extremely wet.’
‘No four-inch heels, then.’ Noting the forbidding, rigid lines of his mouth, she sighed.
His body language was stating clearly that nothing had changed between them, despite the fact that they’d spent an evening in one another’s company. There was no softening and no reassurance.
She might have been given an extension on the ten minutes but it was clear that she wasn’t expected to interpret the gesture as encouragement.
But if he had no intention of extending her loan, why bother taking her to see the fazenda?
Looking at the grim set of his lean, handsome face, she felt her insides lurch. She didn’t know what was going on in his mind but she was willing to bet that it was nothing good or gentle.
Wound up by the conversation, Grace slept badly and all around her the rainforest intruded. It was alive with sounds, squawks, howls, chirps and the occasional growl that made her wish there was glass between her and the treetops. And when she did doze, she slept lightly, her head full of images of an arrogant Brazilian billionaire with a tormented past and a dark, controlling personality.
At one point she gave up on sleep and wandered over to the window, discovering that it overlooked the smooth glass dome that housed his office. And he was there. Even in the darkness of the night he was at his computer, the phone trapped between his cheek and his shoulder, eyes fixed on the screen. He sprawled in the chair, the sleeves of his now rumpled shirt pushed up past the elbows and his jaw dark with stubble.
So being in the rainforest didn’t stop him working, then? Didn’t stop him steering his slick, impressive corporation to still more dizzying heights.
He might be hidden away in the jungle but he was still well and truly connected to civilisation.
Why couldn’t he sleep?
What was the cause of the hardness she saw in his eyes?
The questions mounted as she stood there watching and then finally she withdrew, feeling as though she was intruding on a private part of his life. After all, if he didn’t choose to go to bed and rest, that wasn’t her business, was it?
He wasn’t exactly the sort of man who would welcome the offer of a listening ear.
She slid back into bed, pushing aside images of glossy black hair and an arrogant male profile.
When she finally woke from the fitful doze that had replaced sleep, it was raining. A steady downpour soaked the trees outside her room and dampened the sounds but the air was still muggy and oppressively warm.
Wondering whether one ever became accustomed to the suffocating heat, she dressed in her light combat trousers and a simple white shirt, slipped her feet into her hiking boots and tied her hair back.
What would he say, she wondered, if he knew that she was far more comfortable in the boots and trousers than she’d been in the suit and heels?
He probably wouldn’t believe her. Clearly he had strongly felt prejudices about women. Where had they come from? And would his unfavourable judgement of her sex reflect on her?
Determined to think positive, she stared into the mirror and gave herself a pep talk.
It was a new day. Yesterday was gone and she had this one, whole day in which to change his mind about extending her loan.
One more day to persuade him that maintaining his investment in her business was a good thing for everyone. Although why he was so concerned about what must be for him a minuscule amount of money, she didn’t understand.
Was it really all about money for him? Or was there something else lurking in those dark, brooding shadows? Something that he didn’t share with strangers.
Something that kept him awake deep into the night.
He was talking on the phone again when Maria showed her into his office and she stood in tense, salient anticipation as he concluded what was obviously a business conversation. He spoke in short, clipped tones, delivering orders in an authoritative style that made her feel sorry for the person on the other end of the phone.
Did anyone like working with him? Or did they all spend their lives in a state of nervous tension?
When she had meetings with her team they slipped off their shoes and curled up on sofas with mugs of tea. Everyone gave their opinion and argued loudly.
She gave a wry smile.
But her business wasn’t exactly thriving, was it? Perhaps she ought to go to her room and practise developing a more autocratic style.
He ended the call and looked at her. ‘What—no suit? No heels?’
He obviously thought she was some sort of fashion clothes-horse and his comment confirmed her suspicion that he was probably used to women who shopped and never dropped. She decided to keep the conversation businesslike. ‘You told me to dress for the jungle. When does the helicopter arrive?’
‘We’re not using the helicopter, Grace.’ His voice was silky smooth. ‘We’re walking. I hope those boots of yours aren’t for show because you’re about to be tested.’
Was that supposed to frighten her? She almost laughed. What he didn’t know was that her whole life had been spent being tested. Why, she wondered, did everyone in the world always expect her to fail? Making a mental note not to utter a single word of complaint, she lifted her chin. ‘Fine. Test away. If you’re waiting for me to collapse then you’re going to be waiting a long time.’
‘Good, because I have no desire to scrape you off the jungle floor or drag you from the coils of an anaconda.’
‘What is your problem?’ She looked at him in genuine bewilderment. ‘You want me to fail, don’t you? You want me to make a fool of myself. Why? Just because my company hasn’t made you enough money? Is it really that important?’
He studied her for a moment and then bent and retrieved two rucksacks from the floor. ‘It’s a two-hour walk, providing the rain doesn’t cover the path.’ He thrust a rucksack into her hands. ‘Let’s go. We’ll eat breakfast on the way.’
He hadn’t answered her question but she was left with a horrible sinking feeling that she was going to discover the answer soon enough.
