The Ultimate Playboy by Maya Blake

Author:Maya Blake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘I DON’T REMEMBER the last time I sunbathed.’

‘I can tell.’

Blue eyes glared at him and his pulse rocketed. Narciso tried to talk himself calmer. No one else was to blame since he’d invited her to go scuba-diving with him. After another sleepless night battling unrelenting sexual frustration.

‘How can you tell? And don’t tell me it’s because you’re a warlock.’

‘I don’t need otherworldly powers, cara. Your skin is so pale it’s almost translucent and there are no visible tan lines.’

She glanced down at herself. ‘Oh.’

‘Here.’ He grabbed the sun protection, started to move towards her, changed his mind at the last minute and tossed it to her.

‘Thanks.’ She sat on the same lounger as last night. But this time, the smell of her skin and the drying sea water made his blood heat.

‘Where did you learn to dive?’ he asked to distract himself from following the slim fingers that worked their way up her leg.

She smiled. ‘I spent a few summers working at a hotel in Florida when I was in high school. I worked in the kitchens and got to dive in my spare time.’

‘Have you always known you wanted to be a chef?’

Her smile immediately dimmed and he cursed himself for broaching a touchy subject.

‘I knew I had my parents’ talent but I resisted it for a long time.’

‘I’ve seen the footage of the contest. You’re not a natural in front of the camera.’

One brow rose. ‘Gee, thanks.’

‘What I mean is, you can easily prove to your parents that they’re wasting their time trying to recruit you.’

‘It won’t stop them from trying.’

He shrugged. ‘Then tell them you have a demanding new business partner.’

She shook her head. ‘I’d rather not.’

‘You want to keep me your dirty little secret, tesoro?’

She smiled but the light in her eyes remained dim. ‘Something like that. What about you? Have you always known you wanted to be a warlock?’

He laughed, experiencing a new lightness inside. When her lips curved in response, he forcibly clenched his hands to stop from reaching for her. ‘Ever since I made my first million at eighteen.’

‘Wow, that must have brought the girls running.’

He shrugged, suddenly reluctant to dwell on past conquests. ‘It gave me the ammunition I needed...’

She frowned slightly. ‘Ammunition. To fight your father?’

‘To fight Giacomo, yes.’

‘Why do you call him Giacomo?’

He exhaled. ‘Because he was never a father to me.’

She paused and that soft look entered her eyes. The realisation that he didn’t mind talking to her about his past shocked him. He tried to tell himself it meant nothing, but he knew he was deluding himself.

‘What about your mother? Is she alive?’

Sharp pain pierced his chest. ‘My poor mama is what started this whole nasty business.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘She died giving birth to me. I was so determined to make a quick entrance into the world, I caused her to bleed almost to death by the roadside before an ambulance could arrive.’

Her gasp echoed around the sun-dappled deck. ‘Surely, you don’t think that’s your fault?’

‘Giacomo certainly seems to think so.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.