Cassie fiddled with her glass, avoided his eye. She could be vague too. ‘I, um, just graduated university not long ago.’ That was true. She’d graduated from the main university on Sadat Sur Mer.
‘What did you study?’
‘Economics and international relations. And languages.’ Except she’d been speaking at least four languages fluently since she was a child.
‘You’re not working yet?’ he asked.
She’d been working her whole life as a princess, but he couldn’t know that. Cassie crossed her fingers on her lap, under the table. ‘I’m actually starting a new job within the next few weeks, hence this holiday.’
Ares arched a brow. ‘I guess that’s as good a time as any for a holiday.’
Relieved he wasn’t asking for more information on herjob, and worried where the conversation might stray next, Cassie blurted out, ‘Would you like to dance?’
He looked at her and drew back slightly. Cassie’s insides dropped. Had that been a really gauche thing to do? She was so inexperienced at this. She’d always been so protected and cosseted, and, even if she’d liked a guy, they were usually so intimidated by who she was that they wouldn’t come near her. In a way she could understand now why Caius had socialised with the people he had, because it simply would have been too awkward not to.
But suddenly Ares said, ‘Yes, OK.’ And he was sliding out of the booth and holding out his hand.
Chapter Three
WHAT THE HELLare you doing, man? You were meant to tell her who you were as soon as you arrived. This is such a bad idea, tell her now—but at the feel of Cassie’s small hand sliding into his, all of Ares’s thoughts stopped dead.
This had to be better than sitting next to her and breathing in her evocative scent, musky and flowery and earthy all at once. It had taken all of his control not to let his fingers touch her hair, test if it felt as silky as it looked. Even with those lurid colours through it, nothing could dim the golden blonde strands.
He led her to the small space where other couples had moved together as the music changed and became more sultry. He turned and faced her. She was taller than he’d expected her to be. Even without the heels she’d be above average height.
He tugged her towards him and she came with a tiny stumble that brought her flush with his body. She was all slim, lithe curves and her breasts pressed against his chest. He already knew they were bigger than he might have first thought because he’d seen her cleavage, unwittingly presented when she’d folded her arms in front of him. And then, on the bike, pressed against him. She wore no bra. The thought of those perfect orbs of flesh, loose and unbound—Ares gritted his jaw to try and maintain some semblance of control as he spread his hand across her back.
She felt incredibly delicate and yet there was a latent strength. He had a sense not to underestimate her. After all, she’d managed to ditch her bodyguards and avoid her brother.
He looked down at her and she lifted her face. She smiled. It made something inside Ares ache. Why was she so smiley? So perky? She was a princess way out of her depth. She could have been unconscious somewhere now if it hadn’t been for him. But again he had that sense that perhaps she would have surprised him by managing to get out of that predicament. She was using a false name to avoid detection.
Then his gaze went to her mouth. It opened slightly and he had a glimpse of pink tongue. White teeth. A fire started raging in his blood. He’d never been more tempted by a woman. By a woman who was so far out of his bounds that—
Before Ares could formulate another word, she’d reached up and pressed her mouth to his, a chaste and surprisingly sweet gesture. But any thought ofsweetfast dissolved as the kiss morphed into burning hot heat and intense need. Ares couldn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist. So he didn’t.
Cassie’s heart was thumping so hard she felt sure the entire island must be able to hear it. One minute she’d been looking up into that gorgeous face, at that provocatively sexy mouth, and the next she’d done the most audacious thing. She’d kissed him, reaching up on tippy-toe. Winding her arms around his neck.
His mouth had felt hard and unyielding under hers. Warm but unmoving.She’d made a bad mistake. This guy wasn’t remotely into her at all.She’d been about to pull back, her insides curdling with humiliation, and she’d taken a breath against his lips and then everything had changed.
He’d reciprocated. No. He’d taken over. Masterfully. Pulling her even closer with his arms, welding her to him so tight that she swore she could feel every ridge of his hard musculature. His arms were like steel. And sheloved it.
His mouth moved over hers now, coaxing a response that Cassie gave instinctively. She had been kissed before but she’d always had to make the move because guys were so intimidated and then nothing much had happened. They’d been like deer in the headlights. Those experiences had only reinforced her impression that perhaps she wasn’t destined for a life of passion. But now…she was being given a crash course.
Ares’s tongue touched hers and an electric shock went straight to between her legs. She pressed her thighs together as if that could contain the sense of burgeoning tension and excitement.
The kiss deepened and became explicit. Testing, tasting. Luxuriating. It was as if they had all the time in the world for this exquisite pleasure. Bodies pressed together, tongues duelling.
Slowly, Cassie realised that her back was against a wall. Ares had manoeuvred them off the main floor to a corner near the booth.
He broke the kiss and lifted his head. Cassie felt drunk. It took an age for her to be able to open her eyes. And he was blurry at first and then came back into focus. Her mouth was tingling, and between her legs felt swollen and hot and damp.
As if reading her mind, he inserted a thigh between her legs and Cassie almost whimpered as the movement caused a friction that made her bite her lip. She wanted to rub against him, to alleviate the building tension.
He put his hands on her waist and his hands and the wall were the only things holding her up. He shook his head. ‘You are…a temptress.’
Cassie felt like giggling. But then she didn’t as one of his hands moved up over her waist, tracing the curve, moving closer and closer to the underside of her breast. And then she sucked in a breath, all thoughts of giggling gone as his hand cupped the weight of her breast. And then his thumb moved back and forth across one tight and tingling nipple.
Cassie’s thighs tightened around Ares’s and she felt a flutter of sensation at her core. She was holding onto his arms and she couldn’t reach all the way around they were so thickly muscled.
