AS FELIPE RETOOK his seat in the living room, after taking Dante out for a quick toilet break and then settling him in the spare bedroom, Emilia sipped her brandy, the warmth sliding through her stomach and infecting her limbs like a much-needed dose of liquid courage.
He smelled so good... She could hardly believe that she’d boldly suggested coming back to his place, but his charming, unthreatening company was so easy to enjoy. Tonight he’d made her feel safe and attractive. Light-hearted. He’d been funny and attentive and considerate, his assurances that they could just be friends completely removing the pressure from the situation. He’d even asked about Ricardo, giving her the space to talk about her husband beyond the illness that had stolen him from her.
She hadn’t wanted the evening to end and couldn’t have asked for more from a first date.
Only this was a fake date. A practice run. And unlike Emilia, committed bachelor Felipe was the expert at dating.
‘So,’ she said, gulping another sip of brandy to abolish her regrets that she’d been so brave to suggest this nightcap, ‘your ex-wife got the house and you ended up here?’ A stunning penthouse apartment in central Buenos Aires. She glanced around, appreciatively, finding the space modern, minimalist and very masculine. The spectacular city views alone would most definitely wow any single woman who set foot in the place. And with fifteen years of casual dating, there must surely have been many women to impress.
Jealousy, hot and shocking, slid through her veins. But she didn’t want to think about Felipe’s other dating moves, the ones that led to tangled, sweaty sheets and very satisfied women...
This close to him, lured by the romance of his views, and with his earlier talk of a healthy sex life fresh in her mind, she was already struggling to think about anything else beyond how much she wanted to kiss him. But the staggering strength of her attraction aside, was she ready for such a momentous step?
He shrugged, his eyes steady on hers as they had been all evening. ‘I offered Delfina the house, but in the end we split everything fifty-fifty and each moved on. Only fair. I didn’t want to squabble over that’s mine, this is yours and there were no children to consider.’
Emilia watched him in rapt fascination. She liked the respectful way he spoke about his ex-wife, with courtesy and mild indifference. It was obvious he had no lingering feelings, not that it was any of her business.
‘So where is she now, your ex?’ she asked, her inhibitions lowered by the way he’d made her feel—as if her body and desires were coming back to life. He seemed like such a catch, such a gentleman and a good listener. She couldn’t imagine what might have gone wrong in his marriage.
Felipe glanced out at the lights of Buenos Aires below. ‘She lives on the other side of the city, although we hardly ever see each other. I wish her well. We were married for fifteen years, and I played my part in the demise of our relationship.’
‘Did you cheat?’ she asked, intrigued. She couldn’t imagine him being unfaithful. He was too honest.
‘No, but I spent a lot of time at work.’ He turned back to face her, his stare bold and steady, as if he owned his mistakes. ‘I can’t blame my ex for making a separate life for herself.’
‘Did she cheat?’ Emilia realised the moment the question was out that she was being nosy. But she was too relaxed, too focused on the self-generated heat of attraction making her languid. And what kind of woman would let Felipe escape?
His lip curled as he placed his glass on the table. ‘Not as far as I know. But we woke up one day and had nothing to talk about. I think we both realised there should be more passion, more fire to a relationship than that, even after all those years together.’
Emilia nodded, aware that she and Ricardo had had their challenges in their marriage too, but had loved each other passionately to the end, maybe because they’d also been best friends.
‘So, what brought you two together in the first place?’ She was pushing, but she wanted to know what kind of a man he was outside of work, where he was a dedicated, well-respected surgeon. He’d mentioned letting his family down over his choice of career, but what intense passions, what fire had driven a younger Felipe?
‘Sex.’ He grinned as he stared intently into her eyes.
Emilia’s body went up in flames and she dragged in a shuddering breath. Was everything about sex tonight?
Felipe turned serious. ‘We also shared drive and ambition, and a desire to leave our small town for the thrill of Buenos Aires. But when passion cools, and if that drive takes you in different directions, you suddenly realise that you’re married to someone with whom you have little in common.’
‘I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you,’ Emilia said, sensing his regret. A high-achieving man like Felipe would likely baulk at any form of failure. ‘What does Delfina do?’
Talking about his ex-wife was helping her to rationalise her own body’s reaction to him. It was understandable that after so many years of grief and loneliness her physical desires would eventually reawaken. Especially as she felt safe with Felipe. Respected.
‘She works in fashion,’ he said. ‘She’s a buyer for the fashion brand Hermoso.’
His stare moved over her face as it had several times tonight. Was he wondering if he should kiss her? Was that usually the way his dates ended?
