Renegade Millionaire by Kristi Gold

losing herself. But no matter how hard she tried to fight it, prolong its arrival, the climax came with the force of a tempest, sucking her breath from her lungs, her thoughts from her brain. Her pulsethrobbed in her ears, her body trembled. She felt weak, boneless, satisfied.
    Rio held her through the aftermath for a time, still toying with the curls with gentle fingers. She wanted to tell him to touch her again, and again. She wanted to take him inside her, all of him, to know what it felt like to be totally consumed by a man who held such sensual power over her.
    â€œAre you okay?” he whispered.
    Was she okay? She was more than okay. More than ready to continue. She could only nod, her cheek rubbing against the warm damp skin at his neck.
    â€œGood. Maybe now you’ll sleep.”
    With that, he tipped her face up, brushed a kiss over her lips then worked his way from behind her. “Stay as long as you’d like.”
    When he left the tub, Joanna could only stare at him, stare at his sculpted buttocks, his damp hair resting on his shoulders, his strong spine glistening with moisture. And when he turned, the evidence that he was still aroused definitely caught her attention before he slipped on his jeans without bothering to dry off.
    Joanna felt self-conscious, alone and naked, cold and confused. She crossed one arm over her breasts and searched beneath the water’s surface for her suit. Not finding it, she hoisted herself out of the tub and grabbed for the towel to secure it around her.
    â€œWhere are you going?” she asked through chattering teeth as she sat on the bench near the tub, unable to stand any longer.
    â€œTo bed.”
    â€œBut…I…you…” She sounded like a stammering idiot, a desperate woman.
    â€œI what?”
    â€œI thought maybe we might finish this.”
    He slipped his shirt over his head. “Not tonight, Joanna. This was for you.” He knelt and fished her suit from the water, squeezed it out, then tossed it at her. It hit the wooden deck at her feet with a soggy thump.
    She snatched up the suit and stood, fighting to control her anger. “Oh, so you were doing me a favor, were you? Poor desperate Joanna Blake who hasn’t been with a man in years.”
    He inclined his head. “You haven’t?”
    Nothing like giving herself away. “No, I haven’t, and I don’t need your favors.” She shot a pointed look below his belt. “So is this some kind of test of your strength, or do you plan to take care of that yourself?”
    He ate up the space between them in two long strides, clasped her hand and pressed her palm against his erection. “I plan for you to take care of this but only when you’re ready.”
    He took a step back and Joanna rolled her eyes to the night sky. “We’re back to that again? I did what you wanted. I said your name, several times. What do I have to do next, recite poetry?”
    â€œYou have to learn to trust me. You have to believe that I’m worthy enough to make love to you in every way.”
    â€œAnd I have no say in the matter? We’ll make love when you say the time’s right?”
    â€œWe’ll make love when you come to me without my coercion. And not a minute before.”
    He clicked off the jets and lights in the tub then turned and sprinted down the steps with Gabby following at his heels. The sound of the back door closing jarred Joanna out of her shock. Suddenly she felt to-the-marrow cold, and alone.
    She also felt determined. If Rio Madrid wanted to play games, then bully for him. She didn’t have to play along. If he was waiting for her to come to him, then he definitely had another think coming.
    She didn’t need him, and that’s what she kept telling herself all through the night.
    Â 
    Two long, restless nights, Joanna thought as she readied for her next patient the following Monday afternoon. One equally chaotic day.