A Deal with Benefits

by Susanna Carr

  But knowing his limit didn’t make him any less dangerous. And right now she was feeling dangerous. She wasn’t ready to stop this. She didn’t think she could if she wanted to.

  Ashley slowly unzipped his trousers and shoved them past his hips and down his legs. His hooded eyes glittered as he was sprawled half-naked before her. She couldn’t stop staring at his masculine beauty.

  “Now you.” His voice was thick with desire as he reached for her.

  She held up her hands. “Not yet.” Ashley wasn’t ready to give up the power that was rolling through her. She wanted to set the pace or he would take over. This would be the most brazen move she’d ever made.

  She met his gaze as she wrapped her fingers around his thick penis. Sebastian hissed as she stroked him. She watched with fascination as he responded to her quickening pace. She felt his power underneath her skin and she wanted more of it.

  Ashley knelt down in front of Sebastian and took him in her mouth. His deep moan echoed in the interior of the car as he clenched his hands into her hair. She loved the taste of him, loved driving him wild. She enjoyed the bite of pain as he twisted her hair in his fists and she welcomed his thrusts.

  Just when she thought she was going to take him over the edge, Sebastian pulled away. She murmured her protest when he lifted her. She wasn’t going to let him take this away from her. Not now, not when she found the courage to take charge.

  Ashley pushed Sebastian back in the seat and climbed on top of him. She straddled his hips and met his hot gaze. He didn’t look smug or arrogant anymore. He looked wild, almost savage.

  She felt beautiful. Confident. She had the man who had invaded her dreams and taken over every waking moment underneath her. He was at her mercy.

  “Wait,” he said in a growl as he reached for his wallet and retrieved a condom. As he tossed his wallet aside and slid on the condom with quick, efficient moves, Ashley realized he was nowhere near to losing control. He had the sense to remember protection and it had slipped her mind. Was she fooling herself, believing she was in charge?

  Ashley placed her palms on his broad shoulders just as he clenched his hands on her hips and guided her down. The heat washed over her. She tossed back her head and moaned as he filled her.

  The sensations were almost too intense. She rocked her hips as the pleasure rippled through her. Sebastian leaned forward and captured her breast with his mouth. She begged for more, her words broken and jumbled, as the heat flared deep in her pelvis.

  He cupped her bottom and squeezed as he murmured his encouragement in Spanish. She didn’t catch all the words. She rocked harder, chasing the pleasure that she didn’t quite understand. Couldn’t quite curb. But she wasn’t scared because she knew Sebastian would take care of her. He wouldn’t let her go too close to the fire and burn.

  Sebastian grabbed her hips and controlled the rhythm. She could barely catch her breath. She saw the muscle bunching in his clenched jaw. She saw the lust glittering in his dark eyes. He was desperate to hold on to the remnants of his control. He wanted to be the last to let go.

  Ashley wasn’t going to let that happen. She was in charge. She would make him beg for release and she would decide if she would give it to him.

  Sebastian slid his hand to where they were joined. He pressed his fingertip on her clitoris and Ashley stilled. She arched back and groaned as the climax ripped through her body. Her mind went blank as she surrendered to the white heat.

  “Sebastian!” His name ripped from her throat. Ashley slumped against him, her muscles weak and pulsating, as she heard his short cry of release.

  * * *

  So this is how it feels to be a rich man’s plaything, Ashley thought as she lay in bed hours later, naked and spent. Sebastian was curled next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Even in his sleep, he made his claim known.

  She was now a mistress. A sigh staggered from Ashley’s throat as she looked at the moon through the windows. The one thing she swore she’d never become.

  Ashley knew she should be filled with shame and self-hatred. She should feel as if a piece of her soul had been stolen. Instead, she felt protected. Taken care of. Cherished.

  Was this how her mother felt when she had been a mistress? Was this why Linda designed her life around Donald? Why she suddenly came alive every time he stepped into the room?

  No, her mother had it much worse, Ashley realized. Linda made the mistake of falling in love with her benefactor.

  Ashley turned and looked at Sebastian while he slept. She wouldn’t make that mistake. She may desire Sebastian, she may even be infatuated with him, but she would not fall in love. If she did that, she’d never recover.

  * * *

  Hours later Ashley dived into the crystal-blue infinity pool that was on the rooftop of Sebastian’s penthouse apartment. The water felt cold and refreshing against her skin. The pool was designed for lazy afternoons under the hot sun, but Ashley swam down the length as hard and as fast as she could.

  She loved the water. Whenever she was upset or worried, she found peace watching the waves or swimming laps. But today, nothing could calm her.

  Ashley tried to exhaust herself as she thought about what had happened in the limousine. And the wild, fierce sex they’d had when Sebastian carried her to bed. And this morning...

  She felt her skin flush. Reaching the edge of the pool, Ashley did a turn and kept swimming. She was becoming a sexual creature and there were no signs that she could pull back. She needed to return to Inez Key before she got to the point of no return.

  Ashley paused when she heard a splash. She stopped swimming and started to tread water. Looking around, she saw Sebastian swimming toward her.