‘That explains why you’re always so stylishly dressed,’ she said, the last word emerging a little strangled as lust swept through her at the idea of kissing Felipe Castillo.
But was she seriously considering it after only kissing one man for so long? Imagining the previously unimaginable, her heart thumped and her mind went crazy with questions.
Would it be as exciting as she imagined, life-affirming? Or would it leave her riddled with embarrassment, regret and guilt? Would kissing Felipe be a betrayal of her beloved Ricardo, of his memory and everything they’d shared during their marriage? Or was she overthinking it, terrified by how badly she wanted to find out the answers?
As if aware of the direction of her thoughts, Felipe stilled. ‘I think you look beautiful in that dress,’ he said in a tight voice. ‘That’s a great colour on you. Makes your beautiful eyes shine.’
Emilia swallowed hard, blinked at the intensity of his eye contact. Stunned by the honesty of his compliment.
He thought she was beautiful. She dragged in a breath, tired of her mind’s back and forth. Tired of fighting the demands of her body. Tired of having this fear of being intimate with anyone else hanging over her like a storm cloud. Sometimes you just needed to take a chance and try new things.
‘I don’t know if it’s the brandy,’ she said in a whisper, her heartrate flying, ‘or maybe your apartment’s spectacular views, but I really want to kiss you.’
The air left her in a rush, as if she’d jumped from a plane but her parachute had opened. There was a second’s pause that felt like an hour where he simply stared at her, immobile. Had she judged it wrong? Was it a terrible idea given they were colleagues? But surely no one else needed to know—
‘Thanks goodness for that,’ he said, exhaling harshly and glancing down at her lips with hungry eyes. ‘I was starting to get desperate over here. I’ve wanted to kiss you all evening.’
Without hesitation and before she could second guess her impulse, he cupped her face between his palms, then slowly and deliberately leaned in and brushed her lips with his. A soft teasing swipe that tasted of brandy, and elicited a low sigh in the back of his throat.
Her lips tingled, her adrenaline spiking. Long-forgotten need roared to life, hijacking her body and obliterating her thoughts.
She blinked, dragged in a shuddering breath for courage as she looked up at him. She hadn’t done this in so long, but as thrilling and tantalising as that whisper of a kiss was, she didn’t want it to end. It had been alien but wonderful and far too brief.
As she sensed him pulling back, she raised one hand to his cheek. She sighed as their lips met again. This time, Felipe lingered, his lips softly gliding over hers again and again as if slowly and thoroughly learning their shape and savouring their taste.
Despite the frantic galloping of her heart, Emilia relaxed into it. Felipe was obviously taking it slow, giving her time to adjust, a chance to dictate the pace or maybe to apply the brakes. Her eyes stung with emotion. He was so thoughtful. He must have guessed that a huge part of her, the part that still felt married to Ricardo, was crushed with guilt for kissing another man. But Ricardo was gone, and ignoring the physical demands of her body, staying faithful to his memory, wouldn’t bring him back.
Because she wanted a night off from feeling sad and alone. Emilia closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy kissing Felipe. As if it was natural, she parted her lips, tentatively touching her tongue to Felipe’s. Her body melted as his arm came around her waist and his lips turned more insistent, commanding their kiss, the passion building until it was all she could do to forget about breathing for a while, clinging to his toned body and strong arms and kissing him back.
Disorienting forces tugged her in opposing directions. This felt both wrong and wonderfully right. But if she had to get over this intimacy hurdle with anyone, she’d much rather it be mature, considerate Felipe than some unpredictable stranger she’d met on a dating app.
At last, Felipe pulled back, his breathing harsh. ‘I have a confession to make.’ He pushed her hair back from her warm face, his stare flitting over her as if checking she was okay.
She nodded for him to continue, her lips desperate for more.
‘I did look at your chest earlier.’ A sexy flash of excitement lit his eyes. ‘I just did it discreetly.’ His gaze swept lower now, to her lips, her cleavage and back. Emilia felt scorched, restless, needy. ‘You have a great body,’ he said, resting his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs swiping back and forth over her bare skin.
She swallowed, thrilled and electrified by his simple touch. ‘So do you.’
He was so sexy. And nice and decent and dedicated. She instinctively knew she could trust him. Kissing him didn’t have to be a big deal.
With a shaking hand, she placed her glass aside and reached for his waist, leaning into him and kissing him again. She wanted the liberating pleasure of their undeniable chemistry.
The second kiss was even better, as if they’d learned the shape of the other person and everything instantly and effortlessly slotted exactly where it should. Only now that it was more familiar, it was also more intense.
