Sinfully Summer: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance

by Aimee Duffy

  She slid onto one of the stools, took a sip of the fiery liquid and made a face as it burned her throat on the way down.

  Ric laughed. ‘It’s an acquired taste.’ He joined her at the table and set his glass down next to hers. ‘But helps when there are things you want to forget about.’ He circled the rim with his forefinger, his gaze fixed on the brown liquid.

  ‘Alcohol isn’t the answer.’ She’d learned that in her late teens. It made her father angry, not attentive or loving. Alexa doubted anything would.

  He chuckled again, but it sounded forced. ‘I never thought you would be the one to lecture me on alcohol.’

  The words should have offended her, but when he looked up she saw the smile he wore hadn’t reached his eyes. They were open now, showing the pain he’d suffered and she wished she could take it away.

  He ran a hand through his hair and then downed the last of the whiskey in his glass. The pain fled his expression so quickly Alexa wondered if she’d imagined it, but she knew she hadn’t. He was just good at hiding it.

  ‘I suppose we better have an early night if we want to beat the traffic in the morning.’

  She didn’t have a clue what he was on about. ‘The morning?’

  His smile this time warmed his eyes and made her long for melted chocolate. ‘I never back out of a bet.’

  With that, he left her perched at the table, gaping at his retreating form. She’d forgotten about the bet and was shocked he was paying his dues. There’d been so much to do this week, between organising the party, keeping up with her role as his PA and her own business, she didn’t realise how stressed she truly was until he’d mentioned the trip to Water World. A spark of giddy excitement lightened her mood instantly. Tomorrow she’d show Ric the fun he’d missed out on when he was young.

  Chapter Nine

  ‘Ric you’d think it was hell I dragged you to, not a water park.’

  Alexa pulled open a locker and stuffed the huge beach bag into it. She’d packed the thing this morning with so much stuff, Ric wondered what she’d need it all for. She grabbed a bottle of sun cream and a pair of shades.

  He frowned at her back. ‘It’s far too early in the morning to listen to children screaming.’ Surely there was a better way to make it up to her than this.

  Giggling, she slid off her robe exposing bronze skin everywhere. Ric knew when she’d appeared in the lime string bikini this morning that today was going to be a test of his self-control. His gaze dipped down to her curved bottom and heat shot straight to his groin, making his water-proof shorts a little tight.

  She slipped the shades on and turned to face him. Ric snapped his gaze to her face. ‘You’ll get used to it.’

  ‘Maybe after coffee.’

  She shook her head and pointed to his t-shirt. ‘Off.’

  Ric pulled the t-shirt over his head and handed it to her. Without hesitating or gawking, she took the shirt and turned back to the locker. He frowned at her back as his body cooled off.

  It heated straight back up again when she walked over to a bench and began creaming herself up with sun lotion. When she bent her arms awkwardly to reach her back, he crossed the dry grass.

  ‘Give me the cream before you hurt yourself.’

  Alexa turned, her eyebrows rose above the metallic glasses. ‘Okay.’

  She handed him the bottle. He squirted some cream on his palm and rubbed his hands together, praying his body would behave. She shivered as he spread the cream over her back and he made sure he covered every inch. Her skin was silky and firm. He gritted his teeth and pretended he couldn’t hear her soft moan when his hands reached her shoulder blades.

  ‘All done.’

  He handed back the cream and turned around, wishing he had glasses to hide the lust he knew would be shining from his eyes. The mountain in the centre of the park had slides and tubes protruding from different levels all the way up. Shallow looking pools surrounded the base. He really should have thought of another way to apologise for his behaviour.

  Alexa’s hand touched his back and he sucked in a breath.

  ‘You’ll burn if you don’t wear any.’

  He nodded. If he weren’t so aware of her soft, surprisingly firm hands on him he might have missed the fact they were shaking. His lips pulled up at the corners and the last of the tension drained from his body. At least he wasn’t the only one suffering this crazy attraction. But that couldn’t be a good thing. Alexa’s family name worked wonders in securing a great guest list, but he was still worried what would happen if the media thought they were dating. He’d made sure to tell everyone so far that they were only business partners.

