Resisting the urge to rake a hand through his hair, Alejandro gnashed his teeth. He needed a minute to collect a few props and his thoughts.
“Can you show her to the room?” he asked his business partner. “I’ll be there in five.”
Alejandro didn’t wait for the answer. He brushed past them, into the security corridor, and let the door slam behind him. Dread and anger crashed into the bottom of his stomach. Unless he acted fast, this could well be his last chance with this woman. He had three minutes to figure out how to soften her heart toward him, convince her he wasn’t just out to save his business or get laid. Convince her they could be more than partners beyond tonight.
Miracle, anyone?
Del escorted Shanna through the club. She was aware of people all around her swaying and grinding to the jazzy/bluesy music. But her thoughts… Alejandro had the lock on those.
Last night and today, he’d acted like he cared. Why? She’d told him over and over this was business.
Yeah, did it feel like business when he was deep inside you, making
you scream? Or when he fed you ice cream and did his best to understand
you, to help you like a friend?
The man had her so confused. What should have been nothing more than a temporary arrangement for the sake of ferreting out a mutual enemy—and okay, maybe a little mutual pleasure—had suddenly become very tangled. In the space of a few days, she’d come to think of Alejandro as a fixture in her life. The thought of that fixture being removed hurt. Dangerous. How could she focus on the competition with everything hanging over her head if she had to add new and scary emotions for Alejandro to the mix?
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“Follow me,” Del said.
They crossed the dance floor and edged around a couple panting heatedly and letting their fingers do the walking. Del escorted Shanna into a long hallway. At the end, he held a door open. One peek inside, and she sucked in a surprised gasp. This was out of a fantasy! Plush, like a pasha’s palace. Rust, gold, bronze, with accents of black and crème. An enormous bed. Pillows everywhere. The audience would be bigger in this room. And closer. The opportunity for someone to bring in a camera was huge.
“We’ve got the security angles covered,” Del assured her before she even opened her mouth. “There are cameras all over this place. We’ve spent all day rigging it up. If someone tries to film you here, we’ll nail him.”
He eased closer. Shanna tensed. Truth be told, the man made her nervous. He was dark like Alejandro. Both men had a wide streak of bad boy. Alejandro was like a fire, hot and sometimes unpredictable, never quite tamed. But Del…he could be a very cool customer. He’d do everything on his terms, in his time, his way. And show zero emotion doing it.
Now, he gave off the vibes of a predator. Shanna swallowed and raised her chin as he sauntered closer.
“Can I take your coat?”
Feeling too vulnerable for her comfort, she unbelted the coat and stripped it off. The red corset underneath and the matching black thong, garters and stockings went way beyond suggestive. Being naked would make her feel more clothed.
Del whistled, looking her up and down, lingering on her breasts. “You look hot. Damn hot.”
She cleared her throat. His hungry gaze eating her up when she’d last been on stage with Alejandro had turned her on. Being alone with
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him, having him this close, while he wore that ravenous expression…it was uncomfortable.
She shrugged to pass it off as casual. “A costume like any other.”
“You and Ali got a thing going?”
Shanna looked up at him in shock. When this was over, it was unlikely they’d continue to see each other. They were from different worlds. Whatever they might have had would be another casualty of her ambition. It shouldn’t bother her.
But something wretched and heavy that felt an awful lot like regret smothered her. Pain followed, but she shoved it down.
“No,” she finally murmured.
Flashing her a hot smile, Del leaned in, invaded her personal space.
“That’s good news. Very good.”
The rapacious way he watched her gave her major pause.
“When you and Ali are done here…maybe you and I could hook up?”
He dragged a fingertip down her arm, leaving a scream of tingles behind. Was he serious? Del imagined that, after having sex with his friend and business partner, she was just going to throw Alejandro over and hop in his bed instead? Not likely. “Get your hand off me.”
“Why?” Del shrugged. “You said yourself that you and Ali don’t have a thing going. You’re a gorgeous woman. I’ve seen you in action, and you make me hard. I’ll treat you right, make you scream. I hear you’re good at switching partners. What do you say?”
He reached around her and slung his hand low on her hip, almost on her ass.
