Dirk: A Stepbrother Romance(16)
Alexandra’s throat closed up as she stared mutely at him. What? Was he asking her on a date?
Leandro dispassionately read the eager spark of interest in her eyes and with a strange speculative smile playing about his mouth; he said slowly, “Your lips have been driving me crazy all night.”
Before she could so much as draw breath, his head dropped, melding his firm, but surprisingly soft lips with hers. Passion flared, hot and unexpected, sending frissons of electricity coursing through Alexandra’s body and automatically she clung to him.
Her hands shook a little as she wrapped them around his neck, shoving her breasts harder against his chest.
Leandro’s large, warm hands pulled her tighter against his body, holding her firmly in place as he ground his arousal against her belly. His other hand traced her soft curves. Heat rose, fierce and wild and Leandro thrust his tongue boldly into her warm, plaint mouth, reveling in the sensations coursing through his veins.
He slowly reined in his passion, reminding himself fiercely that the woman in his arms could not have wandered into his room by accident. She had designs on him. But what did she want? Did she know who he really was? She would never tell him outright, but he needed time to find out, he decided.
He raised his dark head and looked down at her, his eyes smoldering, his breathing harsh as he enunciated, “What’s your price?”
Desire fled, to be replaced by bone-chilling cold as she numbly said, “Excuse me?”
“What’s your price for a night?” he repeated with deliberate insult in his tone. He was still half-certain she knew exactly who he was. Perhaps she was just a good actress.
A red haze swam before Alexandra’s eyes and without stopping to think about it, she let fly with her open hand, slapping his face as hard as she could and leaving a satisfying welt behind. She wrenched herself from his arms, unconsciously scrubbing her lips clean with the back of her hand as she glared balefully up at him.
“You’re a pig!”
“Then I’m in excellent company aren’t I?” he taunted.
Her hand was half way to his face again before he caught her it, his hand clamping about hers like a vice. There was a biting fury in his voice as he said in an ice cold voice, “Touch me one more time and I’ll make you wish you hadn’t.”
Chapter Three
Three days later, Alexandra Jordan was still calling herself ten kinds of fool as she lazily kicked away a small stone lying on the sand along the beach. She had actually started to think she could like the guy when he had suddenly morphed into a scary monster who’d actually threatened to hit her back.
True he hadn’t said it in so many words, but a dolt could draw inference; that had been exactly what he’d meant, she insisted, silencing her protesting subconscious.
Goose bumps popped out anew on her arms as she remembered the way he had glared down at her. He had a temper she realized. Beneath that veneer of wealth and sophistication there was a great big sizzle of fire. She had felt that heat when he kissed her and then when he had gotten mad, the spark had swelled in his eyes and scared her further.
A slight breeze ruffled the leaves of a huge coconut tree and with a sigh, she sank onto the sand beneath its shade and leaned back against it, shutting her eyes.
“Hey Sexy,” someone called.
Alexandra deliberately kept her eyes shut.
“Hey, turn around so we can see your ass!” the voice now intoned, even closer.
Her eyes flew open in shock. How could anyone be so crude; she wondered, as she stared up into the laughing faces of three teenage boys who looked like they could be trouble. They were just kids true, but she had learned early in life never to underestimate the stupidity of boys in a group. Plus, it was just dawning on her that apart from an elderly couple resting under an umbrella down the beach, the place was deserted.
“Where are your parents?” she asked in a saccharine sweet voice that sounded every bit as condescending as it was meant to.
The boys dissolved into raucous laughter and she felt a fresh crop of real goosebumps appear on her arms.
“Hear that Jamie? She wants to know where our folks are,” one of the boys laughed, elbowing the thin, hungry-looking one in the middle who she suspected was also the leader of the pack.
“You come with us and we’ll be more than happy to show you where our parents are,” the leader said.
As he spoke, they converged on her, moving closer and closer. She rose shakily to her feet and in her most adult voice said, “Don’t come any closer. My husband is going to be here in a few minutes.”
That gave them pause. Their eyes wandered stupidly down to her naked stomach. In that moment, she wished passionately that she was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans and not the skimpy bikini bra and panties she had on. She was filling them out nicely.
“You can’t be married. You’re not pregnant!” Jaime observed, clearly trying to land another clumsy insult.
What? Stupid or not, these kids were trouble, and she felt panic beginning to rise like a heat up her spine.
“Yeah, and I’m not seeing any rings,” his friend chipped in, stretching a hand towards her that had her jumping back automatically.
“You’ll be seeing stars next if you lay one finger on my wife,” a familiar, deep baritone said with quiet authority from behind the boys.