Rising Stars. Maisey Yates

her hair to look at him, tilting her head with a frown. “It was in the closet. Wasn’t it for me?”

      “Yes.” He couldn’t stop his gaze from devouring her curvaceous body. He became instantly hard, filled with the memory of how it felt to have her in his arms, for the most explosive sexual night of his life. He wanted her. Here in Rio, beneath the Brazilian sunshine, suddenly he could think of nothing but taking her, right here and now. He licked his lips and said hoarsely, “But I didn’t expect it to look like that.”

      An embarrassed blush rose to her cheeks as she pushed up her black-framed glasses in a self-conscious gesture. “I gained a little weight with my pregnancy,” she mumbled. “I’m not so thin as I used to be.”

      “No.” Gabriel stared at her, feeling his body tighten with lust. “No, you’re not.”

      Willing himself to stay in control, he pulled out a chair at the table next to the pool. “Maria made breakfast. Come and eat.”

      Laura scowled. “Is that an order?”

       “Sim.”

      Carefully folding her towel and setting it on a nearby table—instead of just dropping it to the floor, as he would have done—she sat down.

      “I probably shouldn’t eat anything. Not if I’m supposed to wear a bikini,” she said in a low voice. “I’ve tried to diet, but…”

      “Never diet again,” he said tersely. “You are perfect.”

      He pushed her chair back under the table. He paused, allowing his hands to remain on the back of the chair, next to her shoulders. He could almost feel the warmth of her soft skin.

      She looked up at him over her shoulder with a scowl. “You’re just being nice.”

      He stared down at her. “When have you ever known me to be nice?”

      Her full pink lips suddenly curved into a smile as her blue eyes twinkled. “Good point.” She tilted her head, considering. “So you really think I look…all right?”

      “Hmm.” His eyes lingered on her spectacular figure. She’d been beautiful before, but now, it was almost like torture to see her perfect female shape. Those hips. Her curvaceous bottom. Those breasts—!

      She was almost too attractive, he thought. He wanted to convince Oliveira and Adriana he was in love with Laura, not have every other man on the Avenida Vieira Souta enjoy the luscious spectacle of her body. “You’re fine,” he said, irritated. “But that dress is unacceptable. We’ll buy you something else when we go shopping today.”

      “Shopping. Right.” Pouring milk and sugar into her cup, she stirred her coffee with a silver spoon. “I can hardly wait.”

      He sat down across the table. “You have nothing to worry about.” He pushed the bread basket toward her. “It’ll be fine.”

      She took a roll and sipped her coffee, and as they ate, Gabriel couldn’t stop staring at her. Once, their relationship had been easy. A friendship. A trust. Now, he couldn’t quite read her.

      Strange.

      For five years, Laura Parker had been the perfect employee. She’d had no life or interests of her own. She’d always been ready and waiting to offer her competent assistance for his latest emergency, whether it was a billion-dollar drop on a foreign stock exchange or a broken thread on his tuxedo.

      Now…there was something different about her. Something had changed in her over the last year. He felt as if he didn’t know her.

      “How is your meal?” he said gruffly.

      “Delicious.”

      “Try this.” He handed her a bowl of pastries. Their fingers brushed and she jerked away as if he’d burned her.

      He scowled at her. “We’re attending Oliveira’s party in three hours. No one will believe we are a couple if you jump every time I touch you.”

      Putting down her fork with a clang, she looked at him. “You’re right.”

      He held out his hand across the table, palm up.

      With an intake of breath, she placed her hand in his. He felt her tremble. Felt the warmth of her skin. A rush of desire went through him as his fingers tightened over hers. Coming to her side of the table, he pulled her to her feet.

      For a moment, they stood facing each other beneath the warm, bright sun. A soft sea breeze ruffled her damp hair. She wouldn’t meet his eyes. Her gaze seemed fixated on his mouth.

      She licked her lips, and he nearly groaned.

      “I passed your test,” she whispered. “I’m touching you without flinching.”

      “Holding my hand is not enough.”

      She visibly swallowed, looking up. “What—what else?”

      He put his arms around her, pulling her close. He felt the softness of her body, felt her curves pressed against him as he rested his hands on her hips. Her tight black dress squeezed her breasts still higher in the force of his embrace, plump and firm and begging for his touch. He stroked her cheek, tilting back her head. “Now I need you to look at me,” he said in a low voice, “as if you love me.”

      Beneath her glasses, her wide-set blue eyes glimmered in the sunlight, shining like the sea.

      “And I,” he continued roughly, “am utterly, completely and insanely in love with you.”

      She trembled. Then she fiercely shook her head.

      “This isn’t going to work. No one will believe you’d choose me over her.”

      “You’re wrong,” he said. “Adriana is beautiful, yes. But that’s all she is. While you…”

      Laura stiffened in his arms, lifting her chin.

      He cupped her head with his hands. “You are more than just a pretty face.” He stroked her bare neck. “More than just a luscious body.” He rubbed his thumb against her full, sensitive lower lip. “You are smart. And too kindhearted for your own good. You sacrifice yourself to take care of others, even when you shouldn’t.” He pressed a finger against her lips to stop her protest. “And you have something else Adriana does not.”

      “What?”

      He looked down at her. “You have me,” he whispered.

      Gabriel felt her hands tighten around him.

      “Can you do it?” he asked in a low voice. “Can you pretend you’re in love with me? Can you make everyone believe that all you’ve ever wanted is for me to hold you like this?”

      Her face was pale as she looked at him, trembling like a flower in his arms. When she spoke, her voice was almost too quiet for him to hear above the noise of the music and street party below. “Yes.”

      “Then prove it.” He felt her soft curves pressing against his body, felt how delicate and petite she was in his arms. Laura was so beautiful in every way. He felt the press of her full breasts against his chest. Felt the tendrils of her long damp hair brush against his hands as he gripped her back. He breathed in the scent of her, lavender and soap, wholesome and clean.

      He was hard for her. Rock hard. And yet she seemed to think she was inferior to Adriana da Costa, who aside from her beauty was nothing but a shallow, spoiled brat.

      Suddenly Gabriel knew he had to tell Laura the truth.

      “I want you, Laura,” he said in a low voice. “More than any woman. I’ve always wanted you.”

      She gasped, her eyes wide. “You…”

      Then her expression grew dull as the light in her eyes abruptly faded. “You’re practicing again.”

      “No.” He cupped her face roughly. “This has nothing to do