Red Hot Christmas (37 page)

      The tip of his tongue outlined her sex, and she squirmed around him. She tugged at his hair, and brought him closer, her heart beating wildly in her pulse, her ears, and…her core. A surge of tingles went through her, and he delved his tongue in her pussy, with powerful and delicious strokes.
 

      “Baby, I’m coming,” she warned him, and a sound of male appreciation reverberated in her.
 

      He inserted his thumb into her, and flicked her clit to the point of no return, the movements matching the urge brewing inside her.

      At last, she gritted her teeth. One last clench, and her body convulsed in an earth shattering release. She buckled, and he held her legs in place, caressing her thighs until she was able to breathe again. Barely.

***

Alejandro scooped her into his arms. Naked and still quivering, she didn’t argue. He carried her to the bedroom, and the second he eased her on the mattress, she slid her hand to the side.
 

      “No sheets.” His voice was final. “We’re past that, Sydney.”
 

      She chewed on her lower lip. “Maybe I’m just cold.”

      He reached for the condom in his pocket and laid it on the nightstand. “I’ll warm you up.”
 

      She propped up on her elbows, and a smile tipped at the corner of her luscious lips. “Of that I have no doubt.”

      He contemplated her, in awe of her raw, imperfect yet mind-blowing beauty. The long string of scars that rose against her skin was a sign of how real she was. Her body glistened, and under the moonlight skipping across the wood flooring, he could see the bare expression in her eyes. Despite how she had surrendered into orgasm just minutes earlier, there was a hesitation in her. She fidgeted her fingers over the silky linen, as if she was searching for a way to bolt. An adorable blush spread across her cheeks, highlighting her luscious auburn locks. The woman was all fire and heat.
 

      His throat dried. Joining her, he caught her mouth in a devouring kiss. She thrust her fingers through his hair, and a tingle surged from his hairline all the way down his body. Every part of his flesh that rubbed against hers experienced little currents that traveled to his stomach. She intensified the kiss, her tongue melding with his. He groaned, and the profusion of emotions cramped in his abdomen.
 

      By asking her to take off her clothes for him, he had been selfish. He had craved her, yes, but he hadn’t imagined for a moment she’d grant him his request. He had hoped the distraction would be enough, even spark a possible argument. Anything that would take his mind off the horrific truths he’d discovered in such a small time frame.
 

      She glided her fingers over his chest, and he quivered. Her fingernails scratched his abdomen, and he gritted his teeth. Control had never been a more foreign concept. His cock leaped, agreeing, ready to explode. Aching.

      When was the last time he had been this turned on? The thought distracted him for a split second, and she broke the kiss. A cold draft of air replaced the hotness of her lips. She pinned his hands down on the bed, and he allowed her to, positioning his head so he could still see her. What a sight it was.

      Sydney upped her eyebrow, and frank defiance crossed over her face. She licked her parted lips and ran her hand lower. He sucked in his breath when he felt the whisper of her breath across his groin. Lower. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, afraid the intensity of her eyes would shred that last remainder of control. Afraid? Alejandro Soto didn’t fear anything. Nothing.
Nada.

      
“Turns out I can warm you up too,” she said.
 

      “Anytime,
mi amor
,” he breathed. “Anytime.” His reply set his blood pounding, thicker than before.
 

      Anytime? Sydney had suffered enough, she came from a life of abuse. How different would he be from the others if he took his fill and left her? Yet in many ways, their connection was the only thing helping him remain sane. Even though his attraction for her was insane.
 

      What if…they were meant to keep going? Not just sexually?
 

She ran the tip of her tongue along his cock, and reasoning, along with any honorable intentions, disappeared. His entire body tightened. The only working part pulsed and grew inside the wet, delicious recesses of her lovely mouth. He massaged her scalp while she took all his length, her teeth grazing over his skin.

      “Sydney. If you don’t stop—”

      His warning should have been enough. The lack of oxygen in his brain dizzied his head. He had to squeeze some air from his lungs to choke out a word. “Stop.”
 

      “You don’t tell me what to do,” she said in a mischievous tone.
 

      His plea to let him bury himself inside her and drive them both to bliss died in his throat.       She sucked him harder, wrapping her lips around him without mercy. She cupped his balls, and continued her rhythmic dance, bringing it in and out of her mouth, each time getting him one step closer to a rapturing climax.
 

      She grazed her teeth on him one last time, and that did it. He tensed up, slamming his back into the mattress only to lift it again. Convulsions rippled through him, and he poured his essence in her, without barriers.

      Caressing his damp thighs, she took all of him. When the spasms subsided, she scooted on the bed and lay at his side. “Now we’re even.”
 

      He wiped the sweat slicking his forehead and turned on his side to face her. “Getting even never felt so good.”
 

      She gave him a lopsided smile, and his chest tightened. His whole life had been about getting ahead. Winning. Getting even was not something he was familiar with.
 

      “If you get the authorization, are you scared of seeing Carla after so long?” she asked him, and the question caught him off guard. Was it awful of him not to nurture good memories from the time spent with his ex fiancée?
 

      He twirled a loose curl around his finger. “I will be on my best behavior. Especially given her mental issues.”

      “That’s not what I asked.”
 

      He inhaled deeply. He had always ended his other relationships on friendly terms, either because he had realized his partners wanted more than he could offer, or because it had just been the natural course of things. “I’d feel terrible if it was really true that I triggered her mental illness.”