Fury erupted in Shanna’s gut. She grabbed his wrist, squeezed his pressure point until he winced, then shoved his hand away from her backside.
“What the hell are you thinking? No, the better question is, which part of your body is doing the thinking for you. I’m pretty sure I know the
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answer.” She cut a derisive glare in the vicinity of his crotch, then shot a quick glance to the door. Where was Ali?
“What’s the problem, baby?” He moved in closer again. Her temper flared.
Dirt bag!
She lifted her foot and dug her stiletto into his toes. He swore, and she smiled. “I’m supposed to have sex with your friend in less than five minutes.”
His voice was strained as he reached down to cradle his injured toe.
“You don’t get sentimental about your partners. And you said you weren’t involved with Ali. If that’s the case, why shouldn’t I ask a gorgeous woman if she wants to hook up?”
Why, indeed? Del was attractive physically. She didn’t think he’d be demanding of her time, or try to get into her head and question her commitment to winning. Del would never take her out for ice cream and try to be her friend. He didn’t rip past the barriers around her heart with just a touch. He wouldn’t press her for more than sex. But if she disliked Alejandro for all those things, why wasn’t she eager to get down with his sinfully good-looking friend?
“Alejandro is your business partner and best friend.”
“Yeah, but if you’re not into him, that makes you fair game. C’mon.”
Shanna was still processing Del’s words when he grabbed her and crushed her body against his. His mouth swooped down, capturing hers. At the first swipe of his tongue against hers, she knew nothing but panic. And pure rage.
Twisting until she could reposition her legs, she delivered a hard knee to his balls. He backed away instantly, clutching himself.
“What is your problem?”
“I’ll tell you exactly what I’ve told Alejandro: I have the most important competition of my career to focus on. I intend to win, and anything else is just a distraction I don’t need.”
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“And that’s your only reason?”
Alejandro shoved the stage door open. It collided with the wall, echoing across the stage, as he strode inside. He had the distinct impression he’d interrupted something.
In the middle, Shanna stood wearing the corset, garters and thong he’d sent her—and looking every bit as drop-dead sexy as he’d known she would. Though his dick was already hard at the thought of being inside her, this outfit added to the red blood cell count below his waist. The righteous anger on her face made him pause. Especially when he saw Del two feet away, hunched over, clutching his balls and glaring at her.
What the hell?
“She’s got a mean knee.”
“He’s got the disposition of a man ho.”
Anger crashed into Alejandro, as if he’d been driving a hundred miles an hour straight into a brick wall. “You made a move on her?”
“Yes!” Shanna shouted.
Del tried to stand up straight. “You said she had a habit of switching dance partners. I wondered if that extended to sex. She swore you two had nothing going. If that’s true, why the hell did she kick me?”
Then his friend did something bizarre. He winked. Alejandro frowned…until everything fell into place. Del had been testing her. If Shanna didn’t care a thing about him, Alejandro knew she would have gone for Del. Women did—in droves. Shanna had been turned on by him watching her just days ago. Why not follow through?
He had this feeling that the only reason Shanna had kneed his pal was because she had more feelings than she wanted to admit—and not
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for Del.
Suddenly, Alejandro resisted the urge to smile. Hope curled in his belly, warmed his heart, made his dick even stiffer. He’d test his theory tonight.
“We have no time to argue. Let’s get this party started. Del, let the crowd in. Security tells me they are lined up down the hallway. Shanna, turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
With an okay signal, Del turned away and headed for the door. No surprise, Shanna hesitated. She’d assumed he would be pissed at Del’s pass. She’d assumed Alejandro would be possessive. If he hadn’t known Del for years and known how his friend’s mind worked, he would have been.
No, Alejandro was just going to enjoy the fireworks before he got to the bottom of whatever was in her heart. Del was just helping him along.
“Is there a problem?” he asked. “People will be filing in within seconds. We should be in position.”
“Fine.” She presented him with her back.
What a luscious view! Feminine shoulders tapered down into a narrow, red-corseted back. The black thong bisected a firm, creamy ass he’d fantasized about fucking. Those garters and black thigh-high stockings hugging the toned curves of her legs damn near had him on his knees.
