Fire and Desire (Arabesque) (5 page)

What he didn’t tell her was that he’d been so broken up over his parents’ separation that he had needed to get away, and the Marines had provided him that escape. And what he had found was another family; a close-knit group of men and women who were ready, willing and able to fight for and defend their country.

After their meal the waiter brought over the check. Trevor paid for it.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Corinthians said. “You’ve done enough already.”

Just wait until you get back to the hotel and find out what else I’ve done,
Trevor thought as he stood from his seat. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that a woman shouldn’t turn down a free meal from a man?”

Corinthians smiled. “No, probably because any smart woman knows that nothing is free, especially if it comes from a man. There are usually a few strings attached.”

Trevor chuckled. “Trust me, there are no strings attached, so relax.”

When they returned to the car, he said, “How about if we tour the rest of the city together?”

Corinthians grinned. “So there weren’t any strings attached, huh?” She thought about it for a second then said, “How can I say no after you’ve fed me so well? You certainly can’t be any more of a nuisance than those two men at McDonald’s.”

Trevor laughed. “Gee, I hope not.”

They visited the São Paulo Museum of Art and spent some time in a number of the upscale shopping centers that were all over town. They even visited the Butanta Institute Snake Farm and went to a horse race at the Jockey Club.

It was late afternoon when they decided to call it a day and catch a flight back to Rio so they could be well rested for the research summit the next day.

“I’m walking you to your room,” Trevor said when they both stepped inside the hotel’s elevator.

“That’s not necessary,” she assured him, appreciating the offer. Although she didn’t want to admit it, that episode in São Paulo had her still somewhat shaky. She knew she would be fine once she got a good night’s sleep, and put the incident out of her mind. She still wasn’t too keen on the idea of Trevor knowing where her room was located. She shrugged. She was probably being silly in trying to hide it from him anyway. It wasn’t like he would force his way into her room or something.

“I know it’s not necessary to walk you to your room, but I’ll feel better if I do,” he said when she punched the button for the fifth floor. “And we’ve both agreed that it’s been one hell of a day.”

Once they reached her room door, Corinthians turned to him. Their eyes met and held for a long moment before she broke contact by reaching down and taking her shopping bag out of his hands. “Thanks for carrying this. And thanks again for coming to my rescue today.”

Trevor took a step forward, sandwiching Corinthians between him and the door. He reached out and let his fingers stroke the silken skin of her cheek. “It was my pleasure,” he said huskily.

Corinthians’s breath caught in response to the sensuality of Trevor’s touch. She took a step back and found herself pressed firmly against the door. “I need to go inside,” she heard herself saying to him.

“Invite me in.”

Trevor’s whispered plea was tempting. Too tempting, Corinthians thought. “I can’t,” she said, taking a deep breath and pushing away from the support of the door frame. Since Trevor didn’t move back an inch, her movement brought her body right smack up against his. The sudden body contact was electrifying, arousing, stirring. It released fire, quickly followed by desire. The fire between them was hot and intense. The desire, strong and unyielding.

Trevor slowly leaned down and touched his mouth to hers, once, then twice. He slipped his hand under her mass of dark hair and cupped the nape of her neck. His eyes locked with hers.

“You
can
invite me in,” he whispered, leaning closer to her lips. “And in a few seconds you’ll wish you had.”

Before she could draw her next breath, Trevor captured her mouth with his. His tongue, flavored with the taste of the hot sauce he’d had at lunch, inflamed her in sizzling heat as it penetrated the moist softness of her mouth, making a thorough sweep of the insides and capturing her tongue with his.

Corinthians felt his mouth move slow, steady and intense over hers as their tongues mated. The want and need she felt was potent, powerful. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t get a grip. Her body had never ached for a man before…and never like this. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving just as good as she was getting, and admitting to herself that the real thing was a whole lot better than any dreams she’d had.

Trevor was drowning a slow, pleasurable death. A part of him had always known that kissing Corinthians would be like this, and that she would feel like heaven in his arms. And when he felt her move against him, it fueled his fire. He deepened the kiss, taking everything she was offering and still wanting more.

“Let’s go inside,” he whispered hotly, against her lips.

Somewhere in the distance Corinthians heard the sound of a door opening and closing. It suddenly hit her that she and Trevor were standing in the middle of a hallway engaged in a kissing marathon. She quickly pushed him away just seconds before an elderly couple passed by them. But still they received strange looks from the lady and man. Corinthians couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment.

