A Deal with Benefits (6 page)

“To my old neighborhood,” he said tersely. He briefly closed his eyes as he tried to banish the memory of graffiti-stained walls and the stench of rotted garbage.

She sighed. “Can you be a little more specific?”

“You wouldn’t recognize the address. It’s the ghetto,” he said with a hint of defiance and anger. He should have had the idyllic childhood that Ashley had enjoyed. While her life had been luxurious and carefree, his days had been difficult and unsafe. He’d had to fend for himself and his family and there were many early days when he had failed.

He’d left the ghetto years ago, but he had honed his survival instincts in his old neighborhood. Stay alert, know how to fight and shut down any potential threat before it gained power. Those rules helped him in the streets and in building his empire.

Her eyelashes flickered. “You’re right. I don’t know where that is, but only because I don’t get out much. And the money is for...?”

“The medical clinic,” he said slowly as he watched her expression. She showed no pity or fear. No disdain about his background. Just polite interest. Considering her sheltered and privileged life, Sebastian wondered if she understood living in the ghetto was like a prison term.

He grabbed her hand, ignoring how it fit perfectly in his, and led her out of the VIP section. “Let’s dance.” He couldn’t wait anymore. He needed to feel her curves flush against his body.

Ashley froze and dug her heels in. “I don’t dance.”

Sebastian stopped and turned around. “You don’t dance. You don’t drink. You don’t party.” He didn’t believe any of it. He knew many heiresses and socialites. They lived to be seen at the right places with the right people. “What do you do?”

Ashley shrugged and looked away. “Nothing that would interest you.”

It shouldn’t interest him. He didn’t care what women did when they weren’t with him. Sebastian didn’t want to know about their jobs, hobbies or passions. Yet he was intensely curious about Ashley. “You don’t date.”

She looked at him cautiously from the corner of her eye. “I never said that.”

She didn’t have to. “I was your first,” he reminded her. And for some reason that was important to him. Was it because she was his first virgin? He didn’t like the possessive streak that heated his blood and made him want to keep her close.

“I’ve been busy,” she declared as she tried to slip from his grasp.

“Busy doing what?” he asked as he pulled her closer. How did she fill her day? “You live in a tropical paradise. You don’t have a job or obligations. Most people would kill for that kind of life.”

“Is that what you think?” She abruptly stopped and pressed her lips together. “Okay, sure. My life is perfect. And that’s why I will go to great lengths to keep it.”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he watched Ashley’s guarded expression. What was she hiding? He was about to go in for the kill when he felt a feminine hand on his sleeve.

“Sebastian?”

He recognized the cultured voice before he turned around and saw the cool blonde standing next to him. He dropped his hold on Ashley as he greeted his former flame with a kiss on the cheek. “Hello, Melanie,” he said.

“And who is this?” she asked with false brightness.

Sebastian swallowed back a sigh. This always seemed to happen when an ex-lover met the current one. He found the territorial attitude tiresome. “Melanie, this is Ashley Jones. Ashley, this is Dr. Melanie Guerra. She works at the medical clinic.”

“And I’m also your predecessor,” Melanie said bitterly as she shook Ashley’s hand. “I believe you stole him from me.”

“Would you like him back?” Ashley asked hopefully.

Melanie was momentarily surprised before she gave a shrill of laughter. Sebastian wrapped his hand around Ashley’s arm and shot her a warning look. He wasn’t sure what Ashley was going to do next. It was a rare feeling.

“No, thanks,” Melanie said as she gave Ashley a thorough look. “Our fling was very brief and he dumped me after he came back from some island off the Florida coast. I got a bouquet of flowers, a bracelet from Tiffany and no explanation. Now I understand why.”

Ashley went rigid under Sebastian’s grasp. To his surprise, Ashley didn’t respond to Melanie’s statement. Her expression was blank, but he sensed her slow burn of anger.

“She’s not really an upgrade, is she, Sebastian?” Melanie said. She smiled, knowing she had dropped a bomb, and strolled away with her head held high.

“I apologize for her, Ashley,” he said roughly. “Melanie isn’t known for her tact or manners.”

“I’m sure that wasn’t what drew you to her in the first place,” Ashley replied, her eyes flashing with anger. “You were dating her when you slept with me. Are you with someone now?”

“I’m with you.” He didn’t want anyone else. No woman compared to her and he didn’t know why.

“Is there anyone else?” she asked insistently as she tugged away from his grasp.

“What if there was?” he asked. She had no claim, no power over him, and he would remind her of that every moment of this agreement. “What would you do about it? What
could
you do about it?”