His fingers slid into her hair, urging her closer. She gripped his shirt at the waist, her lips and tongue bolder against his. He slanted his mouth over hers, deepening their kiss, and she moaned, the sound forced from her throat by the euphoric excitement of being kissed properly again—with heat. Being this in sync with another person. Being desired.
Maybe she could let go of her doubts and reservations and embrace her desire for this man. Neither of them was looking for anything serious, and they were mature enough to stop their personal lives bleeding into their professional relationship.
Heat pooled in her pelvis as the embrace turned more passionate. He hauled her close, his strong arms banded around her waist so her breasts grazed his chest as their tongues surged together. In an instant, she was too hot. Achy. She couldn’t seem to get close enough to Felipe. She wanted more.
‘You are so incredibly sexy,’ he groaned, shifting back against the sofa and tugging her with him, pressing kisses to her jaw and neck. ‘I’m so glad you moved to Buenos Aires.’
Emilia smiled as she sat astride his lap, holding his face between her palms. ‘That’s very flattering.’
‘Do you realise how rare this is, just clicking with someone so effortlessly?’ He smiled softly, cupping her face tenderly as if he understood how she must be feeling—both exhilarated and guilt-ridden.
‘Is it?’ she asked, knowing he was right. She had a sneaking suspicion that she’d have to date a lot of guys to find one as perfect for her on paper as Felipe.
But this was about physical desire, nothing more. To remind herself of that, she leaned in and kissed him again. She wanted to feel, not to think. She wanted to set everything else aside and focus on her needs for once. To admit that while she would always love her husband she was human. A woman. A sexual being.
Distracting her from the sudden spike of fear, his hands gripped her hips, and he crushed her close. He was hard, his stare dark with arousal as he looked up at her, letting her dictate the pace of whatever this was. Both scared and desperate, Emilia shifted on his lap so their bodies aligned, the steel of him and the heat of her as she pressed kisses down the side of his neck.
This felt too good to stop. It was as if he’d awoken every cell in her body and they urgently wanted the same thing.
‘I want you,’ she whispered, pulling back to look at him. Her pulse buzzed in her ears, but it felt right. Felipe wasn’t some stranger. He’d shown her the kind of man he was these past few days. She felt safe with him, safe to explore the ferocious arousal he’d inspired in her.
‘Are you sure?’ He watched her face, his hands guiding her hips into a hypnotic rhythm that seemed to appease them both.
But the friction wasn’t enough. After so many years of denying her sexuality, need built inside Emilia like a tornado.
‘I’m certain.’ She nodded, her fingers undoing the top few buttons of his shirt, exposing his bronzed chest that was dusted with manly dark hair. ‘Only it’s been so long for me,’ she said, a second of doubt gripping her like a cold fist.
What if she’d forgotten the moves? She’d loved one man most of her adult life. Her hesitance to be intimate with someone new made sense. But now wasn’t the time to think about her husband.
‘I know...’ Felipe groaned, his hands fisting the fabric of her dress at her hips, as if he was holding back. ‘That’s why I want you to be sure.’
Emilia nodded, panic squeezing her lungs. What if it was horrible and they ruined their working relationship and their friendship? What if she chickened out and missed this chance? ‘I am sure, if you are. Just tonight.’
She was a mature woman who knew what she wanted. With Felipe, she felt seen and understood and respected. That was enough for her.
‘Deal—then we go back to being friends.’ His eyes darkened with arousal. ‘I wanted you the first time I saw you,’ he said, his hands moving slowly from her hips to cup her breasts. ‘I know, very inappropriate at work...and me your supervisor...’
Emilia gasped as his thumbs rubbed over her nipples through her dress, sending dizzying waves of pleasure through her entire body. ‘Don’t forget dating coach,’ she said with a smile, before leaning in to kiss him again.
He was right. A connection like theirs was rare, made all the more perfect by the fact that they wanted the same things—no strings. Just one night of passion.
His hands caressed her breasts, the delicious friction dragging a moan from her throat. ‘Felipe...’ She dropped her head back and closed her eyes, awash with sensation. She was going to do this. Sleep with a sexy work colleague and have no regrets.
‘I want to make you feel good,’ he said, while Emilia leaned over him, lost in kissing his chest, the side of his neck and the angle of his jaw. His warm hands skimmed along the length of her thighs, raising the hem of her silky dress over her hips.
‘Me too,’ she said, too far gone to hesitate as she lifted her arms overhead so he could quickly remove the garment.
He tossed it aside, his stare feasting on her near naked body with thrilling hunger. His hands followed the path of his stare, gliding over her hips, her waist and her breasts.
