For the next few days, Rico was like a man holding on to a live electrical wire. His body was in a constant state of burning. He was touchy. Jumpy. And so d.a.m.ned h.o.r.n.y he wondered if a man could die from want.

The plan had been to keep Teresa with him at all times, taking every chance to touch her. To kiss her. To make her so crazy she'd beg him to take her. Joke was on him though, as he was the one suffering.

He walked into the tropical bar, glancing around at the crowd gathered beneath rainbow-colored umbrellas. Not far away, waves rushed to sh.o.r.e, leaving frothy footprints in their wake. Surfers rode the waves and tanned beauties lay stretched out under the sun on royal-blue chaises that looked like sapphires on the white sand. And here in the bar, conversations were loud, laughter was bright and liquor flowed as freely as the sea.

He scanned the faces gathered there and finally found the one he sought. Teresa was behind the bar, helping Teddy, the bartender, serve drinks. Rico wasn't sure why it irritated him to find her there, helping. But it did. h.e.l.l, she was supposed to be miserable. Instead her eyes were shining, her smile wide and welcoming, and when she laughed at something a customer said to her, everything inside Rico tightened into a fist.

Before he could go to her, though, a hand came down on his arm and he looked to his left. Serenity James, Hollywood's latest darling and Rico's current annoyance, smiled up at him.

She tossed her caramel-colored hair back from her shoulders to make sure her no doubt surgically enhanced b.r.e.a.s.t.s in her impossibly small bikini were displayed to their best advantage.

"Rico, I've been hoping to see you," she said, her voice a breathy promise of s.e.x in silk sheets. "I wanted to thank you for finding my diamonds."

The diamonds she was wearing right now. Apparently in the young actress's eyes, beachwear also demanded accessories clearly worth more than half a million dollars. The stones glittered against her tanned skin and she ran one fingertip over the diamonds, as if to rea.s.sure herself they were still where they belonged.

"It was my pleasure," he said politely, though it cost him. He flicked a glance at Teresa, still laughing with her customer. She was supposed to be suffering, he told himself. Instead, she was making herself at home on Tesoro. He'd noticed over the last few days just how often she lent a hand to one of the staff. The bar today, yesterday it had been some crisis in the kitchen and before that, he'd caught her helping one of the maids whose service cart had been upended by a drunken guest.

Teresa was ingratiating herself with everyone on the island. Including Sean and Melinda King. He knew that Melinda and Teresa had spent some time together since their shared dinner that first night. According to Sean, Teresa was wonderful, being good company and keeping Melinda from worrying about the unknown terrors of her impending labor.

She was winning hearts and minds everywhere. And she was making him just a little insane. His plan was going nowhere fast and time was slipping by. Meanwhile, he was trapped with the empty-headed actress smiling up at him as if she wanted to take a bite out of him. Perhaps at some point in his past he would have been tempted to allow her to do just that. But since meeting Teresa, no other woman interested him in the slightest.

So he gritted his teeth and focused on getting rid of Serenity James as quickly and discreetly as possible.

"As a guest at Castello Tesoro," he said, "you are my priority, Serenity. We want you to be happy and enjoy your time on the island."

"Well, that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day." She threaded her arm through his and steered him off to her table. "Join me for a drink so I can thank you again."

Annoyance scratched at the base of his spine, but he kept his professional smile firmly in place. There was no way out of this and Rico knew it. He was used to playing host to the wealthy and the spoiled. And sometimes that meant temporarily burying his own wants and needs to keep the guests happy. Besides, Teresa wasn't going anywhere.

He took a seat beside the actress at her table. While Serenity told him all about her latest movie and asked him where she could find some real "action" on the island, Rico's mind wandered to the brunette behind the bar.

For three days and nights, they'd shared his home. His bedroom. His bed. Every night he lay beside her in the dark and called on every reserve of willpower he possessed to keep from touching her and taking what he still thought of as his. His mind filled with images, memories, of burying his body deep within hers. Tension coiled so hard and fast inside him it was a wonder he slept at all. But he would finally fall asleep, only to wake up with Teresa curled up against him, her arm flung across his chest, her head nestled on his shoulder. The scent of her filled his lungs and made waking both pleasure and agony.

