Fire and Desire

At first Corinthians was too surprised at seeing Trevor Grant to say anything. It was as if he'd materialized out of thin air. She couldn't help wondering where on earth he'd come from. But at the moment, she didn't care. Although she understood his game plan, she was too shaken up to answer his question. She merely nodded.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “Good, then come on before our food gets cold.” Taking her hand in his, he turned and together they faced the two men.

Corinthians couldn't help wondering what the men would do now that Trevor was with her. She watched as he stared down at the two men with a look and stance that almost dared them to take him on. For a moment it seemed the standoff would go on forever, then finally the two men stepped aside and let them pass. Trevor continued to hold her hand as she led him to her table. Instead of them sitting down, he took some bills out of his pocket and tossed them on the table.

“Come on, let's get out of here. I know another place where we can eat.”

Corinthians nodded and let him lead her out of the door. She took a quick glance over her shoulder. The men were gone.

“Are you all right?”

Corinthians drew in a deep breath before answering. “Yes.”

After leaving McDonald's, Trevor led her over to a rental car that was parked not far away. After he opened the door she slid inside without asking any questions. She felt a sense of relief when he walked around the car and got in beside her.

She gazed over at him. “I wonder what that was all about.”

Trevor turned and stared at her before starting the engine. He could not believe she'd asked such a question. Before answering he tried calming his overactive male hormones. Even in the midst of danger, his body had immediately reacted when he'd made the mistake of watching her when she'd slid inside the car. The movement had inched her skirt up, exposing plenty of leg and thigh. Just thinking about what he'd seen made him ache in the worst way.

“What that was about was a simple case of thieves getting ready to pounce on their next victim,” he said slowly, starting the car and pulling away. He tried putting a cap on the anger he felt in knowing how close she'd come to that happening. He wanted to give her the third degree for not being more alert while alone in a strange city.

He glanced back over at her and could tell she was still pretty badly shaken up over the incident. The last thing she needed was for him to get on her case.

“But that doesn't make sense,” Corinthians said, leaning back in her seat. “I left my valuables at the hotel in Rio. I'm not even wearing any jewelry.”

“Yeah, but that Chanel purse of yours draws attention. It's probably worth more than the shacks some of these people live in.”

“You're kidding.”

“No, I'm not. Crime against tourists is high here.”

A few minutes later Trevor brought the car to a stop in front of a seaside restaurant. Even from the outside, the smell of grilled fish made Corinthians's mouth water. Whatever spices they were using had definitely tantalized her taste buds. She'd heard that the largest single influence on the preparation of Brazilian foods had come with the arrival of African slaves many years ago. West African cooking was firmly established on the Brazilian palate. Then later, with new arrivals of other nationalities from Asia, Europe and the Middle East, each made massive contributions to make Brazil's multiethnic cuisine unique, delicious and the best in the world.

Corinthians stood by Trevor's side at the entrance to the restaurant while he spoke in Portuguese to a waiter. She did not understand a word they were saying, but her curiosity was piqued when the waiter kept looking at her and smiling. Moments later they were led up concrete stairs to a balcony. Surprisingly, the room was deserted, so they had their choice of tables. After giving them menus, the waiter left them alone.

“What did you say to him?” Corinthians asked. After what he'd said to the waitress yesterday, she wouldn't put anything past him.

Trevor shrugged as he glanced at his menu. “I told him we were newlyweds and wanted to be alone.”

She leaned back in her chair and stared at him. “I can't believe you did that.”

“It got results, didn't it? Would you have preferred staying below in that crowded room? I thought you'd enjoy the view from up here.”

He was right. She did enjoy the view from up here. It was simply breathtaking. The photogenic beauty of the vast ocean that surrounded them moved her. Rising, she walked over to the edge of the deck and looked out, scanning the distance to where the blue sea ended and the coastal mountains began.

She turned to Trevor and smiled. “This is beautiful,” she said. “Thanks for bringing me up here.”

