Fire and Desire (Arabesque) Read Free Page A

contoured movement of his mouth. Its motion was slow, provocative and alluring. She could just imagine his mouth working those same slow, steady and measured movements on hers, smothering her lips with demanding intensity. She tinted a darker shade, mortified because she’d had such thoughts.
    “Want some?”
    The sound of Trevor’s voice, deep and husky, startled Corinthians. She tinted at having been caught staring. She ran her tongue over her lips to moisten them before asking. “Want some what?”
    Trevor leaned over toward her and whispered, “Some of my food, what else?”
    Corinthians took a deep breath. He was back to being arrogant again. She frowned at him. “No, I don’t want any of your food. Mine suits me just fine,” she snapped irritably, annoyed for letting him have such an effect on her. She had to get away from him to retain her sanity.
    “I hope you enjoy the rest of your meal,” she said brusquely, motioning to the waitress to bring her check.
    “Where are you going?” Trevor asked, looking at her curiously.
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m going to my room. I plan on doing some sightseeing in São Paulo all day tomorrow and want to get a good night’s sleep.”
    “Can I tag along tomorrow?”
    Corinthians was startled. “I prefer that you didn’t.”
    Trevor didn’t look up as he poured more sauce on his meat. “Why not? Like you said earlier, we’re two professional adults.” He lifted his gaze to hers and grinned. “Surely we can put our dislike for each other aside for at least one day.”
    “I don’t think us spending time together is a good idea.”
    “Why do you feel that way?”
    “Because I do.”
    Trevor pushed his plate aside. “Then let’s discuss why you feel that way and really get to the crux of the problem. Don’t you think two years is a long time for you to carry a chip on your shoulder?”
    “I’m not carrying a chip on my shoulder. And I prefer not talking about that night. I don’t even like thinking about it.”
    “Then don’t.”
    “That’s easy for you to say.”
    “Not talking about it won’t make it go away. That night happened, Corinthians. Get over it. However, I think it will make you feel better if we got it out in the open and discussed it.”
    Corinthians doubted that. Her embarrassment and humiliation that night were too great. There was no way she could discuss how she felt, especially with Trevor of all people. He had seen her in a way no other man ever had. “What’s there to say?”
    “Whatever you want.” A part of Trevor hoped she would say her feelings for Dex were a thing of the past and that she had accepted his marriage. He hoped she wasn’t like the woman who had become obsessed with his father and had destroyed his parents’ marriage. The thought that she could very well be that sort of woman—scheming, conniving and manipulating—angered him.
    “Get over Dex, Corinthians. He’s a married man who loves his wife very much. You don’t stand a chance.”
    Corinthians’s angered flared. Why was he telling her that? She knew Dex loved Caitlin. Anyone with eyes could see that. At the time that she had decided to make her move on Dex, she had not seen him in more than four years and had not known his marital state. When she had first gotten hired at Remington Oil right out of college at Grambling, Dex had been her trainer. They had worked together for a couple of years before he was sent to work in Australia. Although she had wanted him to notice her, he had only treated her fondly, like a sister. After the fiasco that night two years ago with Trevor in the hotel room, she had reevaluated her feelings for Dex. She had come to the conclusion that whatever feelings she’d thought she’d had for Dex hadn’t been love, but an oversized amount of infatuation she’d harbored for him over the years. Even Dex’s wife, Caitlin, knew she once thought herself in love with Dex. After meeting Caitlin and seeing