When the couple had disappeared around the corner, Corinthians frowned up at Trevor. She’d experienced more embarrassing moments with him than at any other time in her life. “See what you made me do,” she hissed, straightening her blouse.

“And see what you made me do,” he countered with a teasing gleam in his eye. He straightened his own shirt and put it back inside his pants.

Corinthians sighed, feeling a sense of panic. Had she actually pulled his shirt from out of his pants? Oh, boy! She had to get away from Trevor and fast. She’d never carried on like this with a man.

“Look, I have to go. Good night, Trevor.”

“Are you sure you want to end the night like this?” he asked, reaching out and lifting a finger beneath her jaw and tipping her face up to his.

At the moment, she wasn’t sure of anything as the soft brushing of his fingers against her chin nearly pushed her over the edge. “Yes, I’m sure. We’ll only have regrets in the morning.”

Trevor’s eyes darkened. “I won’t.”

“But I will,” she responded truthfully.

He took a step closer to her. “No, you won’t. You want me as much as I want you. Admit it.”

Corinthians stiffened and glared up at him. “I won’t admit anything.”

Trevor smiled. “Yes, you will. I’m going to make sure of it.” He took a step back. “If later tonight you have a change of heart, I’m in room 530.”

It took a few seconds for Corinthians to remember that she was in room 528. She stared at him, hoping she had misunderstood him. “Room 530?”

His smile widened. “Yes. Remember I told you that I changed rooms earlier today. My room is now next to yours. And there’s a connecting door. I’ll keep my side unlocked, so feel free to enter my room anytime you like. That should be easy enough for you, since you’re an old pro at doing that sort of thing.”

He took a step forward, again pinning her against the door. The look he gave her was serious. “But make no mistake about it, Corinthians, when you walk through that connecting door, it won’t be for Dex. I refuse to be a substitute for any man. When I have you in my arms and make love to you, it will be my name you’ll moan from your lips. No one else’s.”

Corinthians’s anger reached full height and she saw red with a vengeance. Without saying a word she turned, opened her door and closed it behind her, slamming it shut in Trevor Grant’s face.

C
orinthians couldn’t stop pacing the floor in her hotel room. Trevor Grant had her boiling. It only took a few moments to realize her reaction was just what he’d probably hoped for. The man enjoyed rattling her, and again he had succeeded.

And to think she had actually let him kiss her. She had let him put his hands on her and touch her. “I didn’t even like it when he—”

The lie she was about to tell died in her throat. Although it galled her to admit it, the truth of the matter was that she
had
enjoyed kissing him. She ground her teeth, annoyed with herself.

Trevor Grant had been a thorn in her side since the time they had met. She wasn’t supposed to enjoy doing anything with him, least of all kissing him. And she definitely wasn’t supposed to have enjoyed his company in São Paulo. She had unintentionally let her guard down and look where it had gotten her.

She began pacing again. The nerve of him saying the two of them would be sleeping together like it was a foregone conclusion! The same cockiness that had convinced him he was one of the few good men the Marines had been looking for had evidently warped his brain. He would be the last man she slept with. The very idea made her…ache with desire and tremble with need. And to make matters worse, he thought she was still carrying a torch for Dex, which was hilarious.

With a hopeless groan, Corinthians dropped down on the love seat and covered her eyes with her arms. Little did he know, it wasn’t thoughts of Dex that were confusing her emotions to the point of not making sense. It wasn’t thoughts of Dex that filled her with sexual tension whenever Trevor was near. It wasn’t thoughts of Dex that stirred a desire in her so strong that she felt the need to protect herself by keeping a constant feud going between them. And it certainly hadn’t been thoughts of Dex that had made her behave the way she had less than an hour ago outside her hotel room door.

People who knew her would never have believed she’d acted that way. The Corinthians Avery they knew was temperate, rational, calm, polished and proper. But around Trevor, she was temperamental, explosive, irrational, volatile and passionate.

Passionate.

Corinthians felt her cheeks go warm at the thought. She took a deep, calming breath and tried to think through the situation in a logical way. But she couldn’t. All she wanted to think about was Trevor in an illogical way. The taste of him, hot and spicy, was still on her tongue. The feel of his hands was still stamped on her body. And his scent, a male cologne that smelled husky and robust, still had parts of her body heated.

She momentarily closed her eyes remembering how easily her mouth had molded to his, how snugly her body had fit against his and…

Corinthians stiffened when she heard the sound of the shower going next door in Trevor’s room. She nearly moaned at the thought that the walls were paper-thin, and there was a possibility he’d heard her pacing earlier. She felt flustered. How could one man make her come so unglued? How could one man make her so vividly aware of him?

