She nodded, mildly confused.
‘They also say a pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled.’
‘No one says that.’
‘Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.’ He took a length of her hair, looped it around his fingers and leaned closer still. ‘And you don’t know that yet, do you?’
It was a whisper of a kiss, a brush so light and tempting that all caution slid from her again. And then there was another kiss—all temptation, all gentle, sweet tease. He was so hot. But beneath that tender touch, there was the promise of fire—that unleashed passion he’d swept her into only minutes before. She wanted both kinds—now. And when he lifted his mouth a millimetre from hers, she couldn’t stay silent.
‘Show me, then,’ she breathed.
‘So that’s what you want, Queen Jade?’
‘You? Yes.’ She swallowed, but now her desire outweighed her embarrassment again. ‘I don’t know why it is. Part of me wishes it wasn’t you...there’s that cute guy who delivers the post—’
‘Vito?’ Alvaro lifted his head and barked. ‘Not for you.’
She exploded too—in pure frustration. ‘I’m attracted to you. I like kissing you. And I want to explore—’ She hauled back her self-control, trying to explain herself. ‘But I understand if, given everything you’ve just learned, that’s not what you want.’
‘You understand?’ Alvaro drew a sharp breath and swivelled to stand right in front of her again. ‘You understand nothing, Queen Jade. Not a damn thing.’
‘Enlighten me, then.’
He pressed his fists against the wall either side of her head and stared into her eyes. ‘I can’t sleep with a woman who’s going to marry another man.’
‘Surely most of the women you meet are going to marry another man some time,’ she argued. ‘Are you the marrying type yourself?’
He froze. ‘No.’
No. She didn’t think so. He had that air of the loner about him—the distant leader who inspired huge loyalty but remained isolated... Yes, she understood his type very well.
‘We’ve already established that if I ever get married, it’s not going to be a normal one. I’ll do what I’m expected to do, at the time I’m required to. But what I do with my body before then? I want to lose my virginity to someone I actually want. At a place and time of my choosing. All of these things are my choices.’
He still loomed over her and his voice was a thread of steel. ‘And are you saying your choice for all that is me?’
It was impossible not to answer him honestly when he was right before her, gazing right at her, seeing right through her. But asking? She was suddenly so afraid of his answer.
‘Obviously you don’t have to,’ she muttered helplessly. ‘I can’t order you. I am not your queen. And I apologise if I misinterpreted your interest. As we’ve already established, I’m not especially experienced in such things.’
His jaw slackened for a few seconds and then he smiled. ‘In “such things”?’
She’d just propositioned a man she barely knew. What on earth had come over her? ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go—’
‘No. I won’t excuse you.’ He leaned closer. ‘Won’t let you leave.’ He gazed down at her. ‘Not yet.’
But he didn’t kiss her as she wanted him to, and his fierce expression didn’t lighten. In fact, the longer the silence grew, the more remote his expression became.
Her breathing quickened as every doubt mushroomed. She was so embarrassed. She never should have said anything. Never should have wanted.
‘I apologise,’ she muttered in an agonised whisper. ‘I shouldn’t have wanted—’
His harsh inhalation silenced her. ‘You shouldn’t apologise for wanting someone.’
She could feel that horrible blush burning across her skin. Worse was the horrible feeling rotting inside. Regret.
But then he smiled. ‘You do realise you’ve invited a tiger in, don’t you? Hell, Jade.’ He breathed out. ‘You must know I wouldn’t mind if you ordered me to do what you really want.’
Her mouth dried and she just gazed up at him, unable to say another thing. All courage stolen by the promise in his eyes.
He lifted a hand from the wall beside her and lifted that lock of her hair again. ‘You know what you need?’
She shook her head mutely.
‘Food.’
Startled, she giggled.
‘I’m serious.’ But he grinned at her, transforming into a teasing, good-humoured hunk. ‘You can’t make important decisions on an empty stomach. And I’ve been watching—you’ve only had a couple of coffees and one sandwich from the lunch platters I specially ordered. I’m hungry on your behalf.’
Was it wrong to be pleased that he’d been watching?
‘I’m starving,’ she admitted.
‘Then why the hell aren’t you exploring all the cafés in the neighbourhood? Isn’t that the point of this stupid switch? So you get to eat corndogs from street vendors?’
Now he knew, she couldn’t help confessing everything to him. ‘I don’t even know what a corndog is.’
‘What?’
‘And I can’t get Juno’s money card to work.’
‘You what?’
‘I don’t have any cash.’ She tried to laugh about it. ‘Never have. I know that’s ridiculously precious, but—’
‘You don’t have any money.’ He wasn’t smiling any more. ‘And there’s no food in the apartment. Why didn’t you say something?’
‘I didn’t want to bother Juno. I wanted to manage alone—without assistants and security...’
‘What about a friend?’ He pushed back from the wall, dropping his arms so she was free. ‘Come on.’
‘Where to?’ She almost had to run to keep up with him.
‘To get the best meal in Manhattan.’
He didn’t look at her as he repeatedly pressed the button to summon the elevator.
‘Don’t you need a jacket?’ she asked.
‘Oh, no,’ he said. ‘I could do with the cold air.’
A minute later he guided her out onto the street; glancing down, he led her swiftly along the pavement. Less than five minutes later he ushered her into a tiny pizza parlour in a side street just down from the office building.