Mistress of His Revenge (Bought by the Brazilian #1) (12 page)

She stared at the angles of Cruz’s sculpted profile illuminated by the street lamps and felt as though she were looking at a stranger. ‘Saving Eversleigh wasn’t my only reason,’ she said huskily. ‘Meeting you again has made me realise that there are unresolved issues between us from ten years ago. There are things we need to talk about, in particular how we both felt after I miscarried our baby...’ she hesitated ‘...and how we feel about each other now.’

‘I’ve told you how I feel.’ Cruz sounded bored of the conversation. ‘I want to have sex with you and I am prepared to pay for the privilege of having you as my mistress for the next six months.’ His glittering gaze pierced the shadowy darkness of the interior of the car and raked across Sabrina’s pale face. ‘We made a business deal,’ he reminded her. ‘What happened between us in the past is irrelevant.’

‘What about the future?’ she asked in a low voice.

He frowned. ‘If you are asking me if we might have a future, then my answer is a categorical no. I’m not looking for a long-term relationship with you or anyone else.’

Until two minutes ago Sabrina’s thoughts had been focused on the night ahead. She hadn’t cared about the future—at least that was what she had convinced herself. But Cruz’s unequivocal statement that he would not want a relationship with her beyond her six-month stint as his mistress was unexpectedly hurtful. Of course there was no possibility that she would fall in love with him, she told herself firmly. She had been there, done that and her heart bore the scars.

The car pulled into the underground car park, and as Cruz ushered her into the lift she felt a rising sense of panic that maybe she was making the biggest mistake of her life. She debated telling him that she had changed her mind and could not go through with their
business deal
.

She had to do whatever it took to safeguard Eversleigh for future generations of the Bancroft family, whispered the voice of her conscience. And her brother’s future career as a pilot was dependent on her being able to raise the aviation school’s fees.

While the lift made its smooth ascent to the top floor she could not tear her eyes from Cruz. He had undone his bow tie and the top few buttons of his shirt and she could see a sprinkling of black hairs that she knew covered his chest and arrowed down over his flat stomach. Her mouth felt suddenly dry as she pictured the fuzz of body hair running below the waistband of his trousers and becoming thicker around the base of his manhood.

The light-headed feeling she was experiencing had nothing to do with the one glass of champagne she’d had at the party, she acknowledged ruefully. Her body felt as though she were on fire and the core of her need was centred low in her pelvis. She tried convincing herself that the reason she was so intensely turned on was because she hadn’t had sex for two years—and that one occasion, with a guy she had dated for a few months, had been unfulfilling. But as her eyes moved back up Cruz’s lean, hard body and connected with his sultry gaze she knew she was kidding herself.

She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone or anything in her life.

She had not come to him for the sake of Eversleigh or her brother’s career or from a sense of duty to protect her family’s long history. For the first time in her life she was choosing to put her needs first and the sense of freedom she felt was wildly exhilarating.

Cruz’s sexy mouth promised heaven and she instinctively moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue as she imagined him kissing her. The lift halted and the doors opened directly into his penthouse apartment.

‘If you’ve changed your mind, say so now,’ he advised.

Her heart was thudding unevenly, but she said steadily, ‘I haven’t changed my mind.’

To her surprise she saw dull colour flare along his cheekbones, and she suddenly realised that he wasn’t as in control as he wanted her to think.

‘Then come here.’

She went unhesitatingly, and he swept her up into his arms and strode purposefully down the hallway of the apartment into the master bedroom.

CHAPTER EIGHT

H
E
KNEW
WHY
Sabrina was here, Cruz reminded himself. She would do anything to safeguard her family’s ancestral home and as she couldn’t sell him the Estrela Vermelha she was prepared to sell him her body. He felt an unexpected flicker of regret that he’d had to coerce her into being his mistress, but his common sense told him it was better to have a business arrangement that negated the risk of emotions becoming involved.