  Her stomach tightened as she watched his clean, powerful strokes. She couldn’t deny his strength and masculinity. Ashley couldn’t stop staring. She was tempted to jump out of the pool before she wrapped her body around his.

  Instead, she remained treading water, refusing to give an inch, watching him approach with a mix of dread and excitement. When he surfaced, she immediately thought that he was too close. She saw the amused gleam in his dark eyes.

  “I thought you were at work,” she said. She had been grateful for the time alone. She was used to solitude and thought the time away from Sebastian would help break this sexual hold he had over her. No such luck. She only had to look at him and she was right back where she started. Her pulse kicked with excitement as she savored the heat sizzling through her veins.

  “I came back because I wanted to see you,” he replied as his gaze settled on her skimpy bikini top.

  Knowing that she had the ability to distract him from work gave her more joy than it should. He probably tossed these meaningless comments to every woman in his sight. “I found this swimsuit in the cabana,” she said as she slicked back her wet hair. “There were quite a few of them.”

  “They are there for guests,” he said, moving even closer. “They are not from my ex-lovers, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  Her insecurity was pathetically obvious. She hated what she was becoming. “If you say so.” She realized he had moved in even closer. Ashley couldn’t take it anymore and slowly moved to the corner of the pool.

  “Where are you going?” With one smooth move, Sebastian cornered her. She felt the edge of the pool against her back and Sebastian’s strong legs bumping against hers.

  Her hands grazed his defined chest as she tried to tread. “My God, you are insatiable.”

  Sebastian rested his hands on the pool ledge, trapping her. “You were the one who woke me up this morning. Not that I minded...”

  She didn’t want to think about that. How she acted before she thought. She couldn’t even use the excuse that she had been dreaming. That would make Sebastian more arrogant than he already was.

  Ashley treaded har
d and fast with her legs but she was getting tangled with Sebastian’s. She was very aware of his body. His solid chest and golden-brown skin. The strong column of his throat and his sensual mouth.

  Sebastian bent his head and kissed her. She arched her back as his hand slid down the curve of her breast. Ashley moaned as he rubbed his thumb against her hard nipple.

  “I have a favor to ask,” she said breathlessly.

  “I can’t wait to hear it.” He dipped his head and whispered in her ear, “You don’t have to be shy with me.”

  “I need to visit Inez Key,” she said in a rush.

  “No.” His quiet, authoritative tone bothered her almost as much as his words.

  She reared back her head. “What do you mean, no? Aren’t you the least bit curious of why I need to go?”

  He shrugged. “You have no authority on or responsibility to the island. It’s mine.”

  “Shouldn’t I at least get bonus points for asking?” She realized what she’d said and shook her head. Why was she asking for permission? If she wanted to go, she would. Thanks to a very informative phone conversation with Clea, Ashley knew Sebastian had added security on Inez Key. But she knew all the best hiding spots.

  Sebastian’s mouth formed into a grim line. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “You don’t know what I’m thinking,” she said as she hoisted herself out of the pool.

  “I’ll arrest you for trespassing.”

  All right, he did know what she was thinking. Was her face that expressive? Or was she just predictable? “You’ll have to catch me first,” Ashley said as she strolled away. She refused to show how much she believed he would follow through on his threat.

  “You won’t get far,” Sebastian said as he watched her from the pool.

  Yes, she would. Ashley grabbed her towel and walked as regally as she could back to the penthouse. She was painfully aware of Sebastian watching her. Her skin felt hot and tight and her hips seemed fuller as they swayed with each step. She waited until she was out of sight before she wrapped her towel tightly around her body and ran down the steps as if she was being pursued.

  CHAPTER SIX

  A WEEK LATER, Ashley strolled from one guest to another at Sebastian’s glamorous cocktail party. They were on the rooftop of the Cruz hotel in Jamaica. The breeze carried the scent of the ocean and the tropical-fruit appetizers the waiters offered.

  Ashley wasn’t sure why she’d quietly assumed the role as hostess. She could say that she was bored or that she rebelled from Sebastian’s attempts to keep her away from the party. The truth was she wanted to show him that she was more than just decoration. She had some skills that weren’t marketable but still valued in certain circles.

  If Sebastian suspected that she would sabotage him, she hoped he realized he had no cause for concern. She knew how to act, what to provide and how to dress. Ashley’s skin was bare of jewels, but her simple white dress made her stand out from the dark suits and frilly and colorful dresses.

  More important, she made sure everyone felt comfortable and welcome. She knew this party changed the way Sebastian saw her. She saw the admiration and pride in his eyes.

  “I thought you didn’t like parties,” Sebastian said as she made her way to him.

  “When did I say that?” Ashley asked. She tilted her head as she tried to remember. “No, I said I didn’t party. No late nights. No club hopping. Nothing like that.”

  Sebastian didn’t try to hide his skepticism. “Not even in college? You had only been there for one semester.”

  “And you think I got kicked out of school?” What made him think that? She had done some dumb things when she was a teenager, but she wasn’t a troublemaker. “No, I was struggling at school. I always had trouble with my grades. I dropped out after my parents died. I didn’t see the point in staying.”