She laid her head back against the seat, remembering the last time they’d had connecting rooms. It would be a night she would never forget because seeing him always made her remember. And to think she had actually passed out at his feet.

Her mind flashed back to that night…

“What happened?”

“You fainted.”

Corinthians looked up at the man towering over her. He was still dressed in that darn towel. It took only a few seconds to realize she’d been placed on his bed. She made a move to get up.

“Lie still.”

Ignoring his command, she sat up. This evening had become a nightmare, and it would be even more of one if what this man had told her about Dex was true. She suddenly noticed she wasn’t wearing her robe and quickly jumped under the covers. “Where’s my robe? Why did you take it off?”

“It’s over there,” he said, indicating the back of the chair. “I removed it after picking you up off the floor. I was concerned and thought that perhaps you had some sort of identification in your pockets. Instead, all I found were these.”

Corinthians tinted when he held up the pack of condoms. She wished there was a way for her to crawl out of the bed and under it. This was getting more embarrassing by the minute. “Please hand me my robe. I want to leave.”

“Lady, you’re not going anywhere until I get some answers. Now who are you and what are you doing in my room?”

Corinthians closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She reopened them. “I’ve told you. I thought this was Dex’s room. I’d planned to spend an evening with him.”

“Sounds kind of cozy for you and a married man.”

Her eyes flashed fire. “I didn’t know he was married. I talked to Dex a few days ago, and he didn’t mention a thing about being married and having a child.”

“And the two of you made plans to spend an evening together?” Trevor asked with disbelief in his voice.

“No. Dex didn’t know anything about this evening. It was going to be a surprise.”

“Aha! Clayton Madaris did put you up to this.”

Corinthians became so mad she forgot just how skimpy her outfit was and angrily got out of bed. The next thing she knew, she was facing him, fuming. Her scantily clad body nearly touched his. All she could think about was the outrage she felt. This man was deliberately making things difficult for her. He had to be the most despicable man she’d ever met.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Clayton Madaris didn’t put me up to anything. I don’t even know Dex’s brother that well. I only met him once.”

“Then you have a lot of explaining to do. I want a name.”

Corinthians’s anger reached boiling point. “Why should I give you my name when you haven’t given me yours?”

The expression on Trevor’s face indicated he was stunned by her statement. “I don’t have to tell you who I am. This is my room, not yours. You’re the one who shouldn’t be here.”

Corinthians took a step forward, bringing her even closer to Trevor. The anger in her eyes grew. “Wrong, brother. My room is right through that door. We have connecting rooms and my company is paying for both. This room was strictly reserved for Dex Madaris and you aren’t him. So you’re the one out of place.”

“I’m Dex’s replacement.”

“What?”

“I said I’m Dex’s replacement. The name’s Trevor Grant. I’m project foreman for Madaris Explorations. Dex couldn’t make tomorrow’s meeting, so I’m here in his place. All of this was cleared with your boss at Remington Oil.”

Corinthians’s anger drained abruptly. Complete humiliation took its place. She tried to take a step back, but Trevor Grant wouldn’t let her. He placed his hand around her waist. “Take your hands off me, Mr. Grant.”

Trevor gave her a crooked smile. “No can do. I won’t run the risk of you fainting at my feet again. Now, where were we? Ah, yes, introductions.” Trevor’s gaze held hers intently. “I’m still waiting on a name.”

“Then wait on.”

A mirthless smile curved Trevor’s lips. “All right, so you want to play hardball. I think I’ll just call the head honcho at Remington Oil and find out what is going on. Maybe he’ll be able to explain why some half-dressed woman entered my hotel room wearing a robe full of condoms, claiming to be an employee of Remington Oil.”

Trevor’s eyes darkened. “You can tell me who you are, or you can explain your actions to Mr. Remington himself. Got it?” he growled.

Corinthians glared up at him. “Yes, I’ve got it.” She then swallowed deeply. “May I have my robe back first, please?”

Trevor’s brows narrowed. He gazed at her thoughtfully before saying, “No. I happen to like what you’re wearing.” He continued to stare at her. “And don’t pull some sort of stalling act. I’d like to have a name before midnight.”

Corinthians knew that from this moment on, she would despise this man forever. “I’m Corinthians Avery.”

Corinthians’s thoughts returned to the present. Nothing had changed. She still despised him. And although she appreciated what he’d done for her earlier that day in McDonald’s, she still despised him.

