Page 57 of Midnight Surrender to the Spaniard

‘Just a sliver,’ Anna said, and kissed his very plump mouth.

She didn’t know quite why, but she felt more resolute when she was with him. She kissed his scratchy cheek and then his temple...

‘Let me look at you,’ he said.

He pulled apart her robe and looked at her gorgeous new underwear. More than looked. He ran a finger over the lacy fabric and then moved his hand over the curve of her breast. It was the slowest perusal...unbearable in its exquisiteness.

He slid the sleeves of the robe down her arms and lifted her so that he could toss the robe to the floor. He turned her so she sat facing him, her thighs now astride his, and all he did was look. She felt as if her skin might blister and her lips might part and beg for him.

‘Whatareyou up to?’ he asked.

‘Up to?’

‘What is it you have to hide when I come to the door?’

She blushed because he knew she was hiding something. ‘I’m not going to tell you.’

‘Tell me...’ he said, running a warm finger over the lace that covered a very private place and then slipping it beneath the fabric.

‘Oh...’ She was lifting onto her knees at the touch of his skilled fingers. ‘Don’t tear them...’ she said, because she liked her new knickers.

‘Take them off,’ he said, and removed his hand. ‘And go and get it.’

‘What?’

‘Whatever you’re using,’ he said in a low whisper, his voice gruff in her ear. ‘I can use it on you...’

She pulled back and stared at him. ‘I genuinely don’t know what you mean.’

‘Don’t be embarrassed,’ he said. ‘You don’t have to hide your toys.’

‘You think I’m in here with a sex toy!’ She was shocked, and embarrassed for a moment, but because she was in his arms she found she had started laughing. ‘You don’t know me atall!’

‘Every time I come to the door you’re half-dressed and you make me wait.’

‘Please don’t ask me, but I promise you I am really not having the kind of fun you think.’ She playfully punched his suited arm, and knew she was blushing even as she met his eyes.

And for Sebastián things suddenly changed again.

‘You don’t know me at all...’she had said, and yet he wanted to.

There was an innocence to her green eyes, an honesty in her gaze that he was struggling to recognise—because usually he trusted no one.

Since the wedding he had not been able to completely erase her from his mind. Not even in his usual way.

The wild parties aboard his yacht had ended along with his engagement, but in recent months there had been no guests aboard his yacht at all. Since meeting Anna he had simply been unable to indulge in his once favourite escape.

It was just sex, he told himself as she met his gaze.

He pulled her higher up onto his lap, yet could not stop staring at her eyes, exploring them, as he might gaze into a seemingly still lake and know there was a whole world beneath that glassy surface.

It was more than sex—whatever he might tell himself.

Just for a little while he wanted to know again the pleasure of her conversation, her company—and, yes, to get to know her better. He wanted her to laugh, to smile, to have the fun she deserved, and he actually ached to be the one to give that to her.

To give her a small piece of his black heart...

A sliver...

---