She thrust her chin out with pride. “I’d leave.”

He scoffed at her declaration. “No, you wouldn’t.” She wouldn’t walk away from him. She’d entered this agreement because she wanted to explore the pleasure they shared.

“Inez Key means everything to me, but—”

“It has nothing to do with the island,” he said. He wasn’t going to let her hide behind that reason. “You got a taste of what it’s like between us and you crave it.”

She crossed her arms and glared at him. “No, I don’t.”

“It’s okay,
mi vida,
” he said in a confidential tone. “I crave it, too.”

“Of course you do. You’re insatiable,” she argued. “It doesn’t matter who you are sleeping with as long as you have a woman in your bed. You’re like all men who are ruled by lust and—”

“I’m not an animal,” he replied as the anger roughed his voice. “I don’t sleep with every woman who flirts with me. I can control my baser instincts. You, I’m not so sure about.”

She gasped and took a step back. He saw the surprise and guilt flicker in her dark brown eyes. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“You can’t wait to go to bed with me,” he said with a satisfied smile as the desire swirled inside him. When they finally got to be alone, he knew she was going to go wild. The anticipation kicked harder in his veins.

“I can’t wait to get this agreement over with, if that’s what you’re talking about,” she said. “And you didn’t answer my question. Are you with another woman right now?”

Ashley was tenacious. “You have no right to ask me that question.”

She tossed back her hair and raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m your mistress?”

“Exactly.” He splayed his arms out with exasperation. “You really don’t have an understanding on how this arrangement works.”

“And you don’t seem to understand how I function,” she retorted. “If you’re in a relationship with someone, I’m going to leave. Play any mind games with me and you will regret it.”

He knew she was bluffing, but her voice held a hardened edge. As if she was talking from a past experience. “You’ll lose the island.”

Ashley leaned forward. “And you won’t get another night with me,” she said with false sweetness. “Those cravings you have will just get stronger and there will be nothing you can do about it.”

Their gazes clashed and held. It was time to teach Ashley a lesson. She suspected just how much he wanted her and was testing her power over him. He wasn’t going to let her get away with it.

He heard a feminine squeal of delight next to him. “Sebastian!”

Sebastian reluctantly turned as a woman wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clung to him. He barely recognized the model who had flirted with him a few weeks ago and he couldn’t remember her name. She was an exotic creature, but she didn’t capture his imagination like Ashley.

“It’s been forever since I’ve seen you,” the model declared before she brazenly kissed him on the mouth.

Knowing that Ashley was watching, Sebastian didn’t pull away. He wasn’t going to allow Ashley to make any demands on him.

* * *

Ashley hunched her shoulders as the bile-green jealousy rolled through her. The conflicting emotions were ripping her in shreds. She wanted to pull the other woman away and yet she felt the need to hurt Sebastian the way he was hurting her.

She looked away, unable to see Sebastian in the arms of another woman. She hated this feeling. The ferocity scared her. She didn’t know if she could contain it. Ashley jerkily turned away. She refused to live this way for even a moment. She wouldn’t tolerate this, even if it meant losing her family home forever.

Ashley pushed her way through the dance floor. She was dragged in and then thrust from side to side as she bumped against dancers. She gritted her teeth and placed a shaky hand on her churning stomach. She had to get out of here.

Forcing herself not to look back, Ashley wasn’t even going to think about where she could go next. She didn’t have money for a taxi or a hotel room. It didn’t matter. She just needed to get away.

She stepped out of the club and took a deep breath, inhaling the hot and humid air. A crowd of people was waiting to get into the club and the flashing lights from the sea of paparazzi cameras blinded her. She felt light-headed as the emotions battled inside her. Her legs wobbled just as she felt Sebastian’s hand wrap around her waist.

“Make me run after you again,” he whispered against her ear, “and you will not like the consequences.”

“That wasn’t my plan,” she said quietly. “And you will not like the consequences if you make me angry again.”

“I believe the term is jealous,” Sebastian said as he escorted her to his black limousine.

“I’m not jealous.” Jealousy would mean that her emotions were involved. That it wasn’t just sex between them. “I simply don’t share.”

“Neither do I,” he warned.

“Where to, Mr. Cruz?” the chauffeur in the dark suit asked as he opened the door for them to enter the car.

“Home,” Sebastian said.

Ashley shook her head. “I’m not getting in there with you.” She sensed the chauffeur’s surprise, but she didn’t look at him. She knew it was a bold statement, when Sebastian could easily pick her up and toss her in the backseat. Considering the dark mood he was in, he might choose the trunk.

