He didn’t shake her off, and his expression was calculating. The punch to her senses was extraordinary. ‘Are you sure it’s rehabilitation you’re looking for? Or do you have something else in mind?’
She sucked in a sharp breath, but desire never came first for Sofia. She squashed her feelings to concentrate on others, but now she must forget her pride, forget about being a cool-headed woman, and just this once risk everything for the chance to make things right.
He couldn’t have been more surprised when Sofia stood on tiptoe to brush a kiss against his lips. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
Feelings rampaged inside him at the realisation that Sofia wanted more than to apologise. He knew the signals. This was unusual play for a woman who had betrayed him, and betrayed her brothers, yet for all her bravado there were shadows behind her eyes, and that set up doubt regarding her guilt. He had to know more before he took things further.
Did he care enough to find out?
‘Aren’t you in enough trouble?’ he demanded harshly. ‘Go back to the ballroom. There should be more than enough distractions there to keep you occupied.’
‘Cesar, please...’
Tension swirled around them as she clutched his arm. Reluctantly, he admired her grit.
‘I need to talk to you, Cesar, nothing else, I promise.’
He gave her a cynical look to find her eyes pleading and her lips tempting. He was no saint. She matched him like a tiger, kissing him fiercely as she thrust her body against his. It was as if some force beyond their control had taken them over, Sofia especially, until they were bound together in a dance as old as time.
But something was off kilter. Was desperation driving Sofia’s passion or were her feelings for him genuine? Would he ever know? Concluding that deciphering her motives was beyond him right now, he pulled back.
‘Did I do something wrong?’ she asked, staring up with confusion in her eyes.
‘You did nothing wrong.’
She had tasted of honey and innocence, so if anyone was at fault he was. Her mouth was swollen and red where his stubble had abraded it, and her eyes were bottomless pools of distress. But was that an act too?
‘Why are you doing this?’ she asked, rubbing the back of her hand across her mouth, as if to hide the evidence of how much each of them had invested in one single kiss. ‘Why kiss me at all?’ she demanded. ‘Why not ignore me and wait for the evening to end? Then you wouldn’t need to see me again until we ride in the matches.’
‘I might ask you the same question,’ he pointed out.
‘You don’t want this,’ she said with sudden certainty, shaking her head. ‘I forced myself on you.’ Her face crumpled. ‘How you must hate me.’
The idea of Sofia forcing herself on him made him want to laugh, but he couldn’t be that cruel. ‘Hate is a powerful word,’ he commented mildly instead.
‘But I can see fire burning in your eyes,’ she claimed. ‘So why kiss me, Cesar? Why?’
‘I could say you started it.’ He kept his hands loosely looped around Sofia’s waist. She made no attempt to break free. ‘And you kissed me back. So why did you do that?’ he asked with genuine interest.
She was silent and then her eyes cleared as she admitted with faint surprise, ‘I couldn’t stop myself.’
Appearing seductive, as she most certainly did, yet vulnerable might be part of Sofia’s script. She had caused more trouble than could be imagined. Proving he was worthy to rule was a lifelong task, and an article hinting at financial irregularities in his past, however fictitious, did him no favours. He’d embraced responsibility for his country gladly. His countrymen would always come first, and Sofia Acosta would not be allowed to distract him.
‘Seems to me you were consumed by that same impulse to kiss me.’ Growing embarrassment reddened her cheeks.
He shrugged off her suggestion. ‘Everyone’s entitled to a momentary lapse.’
‘Even me?’ she asked.
If he could forget all the doubts and half-truths and uncertainties currently swirling around them, Sofia was perfect, and he wanted her. His body was aroused to the point of pain, but it was the challenge in Sofia’s eyes that made her irresistible. Her lustrous hair, tumbling in wild profusion to her waist, glinted like black diamonds in the muted light, making the temptation to fist a hank, so he could draw back her head to taste the soft skin of her neck, was overwhelming. But why give her that pleasure?
‘Perhaps that stupid kiss was a lapse we should both accept and move on?’ she suggested.
Sofia Acosta was beyond infuriating, yet he loved the way she could rally so fast and come back fighting. Her dark gaze brightened as she intuited his thoughts. Or was that a scheming light? Maybe her only reason for kissing him was to soften his mood in order to dig up more dirt to use in another article.
‘Who are you, Sofia?’ Holding her at arm’s length, he dipped his head to stare into her eyes. ‘I can’t decide if you’re a rogue member of the Acosta family, who cares nothing for your brothers’ love or your family’s reputation, or if you’re under some form of duress?’
Was he imagining it, or did she flinch when he said that? ‘If there’s something on your mind, please, tell me.’
