The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride by Rachel Lyndhurst Page B

between sham husband and sham wife. No strings.” He shrugged as if it was unimportant to him. “We’re attracted to each other and both grown ups, not star-crossed teenagers who’ll fall madly in love or anything.”
    Her eyes sparkled like the tiny dark waves lapping at the sea wall. “Or bunny boilers.”
    He laughed softly and poked the top of her arm playfully. “It’s a serious proposition. Three months fulfilling your wildest fantasies. With me.”
    “You’re mad.”
    “You’re considering it, I can tell.”
    “I’m not!”
    “Ah! Perfect timing.” He pointed towards the harbor mouth as a pyramid of lights came into view. His yacht was floating in like a ghostly galleon. “I’ll tell the captain to turn straight round and take us to Menorca.”
    “Poor crew! Can’t they even stop off for a beer or something?”
    “They won’t mind. I pay them a ridiculous amount to stay sober.”
    “But even so…”
    “There are two shifts of men on board, don’t worry. I’m not that bad!”
    .
    Helen was shattered, but try as she might sleep would not come. It wasn’t the low hum of the yacht’s engines keeping her awake. Its soothing purr was barely audible. And the crew were as quiet as mice. In fact, it was so peaceful that she could hear the splash and hiss of waves hitting the bows outside. She should be fast asleep after the hectic day she’d had, but the gentle rise and fall of the yacht, as it made its way across the Mediterranean ocean towards the island of Menorca, was provoking feelings she shouldn’t be having.
    Ricardo had kissed her goodnight before disappearing into his own cabin. It had been a deep kiss as opposed to a polite one, and she was sorry when it ended. A small part of her had hoped he’d sweep her off her feet and drag her into his bed to finish what they’d started on the dark back streets of Ibiza. The swell of the waves made her imagine what it would be like to be underneath him as he moved rhythmically over and into her under the cover of night, and it was driving her insane.She rolled over and buried her face in a pillow to stifle the groan of frustration that she could no longer suppress. She wanted him. He wanted her. All the cards were face up on the table. His three-month proposition. Lying there with her breasts crushed into the mattress she knew it was her turn to make a move. He wasn’t going to come and fetch her, he’d said as much as he’d left her to go to bed alone. It was her choice and his adjoining cabin door would be unlocked …
    Damn it.
    Helen turned the doorknob as quietly as she could, acknowledging inwardly that it was a pointless thing to do. She wasn’t intending for Ricardo to ignore her. Her intention was so shocking she smothered the thought and all reason with it as she pushed the door to his suite open.
    Her skin tingled beneath the whisper of her silk robe, and she could feel her nipples tighten the second she stepped into his bedroom. It was dark and silent, but as her eyes adjusted to the light it became clear that his enormous bed was empty—it hadn’t even been slept in judging by the smooth order of the bed linen. Her breath stalled as she saw him silhouetted against the night sky, framed by the open glass doors that led onto the terrace, his private part of the deck that wasn’t overlooked by anyone.
    He was leaning to one side with his back to her, his broad shoulder against one side of the doorframe, his upper body a perfectly honed triangle of muscle and bone. She took one step forward, but as her bare foot sank into the luxurious carpet his voice made her stop dead. “You came.”
    Her tone was deceptively calm. “Yes.” She could now see that he was naked, and her hand shook as she untied the belt of her robe. The fine material slithered to the floor as she walked towards him. “Would you like me to leave?”
    He turned to face her in the shadows, moonlight glimmering on the smooth angles of his shoulders. “What do you