CHAPTER THREE
THE RAIN FELL STEADILY and Rafael trudged up the path, occasionally casting a glance over his shoulder to check that Grace was with him. A reluctant smile touched his mouth as he saw her plodding behind him, her blonde hair now soaked and sleek against her head, the rain turning it from bright summer wheat to rich, old gold. Her clothes were saturated and clung to her body, revealing every line and contour of her slender frame.
Slender but with curves in all the right places.
He should have put her in front, he thought idly, so that he could at least have admired the view while they walked.
Instead of which, she was the one looking at him. Occasionally he intercepted a curious glance, as if she couldn’t quite work out what he had planned for her. As if she couldn’t work him out and he found her frank, appraising stare profoundly irritating.
And he was feeling something else as well. Something a thousand times more powerful than curiosity or irritation.
Chemistry. Electric, fiery chemistry that snapped the air taut and made his body throb in a vicious response that was entirely sexual.
Which all went to prove that the male libido was no judge of character, a fact that he’d learned a long time before.
With a shake of his head and a cynical smile, he continued to walk, relying on hard physical exercise to dampen the almost painful reaction of his body.
And to her credit, at least she wasn’t a moaner. So far he hadn’t heard a single comment about blisters or broken nails, wet hair or insect bites. He’d expected her to crack or at least show signs of nerves or exhaustion but she just kept on going, planting her feet firmly in front of her. And on the few occasions when she’d slipped on the increasingly muddy path, she’d regained her balance and glared at him, as i
f daring him to patronise her with an offer of help that they both knew would be delivered with condescension.
Even when they’d had to cross the river and she’d slipped on the glassy boulders and fallen neck-deep in the water, she’d ignored his outstretched hand. Instead she’d dragged herself bodily over the rocks until she’d reached the other side. Watching her brush an insect away from her neck with an impatient flick of her hand, he suddenly had a strong feeling that her performance was driven by something far stronger, deeper and more powerful than a reaction to his comment about her suit and high heels. Something that came from deep inside her.
What was she trying to prove? And to whom?
He already knew everything that he needed to know about her.
All the figures pointed to the fact that she was a liar, a cheat and a fraud.
So why did he keep turning his head to glance at her?
Why was he so fiercely aware of her?
She was bedraggled, messy and horribly uncomfortable, but still she walked. Occasionally she paused to squint into the trees but it wasn’t fear he saw in her eyes, but interest.
‘What’s that?’
He paused and followed her gaze, looking through the tangled vines wrapped around tall, dignified trees that stood straight as soldiers. ‘What?’
‘Up there.’ She brushed damp hair out of her eyes and pointed. ‘That red bird. It’s beautiful.’
He studied her face, wondering if this was all part of her act. But her blue eyes were fixed on the blur of red feathers in the branches above and when she turned to him there was a smile on her mouth.
‘You don’t know, do you?’ Her eyes teased and mocked as she adjusted the rucksack on her back. ‘This is virtually your back garden and you can’t name it.’
‘This isn’t a nature tour,’ he said roughly, glancing up as a crack of thunder splintered the air above them and the rain intensified. ‘We’ll shelter for a moment.’
He pulled her under the shelter of the nearest tree and she pushed her soaking hair away from her face, her eyes gleaming with laughter, and he had a powerful feeling that she was actually enjoying herself.
‘What’s the point in sheltering?’ Drops of water clung to her lashes and spilled down her cheeks like tears. ‘Once you’ve fallen in the river, you can’t get any wetter. I’ve reached saturation point.’ As if to prove it, she twisted the edges of her shirt between her hands and chuckled as the water dripped to the ground. ‘See what I mean?’
They’d been walking for over an hour. She had to be tired but she hadn’t once complained and Rafael felt a flicker of reluctant admiration. Greedy and deceitful she undoubtedly was, but you had to give her credit for being tough. Offhand, he didn’t know another woman who would have cheerfully discarded their high heels in favour of boots and then coped with the rainforest without a word of complaint.
But she didn’t dare complain, he reminded himself, determinedly reining in the almost vicious reaction of his body. She was still hoping that she could talk him out of his money.
Angry with his own response, Rafael turned to look down the path but in only a matter of seconds his gaze was drawn back to the girl.
What was it about her?
What was it about her that stirred him, even though she had absolutely no qualities that he admired? What did she have, this golden-haired English girl who was so lacking in morals?
She was leaning with her back against the tree. Her eyes had drifted shut as she breathed in the scent of the rainforest and there was something almost shockingly sensual about her transformation from city girl to forest dryad. Her flushed cheeks were damp and drops of water clung to the soft curve of her mouth and she seemed to blend with the nature that surrounded her. It was as if she were part of the forest, put there to tempt man.
And tempt she did.
Hot waves of lust engulfed him as he dragged his eyes away from her mouth and allowed his gaze to travel lower.
The rain had rendered her white shirt virtually see-through and he was given a tempting view of firm, high breasts and nipples clearly defined as they strained against the wet fabric. The heat inside him grew and his eyes slid lower still, past her narrow waist and down to the point at which her trousers settled on the wholly feminine curve of her hips. Her trousers were muddy and there was a tear in one of the legs, her boots were battered, but he couldn’t ever remember being so hot for a woman.