Though she went to sleep clinging to the edge of the bed like the last leaf on a tree in autumn, by morning, Teresa was all over him.

She wasn't being tortured by his plan.

He was.

Serenity dragged the tips of her bloodred nails across the back of his hand. But rather than the seductive sensation she no doubt hoped it was, all Rico felt was irritation. He drew his hand back and gave her a smile. "If there's anything we can do to ensure your stay is a pleasant one, you must tell me."

Instantly her gra.s.s-green eyes flashed with interest and more. No, that wasn't what he'd meant, but women like Serenity saw only what they wished.

"Now that you mention it," she said on a throaty purr, "why don't you and I go to my cottage right now and have a private party? We could get to know each other better and-"

Before he could speak, he heard Teresa's voice come from directly behind him.

"A private party?" she repeated, coming around to sit on the arm of Rico's chair. She laid one arm around his shoulders and he felt her breast press against him as she leaned in.

Curious as to what she was up to, he didn't say a word to stop her.

"Shouldn't you be behind the bar mixing drinks?" Serenity asked coolly, her gaze moving up and down Teresa's outfit of cotton-candy-pink T-shirt, white shorts and flip-flops with dismissal.

"Oh," Teresa cooed, "I'm much more than a bartender, Ms. James."

Rico was enjoying himself. Teresa's hand slid back and forth across his shoulder, then moved up to the nape of his neck, where her fingers threaded through his hair with slow strokes. His skin was sizzling and every drop of blood in his body suddenly rushed south.

"Now, if you don't mind," Teresa said, giving the other woman a sweet smile, "my husband and I have other plans."

"Husband?" Serenity looked from Rico to Teresa and back again. "You're married?"

Rico bit back an oath as the actress's voice hitched high enough to be heard at the surrounding tables. His marriage had never been public knowledge. His and Teresa's time together had been so short that not even the media had caught on to it before she had disappeared from his life. Now, though, that looked as if it was about to change.

"Well, d.a.m.n it," Serenity said on a full-bottom-lip pout, "you could have mentioned it." When she stood up in a huff, she punched her b.r.e.a.s.t.s out to make sure he could appreciate what he'd be missing, then turned and sashayed-the only word to describe the swing of her hips and the long stride of golden legs-out of the bar.

When she was gone, Teresa made a move to get up, but Rico caught her around the waist and dragged her down onto his lap. Her s.e.xy, curvy behind nestled on top of him and Rico knew a whole new world of discomfort. He groaned, but held her in place. Yes, there was pain, but there was also need and want and a hunger like he hadn't known in five years. She wiggled, trying to get up, but her movements only fanned the flames licking at him.

"Let me up," she said in a whisper. "People are watching."

"You made sure of that when you walked up and rubbed yourself against me," he told her, enjoying the memory almost as much as the feel of her sitting on him.

"I didn't-" She broke off. "Fine. I did."

"Question is," he asked, "why?"

She looked down into his eyes and seemed to consider whether she would answer or not. After a long minute or two, she tore her gaze from his and muttered, "You looked like you wanted to be rescued."

"Ah." He hid a satisfied smile. He hadn't needed saving. Teresa had chased off the actress for her own reasons. Maybe his plan of seduction was actually working better than he had thought. "That's another lie. You're very good at it, by the way, but not good enough."

"Well, if I read you wrong and you didn't want to be saved from a conversation with that vacuous twit, I'm so very sorry."

A smile ticked up the corner of his mouth. "Twit? Have you met Ms. James before, then?"

"I don't need to talk to her to recognize the type," Teresa said, studying her fingernails now as if the secrets of the universe were scribed there.

"Which is?"

She shrugged and that little movement had her shifting on his lap again. Rico had to hiss in a breath to keep from groaning aloud. It was the sweetest kind of pain he'd ever known and he was in no hurry to ease it.

