Lust, need, anger and hurt strangled her in equal measures. With a few pithy words, he’d reduced her to a needy female eager to sink her talons into a man she wanted to possess. With one label, he’d reminded her of the one thing she’d vowed never to be again.
Dependent.
They’d had disagreements before, but nothing like this. Sienna couldn’t catch her breath, couldn’t stem the hurt that flowed like a bloodied wound. But with each second that passed, with each intake of his breath and exhalation of hers, a different emotion surged forth. Familiar. Overwhelming. Devastating.
A deep tremble seized her, shaking her from head to toe. He saw her reaction and triumph coated his features, his eyes darkening as he watched. Waited.
‘Emiliano...’
‘Sí, Sienna?’ he whispered against her mouth, but holding himself a breath away, taunting her with his proximity.
Her breath shook out. ‘Something’s going on. Don’t make me think I’m crazy or that I’m overreacting. Please, just tell me—’
‘Stop. You know better than to push a closed subject. You’re an expert on closed subjects, after all. So do not let tonight be the moment you change your tune, querida, hmm?’
Another bolt of shock went through her. Her gaze collided with his. The hunger was still there, but everything else was just...wrong. ‘Who are you? Why are you speaking to me this way?’
‘You’re the one who insists on incessant discourse,’ he bit out at her.
‘You don’t want me to talk? Fine!’ She grabbed his tie and pulled it free. One vicious twist of her wrist sent it flying across the polished table. Then she attacked his shirt. Buttons turned into tiny missiles launched across the room, the depth of unbelievable hurt and lust tearing through her and making her irrational.
Her actions felt surreal, an out-of-body experience that sent shockwaves through her other self, the one observing what she was doing from a safe distance.
The live, breathing one initiating hot-headed moves swallowed hard at the first sight of Emiliano’s tanned, chiselled chest and gave a helpless groan, her body weakening and surging with desire at the same time.
Emiliano’s breath hissed out when she reached for his belt buckle. ‘Querida—’
‘No! If I don’t get to talk, neither do you,’ she insisted, probably because she was terrified that talking now would force her to think about what she was doing, and the possible reason behind Emiliano’s behaviour. Which was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. Not in this instance. Not when a mere hour ago she’d felt on top of the world.
Her fingers gained renewed power. Tugging the belt free, she jerked it away and heard it whistle through the loops on its way across the floor. Her fingers brushed the powerful erection behind his fly and a powerful shudder rocked him.
‘Dios mio, Sienna...’ His voice was thick, his arousal present and potent.
‘Unless, of course, you’re going to tell me I’m crazy to think you want me?’ She kicked away her shoes and reached for the zipper of her dress. Lowered it. Watched the tops of his sculptured cheekbones flush with raw need.
His lips parted, his breath emerging in shallow pants as he watched her dress loosen and drape, secured only by her heaving breasts.
But, as quickly as the alien bravado had risen, it died, leaving her once again flailing, distraught.
What on earth was she doing?
Dropping her hands, she hiked up the skirt of the gown and took one step back, then another. He followed, tracking her with the calculated steps of a ravenous predator.
They moved like that, locked in their erotic dance, out of the dining room. Somewhere along the way, the top part of her dress dropped, exposing her.
Emiliano stumbled. Then cursed under his breath. At any other time, Sienna would’ve smiled a wicked, teasing smile. Not now. Now each breath was weighted with desire, yes, but also with a fearful heaviness that left little room for hilarity.
‘Am I crazy, Emiliano?’ she pressed, even though part of her desperately urged herself to remain silent.
Long seconds ticked by as he prowled after her. Her back touched the bedroom door, swinging it open. Momentarily, his gaze flicked past her to the king-sized bed they’d shared insanely passionate moments in for six months. The eyes that returned to meet hers were heavy with need and regret. Whether it was for their argument or for something else, she didn’t know. Although, with the ache in her chest she couldn’t quite shift, she suspected the latter.
‘NO, YOU’RE NOT CRAZY.’
The strained admission restored a little of her hurt. As did the slightly desperate aura about him as he nudged her backwards into the bedroom. Whatever else was going on, Emiliano still wanted her. It was by no means anywhere near what she ultimately wanted from him, but the knowledge soothed and settled the wild alarm racing through her veins. A little restored feminine power would sustain her. For now.
Tomorrow. She’d revisit the subject again tomorrow. Once they’d slaked far more immediate and urgent needs. Even though it went against her nature to leave a problem untackled, she would refrain from pushing for answers tonight.
With that thought, she let go of her dress. It pooled to the floor a mere second before Emiliano pounced, lifting her out of it to stand her naked except for her thong and his jewels. His arms dropped back to his sides, and she watched his hands clench with electric tension for a ragged second, then jerk towards her, beckoning her forward, his eyes burning gold. ‘Come here, Sienna.’
Invitation of the most sinful nature. Invitation she grasped with both hands, stumbling forward into his arms.
Hard hands plastered her against his body and tangled in her hair, holding her still before she could satisfy the urgent need to kiss him.
He stared down at her, eyes endless pools of shadows, secrets and passion. But between one second and the next, she once again caught a glimpse of something that made her heart clench.
‘Emiliano...’
He nudged her even closer, heat from his body chopping off her words, the disturbing look in his eyes resolutely erased. ‘Take what you need, my little wildcat,’ he breathed against her mouth.
With a moan, she rose on tiptoe, her hands sliding around his neck as her mouth pressed gloriously, ravenously, against his. Her eyes slid shut, the better to savour what she’d missed, what she’d craved so desperately, these past six days. Her senses sang when his hands wrapped tighter, mercilessly, around her, his deep groan relaying his mutual feelings.
Tongues meshing, relishing, devouring, the kiss deepened, their ragged breathing the only sound in the room as he walked her backwards on plush carpet, his aim the wide bed which was their personal haven.
Sienna gripped him tighter as he swept her off her feet and placed her on the bed. When he attempted to move, to shed the rest of his clothes, she stopped him, the idea of letting him go bringing a fresh wave of alarm.
If her unusually possessive hold on him registered, he didn’t give an indication. Instead, he rolled them sideways, still delivering hot, pleasurable kisses as he impatiently shucked off shoes and trousers. His briefs followed and her breath caught all over again at the heat of his girth against her thigh.
Greedy hands closed over his steely hardness. They both groaned. Oh, how she’d longed for this.
‘I missed you. So much!’ she gasped between kisses, once again letting go of the tight hold she usually held on her emotions.
His body grew tauter, the carnal tension whipped through him, making muscles and sinew rock-hard