A hot stab of desire rushed through Trevor with Corinthians's smile. It was the first real smile she'd ever directed at him, and he suddenly felt off balance. She made a sultry image against the backdrop of ocean and mountains, while standing silhouetted in the sunlight. Of its own volition, his gaze took in everything about her, her outfit, her features, her hair…even the flat shoes she wore.

An exquisite pressure began building deep inside of him. He shifted in his seat, needing to regain control of his mind and most importantly his body. He didn't like the fact that she was putting him through changes.

“Don't mention it. And if you don't mind, we need to have our order ready by the time the waiter gets back,” he snapped.

Corinthians's smile sagged. She then took two deep breaths. The first was to ignore the urge to pour the chilled pitcher of water that was sitting on their table over Trevor's head at the tone he'd suddenly taken with her. The second was to downplay the heroic image that kept flashing through her mind of him—one man against two. He'd been an imposing force to reckon with when he'd come to her aid. No matter how much she wanted to forget that, she couldn't.

“Fine with me,” she snapped back. “I'm starving anyway.”

She walked back over to the table, took her seat and began scanning the menu. After deciding on an entrée, she looked up to find Trevor watching her.

“Is there a problem?” she asked, glaring at him.

Yes, there is a problem, Trevor thought. But it was his problem and not hers. The one thing a Marine didn't do was lose control, but he was doing that very thing around her, constantly. Whatever trouble he was having in dealing with it, was no reason to be outright rude to her. “Look, Corinthians, I—”

She held up her hand to silence him, her anger had reached its limit, and she felt it was time to get him straight on a number of things. “No, you look. I've had just about enough of your—”

She stopped talking when the waiter returned to take their order. “I'll have your seafood platter,” she said promptly, calmly. She decided to put her beef with Trevor on hold until after their meal. She could deal with him more effectively on a full stomach.

“And for an appetizer, I'll have some pão de queijo,” she added, wanting to try their cheese rolls that were made with tapioca starch and grated cheese. “I'd also like a glass of white wine.”

Trevor closed his menu. “I'll also have your seafood platter and some pão de queijo. However, bring me a glass of Brazilian brandy.” Before the waiter walked off, he added. “And bring me some malagueta with my meal.”

Corinthians shook her head. “Do you put hot sauce on practically everything you eat?”

“Just about,” he answered, meeting her gaze. An uncomfortable silence grew between them. “I didn't mean to snap at you earlier, Corinthians,” Trevor finally said. “But today has been one hell of a day.”

“You can say that again,” she said, taking a sip of water.

“Today has been one hell of a day.”

Corinthians tried swallowing back the laughter that formed in her throat, but couldn't, and laughed despite not wanting to. She was glad they were the only ones out on the balcony.

“Thanks,” she said afterward. “I needed that. And thanks for your help today. I don't know what I would have done had you not shown up.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. “I'm really curious to know just why you were there.”

Trevor's hand tightened on his glass, needing to feel something cool against his skin. Corinthians's laugh had been a breathy, sensuous sound that had made his body feel heated. “I was doing the same thing you were doing, taking a tour of the city. I told you at dinner yesterday that I was coming here today. I even suggested that we come together.”

Corinthians nodded, remembering that conversation, then wishing she hadn't. “What time did you leave Rio?”

“Around ten. I got a late start because I requested a change in hotel rooms. Evidently the couple in the room next to mine are on their honeymoon. Their constant squeaking bed keeps me awake at night.” He didn't add that it also reminded him of what he'd been missing.

Corinthians shook her head, smiling, not sure if he was joking or telling the truth about the amorous couple. At that moment the waiter returned with their drinks and appetizers.

“What made you decide to go into the Marines?” Corinthians asked after eating a pão de queijo and taking a sip of wine.

“I heard they were looking for a few good men, and I was cocky enough to believe that meant they were definitely looking for me.”

Corinthians rolled her eyes. The man didn't lack any self-confidence. She looked at him speculatively. “I can see you as a Marine.”

“Why?”

“Because you're hard.”