Who do you think you’re fooling?
her mind screamed.
You didn’t act like you despised him this afternoon in São Paulo. In fact, you’d been thinking maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.

Corinthians let out a heavy sigh as her mind continued berating her.
And you certainly didn’t have any problems checking out his body in that shirt and those jeans. Surely you remember that shirt, the one that had fit so snugly across his broad chest and that had been tucked so neatly in his jeans. It was that same shirt you almost tore off him while he was kissing you in the hallway.

Corinthians inhaled deeply and stood. She was fighting a losing battle tonight with herself. What she needed was a long, relaxing bath. Then afterward, she would go over the reports for tomorrow’s meeting.

She was determined to put Trevor Grant out of her mind for the rest of the night.

After taking a shower and toweling off, Trevor slipped a towel around his waist before leaving the bathroom.

Padding into the other room, he noticed the message light on his phone was blinking. He picked up the phone and called the front desk and found out the caller had been Dex. He smiled. He and the three Madaris brothers, Justin, Dex and Clayton, had been close friends since birth, growing up in the same neighborhood in Houston.

Trevor sat on the edge of the bed. After his decision to get out of the Marines, he had returned home at just about the same time Dex had returned from Australia where he’d been for two years working for Remington Oil. Dex wanted to go into business for himself and Trevor had agreed to be his foreman if he ever did. Within two years of that agreement, Madaris Explorations was formed. Now, nearly three years later, they were one of the most sought-after exploration companies in the country, especially after they had helped Remington Oil locate an oil basin near Eagle Pass.

And because Dex was a very generous employer, that venture had given every employee of Madaris Explorations a heftier bank account.

Trevor smiled. Because he’d had the good sense to invest in Dex’s company, he’d made a lot of money. And thanks to the vast investment knowledge of Jake Madaris, Dex’s wealthy uncle, over the past couple of years, he had watched his funds nearly triple. Some people would probably be surprised to discover just how much he was worth.

Money never fazed him. He lived comfortably, not flashy. And like Dex, he enjoyed the outdoors, and the physical labor of a job. Head foreman of Madaris Explorations was definitely his calling. And since the arrival of a new baby, Dex had passed more and more of the company’s duties to him so that he could spend more time with Caitlin and their two daughters, Jordan and Ashley.

Trevor shook his head. Dex didn’t have a clue how Corinthians felt about him. He considered her a good friend, nothing more. And Dex knew nothing about the hotel room incident. It was Trevor’s and Corinthians’s secret. Her fainting from shock that night had proven she honestly hadn’t known Dex had gotten married. But now that she knew, Trevor couldn’t help wondering if she would one day make an attempt to sabotage Dex’s marriage. She hadn’t made a move in that direction so far, but that didn’t necessarily mean she wouldn’t.

Before picking up the phone, he glanced at the connecting door. His side was unlocked just like he’d told Corinthians. It would be up to her to make the first move. But a part of him knew that she wouldn’t.

He shook his head, grinning. The spitting sparks of fire that he’d seen in her eyes before she had slammed the door in his face had actually turned him on. He knew that whenever he did get her into his bed, the heat from her fire would torch him to flames. And like he had told her, he would not be a substitute for Dex. She would know with whom she shared the bed. Pleased with that thought, he picked up the phone to return Dex’s call.

“Madaris here.”

“Hey, man, it’s Trevor. What’s up?”

“Not much. I just wanted to touch base with you before tomorrow’s meeting. How are things going?”

Trevor glanced again at the unlocked connecting door. “As well as expected. I’ve gotten in some sightseeing time. I’ve taken in a soccer game. This is a pretty nice place.”

Dex laughed. “Don’t get attached to it. You’re needed here.”

“Don’t worry about any attachments. I’m getting homesick already.”

“Have you seen Corinthians Avery yet? I understand she’s Remington Oil’s representative.”

“Yes, she’s here, and yes, I’ve seen her.”

“And?”

“And nothing. The woman and I don’t get along.”

“Yeah, so I’ve noticed, and I don’t understand it.”

Trevor shook his head. Dex actually believed Corinthians was a prim, proper, well-bred woman and a real lady saint.

“There’s nothing to understand,” he finally answered. “She and I don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. In fact, we’re like oil and water.”

“That bad?”

“Worse. How’re Caitlin and the girls?” he asked, deciding to change the subject.

“They’re fine and send their love.”

He smiled. “Tell them ditto from me. And how are the newlyweds?”

“Clayton and Syneda are fine. They moved into their new law office a few days ago. Can you imagine the two of them sharing office space?”