In the car she had said that she wanted them to talk about their past relationship. Why did women always want to discuss their emotions and everyone else’s? he thought irritably. Sabrina had not been interested in his emotions ten years ago. She had rushed back to England and left him alone to grieve for their baby, and she hadn’t spared him a second thought.

Talking was definitely not on his agenda, Cruz decided. Mindless sex without emotional baggage was a far better option, which would allow him to stay in control. A control that was already being tested, he realised, aware that he was harder than he could ever remember being as he set Sabrina on her feet and her breasts brushed against his chest. He had planned on a slow, skilful seduction intended to drive her to the brink so that she begged for his possession.

His pride still stung when he remembered her telling him that she would not demean herself by having sex with him. He wanted to show her that she was just another blonde in his bed. But he had never felt this hungry for any other woman, he acknowledged grimly.

His heart had given a peculiar lurch when she’d arrived at the party dressed to kill in a gown that looked as if she had been poured into it and with her hair flowing like a river of pale gold silk down her back. All evening he’d felt an ache of anticipation in his gut. But now that the moment was here,
Deus
, he felt like a teenager on a first date. He wanted to please her, he wanted sex to be perfect for her—he wanted to show her what she had been missing all these years since she left him.

The subtle fragrance of her perfume teased his senses and he felt an almost painful tug of desire in his groin. He needed to take control before he succumbed to his primitive instincts and took her hard and fast as his body was clamouring to do.

Her lips were slightly parted as if she was expecting him to kiss her, as if she wanted him to. He resisted and walked over to the bed, quickly stripping down to his underwear before he stretched out on top of the satin bedspread and propped himself up on one elbow.

‘You look very beautiful in that dress, but I want to see you naked. Take it off,’ he commanded.

* * *

Sabrina’s stomach muscles clenched as she stared at Cruz’s handsome face and then dropped her gaze to his bare chest covered in whorls of dark hairs. Her attention was drawn lower to the very obvious bulge beneath his boxer shorts. He was gorgeous! She could not take her eyes from the outline of his massive arousal and she felt a flicker of doubt, knowing she’d not had sex for a long time. She hoped he would take things slowly, but the molten sensation between her thighs was proof that her body was way ahead of her and was already preparing to accommodate him.

She wished he’d held her in his arms and undressed her, but he was paying her a lot of money to please him, she thought ruefully as she reached behind her to unzip her dress and drew the shoulder straps down her arms. The dark blue silk pooled at her feet and her body burned as Cruz ran his eyes over her sheer black lace strapless bra and matching knickers.

‘Very pretty,’ he murmured. ‘Did you choose your sexy underwear for me,
gatinha
?’

She thought of denying it, but what would be the point? Her mind flew back to a few hours earlier when she had made her preparations to become Cruz’s mistress. After soaking in a bath scented with fragrant oil, she had smoothed moisturiser onto every inch of her skin before dressing in exquisite lingerie.

‘Of course,’ she told him in a husky voice that she barely recognised as her own.

The sound of his swiftly indrawn breath made her feel powerful in a way that she had never experienced before. Tonight she wasn’t Sabrina the serious historian, or Sabrina the dutiful daughter. She was a temptress, desired above all other women by the sexiest man on the planet.

‘I always sleep naked, and while you are my mistress I expect you to do the same,’ Cruz drawled. ‘Take your bra off.’

She sensed a power struggle between them and rebellion flared inside her as she looked at him sprawled on the bed like a sultan who had commanded his favourite concubine to pleasure him. But there was no escaping the truth that she had sold herself to him. Pride whipped her head up. If he wanted a whore he would damn well get one!

She deliberately held his gaze as once again she reached behind her and unfastened her bra. The cups fell away to reveal her firm breasts adorned with dusky pink tips.

‘Very pretty,’ he repeated, but this time his voice was husky with need and his Brazilian accent was as sensual as molten chocolate. ‘We made an arrangement, Sabrina, and earlier tonight one and a half million pounds was transferred into your bank account. Now it’s your turn to fulfil your side of the deal.’