Trevor smiled. She was right about that, but not in the way she had meant. He shifted around in his seat to ease the hard ache in the lower part of his body. “Marines aren't hard,” he said smoothly. “They're tough. There's a difference.”

Corinthians didn't think so, but decided not to tell him that. The man who had faced those two men in McDonald's that day had been both hard and tough. “I still don't understand how you did it,” she said.

“How I did what?”

“How you got those guys to back off without saying one word to them.”

Trevor took a sip of his brandy. “There're a number of ways to communicate. One is without words, but with the use of eye contact. People can read what you want them to know just by looking into your eyes. Another way is with body language. I used both eye contact and body language today. Those guys read me loud and clear. There was no mistake in what I was nonverbally telling them.”

Corinthians nodded. “Weren't you afraid?”

“For you, yes. For myself, no. A Marine has no fear. It's not in our mind-set.”

The waiter then returned with their entrées. Over lunch he told her more about the Marines and his decision to enlist. He told her how he had skipped college and entered the service. The recruiter that had come to his high school had offered him the chance to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a world traveler. He eventually got his college degree while in the Marines, serving his country for more than fifteen years.

What he didn't tell her was that he'd been so broken up over his parents' separation that he had needed to get away, and the Marines had provided him that escape. And what he had found was another family; a close-knit group of men and women who were ready, willing and able to fight for and defend their country.

After their meal the waiter brought over the check. Trevor paid for it.

“You didn't have to do that,” Corinthians said. “You've done enough already.”

Just wait until you get back to the hotel and find out what else I've done, Trevor thought as he stood from his seat. “Hasn't anyone ever told you that a woman shouldn't turn down a free meal from a man?”

Corinthians smiled. “No, probably because any smart woman knows that nothing is free, especially if it comes from a man. There are usually a few strings attached.”

Trevor chuckled. “Trust me, there are no strings attached, so relax.”

When they returned to the car, he said, “How about if we tour the rest of the city together?”

Corinthians grinned. “So there weren't any strings attached, huh?” She thought about it for a second then said, “How can I say no after you've fed me so well? You certainly can't be any more of a nuisance than those two men at McDonald's.”

Trevor laughed. “Gee, I hope not.”

They visited the São Paulo Museum of Art and spent some time in a number of the upscale shopping centers that were all over town. They even visited the Butanta Institute Snake Farm and went to a horse race at the Jockey Club.

It was late afternoon when they decided to call it a day and catch a flight back to Rio so they could be well rested for the research summit the next day.

“I'm walking you to your room,” Trevor said when they both stepped inside the hotel's elevator.

“That's not necessary,” she assured him, appreciating the offer. Although she didn't want to admit it, that episode in São Paulo had her still somewhat shaky. She knew she would be fine once she got a good night's sleep, and put the incident out of her mind. She still wasn't too keen on the idea of Trevor knowing where her room was located. She shrugged. She was probably being silly in trying to hide it from him anyway. It wasn't like he would force his way into her room or something.

“I know it's not necessary to walk you to your room, but I'll feel better if I do,” he said when she punched the button for the fifth floor. “And we've both agreed that it's been one hell of a day.”

Once they reached her room door, Corinthians turned to him. Their eyes met and held for a long moment before she broke contact by reaching down and taking her shopping bag out of his hands. “Thanks for carrying this. And thanks again for coming to my rescue today.”

Trevor took a step forward, sandwiching Corinthians between him and the door. He reached out and let his fingers stroke the silken skin of her cheek. “It was my pleasure,” he said huskily.

Corinthians's breath caught in response to the sensuality of Trevor's touch. She took a step back and found herself pressed firmly against the door. “I need to go inside,” she heard herself saying to him.

“Invite me in.”

Trevor's whispered plea was tempting. Too tempting, Corinthians thought. “I can't,” she said, taking a deep breath and pushing away from the support of the door frame. Since Trevor didn't move back an inch, her movement brought her body right smack up against his. The sudden body contact was electrifying, arousing, stirring. It released fire, quickly followed by desire. The fire between them was hot and intense. The desire, strong and unyielding.