      “Oh.” The sound escaped from her lips, and a blank expression crossed her face. “If that’s the case, why didn’t you treat her more gently? You said you broke it off abruptly.”

      “I moved out one day. After too many arguments. I guess I hoped she would be the one to change my mind about marriage. Until I met her, I had seen how my mother was devastated after losing my father, and how my uncle struggled after Amparo’s death.” A hissy sound pushed from between his teeth. The two people who indirectly helped him realize love was complicated were the ones who had indulged in a forbidden affair.
 

      “Did she make you change your mind?”

      “I thought so. But when she began to become possessive, I balked. Maybe deep down, I knew that a life with her just wasn’t for me. I wanted to give it a try. How about you? Do you think you will ever settle down?”

      “I’m always on the move.”

      “That’s not what I asked.”

      “I’ve never experienced being part of a functional family. I wouldn’t know where to start.” She smiled. A sad, slow smile that stole the air from his lungs.
 

      He wanted to tell her she deserved all those things, from someone who could love her and cherish her. The thought formed a lump in his throat of another man giving her what she needed.
 

Chapter 10

      “Is that it?” She pointed at the villa style building at the top of a mountain.

      “Yeah.” He pushed his sleek sunglasses over the bridge of his nose.
 

      Sydney took but a couple breaths by the time he parked his car on the lot and turned off the engine. They had driven for two hours, and although the powerful sun blinded her, she doubted it was past nine a.m. He had called Carla’s family early morning, and although her mother had reservations, her father had agreed on him seeing her—as long as her doctors hovered by. Carla’s father believed closure was critical for his daughter’s healing.
 

      She braced herself, and goose bumps rose on her arms even though it was a nice summer day.
 

      They walked past security and he showed the middle-age receptionist his ID.
 

      The woman with kind eyes looked him up on the thin monitor of a computer screen and nodded. “You are allowed to visit her,” she said. “But I don’t see your name on the list.” She turned to Sydney.
 

      Alejandro leaned on the desk and flashed her a smile. “I assure you Sydney is a friend of the family. She doesn’t even speak Spanish, and she means no harm.”

      The woman drifted her gaze to Sydney, unfazed. “I don’t want any problems,
señor
.”
 

      “Neither do I.” He pointed at himself. “Listen…” He read her name on the tag. “Consuelo. If you’d like to call the manager or the doctor in charge, I’ll explain the situation.”

      Consuelo twirled her finger on one of the kinky curls straying from a messy updo. Then, she let out a long, exasperated sigh and drummed her fingers on the counter. “The manager is in a meeting. I’ll let you in, but one word from the nurse and you are both out.”
 

      “
Gracias,”
Alejandro said.
 

      The receptionist picked up the phone and spoke in fast Spanish, and in a matter of seconds a smiling male nurse walked up to them.
 

      “Follow him.” Alejandro gestured, and allowed her to go first.
 

      Sydney tried not to stare at the tall ceilings and framed artwork on the walls. A couple of doctors strolled across from them, and when they entered a large living area, she thought she was in someone’s country home.
 

      Besides the lack of cutting objects and accent pieces like vases or sturdy lamps, the area had a homey atmosphere. Magazines were spread across a coffee table, and the warm, citric colors from the walls blended with the yellow sofas. A large plasma TV hung above the white stone fireplace, and a collection of classic Literature books lay stacked on floating shelves.
 

      There was also a medium Christmas tree, surrounded by green and red garland, and ornaments that looked handmade.
 

      The nurse whispered something to Alejandro, who with a reassuring glance, translated it to her, “She will be here shortly.”
 

      Sydney’s heart thumped. “I’m nervous,” she said as the nurse left them alone. Of course she shouldn’t. She had been so wrapped up in finding the bastard who killed Patty that she let logic slip through her fingers like water. “What if she doesn’t want to help us? I don’t think she would appreciate seeing you with…hmmm…the woman you’re currently sleeping with.” Currently being the keyword.
 

      “She won’t know that.” He frowned. “Do you want to wait outside?”

      “No,” she rushed to say. “This concerns me too, Alejandro. I’m not going to watch from the sidelines.” She shifted her weight from one foot to another, though she knew there was no way she’d be comfortable. Her gaze riveted on the open French doors, and when a lovely brunette in her late twenties appeared, her heart stopped.

      There she was. In her mind, she had visualized Alejandro’s former fiancée with a faraway look or a permanent frown. Carla was petite and slight, and walked with confidence despite the nervous smile on her lips. Sydney’s stomach clenched so hard, she thought for a moment she would get sick.
 

      She had been locked up in prison. This girl had been locked up here. Of course, it was a luxurious retreat, but were they that different?
 

      The woman stopped a step away from him, and in turn Sydney took a step backward.       “Alejandro,” she said, her voice lively.
 

      “Carla,” he said in English. “How are you doing?”
 

      “I’m getting better each day.”

      “Good,” he said, and his voice seemed genuine. “I’m sorry this happened. I had no idea you were here.”

      “I asked my family to keep it private. Can you blame me?”

      “No,” he breathed. “Thank you for agreeing to see me. This is Sydney Bell.”
 

      Upon the last word, Carla yanked her gaze from his and blinked multiple times at Sydney.
 

      Sydney tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and gave her a small smile. “Hi. Nice to meet you.” She outstretched her hand, but the woman simply glanced at it.