Something dangerous stirred inside him and he stood for a moment, in the grip of a lust so powerful and basic that it bordered on the primitive.
All around them were sounds of the forest and falling rain but here, in the shelter of the tree, it was just the two of them.
And perhaps she felt his gaze because her eyes opened slowly and she looked at him. Wariness gave way to curiosity and then to something else entirely—something that they both felt and shared.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The air heated and crackled and that same chemistry that had been present from their first meeting sparked into life, sizzling the air like a high-voltage cable.
His resolve to wait until their business was concluded before shifting their relationship on to a more intimate level evaporated in a flash of primal heat.
Acting on the most basic of instincts, Rafael stepped forward and brought his mouth down on hers. The sexual connection was instant and he met her gasp of shock with the demands of his mouth. His body pressed her back against the rough bark of the tree and he felt her lips part under the pressure of his. She made a strange sound in her throat and then her arms were around his neck, clasping, holding on.
His hands were on her hips, on that narrow band of flesh that bridged the gap between her trousers and her shirt. Her clothes were damp but he could feel the heat of her flesh burning against his as he stroked a hand over her narrow waist and then lifted it upwards to find her breast.
Through the wet fabric he felt the hard jut of her nipple against his seeking fingers and felt her body shiver in a response that matched the intensity of his. Impatient to be closer still, he slid his fingers inside the flimsy fabric and touched warm, silky skin.
The heat between them reached flashpoint and she cried out, her mouth leaving his for a moment as her body strained closer. And then her lips were under his again and her hands moved to his chest, her fingers sliding and fumbling as she wrenched at the buttons on his shirt, parted the soaking fabric and touched him properly for the first time.
Sounds of rain and jungle life enveloped them but he heard nothing but her soft gasps and his own rough breathing as they kissed, creating magic that isolated them from their surroundings.
His tongue explored the intimate secrets of her mouth and Rafael dropped his hands to the zip of her trousers, ready and prepared to strip her naked. Sexual hunger flared through his body, but just when he thought he might explode with the sheer intensity of that primitive urge, her hands closed over his.
‘No.’ The word was barely audible as her mouth slid from his and she paused for a moment as if seeking both the breath and energy to speak. ‘No. We can’t. We have to stop.’
Dizzy with lust and devoured by a hormonal drive for immediate satisfaction, Rafael took a moment to comply with her request. Then he stepped back, slightly shaken by the ferocity of his own response and even more surprised by her apparent desire to stop.
Why would she want to stop?
His entire body aching, Rafael glanced over his shoulder towards the path which had all but disappeared under the torrential rain. ‘Trust me, no one is going to walk past, if that’s what’s worrying you.’
‘It’s not about anyone else. It’s about us.’
‘Us?’ The word had intimate connotations that chilled him to the bone and dampened his libido more effectively than any rainstorm. ‘There is no us.’
She brushed her hair out of her eyes with a shaking hand. ‘A moment ago you were kissing me and your hands were—everywhere.’
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�And?’ He stared at her blankly and she shook her head.
‘Well—if you kiss someone, it generally means that there’s something between you.’
The air around them throbbed with the heat that they’d created and he jabbed his fingers through his hair to stop him reaching for her again. ‘There’s chemistry. That’s what’s between us.’
‘But why did you kiss me?’
Because he’d wanted to? Because his body throbbed and ached every time he looked at her?
Despite his experience with women, Rafael surveyed her with something approaching incredulity. How was she managing to turn elemental sex into a conversation topic? He spread his hands in a gesture of mounting exasperation, trying to rein in the ferocious surge of animal lust that still threatened to engulf him. ‘Isn’t it obvious? I find you sexy.’
She tilted her head back and fastened him with her gaze. ‘But you don’t like me, do you?’
Rafael clenched his jaw. Never, if he lived a million years, would he understand a woman’s drive to question the blindingly obvious. ‘And how is that relevant?’
‘I can’t believe you just asked me that.’ She rubbed a hand over her face to remove the raindrops that still clung. ‘You were kissing me.’
‘And you were kissing me back.’
‘Yes.’ She met his gaze without flinching. ‘But then I stopped you. I can’t have a relationship with someone who doesn’t like me. It doesn’t feel right.’
Remembering the heat of her mouth against his, Rafael was about to assure her that it had felt perfectly right, but thought better of it. ‘I wasn’t offering a relationship.’
‘But you would have made love to me.’
His laugh held no trace of humour. Love? Sooner or later that word had to raise its ugly head and its appearance effectively dampened his libido and cleared the red mist from his brain. ‘It was love that made you strip off my shirt?’
The colour poured into her cheeks. ‘I admit I was—it was—I’d never felt anything like that before.’ She moved away from him, as if she didn’t trust herself to stand close to him and not touch him. ‘But there are lots of reasons why it isn’t a good idea. One of which is, like it or not, that you are responsible for my loan. It wouldn’t be right.’
