Page 23 of Brazilian Surrender
“Long enough,” Jaeger said. “I’m Jaeger Bauer. Pleasure.”
“I hope that’s the case,” Leonardo said, handing him the glass.
Jaeger lifted his glass on a semitoast before bringing it to his mouth and savoring the amber contents. The other two brothers hadn’t been welcoming, but this one studied him cautiously. His eyes narrowed, his expression growing serious and not relaxed even after Leonardo chugged down some liquor.
Jaeger tried to smile, feeling stupid. Wasn’t he too old to be vetted by a girlfriend’s sibling? Especially because she wasn’t his girlfriend…though Leonardo didn’t know that. Jaeger took another sip of the scotch. If alcohol couldn’t save him from his actions, nothing else could.
“So what do you do, Jaeger?”
“I own a security firm in Manhattan. I hear you’re a human rights lawyer,” he said. The best way to avoid talking about himself would be to keep the focus on the other guy. A spark in Leonardo’s hazel eyes warned him that her brother knew exactly what Jaeger was doing.
“Yeah. I know both sides of the law: the good guys and the bad guys. I might wear a suit in court, but if you hurt my little sister, you’re done,” Leonardo said in a commanding tone that perhaps could scare someone else. But not Jaeger.
Jaeger sucked in a breath. If he wanted a pissing contest with Leonardo or any of the other brothers, he could tell them he used to be one of the good guys who could also be bad. But such behavior would only bring more attention to his profession and his true link to their sister. “Message received. I’d never hurt your sister.” Not intentionally, he added inwardly.
At last, Leonardo and stretched out his hand. “Good.”
Jaeger took his hand in his in a firm shake. Leonardo’s shoulders relaxed a notch, and he talked about his work and mentioned something about his wife, Satyanna, and how they lived in Rio but visited the States often. At least that was what Jaeger gathered. The words registered, some of them, but in his mind his thoughts were drawn to Camila and the kiss they shared in the pool house thirty minutes prior.
More than a kiss. He’d fought the urge to kiss her, to touch her, with every fiber in his being, but for once his self-control burned out, and he listened to the desire snaking in his body with the power of a freaking python.
Camila had been so responsive, so hot, so sinfully aroused. He had to leave the pool house after she got off and walk for a while. A breather should have helped him discern things, but every time her sexy moans rang in his ears his body tensed. He wanted to fuck her, to drill into her until he had enough. Until he was free again of that raging urge.
“There she is,” Leonardo said, pulling him from his R-rated reverie.
Jaeger blinked and looked at Camila who joined them with a mysterious smile. She gave her brother a hug and kisses on both cheeks.
“Did you miss me already, honey?” She nudged his elbow, the touch sending electrifying threads up his arm.
He winked at her, knowing that if he gave her the usual cold shoulder treatment her brother would pick up the tense energy. They were, after all, pretending to date, and he’d better make sure he damn well acted like it. “You make it impossible for me not to miss you.”
She kissed his cheek. “That’s what I like to hear.” He was still dealing with his body’s response to her scent when she turned to her brother and said, “Will you guys stay long this time? After the wedding?”
“We’ll go to the city for a couple of days before heading back to Rio. Maybe we can meet for lunch or dinner.”
“My internship schedule has been crazy, but we’ll have to make room for it. Won’t we, babe?” She smiled at him.
Jaeger nodded. “Of course.” The next three days would be long. He enjoyed being around her Camila. So much so, he had to remind himself some of it should just be pretending.
“You didn’t think you could escape, did you?” Jaeger said when he caught up to her at the beach. For the past two hours they had barely exchanged more than a few words; her family members surrounded her, and Jaeger played along.
A side of him found the attention she received from her people delightful. Once this mess was solved, and he was out of her life, she’d be okay. She had a reliable support system to count on.
A few stars sprinkled the cloudless dark sky. A light breeze played with the tips of her hair. She wiped it from her face and glanced at him.
“I needed a breather. I love my family, but it’s hard with all that’s going on to keep up the pretense that everything’s okay.”
He clenched his shoes. “You can tell them if you want. I wouldn’t recommend it though; it would make the case messier.” She had a large family if he counted the brothers and sisters-in-laws, and if they wanted to help her, they’d end up talking to the wrong person and making the case public, which she didn’t want. Neither did he. “But if that’s eating you up inside,” he said, the words surprising himself as they parted with his mouth, “you can tell them about the letters.”
She smiled at him, and his heart did a stupid flip. He dropped his shoes on the sand and jammed his hands in his pockets. “You know what has been eating me up.” A lovely shade of pink spread across her cheeks.
He drew in a breath. At some point, they had to talk about what happened in the pool house. “I’m not sorry for what happened, but continuing would be a mistake. I just promised your brother I wouldn’t hurt you.”
She shook her head, hands perched at her waist. “Not fair. My brother meets you for five minutes and you pledge alliance. I’ve been trying to get your attention for days.”
“Why would you want it? You’re a vibrant, gorgeous woman who can have anyone you’d like.”
“I want you. I’m not saying it’s the wisest decision I’ve ever made, but I can’t help it. So if you don’t want to be with me because I’m your client, that’s one thing. I’m over it. I must spark something in you. But if you’re scared—”