His hand flexed on her waist. “I’m not in the mood for a scene.”

She felt the attention of the crowd and the flashing lights from the cameras were going fast and furious. She didn’t want an audience, but she had to tell Sebastian exactly how she felt. “I told you that I don’t play games,” she said in a low voice, hoping no one could hear their conversation. “If you are going to spend the next month trying to make me jealous, we are going to end it here.”

There was a long beat of tense silence before Sebastian spoke. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that and I’m not proud of it,” he said begrudgingly. “I was trying to prove a point and it backfired.”

Ashley didn’t move or look at him. She knew this was as close as she was going to get to an apology but she needed more. He wasn’t going to give it to her. It was best to end this now.

“It won’t happen again,” he said. “I promise.”

She glanced up. She hadn’t expected that from Sebastian. She stared into his eyes and saw the sincerity and regret. She didn’t know if she should trust it. He could be lying. This could be a game to him. The man was a seducer. A womanizer.

But she wanted to believe him. And that’s what scared her. She was willing to believe he would honor his promise when there was no proof that he would.

It was because she wanted to stay, she realized dazedly. Her body yearned for his touch and she knew she would regret it if she left. Sebastian had been correct; this agreement wasn’t just about Inez Key. She wanted another chance to experience the exquisite and intense pleasure one more time.

Ashley gave a sharp nod and saw the sexual hunger flare in Sebastian’s eyes. Excitement gripped her as she stepped into the limousine. She found it hard to breathe as her heart pounded in her ears. She was ready for whatever the night may bring.

But she would not surrender.

CHAPTER FIVE

A
SHLEY
SAT
NEXT
to Sebastian as the limousine slowly drove through the busy streets of Miami. The bright, colorful lights streamed through the dark windows. She stared at the tinted divider that separated them from the driver. She knew the chauffeur couldn’t see or hear them. No one could. They were alone in a luxurious cocoon and the wait was agony.

The air crackled between them. The silence clawed at her. This was no longer lust. This was chemistry. Ashley knew Sebastian felt this dark magic between them.

She turned her head and greedily looked at Sebastian. She noticed every harsh angle in his face and the powerful lines of his gray suit. Her heart stopped for one painful moment when she saw his face tighten with desire.

“Ashley,” Sebastian said huskily.

She rubbed her bare legs together and shivered when he said her name. It was a plea and a warning. He didn’t want to wait any longer. Couldn’t.

“Cruz,” she said breathlessly. She blushed as she fought the overwhelming need to touch Sebastian and hold on to him. She took a sharp intake of breath and inhaled his clean, masculine scent. She felt the heat invade her body. She wanted to get closer and burrow her face into his skin.

“Call me Sebastian,” he reminded her. He spoke softly, but she saw the glint in his eyes. He was the hunter and she was the prey. Ashley went very still, every instinct telling her he was about to pounce.

Instead, he reached for her hand. She felt a tremor in him as he raised her fingers to his mouth. A sense of power flooded her body. She was an average woman, young and with very little experience, but she could make the great Sebastian Cruz tremble.

“I want you right now.” Sebastian brushed his mouth against her knuckles and her skin tingled from his touch. “But I know you’re not ready. You need something more private before you lose control. Feel safe before you say exactly what you want.”

He knew. He knew exactly how she felt. In his bed, she would go wild. It would be just the two of them. No interruption. No confined spaces. But here...in this limousine, on the crowded streets, she would be careful. She would be constantly aware of her surroundings.

Sebastian cupped her jaw with his hands. She felt surprisingly delicate under his large fingers. “You don’t need to hold back with me.”

“I’m not,” she lied. She was cautious with everyone. She usually didn’t act unless she knew the outcome. She didn’t speak until she considered the consequences.

“I’ll take care of you,
mi vida,
” he said in a low, clear voice.

Her heart gave a twist. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that he cared more than this moment, more than the thrill of the hunt. That he cared about her. She would like to think he was the kind of man who viewed sex as something more than a sport.

But that wasn’t a fairy tale she could afford to believe. “Do you tell that to all your women?” She tried to say it lightly, but she couldn’t hide the cynical edge in her voice.

“I’m telling it to you,” he said as he covered her mouth with his.

He kissed her and she immediately melted into him. She had dreamed about this moment every night since he had left Inez Key. She didn’t realize how much she had yearned for his touch until now. But it wasn’t enough. She needed more.

Sebastian’s kiss was slow and tender. That wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to feel the heat and the passion from their first night. Ashley kissed Sebastian with abandon.