Trevor slowly leaned down and touched his mouth to hers, once, then twice. He slipped his hand under her mass of dark hair and cupped the nape of her neck. His eyes locked with hers.

“You can invite me in,” he whispered, leaning closer to her lips. “And in a few seconds you'll wish you had.”

Before she could draw her next breath, Trevor captured her mouth with his. His tongue, flavored with the taste of the hot sauce he'd had at lunch, inflamed her in sizzling heat as it penetrated the moist softness of her mouth, making a thorough sweep of the insides and capturing her tongue with his.

Corinthians felt his mouth move slow, steady and intense over hers as their tongues mated. The want and need she felt was potent, powerful. She couldn't think. She couldn't get a grip. Her body had never ached for a man before…and never like this. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving just as good as she was getting, and admitting to herself that the real thing was a whole lot better than any dreams she'd had.

Trevor was drowning a slow, pleasurable death. A part of him had always known that kissing Corinthians would be like this, and that she would feel like heaven in his arms. And when he felt her move against him, it fueled his fire. He deepened the kiss, taking everything she was offering and still wanting more.

“Let's go inside,” he whispered hotly, against her lips.

Somewhere in the distance Corinthians heard the sound of a door opening and closing. It suddenly hit her that she and Trevor were standing in the middle of a hallway engaged in a kissing marathon. She quickly pushed him away just seconds before an elderly couple passed by them. But still they received strange looks from the lady and man. Corinthians couldn't help but blush in embarrassment.

When the couple had disappeared around the corner, Corinthians frowned up at Trevor. She'd experienced more embarrassing moments with him than at any other time in her life. “See what you made me do,” she hissed, straightening her blouse.

“And see what you made me do,” he countered with a teasing gleam in his eye. He straightened his own shirt and put it back inside his pants.

Corinthians sighed, feeling a sense of panic. Had she actually pulled his shirt from out of his pants? Oh, boy! She had to get away from Trevor and fast. She'd never carried on like this with a man.

“Look, I have to go. Good night, Trevor.”

“Are you sure you want to end the night like this?” he asked, reaching out and lifting a finger beneath her jaw and tipping her face up to his.

At the moment, she wasn't sure of anything as the soft brushing of his fingers against her chin nearly pushed her over the edge. “Yes, I'm sure. We'll only have regrets in the morning.”

Trevor's eyes darkened. “I won't.”

“But I will,” she responded truthfully.

He took a step closer to her. “No, you won't. You want me as much as I want you. Admit it.”

Corinthians stiffened and glared up at him. “I won't admit anything.”

Trevor smiled. “Yes, you will. I'm going to make sure of it.” He took a step back. “If later tonight you have a change of heart, I'm in room 530.”

It took a few seconds for Corinthians to remember that she was in room 528. She stared at him, hoping she had misunderstood him. “Room 530?”

His smile widened. “Yes. Remember I told you that I changed rooms earlier today. My room is now next to yours. And there's a connecting door. I'll keep my side unlocked, so feel free to enter my room anytime you like. That should be easy enough for you, since you're an old pro at doing that sort of thing.”

He took a step forward, again pinning her against the door. The look he gave her was serious. “But make no mistake about it, Corinthians, when you walk through that connecting door, it won't be for Dex. I refuse to be a substitute for any man. When I have you in my arms and make love to you, it will be my name you'll moan from your lips. No one else's.”

Corinthians's anger reached full height and she saw red with a vengeance. Without saying a word she turned, opened her door and closed it behind her, slamming it shut in Trevor Grant's face.

Chapter 5

Corinthians couldn't stop pacing the floor in her hotel room. Trevor Grant had her boiling. It only took a few moments to realize her reaction was just what he'd probably hoped for. The man enjoyed rattling her, and again he had succeeded.

And to think she had actually let him kiss her. She had let him put his hands on her and touch her. “I didn't even like it when he—”

The lie she was about to tell died in her throat. Although it galled her to admit it, the truth of the matter was that she had enjoyed kissing him. She ground her teeth, annoyed with herself.