  Her hands froze at his left shoulder and he knew what had caught her attention. He turned around. ‘Let’s get this over with.’

  Even though the sunglasses hid her eyes, he felt them burning into him with curiosity. But he didn’t want to think about the scar and definitely didn’t want to remember how he’d gotten it. ‘I thought you were supposed to be teaching me how to have fun.’

  She smiled but he wanted to see her eyes, knew they’d tell him how she really felt.

  ‘I hope you’re not scared of heights.’ The smile morphed into a smirk.

  Ric shook his head. ‘Querida, it would take a lot more than a high slide to scare me.’

  Alexa returned the sun cream to their locker and dragged him by the hand up the stairs. His thighs burned by the time they reached the top, but the ache in his groin hurt more. With her peach-like backside bobbing up ahead of him, he hadn’t been able to drag his gaze away from it. He knew, without a doubt, he could pick her bottom out from thousands.

  There were two slides at the top of the hill. One enclosed and the other looked like it dropped you down a meter, then over a curve and kept going that way until it rocketed you into the shallow depths beneath. He could see children and adults flying down, screaming with laughter as they fell. His stomach dipped a notch. He didn’t think it looked very safe, never mind fun.

  Alexa dragged him away to the other side with the closed off tubes. They looked better. At least there was no way to fall out. A couple of boys ahead of them grabbed a black rubber ring each and when the light above the hole turned from red to green, they both jumped through one each. Their screams echoed all the way down.

  ‘Do you want to go down by yourself, or with me?’

  Alexa stood next to rings with double holes. Not even under the pain of torture would he admit he’d prefer if she was with him, so he shrugged. She paused for a second, then grabbed a double.

  The man working the slide explained to them to keep their arms as close to their bodies as possible and to hold onto the handles on the rubber rings. Ric followed Alexa into the water and then sat wide legged on the back, almost toppling the thing with his weight. She grabbed her end, right between his legs and beamed at him.

  ‘They can be a little tricky.’

  He laughed. ‘Next time I’ll get it right.’

  ‘If you don’t have an accident in your shorts on the way down.’

  Ric grinned. She slid onto the front and shuffled them over to the edge of the hole. He watched the red light, anticipation and excitement warring through him. This was much better than speedboat racing or freefalling. At least the risk of severe bodily harm was at a minimum.

  The light changed to green and he gripped the side of the hole, then hauled them both into the darkness. They shot down, the only sounds he could hear were Alexa’s breathy laugh and the water rushing around them. Suddenly they twisted and his weight shifted on the ring until it felt like he’d fall off. He grabbed her around the waist and she squeezed his forearms. The panic inside him dissipated as they dropped again and it felt like his stomach would burst out of his head.

  Ric laughed, unable to help himself as they swayed from side to side, were thrown around corners then finally shot out of the tube and into the air. They hit the water on the ring but both of them bounced off it and into the pool. When his head broke the
surface, he looked around for Alexa. She stood a few feet away with the ring, dripping wet with a smile that brought out his own.

  ‘Fun?’ she asked.

  He nodded slightly.

  ‘More fun than, you know?’

  He worked out what she meant, but he wanted to hear her say it. He feigned a look of innocence. ‘More fun than…?’

  ‘Than…you know. What you told me your idea of fun was.’

  He enjoyed her squirming as he neared. Leaning forward, he hovered his lips right above her ear. ‘I want to hear you say it.’

  Her breath sped and her lips twisted as she backed up, kicking her feet in the pool and spraying him with water. ‘Castillo, you can go purr.’ But she smiled.

  He grinned until she removed her glasses and he saw the lust shining from her eyes, then his smile slipped away. ‘Almost.’ He admitted.

