Page 46 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8
WILLOWREGISTEREDTWOthings as she clung to Jario in the breathless aftermath of their lovemaking.
One, that she wasn’t nearly sophisticated enough to attempt post-coital banter with the billionaire who’d propelled her to the very edge of ecstasy and then thrown her overboard.
Two, that the widening chasm in her heart might never be healed because what she’d experienced with Jario would never be repeated. Ever.
Touching heaven once was soul shaking enough. Twice? Multiple times...because surely the relentless string of climaxing was the very definition of multiple orgasms? Not likely.
Especially with the man whose future had been so indelibly altered by her father. And she would never see Jario again once she left this yacht. Because taking a stance in her relationship with her father was one thing, but what possible future was there for her with Jario when they were all so mired in betrayal?
None at all.
‘Are you going to say something?’ he murmured in her ear as he carried her into his luxury cabin. The same cabin she’d cleaned from corner to corner only a handful of days ago.
The reality of how much had changed since that morning settled heavier on her, her stomach tightening at the enormity of what she’d done.
‘Is this where I laud your sexual prowess?’ Attempted humour emerged breathless when she remembered he remained fully embedded inside her. That he was hardening again.
Inhaling sharply at the renewed hunger, she glanced at him to find him examining her with those intense eyes.
‘No need. I’m aware of my magnificence.’ His own attempt at levity fell equally flat, the undercurrents rising in the charged atmosphere.
‘In that case, I’ll exercise the right to remain silent so you can bask in your glory.’
Another twitch of his mouth shattered by the weight of the moment. As he rose with her and crossed the room, she fleetingly hoped he would take the responsibility out of her hands, toss her on the bed and strip her of the need to ponder what came next.
Instead, he headed for the bathroom and into the large walk-in shower.
If she’d expected him to put her down, to carve out a few moments to absorb the impact of the past few hours, she was sadly mistaken. Jario seemed reluctant to release her, even as his expression grew increasingly shuttered. And since she still couldn’t find the right words to express her chaotic, shaken emotions of their coming together, she allowed him to pin her against the bathroom wall while he set the water to his desired temperature. Then as he washed her hair, back and parts of her body he could reach, he slowly rocked in and out of her, stealing her breath clean away in yet another climax that soared so high, she tasted heaven.
Small talk was completely nonexistent when they exited. Jario silently held open a luxurious robe, which she shrugged on, then, catching her elbow, he led her outside, where a sumptuous breakfast had been laid out. Seconds ticked away as they both sipped their coffees.
Until she couldn’t stand it one more second. ‘Are we going to talk about this?’ she demanded as he poured her orange juice and slid it over to her.
He didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was busy conducting a thorough scrutiny of every dish before he looked up. Knowing it was for her benefit, that her anaphylactic episode remained on his mind, shouldn’t have softened something inside her.
Yet, it did.
She ate a few mouthfuls of heavenly croissant, ham and eggs. Then after passing her several segments of fruit, he spoke.
‘What’s the point in dissecting it? Did we not agree the sex had no bearing on the reason you’re here?’
The words were clipped, further ratcheting up her tension. Her fingers shook a little as she set her glass down. ‘That’s what we told ourselves, yes, but...’ She sucked in a breath. ‘Are we honestly going to pretend it doesn’t?’
His clenched jaw rippled, then he waved a hand at her. ‘Let’s hear it, then.’
His invitation was as surprising as it was unnerving. ‘What?’
Glinting blue eyes challenged her. ‘Tell me what has changed. How that affects either of us.’
The question ricocheted in her head, and with each second that passed, she realised there was no clear-cut answer. At least none that wouldn’t reveal the utter turmoil churning inside her. She wasn’t so fully at ease with her decision to wall herself off from her father’s lies and indifference to blurt it out to his enemy.
‘Exactly.’ His voice was soft but an inferno raged in his eyes.
And the hell of it was she didn’t think that inferno was aimed at her. He was battling seething emotions of his own.
‘Your father connived, cajoled and convinced mine to go on a business trip to Colombia when I was fourteen years old,’ he said in a voice so stark, shivers poured over her despite the sun’s hot blaze. Tight, white-knuckled fingers clutched his knife. After a moment he tossed it on the table, his breath whistling as he inhaled sharply. ‘My father didn’t deserve what happened to him.’
‘What happened?’