She wondered if he was deliberately trying to make her feel like a tramp. But she discovered that she did not care. She wanted him so badly that her body throbbed with a deep drumbeat that pulsed insistently between her legs, and her desire intensified when he slipped off his boxers and revealed the swollen length of his manhood. The sight of his potent virility made her feel weak with longing.

Cruz settled himself comfortably against the pillows and folded his arms behind his head. He trailed his eyes over Sabrina’s delectable body. Her lace knickers were provocative rather than practical and barely covered the triangle of downy blonde hair at the top of her thighs.

‘I want to see
all
of you,’ he ordered.

Sabrina felt no embarrassment as she stripped for him. The feral glitter in his eyes made her feel intensely desirable and she hooked her fingers in the top of her panties and pulled them slowly down her legs, revealing herself to him inch by inch and almost purring with feline pleasure when he gave an audible groan. She knew she looked good. Her body was toned, with a slender waist and full, rounded breasts that jutted proudly forwards.

Her eyes didn’t leave his as she sauntered round to the empty side of the bed. A spark of rebelliousness prompted her to ask coolly, ‘Is there a particular position you want me to adopt?’

‘Don’t push your luck,
gatinha.
’ Cruz watched her lie down beside him. ‘You look like a vestal virgin preparing to offer yourself up for sacrifice,’ he mocked. ‘We can start with the missionary position by all means. But you will have to open your legs—or I’ll do it for you,’ he warned softly when she did not move.

‘Cruz...’ She choked out his name, appalled that it seemed he really did intend to take her body without finesse, but she was even more appalled by the searing lust that swept through her at the prospect of surrendering herself so utterly to his possession.

Casting a fulminating look at his hard-boned face, she spread her legs a little.

‘Wider.’

She hesitated fractionally before obeying him. With her legs now open in a vee shape she felt exposed and she smelled the sweet musk of her arousal and knew Cruz could smell it too. Her heart was beating unevenly, but deep down a part of her revelled in his masterful commands. She didn’t want to think, or question her decision to sell herself to him. She was tired of responsibility and duty and always trying to do the right thing for other people and she wanted Cruz to take charge and give her hot, hard sex.

She wished he would roll on top of her and penetrate her with his powerful erection. She wanted him to touch her intimately and probe her with his fingers, and she instinctively arched her hips in mute supplication.

He laughed softly. ‘Patience,
gatinha
. Anticipation is part of the pleasure, don’t you think?’ She made an inarticulate sound and he laughed again and unfolded her hands from her breasts before he bent his head and lazily flicked his tongue across one pink nipple so that it swelled and tightened. He repeated the action to her other nipple and drew the hard tip into his mouth, eliciting a husky moan from her.

Triumph surged through Cruz. Sabrina’s response was exactly what he intended. His jaw hardened. She might find having sex with him demeaning, but she wanted him all the same.

He continued to play with her nipples, suckling each in turn while at the same time rolling the other between his fingers and eliciting helpless little whimpers from her. Oh, yes, she wanted him. He lifted his head and looked down at her flushed face. Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated as she silently implored him.

It pleased him that she was so desperate. From the moment he had seen Sabrina again at Eversleigh Hall he had planned his revenge, and discovering that she had financial problems had given him the leverage to force her into his bed. Cruz suddenly felt sickened by himself. What the hell had he been thinking? He would never force a woman to do anything against her will. But he was not forcing Sabrina, he reminded himself. She was here of her own free choice and she had made it clear that she was prepared to have sex with him to safeguard her home.

‘Cruz.’ She murmured his name like a prayer, and the pleading note in her voice touched something deep inside him.

‘Is this what you want,
querida
?’ he whispered against her lips as he trailed his hand over her stomach and thighs that were parted for him, and slid a finger into her silken folds.

Her reaction was instant. She jerked her hips upwards, offering her body to him and giving a guttural cry as he pushed deeper inside her.

‘Yes...
oh
...yes.’

Sabrina almost came when Cruz finally touched her where she desperately wanted him to. She was so wet for him that foreplay was unnecessary. She wanted him inside her now,
now
...