  She’d never wanted to go to school. Her parents forced her for their selfish reasons, but she had to admit that college offered her a respite from the tension at home.

  “If you were such a poor student, how did you get into college?”

  “My father pulled some strings and gave a big donation to the school,” she admitted with the twist of her lips.

  Sebastian raised his eyebrows. “Must have been nice to have rich parents,” he said coldly. “They opened a lot of doors and gave you many opportunities.”

  “That wasn’t why they did it,” Ashley said as she tightly gripped the stem of her champagne flute tightly. “They wanted me out of the way. But I know what you’re saying. I was given a lot. I had the resources to make something of myself. And where did I wind up? Broke, homeless and a rich man’s sexual plaything.”

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “You twist my words.”

  She knew what he was saying. Really saying. That he could have conquered the world by now with that kind of financial support. “You may have had to crawl out of the ghetto but I’m sure someone helped you,” Ashley said roughly. “Teachers, neighbors, relatives. Maybe the kindness of strangers.”

  “Then you would be wrong.”

  Ashley felt her heart pinch. Sebastian had had a grueling and lonely journey to the top. She couldn’t imagine the strength and sacrifice it took to get to where he was. The more she learned about him, the more she admired and respected him. It made it difficult keeping her distance from Sebastian.

  “And what about now?” she asked, deciding to take a different tack. “I’m sure that you would do exactly what my father did. If one of your sisters needed to get into a school, get a job or even a place to live, you would throw all of your money and influence to get it for her.”

  Something flickered in his eyes, but his face showed no expression. She watched Sebastian take a healthy gulp of champagne. “Yes, I would.”

  “And she would accept that help,” Ashley predicted. “That doesn’t make her spoiled.”

  “Of course not. I expect my sisters to come to me whenever they need help.”

  “But I’m a spoiled brat because I lived off my parents’ money?” she asked. “You think I haven’t worked a day in my life. That I’m just hanging around, working on my tan, until I land a rich husband.”

  “Are you trying to tell me that you aren’t an heiress who enjoyed the good life,” he asked.

  “I once enjoyed being a socialite when I didn’t have to worry about money or the future,” she admitted. The amount of money she had wasted in those years still made her sick to her stomach. “But that disappeared the moment my mother pulled a gun on my father. My friends used their connection with me to sell the most salacious and untrue stories about my family. My father’s money was gone and I inherited a mess. It has been a struggle for five years to keep what I had left.”

  “You could have gotten a job,” he drawled.

  She should have expected that she would receive no sympathy from Sebastian. “I couldn’t leave Inez Key. Everyone thinks I’ve been living in paradise. No one wants to look past the island and notice that I’ve been living hand to mouth for years. Any money I had went to taxes or to the islanders who relied on me.”

  “If your home has been such a headache, why are you so desperate to go back?”

  Ashley pressed her lips together. She had been trying to prove a point, but Sebastian only noticed the one thing she had been trying to hide. “You wouldn’t understand,” she muttered.

  “Try me.”

  She looked away as she struggled with the urge to tell him everything. Why did she start this? Why was it so important for Sebastian to see her as something more than a pampered heiress? His opinion shouldn’t matter so much.

  “Inez Key is the only place where I feel safe.” She knew she’d told him that before but she wasn’t willing to explain why. That she wasn’t destructive or cruel when she was on the island. That she didn’t
have the ability to destroy people’s lives and families if she disconnected with the world.

  Sebastian’s face darkened. “Do you feel unsafe now?” he asked hoarsely as his eyes glittered. “Here, with me?”

  She didn’t feel unsafe. She was scared. Worried of how addicted she was to Sebastian’s touch. Afraid of the emotions whipping through her. Frightened of what she was becoming. A sexual woman. Emotional. Falling in love.

  “You’ve enjoyed yourself the past couple of weeks,” Sebastian stated. “And why not? Private planes, designer clothes and state-of-the-art spa services. We’ve been to the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and now Jamaica. You’ve stayed at the most luxurious resorts that would put Inez Key to shame.”

  And he thought it was all because of the money he spent? Let him think that. If he knew she enjoyed his company, his attention and his touch, it would give him far too much power over her.

  She had been amazed that Sebastian had taken time out of his busy schedule to show her the sights. He had taken her everyplace she had underlined in her travel guide, but he had also taken her to his favorite spots. She had cherished those moments as they offered her a deeper understanding about Sebastian Cruz.

  “Is that why you dragged me along on your business trip?” she asked coolly. “So I would see what the world outside Inez Key had to offer?”

  “You don’t seem to mind. Your every need has been catered to.”

  She had made the most of what he had to offer. It reminded her of what she used to take for granted. No wonder he thought she was a spoiled socialite. Little did he know that she’d had a makeover and subjected herself to the most painful spa services for his approval.

  It was only later when she realized that she was following her mother’s pattern. She could tell herself that she chose bright colors because it reflected her mood. That the mane of hair was easier to deal with and the short dresses were needed in the tropical heat. It wasn’t true. It was all to please Sebastian.