Trevor Grant had been a thorn in her side since the time they had met. She wasn't supposed to enjoy doing anything with him, least of all kissing him. And she definitely wasn't supposed to have enjoyed his company in São Paulo. She had unintentionally let her guard down and look where it had gotten her.

She began pacing again. The nerve of him saying the two of them would be sleeping together like it was a foregone conclusion! The same cockiness that had convinced him he was one of the few good men the Marines had been looking for had evidently warped his brain. He would be the last man she slept with. The very idea made her…ache with desire and tremble with need. And to make matters worse, he thought she was still carrying a torch for Dex, which was hilarious.

With a hopeless groan, Corinthians dropped down on the love seat and covered her eyes with her arms. Little did he know, it wasn't thoughts of Dex that were confusing her emotions to the point of not making sense. It wasn't thoughts of Dex that filled her with sexual tension whenever Trevor was near. It wasn't thoughts of Dex that stirred a desire in her so strong that she felt the need to protect herself by keeping a constant feud going between them. And it certainly hadn't been thoughts of Dex that had made her behave the way she had less than an hour ago outside her hotel room door.

People who knew her would never have believed she'd acted that way. The Corinthians Avery they knew was temperate, rational, calm, polished and proper. But around Trevor, she was temperamental, explosive, irrational, volatile and passionate.

Passionate.

Corinthians felt her cheeks go warm at the thought. She took a deep, calming breath and tried to think through the situation in a logical way. But she couldn't. All she wanted to think about was Trevor in an illogical way. The taste of him, hot and spicy, was still on her tongue. The feel of his hands was still stamped on her body. And his scent, a male cologne that smelled husky and robust, still had parts of her body heated.

She momentarily closed her eyes remembering how easily her mouth had molded to his, how snugly her body had fit against his and…

Corinthians stiffened when she heard the sound of the shower going next door in Trevor's room. She nearly moaned at the thought that the walls were paper-thin, and there was a possibility he'd heard her pacing earlier. She felt flustered. How could one man make her come so unglued? How could one man make her so vividly aware of him?

She laid her head back against the seat, remembering the last time they'd had connecting rooms. It would be a night she would never forget because seeing him always made her remember. And to think she had actually passed out at his feet.

Her mind flashed back to that night…

“What happened?”

“You fainted.”

Corinthians looked up at the man towering over her. He was still dressed in that darn towel. It took only a few seconds to realize she'd been placed on his bed. She made a move to get up.

“Lie still.”

Ignoring his command, she sat up. This evening had become a nightmare, and it would be even more of one if what this man had told her about Dex was true. She suddenly noticed she wasn't wearing her robe and quickly jumped under the covers. “Where's my robe? Why did you take it off?”

“It's over there,” he said, indicating the back of the chair. “I removed it after picking you up off the floor. I was concerned and thought that perhaps you had some sort of identification in your pockets. Instead, all I found were these.”

Corinthians tinted when he held up the pack of condoms. She wished there was a way for her to crawl out of the bed and under it. This was getting more embarrassing by the minute. “Please hand me my robe. I want to leave.”

“Lady, you're not going anywhere until I get some answers. Now who are you and what are you doing in my room?”

Corinthians closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She reopened them. “I've told you. I thought this was Dex's room. I'd planned to spend an evening with him.”

“Sounds kind of cozy for you and a married man.”

Her eyes flashed fire. “I didn't know he was married. I talked to Dex a few days ago, and he didn't mention a thing about being married and having a child.”

“And the two of you made plans to spend an evening together?” Trevor asked with disbelief in his voice.

“No. Dex didn't know anything about this evening. It was going to be a surprise.”

“Aha! Clayton Madaris did put you up to this.”

Corinthians became so mad she forgot just how skimpy her outfit was and angrily got out of bed. The next thing she knew, she was facing him, fuming. Her scantily clad body nearly touched his. All she could think about was the outrage she felt. This man was deliberately making things difficult for her. He had to be the most despicable man she'd ever met.