Page 23 of How To Tempt The Off-Limits Billionaire

Wished that he wasn’t going back to the city, that he’d feed her a dozen, a hundred more kisses, strip her naked and do wicked, wonderful things to her. She wanted to share late-night conversations and coffee, early morning whispers and drugging kisses.

She wanted him...

With an intensity that scared her.

Muzi’s hand remained on her thigh as he drove back to his vineyard, and after a brief journey, he swung his fancy car down the tree-lined driveway and pulled up next to his front door. Muzi leaned across her and opened her door.

“You’re not coming in?” Ro asked him, surprised. “You must be hot and thirsty. I am!”

“They have water in the city and it’s a short drive,” Muzi told her, leaning his forearm on the steering wheel.

“But—”

Muzi rubbed his hands over his face. “The last time we returned from St. Urban, I was as dusty and dirty and Ijustmanaged to stop myself from inviting you to join me in the shower. But if I get out of this car, I’m going to start kissing you and I’m not going to stop until we are both naked and you are screaming my name,” he said, his voice a low growl.

She didn’t have a problem with that, she really didn’t.

“I see the way you look at me, the desire in your gorgeous blue eyes,” Muzi said, his thumb gently swiping her bottom lip. “I want you, I’m pretty damn sure you want me too, and driving away is going to be the hardest thing I’ve done for a while.”

“Then why are you?” Ro wanted to look around to check to see who was putting words in her mouth. Because this wasn’t her, sounding bold and fearless and more than a little wanton.

Muzi’s thumb pressed into her bottom lip. “I could tell you that you’re Digby’s sister and we’re doing business together and that it’s not a good idea. It’s all true.” Muzi dropped his hand and lifted his huge shoulders. “But it’s more than that. As you know, Digby talks to me. He’s worried about you, so is Radd. They think you are more stressed than you realize—that you’re feeling vulnerable and a little lost, that you are dealing with a lot. Maybe a temporary fling isnotwhat you need.”

Pride had her lifting her nose in the air. “Isn’t that my decision to make?”

“Sure,” Muzi replied, his tone easy. He leaned back in his seat and stared at her, his expression pensive.

She waited for him to speak, hoping he wasn’t going to be stupid and try and make decisions for her.

“Your brothers are super protective of you, but I think you are stronger, more resilient than they give you credit for. And yeah, you’re an adult who can make her own decisions. So why don’t we do this? Why don’t you take the time until I get back to relax, to read a book, to hang out by the pool? To sleep and to chill. If you want to pick this up when I come back, then it’s game on. But I can’t promise you anything, Ro.”

She never, not for a minute, thought he could. Being more than a little stubborn, she wanted to argue with him, tell him that she knew what she was doing, that she knew her mind and was perfectly capable of deciding whether she wanted to sleep with someone or not. But...

But his words resonated with her. She had been stressed lately, she was tense and feeling overwhelmed. Maybe a little time spent on her own before they embarked on a no-strings fling would be a good thing. She nodded. “Okay, deal.”

But, because she wanted to leave him with a taste of what he’d be missing out on, she leaned across the seat to drop a kiss on his mouth.

“Drive safely,” she told him, turning back to open her door more widely. She dropped to the ground and slammed the door closed. She wasn’t surprised when Muzi lowered the passenger window. She raised her eyebrows and waited for him to speak.

“Stay away from Pasco Kildare,” he grumbled.

Ro grinned at him. “Not a chance,” she informed him. “If the man offers to feed me, I’m going to eat.”

“As long as feeding you is all he does. If he tries anything else, friend or not, I will annihilate him,” Muzi muttered before lifting a hand and driving away.

She wasn’t a fan of possessive men, didn’t like them puffing up and beating their chests but, like everything else about Muzi, his jealousy turned her on.

Man, this hole she kept digging was just getting deeper and deeper.

Ro woke up to a message from Muzi, sent at around 6:00 a.m., informing her that he was back in Franschhoek, that he’d gone for a trail run, and that he’d see her later.

His return had been delayed and, after nearly two weeks, she was dying to see him.

Hopefully, he’d be back soon. Instead of pulling on an old T-shirt, her most battered pair of shorts and rain boots—her standard uniform these days—she tugged on a bikini, a short, flowy skirt and a loose, off-the-shoulder top. She swiped on mascara and lip gloss, sprayed perfume on her neck and wrists and allowed her long hair to fall down her back.

Shoving her feet into beaded flip-flops, she left Muzi’s guest room.

She’d missed him, of course she had, and staying in his house without him felt strange but, she reluctantly admitted, she’d thoroughly enjoyed her time alone.

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