"She's pretty and has great b.o.o.bs, which she probably paid a fortune for, and that's about it."

Rico smirked at her. "You can tell this with a glance?"

"Absolutely," she said. "But if you want to chase Ms. b.o.o.bs, just say so."

He shook his head. "I'm not interested in Serenity."

"Not how it looked from the bar." And she was back to studying her nails.

"You were jealous."

She stiffened in outrage and glared at him for good measure. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do." He dropped one hand to her thigh and relished the feel of her sun-warmed skin, bared by her white shorts.

She shivered and tried to scoot to one side, but his other arm wrapped around her waist held her exactly where he wanted her. He continued to stroke her thigh and felt the tremble shaking her slide under his own skin, as well.

Surrounded by guests enjoying the beach, Rico felt as if he and Teresa were alone. Only the two of them in this moment. And h.e.l.l, it would have been much easier on him if they had been alone. Then he could just stretch her out on the sand, strip her clothes off and give in.

"You are lying again. To me. To yourself."

She huffed out a breath and squirmed on his lap, which only served to make him harder and her more aware of it. Instantly, she stilled. "What do you want to hear, Rico?"

"The truth," he said, in a direct challenge. "That you didn't like seeing that woman with me."

She laughed, but the sound lacked her usual musical quality and came off as strained instead. "If I were the jealous type, the last five years of seeing your picture in magazines and newspapers, always with a different woman, would have drummed that right out of me."

"So you tell yourself. And yet..."

Teresa took a breath, slanted her eyes to his and murmured, "Fine. I didn't like the way she was pawing at you. Heck, she was practically drooling. Happy now?"

Short answer was yes. A longer answer would take more time. At least a couple of hours. In his bed. Even his taste for revenge was muted by the fire inside him. All he wanted, all he could think about, was getting her naked and-if he didn't stop thinking about it he'd never be able to walk out of the bar.

Reluctantly, he relaxed his hold on her and she quickly got to her feet. She looked down at him and her eyes were bright, her mouth parted as her breath came fast and hard. He caught one of her hands in his and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. She pulled her hand free a moment later and he allowed it.

"I'll see you back at the house," he said quietly. "One hour."

She swallowed hard and suddenly looked just a little...anxious. "Rico-"

"One hour, Teresa. Then we settle this between us."

She gave him a brief nod, then moved back to the bar. Alone, Rico stared out at the sea, trying to empty his mind of every wicked thought and desire that raced through it. What he needed was a cold shower, but what he wanted was more heat. Teresa's heat. The fire he had only ever experienced with her.

And soon he would have it.

Six.

Teresa was standing on his bedroom terrace when he arrived. The tropical breeze smelled of salt.w.a.ter and flowers. The sound of the ocean was like a heartbeat in the distance and the dappled shade from the surrounding trees danced and shifted with the wind that lifted her hair from her shoulders in soft waves.

Her heart was pounding. Every nerve in her body was standing straight up and buzzing. She felt electrified from the inside out. She couldn't sit still. Couldn't stand without moving, pacing. Could hardly breathe through the knot of antic.i.p.ation lodged in her throat.

Back at the beach bar, when she'd been sitting on Rico's lap, she'd felt the hard proof of his desire for her. And even there, surrounded by strangers, she'd wanted nothing more than to turn in the chair, straddle him and- Oh boy, she was in very serious trouble.

Feeling this way for your husband was one thing. Wanting the man who only wanted to use you then discard you was simply a road map to misery. G.o.d, she remembered so clearly what it was like to be loved by Rico King. To be the reason his eyes warmed when she walked into a room. To know that he was right there if she stretched out her hand. To have his arms come around her in the middle of the night, making her feel safe and treasured.

And she knew what it was like to lose all of it.

Now she would have to lose it again, and Teresa didn't know if she'd be able to bear it this time. Because she'd already lived through years of emptiness without him, so this time when she left, she knew exactly the kind of cold, dark place that would be waiting for her. She'd do anything to avoid that wide chasm of utter loneliness again. But there was just no way out.