She poured everything she felt into the kiss and it was like touching a lit match to a firecracker. Something inside him broke free and Ashley tasted the wildness in his kiss. It excited her and she deepened the kiss, craving more.

“If you don’t want this,” he said roughly against her lips, “tell me now. This is your last chance to walk away.”

Ashley was surprised that Sebastian was giving her an escape. Thanks to their agreement, he no longer had to seduce or romance her. She thought he would grab and take—and some part of her wished he would take the decision away from her. Then she couldn’t blame herself for wanting this or enjoying his touch.

She wouldn’t completely shatter here, in the back of a limo. No matter what he did, she wouldn’t lose her inhibitions. Not when she felt as if they could get caught any moment.

Sebastian, however, didn’t seem to be aware of their surroundings. Or he simply didn’t care. This time, she could seduce him while he got lost in the sensations.

She was in full control and she was almost dizzy with the power. She knew she could ask for anything and he would give it to her. But she wanted something more. Ashley wanted—needed—Sebastian to surrender. She needed to see that he would do anything, give up control, just for the taste of her.

But how did one seduce a seducer? Could a man like Sebastian be seduced if he knew all the techniques and tricks? She knew she had to be daring. No fear. No hesitation.

Ashley deepened the kiss. She yanked off his tie and hastily unbuttoned his shirt. She stopped midway and flattened her hands against his warm skin. Sebastian moaned against her mouth as her fingertips tugged the dusting of dark curls on his chest.

She wanted more and shoved his jacket off and pulled his shirt down his arms. Tearing her mouth away from his, she kissed a trail down his chin and neck. She felt the choppy beat of his pulse and smiled as it matched hers.

Sebastian bunched her dress in his hands. She couldn’t strip bare for him. Not now. Not here. She stopped him, her hands firm against his. “Not yet,” she mumbled against his chest.

“Are you telling me what to do?” he teased.

By the end of the night, he wouldn’t notice that he was following her directions. He wouldn’t care that she was in charge. Sebastian would only notice how she made him go wild. He would find out just how much power she had over him.

“I’m telling you to be patient,” she corrected him as she grabbed his belt and pulled him closer. “Good things happen to those who wait.”

“I have never found that to be true,” he drawled.

She held his gaze steadily. “Trust me.” The agreement didn’t make them equals, but she needed his trust as much as she needed his touch.

Ashley was pleased when Sebastian reluctantly pulled his hands away from her dress and continued caressing her legs. Her fingers shook as they skimmed along his waist. Without taking her eyes off him, she slowly unbuckled his belt and pressed her hand against his erection. Her breath fizzled in her lungs when she realized how large and powerful he was. Her memory had not exaggerated.

“I’m not that patient,” he warned as she rubbed her palm against him.

“Good to know.” Her seduction was working. She had admired the restraint and patience he had displayed on Inez Key. It set him apart from the playboys she knew. Ashley knew he wasn’t reckless or impulsive, but now she knew he had a limit.

But knowing his limit didn’t make him any less dangerous. And right now
she
was feeling dangerous. She wasn’t ready to stop this. She didn’t think she could if she wanted to.

Ashley slowly unzipped his trousers and shoved them past his hips and down his legs. His hooded eyes glittered as he was sprawled half-naked before her. She couldn’t stop staring at his masculine beauty.

“Now you.” His voice was thick with desire as he reached for her.

She held up her hands. “Not yet.” Ashley wasn’t ready to give up the power that was rolling through her. She wanted to set the pace or he would take over. This would be the most brazen move she’d ever made.

She met his gaze as she wrapped her fingers around his thick penis. Sebastian hissed as she stroked him. She watched with fascination as he responded to her quickening pace. She felt his power underneath her skin and she wanted more of it.

Ashley knelt down in front of Sebastian and took him in her mouth. His deep moan echoed in the interior of the car as he clenched his hands into her hair. She loved the taste of him, loved driving him wild. She enjoyed the bite of pain as he twisted her hair in his fists and she welcomed his thrusts.

Just when she thought she was going to take him over the edge, Sebastian pulled away. She murmured her protest when he lifted her. She wasn’t going to let him take this away from her. Not now, not when she found the courage to take charge.

Ashley pushed Sebastian back in the seat and climbed on top of him. She straddled his hips and met his hot gaze. He didn’t look smug or arrogant anymore. He looked wild, almost savage.

She felt beautiful. Confident. She had the man who had invaded her dreams and taken over every waking moment underneath her. He was at her mercy.