And if he played his cards right, she would be all his. Forcing his stare back to her wrists crossed at the small of her back, Alejandro grabbed them. With a snap of his wrist and two quick clicks, he had imprisoned her in handcuffs.
She whirled on him, murder in her eyes. “What the hell are you doing? Unlatch these! I didn’t sign up for this. We didn’t discuss—”
Alejandro cut off her tirade by covering her mouth with his. She struggled…for a moment. Then he swept inside her mouth, tunneled his
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hands in her hair, and kissed her as if his very life depended on it. She melted.
With a gentle nip and a soothing kiss to cover the sting, he pulled back and whispered, “We have an audience.”
Releasing her, Alejandro walked a half-circle around her and cozied up to her back, letting her feel the heat of his body and his thick erection. She gasped.
The curve of her neck beckoned, and he trailed his lips up the graceful curve and soft skin.
Briefly, he opened his eyes and discovered at least twenty-five people in the room—and more filing in. Perfect. Maybe they’d catch the asshole tonight.
Then he put everything out of his mind except Shanna. His hands started at her shoulders, but quickly developed a mind of their own. Down they plunged, right over the curves of her breasts pushed up by the tight corset. But having those nipples covered wasn’t going to do.
In a few seconds, Alejandro brushed through the little buttons holding the garment together. It fell to the stage in a soft wisp of fabric. Men groaned in the audience as he bared Shanna’s breasts. She tensed. Alejandro could feel her shivering. Cold? He didn’t think so. Nerves? Maybe. Excitement. Definitely. He could smell the beginnings of her arousal.
Standing behind her, he reached around and cupped her breasts in his hands, squeezing her nipples between his thumbs and fingers. Against him, she writhed, wriggling her ass against his cock. Hot shivers crashed through his bloodstream.
He was about to go out of his mind.
With a yank, he pulled the sheer thong from her body. Another collective groan rang from the audience. Guys shifted weight from one
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foot to another, adjusted themselves in their pants, sat forward in their chairs. Shanna began to pant.
Alejandro dragged his palms down her abdomen. He itched to feel the silk of her pussy, see just how wet she was.
Moments later, he had his answer. Hot damn! Wet, welcoming, lush. She might be able to lie about her feelings for him, but her body couldn’t. Now was the perfect time to start testing his theory…
A quick point at Del brought his friend to the stage. Shanna tensed again. This time, he didn’t think it was due to excitement. Before she could say a word, he whispered, “I want to watch your breasts be sucked. Del will help us out.”
“No,” she whimpered.
“You change partners all the time. Why does it matter?”
Del approached her and pressed his body close to Shanna’s. Alejandro didn’t say a word, just lifted her breasts up to him. The smile Del sent her said that he was ready for scorching hot sex, just before he bent to her.
“It just matters,” she whispered. “Please no.”
Lifting dark eyes to Ali, Del waited for a cue. Alejandro had what he wanted for now. He shook his head. With a wry grin, Del contented himself by placing a chaste kiss on the curve of her breast. But to show he wasn’t going to be dismissed, he took a seat on a nearby pillow and set a scorching stare her way. In truth, Alejandro knew they had to play along, just in case their blackmailer was in the room. But he wanted nothing more than to get Shanna alone.
Soon
, he promised himself. Turning her to face him, Alejandro watched her stage smile collapse. She looked at him with a mixture of hurt, anger and relief. Apparently, swapping partners did matter to her. And he sensed that the sooner he got her to admit that about dance, the sooner she’d settle into having one
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man in her life.
Impatient to touch her, Alejandro tore down the zipper of his leather pants and freed his stiff cock. “Suck me.”
He kicked a pillow under her knees. Shanna hesitated, then sank down, her gaze on him the whole way, eyes bright with arousal and uncertainty. Then she bent her head and consumed him. Oh, hell. Her mouth was a silken oven, soft and scorching and robbing him of breath. She damn sure knew what to do with that tongue of hers, caressing the length of his staff, curling it around the head. She sucked deep and hard, all the way to the back of her throat. His heartbeat rattled in his chest. His ears buzzed with the excitement. Faintly, he was aware of male groans and a “fuck, yeah,”