Her careening thoughts skidded to a halt when she actually felt Rico's presence. Slowly she turned to see him standing in the open doorway, watching her. The wind caught his hair and tossed it across his forehead. His blue eyes were fixed on her and his mouth was tight, as if he wished he were anywhere but here. And yet...there was heat and tension spiraling between them, binding them together with invisible tendrils of desire and need.

Whatever else also lay between them-lies, betrayal, anger-this was just as real. This living, breathing pa.s.sion that was so strong it was pushing her to take the first steps toward him even now. It didn't matter why he wanted her. Only that he did. She couldn't take another moment without feeling his hands on her. She'd wanted for so long and now she could have.

He held his ground, half in the bedroom, half out, and waited for her to come closer. Every step was a test in courage. Every breath a victory. She couldn't look away from his eyes and when she saw a flash of heat dazzling there, she crossed the last of the s.p.a.ce separating them in a dash.

Teresa threw herself at him and he caught her, encircling her in his arms, holding her tightly to him so that she could feel every ridge and plane of his body. She felt the thick hardness of him pressed against her middle and instantly she went hot and wet.

Here, her mind whispered. Here was where she belonged. Where she always wanted to be.

What sounded like a growl erupted from his throat as he threaded his fingers through her hair, tipped her head back and held her for his kiss. She met him eagerly, hungrily. Their mouths fused, tongues twisting and dancing in a frenzy of need. Breathing was short and labored. Hands slid up and down burning bodies and when he suddenly turned and walked her backward toward the bed, she kept pace.

Teresa fell back onto the mattress and kept her arms around Rico's neck, as if a part of her was afraid that he would stop now. Take that one step away and return to that careful, cold distance between them just to torture her. But she wouldn't let him. Not this time.

Every night she slept beside him and every morning she woke up entangled with him, feeling the heat of his body pouring into hers just before he bolted from the bed and left her there. Alone.

She was done.

Let the revenge begin.

She didn't care why she was there anymore. Or even why he wanted her there. It was enough that Rico was with her again, laying his body atop hers.

Finally he tore his mouth from hers, looked down into her eyes and whispered, "You're wearing too many clothes."

"You, too."

Nodding, he rolled to one side of her and got up just long enough to yank his clothes off and toss everything to the floor. Teresa did the same. Her T-shirt, shorts and sandals were on the floor in seconds and her bra and panties quickly followed. Then she was naked, standing in front of him as the sunlight streaming through the terrace doors caressed their already-heated bodies in a golden warmth that seemed to soak deep into their bones. That light was reflected in his eyes as he looked at her and Teresa shivered in response.

He was beautiful. Just as she remembered him. His body was tanned and every muscle was sharply defined. He was also hard and ready and glancing at his erection made Teresa quiver deep inside. Right where she wanted him.

As if reading her thoughts, Rico reached for her, then tumbled her back onto the mattress. Heated skin met the cool silk of the duvet beneath her and seemed to heighten every one of her senses to overload.

Rico's hands skimmed over her body. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her nipples, her abdomen and finally lower, where he cupped her heat and rubbed the heel of his hand against her until she was writhing beneath him.

Her gaze still locked on his, she watched as her responses to him fed the flames dancing in those pale blue depths. She chewed at her bottom lip and a soft moan slipped from her mouth as he dipped first one finger and then two into her heat.

Teresa sighed at the blissful sensation of his touch on her body again. Everything was so familiar and yet so new. Almost as if this was their first time together. Her hands moved over his shoulders and down his arms, stroking, loving the feel of his skin beneath her hands. He was so hard and strong and so warm to the touch.

He bent his head to her breast and as she watched, he took one of her already-peaked nipples into his mouth. She gasped at the first touch of his lips and tongue. She moaned as his teeth sc.r.a.ped across the sensitive tip and then she arched into him as he suckled her.

His hand stroked her core while his mouth drove her even closer to the edge. Again and again, he drew on her breast, as if he could taste all she was. She felt that drawing sensation down to her bones and all she could think was, yes. This is all just as it should be.