Amaya had never been more ready for something in her life.He was staring down at her with surprising tenderness in his eyes—a gentleness that she had never seen. And she felt as if they were starting something, as if they were going somewhere together. It wasn’t just her body she had never trusted to another, but her mind too—and in that moment she let him in, she could feel the first slow, shallow thrusts, the stretch of her body as it tried to accommodate him, and the barrier of resistance, and she told herself over and over that she had to remember not to love him.It hurt, this searing, this moment, and then it was gone—and whatever it was she had just lost, she had found so much more.The feel of him inside her, the wonders of her own body, rising to greet him as he entered and then resisting each withdrawal—her hips moving to meet his. There was this pull in her stomach and little licks of heat in her thighs. She couldn’t keep her eyes open, she was lost in the dark with him, a
Their day at the beach had brought a glow to her skin, and on the morning of the wedding, Amaya massaged in body oil, glad of the peace in their bedroom and the chance, for once, to take her time getting ready without Chase snapping his fingers and telling her she looked fine as she was.Most of the mansion had been commandeered by the bride and her entourage. The whir of the hairdryer had been continuous since eight a.m. and there was a constant stream of flowers, including the traditional arrival of flowers for the bride from the groom, which Amaya was summoned down in her dressing gown to witness.As Raul was conserving his depleted energy for the wedding, Chase had stepped into father-of-the-bride duty, and Amaya had a little giggle to herself to see the usually unruffled Chase, who could handle the most difficult client or tense boardroom meeting with ease, just a touch frazzled as he dealt not just with his sister’s theatrics but vases and flowers and the hairdresser, who was tr
It was the most gorgeous and moving wedding.Even if she couldn’t understand much of what was said, even if she was here under false pretences and was supposed to be playing a part, the tears that filled her eyes weren’t manufactured as the proud, frail father of the bride walked his glowing daughter down the aisle.There were only two dry eyes in the church, and they both belonged to Chase.He stood taller than the rest, his back ramrod straight, and though he did all the right things, there was a remoteness to him—an irritable edge that Amaya couldn’t quite define, perhaps an impatience for the service to be over. For the second time, the first moment that he could, she felt his hand tighten around hers as he led her swiftly outside."These two will be next!" Donna teased, holding her husband’s hand and laughing and chatting with her relatives."When?" Raul’s eyes met his son’s."Soon," Chase said before making a smile at the rest of the guests, "I’m sure it will happen soon."As Ra
Amaya's orgasms had, till now, been slowly coaxed from her, a learned thing, this gradual build-up as he taught her to let go, as he urged her on to lose her mind, herself, to new sensations. But this night in his bed, she was swept into a maelstrom of sensation that was as desperate and urgent as Chase’s fierce need.The shudder of him inside her was met with sweet beats of her own—it wasn’t sex, it was devotion, and the intensity of her orgasm startled her. Her hips moved frantically upwards to escape from the relentless throb of her body, but Chase was in instant pursuit, his last throes tipping her to a place there could be no coming back from—to true abandon, to utter trust.They slept together—the third night in his bed—and this time they truly slept together, coiled around each other in a fierce embrace that didn’t abate with sleep.*****Never did Chase just glance at his step-sister in the morning.He could never just accept that greeting and coffee without thought.He always
"Amaya, um, I’m staying for a few days here." Chase walked into the bedroom, where Amaya lay on the bed, staring upwards. He could feel her pain and sense her confusion, and he could see the purple marks his fingers had left on her tender skin. He flinched inside but let nothing of his horror show on his face or in his voice. "You and Tommy should pack." Chase’s head inclined towards the wardrobe. "I’ll arrange the transport to my mansion, and I want you to cancel my diary for a week—I will stay on for a while. When you’re back, report to Justin. I already called him, and don't worry about the wedding; it's all handled, including the contract." And he reeled off his orders, spoke of nothing but work, and even managed to look her straight in the eyes as he did so.Amaya sighed. "Does it mean business as usual?" Amaya got his point—oh, she got the point, alright!"Yes. I'll take care of everything about our wedding. Just fit the wedding dress. And don't give me that tone! That was what
Amaya just stared at him and raised her brow."Are you going to ask me in?" Chase eventually broke the silence. It took some effort. He had wanted to catch her by surprise and had been driven by sheer curiosity to see her somewhere—anywhere—that wasn’t to do with the office. Yes, they shared a house, but they seldom saw each other here. Not without them pretending to be a couple so in love in front of everyone here in the mansion.But he hadn’t expected this.This wasn’t the starchy woman who occupied her own inspiring range of suits in various shades of colour; this was a different woman altogether. It was the face of a sad and defeated woman.This was the woman he had glimpsed before; she looked happy, but he knew, deep inside, that she was alone and sad as hell.Oh yeah, it was all his fault. Like what happened in Greece, it was nothing but a mistake."What do you want?" She asked.She was in a pair of shorts and a small top, and her hair was long and tied back in a ponytail that s
"How could I ever forget that?" she said with a tight, forced smile."You look as though you’ve swallowed a lime," Chase grinned."Fine, let's talk in the living room, or if you want something to drink, there’s an opened bottle of wine in the fridge, or you can make yourself tea or coffee. It’s your mansion kitchen. I’m sure you’ll be able to find what you need."With that, she swung round and headed to her bedroom, fuming at the way he had invaded her privacy, fuming at the way he saw fit to say exactly what happened to be on his mind, fuming at her evening, which she had neatly planned and which would now be spent in a state of edge-of-the-seat nervous tension.She went to her bedroom and gazed at her mutinous reflection in the mirror. Her colour was up. Her hair was not in the neat little bun he was accustomed to seeing. The ponytail was coming undone, and wisps of long brown hair trailed around her face. It was completely bare of make-up...She peered at the freckles, which had al
The next day, the couple—Tommy and his nanny—arrived at the farmhouse mid-afternoon."Why is this place so empty?"Amaya’s head swivelled from side to side as she strolled up Hastings Street, the farmland's main thoroughfare, with Chase."It's noon, but see those small boutiques, cafés, inns, and small restaurants. This town almost rivals City in the trendy stakes, huh?"She nodded her head. "Yeah, almost."The city had a vibe all of its own, and she loved it. Coming here to find the town had turned hip and cosmopolitan was a nice surprise.Chase laid a hand on her arm, and she stopped, more startled by his touch than the mini-city’s transformation. "There is one thing we didn’t discuss the other night."Just one? She could think of several, including how platonic this marriage would be, where they would live, and how long they’d keep up the pretence. And that was just for starters."What’s that?""How long are you sticking around for?""What do you mean, sticking around?" she raised