Watching his hands on her skin, Emilia bit down on her bottom lip, trying to contain the firestorm of need coursing through her veins. She couldn’t wait any longer—she’d waited long enough. Overcome with urgency, Emilia popped the remaining buttons on his shirt and hurriedly tackled his trouser fly, her fingers clumsy in their haste.
As if reluctant to simply be undressed, Felipe dragged her mouth back to his and expertly unclasped her bra with a single pinch. As he removed it, his mouth sought out one nipple and then the other. She shuddered against him as if she’d never before been touched.
He groaned, sucking her nipple until she gasped and her head swam. She ached from head to toe, her heart banging wildly and fire scorching her every nerve.
‘Yes...’ she moaned, sliding her fingers through his thick hair and watching his mouth on her breast.
Breaking free, Felipe threw off his shirt and trousers and laid her back against the cool leather of his sofa. His gorgeous, toned body covered hers so she was engulfed by heat and steel and flexing power. It was so good to feel desired again, to feel that neglected part of herself—her sexuality—unfurl and come back to vibrant life.
His tongue dipped inside her mouth, his hips grinding against hers so they groaned in unison, the wildness building. Emilia shoved at his boxers, cupping his erection. He thrust his tongue against hers with a throaty growl, and the urgency ramped up a notch. There was a frantic scramble while they removed their underwear and he reached for a condom from his wallet.
Gripping Felipe’s shoulders as he rolled on the condom, she pulled him down on top of her, kissing him deeply. She was burning up, awash with arousal, desperate for the release building inside. Felipe’s hand slid between her legs, his fingers stroking her so there was no room in her head for anything but pleasure and passion. As he touched her, he pulled back from their kiss to peer down at her, need stark in the set of his jaw and the depths of his dark eyes.
‘I want you,’ Emilia said again, because she didn’t want there to be any doubt in his mind.
She spread her thighs and hooked her legs around his hips, drawing him closer. He reared back, braced on his arms, and with their stares locked he pushed inside her, watching her gasp with pleasure. Triumph and excitement darkened his eyes to almost black.
Emilia gripped his face, bringing his mouth back to her kiss. He was such a good kisser. She couldn’t seem to get enough. He moved inside her, his fingers teasing her nipples and his tongue thrusting against hers so every part of her felt electrified, alive. Emilia slid her hands over the taut muscles and smooth skin of his shoulders, his back, his buttocks, her senses flooded with the scent and feel of him and the sound of his sexy groans.
Her orgasm built swift and strong. She cried out his name and he reared back, watching her disintegrate, his thrusts speeding up so sweat slicked his bronzed skin. With a hoarse shout he came, burying his face against the side of her neck, clutching her so tightly through the body-racking spasms she almost couldn’t breathe.
But who cared about breathing after sex that good?
Emilia lay still as he slipped from her body, her heart still racing against his.
‘That was amazing,’ she said, initially feeling a massive weight off her shoulders. Just what she’d needed to get her confidence back. But now that it was over, awkwardness rushed in, smothering down all the lovely endorphins.
Her mind unhelpfully produced fresh doubts. What was the one-night stand protocol? Should she dress and leave straight away? Thank him and say, ‘See you Monday’?
‘It was.’ Felipe stirred, raising his face from the side of her neck and looking down at her with a soft, slightly dazed smile. He brushed the hair back from her face and pressed languid kisses to her lips. ‘How do you feel?’ he asked, sliding to the side but keeping his hand on her waist.
His question was so unexpected that her eyes started to sting with the release of pent-up emotion. Silly—it was only sex. But for so many years, sex for Emilia had been about love.
‘Good,’ she said, her hand stroking up and down his strong arm, from elbow to shoulder, as if seeking comfort. ‘How about you?’
His smile widened. ‘I feel fantastic. So, no regrets?’ he pressed, his intent gaze moving over her face as if he really cared that she was okay with her decision to sleep with him.
‘Not one.’
‘I’m glad.’ He pressed one final kiss to her lips, then reached for a tissue from the end table and dealt with the condom. Then he stood and took her hand, pulling her to her feet.
For a few seconds they stood naked, facing each other with goofy smiles on their faces. Then he slid his stare down her naked body and started to get hard again.
‘Wanna see my bedroom?’ he asked with a sexy flick of his brows, letting her know he was up for round two if she was. ‘The views are even better.’
Emilia laughed, nodded, her breath snatched away by excitement. ‘Yes, but then I have to get home. Parental curfew.’
He reached for her hand and led the way. ‘I don’t want to get you into trouble.’
Emilia stood on tiptoes and pressed her body and mouth to his. ‘Then stop talking.’