  ‘Wow. You’re sleeping with the wrong women then.’ She slipped her glasses back on. A cheeky smile curved her lips. ‘We have to take this over there.’ She pointed to a stand with other rubber rings and then waded through the water toward it.

  He followed, wishing he hadn’t tried to tease her. Now he craved a different kind of fun with the heiress and although he thought she wanted the same thing, it was better they kept their relationship professional. At least that’s what he kept trying to convince himself.

  Not only would dating Alexa be risky but he wouldn’t be able to give her what she or her father wanted. He didn’t have class, or the ability to love. God knows he’d tried to feel something for the Castillos but couldn’t. Even now.

  All he could offer Alexa was great sex for a couple of weeks, but he knew she deserved more. Still, when he was with her, he couldn’t resist flirting, couldn’t stop himself from wanting to be closer to her.

  Maybe he should give her the choice.

  Alexa wanted to leave the dipping slide until last. She was sure after that all the others would look tame, but hadn’t been sure which slides Ric would go on. He surprised her by dragging her on them all, twice, even racing her down the double tubes and winning of course. She remembered his smug grin; the look he’d thrown her insinuating she’d been an idiot to assume there would be any other outcome.

  As they sat on the grass eating the sandwiches she’d packed this morning, Alexa decided it was time. Her whole being throbbed with the need to wipe that cocky smile off his face. Right after she had a good look at the muscles on his chest bunching with each movement. She knew the minute he whipped off his t-shirt bringing the glasses was a good idea. Her gaze slid over his torso way too much to be normal and she dreaded to think what he’d say if he caught her at it.

  The ‘look, don’t touch’ mantra she chanted in her head wasn’t stopping her hands itching to reach out.

  She leaned back on her arms, looked up at the afternoon sun in the sky. The grass felt dry and almost crispy beneath her fingers. The colour was so different to back home.

  ‘It’s time to man up, Castillo.’

  He raised a brow, amusement glittered in his eyes. She smiled. For all his eagerness with every other ride, he’d avoided the dipping slide all day.

  ‘Time to go on the big boy ride.’ She pointed to the top of the hill to the slide next to the tubes.

  His eyes grew wary. Alexa smirked, knowing she’d been right. ‘Don’t tell me you’re wimping out.’

  ‘Green, I’ve never backed down from a challenge.’ He rose and held out a hand toward her.

  She reached for his hand and grabbed on. He whipped her up and circled her waist with his arms, pressed her body against his. Alexa was sure her heart was on a mission to burst out of her rib cage.

  ‘Any challenge,’ he whispered.

  The look in his eyes said he meant more than going on the ride. A flamethrower must have been aimed at her because she felt her whole body burn with need. She couldn’t get a breath, couldn’t find the strength to push him away. Where Ric was concerned, her body seemed to bow to his will. When he released her, she sucked in a huge gulp of air.

  The git grinned, knowing fine well what he did to her. Irritation warred with her hormones and won.

  ‘All talk and no action makes Ric an ass.’

  She turned and stomped toward the ride, his throaty laugh igniting the needy fire inside rather than her irritation which pissed her off more.

  When they reached the queue, she chanced a look over her shoulder, unable to keep her gaze off that masterpiece for long. It really wasn’t fair. God should have at least given him narrow shoulders with that face. The chest just made him too hot, dangerously so.

  His gaze was on her backside and she thought about calling him on it, instead she wiggled her bum. With wide eyes he snapped his attention up to her face.

  ‘Perv,’ she accused and then turned her back to him.

  ‘Tease,’ he whispered in her ear.

  His hands settled on her hips and she had to fight the urge to jerk away or, worse, melt into him. She wouldn’t lose this game.

  ‘It’s only teasing if I actually tried. How about knocking that ego down a notch?’ She smirked over her shoulder and her breath caught at the look in his eyes.

  ‘If you were Pinocchio you’d have had my eye out with this.’ His thumb grazed her nose and she turned away from him.

  ‘Keep telling yourself you’re irresistible, Ric. Others might actually start to believe it.’ Why was he still touching her? Was he trying to kill her?