“Wait,” he said in a growl as he reached for his wallet and retrieved a condom. As he tossed his wallet aside and slid on the condom with quick, efficient moves, Ashley realized he was nowhere near to losing control. He had the sense to remember protection and it had slipped her mind. Was she fooling herself, believing she was in charge?

Ashley placed her palms on his broad shoulders just as he clenched his hands on her hips and guided her down. The heat washed over her. She tossed back her head and moaned as he filled her.

The sensations were almost too intense. She rocked her hips as the pleasure rippled through her. Sebastian leaned forward and captured her breast with his mouth. She begged for more, her words broken and jumbled, as the heat flared deep in her pelvis.

He cupped her bottom and squeezed as he murmured his encouragement in Spanish. She didn’t catch all the words. She rocked harder, chasing the pleasure that she didn’t quite understand. Couldn’t quite curb. But she wasn’t scared because she knew Sebastian would take care of her. He wouldn’t let her go too close to the fire and burn.

Sebastian grabbed her hips and controlled the rhythm. She could barely catch her breath. She saw the muscle bunching in his clenched jaw. She saw the lust glittering in his dark eyes. He was desperate to hold on to the remnants of his control. He wanted to be the last to let go.

Ashley wasn’t going to let that happen. She was in charge. She would make him beg for release and she would decide if she would give it to him.

Sebastian slid his hand to where they were joined. He pressed his fingertip on her clitoris and Ashley stilled. She arched back and groaned as the climax ripped through her body. Her mind went blank as she surrendered to the white heat.

“Sebastian!” His name ripped from her throat. Ashley slumped against him, her muscles weak and pulsating, as she heard his short cry of release.

* * *

So this is how it feels to be a rich man’s plaything
, Ashley thought as she lay in bed hours later, naked and spent. Sebastian was curled next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Even in his sleep, he made his claim known.

She was now a mistress. A sigh staggered from Ashley’s throat as she looked at the moon through the windows. The one thing she swore she’d never become.

Ashley knew she should be filled with shame and self-hatred. She should feel as if a piece of her soul had been stolen. Instead, she felt protected. Taken care of. Cherished.

Was this how her mother felt when she had been a mistress? Was this why Linda designed her life around Donald? Why she suddenly came alive every time he stepped into the room?

No, her mother had it much worse, Ashley realized. Linda made the mistake of falling in love with her benefactor.

Ashley turned and looked at Sebastian while he slept. She wouldn’t make that mistake. She may desire Sebastian, she may even be infatuated with him, but she would not fall in love. If she did that, she’d never recover.

* * *

Hours later Ashley dived into the crystal-blue infinity pool that was on the rooftop of Sebastian’s penthouse apartment. The water felt cold and refreshing against her skin. The pool was designed for lazy afternoons under the hot sun, but Ashley swam down the length as hard and as fast as she could.

She loved the water. Whenever she was upset or worried, she found peace watching the waves or swimming laps. But today, nothing could calm her.

Ashley tried to exhaust herself as she thought about what had happened in the limousine. And the wild, fierce sex they’d had when Sebastian carried her to bed. And this morning...

She felt her skin flush. Reaching the edge of the pool, Ashley did a turn and kept swimming. She was becoming a sexual creature and there were no signs that she could pull back. She needed to return to Inez Key before she got to the point of no return.

Ashley paused when she heard a splash. She stopped swimming and started to tread water. Looking around, she saw Sebastian swimming toward her.

Her stomach tightened as she watched his clean, powerful strokes. She couldn’t deny his strength and masculinity. Ashley couldn’t stop staring. She was tempted to jump out of the pool before she wrapped her body around his.

Instead, she remained treading water, refusing to give an inch, watching him approach with a mix of dread and excitement. When he surfaced, she immediately thought that he was too close. She saw the amused gleam in his dark eyes.

“I thought you were at work,” she said. She had been grateful for the time alone. She was used to solitude and thought the time away from Sebastian would help break this sexual hold he had over her. No such luck. She only had to look at him and she was right back where she started. Her pulse kicked with excitement as she savored the heat sizzling through her veins.

“I came back because I wanted to see you,” he replied as his gaze settled on her skimpy bikini top.

Knowing that she had the ability to distract him from work gave her more joy than it should. He probably tossed these meaningless comments to every woman in his sight. “I found this swimsuit in the cabana,” she said as she slicked back her wet hair. “There were quite a few of them.”

“They are there for guests,” he said, moving even closer. “They are not from my ex-lovers, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Her insecurity was pathetically obvious. She hated what she was becoming. “If you say so.” She realized he had moved in even closer. Ashley couldn’t take it anymore and slowly moved to the corner of the pool.