  ‘I thought all a woman wanted was a rich businessman.’ His laugh was mocking and his comment gave her the strength she needed to step out from his hold.

  She turned on him, anger seeping into her tone. ‘There’s more to life than money, Ric.’

  Understanding softened his face. ‘Alexa, I didn’t mean—’

  ‘Forget it.’ She couldn’t believe she’d told Ric anything about her father and what kind of man he wanted for her. She turned her back on him and moved along with the queue. ‘Money isn’t what I want.’

  She watched couples and children shoot down the slide as they crept nearer to the top. Ric remained silent behind her but she refused to turn around. Why couldn’t he just insult her, tell her money was all she seemed to care about or something? Being pissed off at him was better than feeling pitied.

  Their turn arrived and Alexa stepped into the shallow pool with two others. Ric followed at her side. The water rushed over the edge and adrenaline sped through her veins like a drug. Excitement bubbled and she turned to him, a grin splitting her face.

  He eyed the drop warily, all trace of teasing and pity gone.

  ‘Wimp.’

  Determination shone from every rigid angle of his face and he sat on the edge of the slide. He looked up at her. ‘Don’t tell me you’re backing out, Green.’

  She settled onto the slide next to him. ‘Not a chance, Castillo. I wouldn’t miss hearing you scream like a little girl for anything. Even new shoes.’

  ‘Go.’ The man working the slide shouted.

  Alexa let go of the sides and the current of water under her bum pulled her down. The drop was almost vertical and when she shot over the edge it felt like she was falling. She laughed, the adrenaline raging and making her feel giddy, high even. When she hit the first curve she almost spun around but managed to right herself before the next drop.

  Her heart thundered in her chest, a grin split her cheeks and she couldn’t hear anything over the slosh of the water and her own laughter. On the last dip her body spun and she shot backward into the shallow pool. The force pulled her under and when she burst her head through the water gasping and laughing, Ric smirked at her from a few feet away. His chest glistened brown and shiny.

  ‘Missing something?’

  He held up a pair of lime-green bikini bottoms and Alexa’s hands flew to her bare hips under the water.

  ‘Gimme.’ She held her hand out, using the other to cover her modesty. She darted a glance nervously around before returning her gaze to him with a scowl. ‘
Now, Castillo. This isn’t funny.’

  He grinned. ‘Come and get them.’ He backed into shallow water, a twinkle in those infuriating eyes.

  ‘I’m going to kill you and I’m going to enjoy it. Get the knickers over here. Now!’

  She stood her ground, removed her glasses and threw him her best don’t-mess-with-me-Castillo glare.

  The amusement softening his face said he enjoyed her embarrassment profusely. She would kill him. And she’d enjoy that.

  He stepped toward her as more bodies shot from the slide and splashed her with water. He didn’t hand them to her until he was close enough to see her hands beneath the water. Alexa grabbed the knickers, turned her back to him and quickly pulled them on. When she turned around, she saw him jerk his gaze away from the water.

  ‘Pervert,’ she accused again.

  Ric grinned. ‘Alexa, I doubt there’s any man on Earth who could resist looking.’

  She knew he was teasing her, but it made her all too aware of the fact that he’d rejected her. Her good mood took a nose dive and she tried to keep hold of the irritation of him pinching her knickers. Alexa stormed out of the pool toward the locker room, intent on calling it a day. Removing the key from the band on her wrist, she pulled the door open with such force it slammed into the other door.

  ‘Glad to see it’s not just my office you wreck with doors.’ The smug tone he used hit all the wrong buttons.

  She whirled on him. ‘That wasn’t funny.’

  He backed her up against the lockers with his body, the black sun tattoo right in her face. Every shred of irritation fell away and loopy hormone juice seeped to every part of her.

  His hands circled her waist, his fingers grazed the top of her buttocks and she daren’t move. If he slid his hands lower, pulled her closer, she’d be lost in lust. Alexa fought the urge to touch him.