Corazon: Jungle Heat, #3

Corazon

Book Three in the Jungle Heat Series

Suzanne Rock

Copyright

Corazon

Copyright © October 2015 by Suzanne Rock

All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Suzanne Rock’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Chapter One

Four weeks. Marissa Sotello had been working at this dirty little biker bar for four weeks, and she was still no closer to finding the answers she needed.

Perhaps it was time to give up. She was so damn tired of cleaning counters and mixing drinks for testosterone-filled men with no manners. She didn’t know how much longer she could put up with smelling like a brewery—or keep up the shy, introverted personality for the eagle-eyed owner, Navarro Estrella. It was only a matter of time before her more aggressive personality spilled out. If that ever happened, then her true identity would be revealed, and she’d be in a heap of trouble.

I hope that everything meets your expectations. Marissa resisted the urge to toss her rag at the tall, sexy man in the shadows. Navarro had been studying her all evening, and it was putting her nerves on edge. Not only did every glance feel like an intimate caress, but his voice turned her limbs to water. Around him, Marissa lost her head and let her cover slip. After their flirting last night, only a fool would consider her weak and mild mannered, but so far he hadn’t said anything. Despite this, she couldn’t help but feel as if he was trying to figure her out, which meant she was running out of time.

She had to remain focused. No more ogling her boss. No more flirting with him, and absolutely no more fantasizing about those strong arms wrapping her in an embrace. Navarro had this bad-boy look that could melt the panties right off a girl if she wasn’t paying attention. Many nights she had dreamt of licking the swirling tattoos on his skin and running her fingers through his long, blond locks. It had been so long since she had been with a man. The thought of welcoming the chiseled bar owner between her legs made her weak with need.

I have to admit you surprise me tonight. Navarro pushed his two-hundred pound muscular frame off the wall and approached her. The Rivera party sends their compliments.

She shrugged and forced her gaze to the ground. It was nothing.

It was a twenty-person party, and you single-handedly kept all of their glasses full. He dragged his gaze down her body. And the men entertained.

She tossed her head, flipping her hair over her shoulder. I didn’t do anything, if that is what you’re implying.

He leaned his hip against the bar, crossed his arms, and studied her face for a moment before he spoke. I’m only implying that your bartending skills are much better than your waitressing abilities. He ran his finger over the countertop, collecting the dust that had settled there. And your cleaning abilities. He held up his hand and showed her the dirt.

Shit. Marissa fisted her rag tighter as he closed the distance between them. Navarro wore the same blue jeans and gray T-shirt as the rest of the staff, but he filled out the casual clothing in a way the others didn’t. His wavy hair framed his face in thick layers, and his emerald eyes seemed to pierce her skin and touch her soul. He had just come back from his nightly outing, a business meeting he attended every night around midnight. He never told anyone where he went, or why, but always managed to return just as Marissa was ready to close up for the night.

He stepped up behind her, and Marissa caught his unique scent of leather, motorcycle oil, and leaves. It was a strange combination, especially in downtown Rio where the bar was located. God, she loved that scent. It hinted at something wild and adventurous. Despite her father’s tight control over her life, she loved to be adventurous as well.

More than anything, Marissa wanted to know where he went to on his nightly excursions, but she knew it was pointless to ask. Navarro was more secretive than her father, and that was saying something.

Stop thinking of your boss like a sex object. She frowned as she scrubbed the spot he had indicated on the bar.

No, not like that. Like this. Navarro shifted behind her and pressed his warm chest up against her back. Wrapping his arm around her body, he placed his hand over hers and moved the rag in a slow, circular motion.

"You are too quick, gostosa. His warm breath whispered against her neck as he spoke. You must have patience."

Marissa felt something stir in her lower abdomen. She turned her head and looked into his emerald eyes. Patience?

Yes. By making slow, deliberate strokes, you stay in control and ensure everything is done just right. Watch.

Marissa forced herself to focus on their joined hands as he moved them in a circular motion around the surface of the bar. The harder she tried to concentrate on the task at hand, the more her body rebelled. She just couldn’t ignore Navarro’s strong, masculine presence, or the obvious innuendos that filled their conversation.

When she first applied for a job at Estrella’s, she had no idea that working with Navarro would be so difficult. The man radiated testosterone and sex, and the tension between them was strong enough for many of the other staff members at Estrella’s to notice. Her goal with this job was to find the evidence she needed to save her family, not become the center of several biker gangs’ gossip.

Navarro cleared his throat and stepped back. I’m not sure how you cleaned up at your other jobs, but that’s how we do it here. His voice sounded cold and distant, like a marine giving orders. He straightened and reached for his leather jacket on a nearby chair, which brought attention to the tribal tattoos peeking out from under his shirt sleeves.

I see. Marissa tossed the rag in the bin behind her as she tried to clear the erotic haze in her head. Thank you.

See that you do it next time.

Yes, sir. Marissa flexed her fingers and focused on the vintage motorcycle décor and photographs on the walls. She needed to get a grip. Punching that smug expression off of her boss’s face would feel good initially, but it would also unravel all of the work she had put into this assignment over the past few weeks.

She was here to get proof of Navarro’s illegal activities, nothing more, she reminded herself. Once she had her proof, she could put Navarro and his friends behind bars and save her family from self-destructing.

When her father had won the government bid to clear the rainforest in the western half of the country and prepare it for office buildings, he had been so excited. The job was easy money, and the connections they would make in the Brazilian government would help Sotello Construction out of its massive debt.

In the beginning, things had gone smoothly. The initial payment ensured everyone at the company could feed their families, and her father seemed to have gotten his depression under control. Plans were made and the crew assembled. Then things started going downhill. Soon after they arrived on the construction site, a vigilante group had gotten involved. Organized protests kept crew members from their equipment, and lively tree-hugger demonstrations had many workers fearing for their lives. Then one morning, about a week after the scheduled start date, two workers managed to break through the protestors and reach their equipment. After performing the safety checks and starting the engines, the large cranes exploded, killing the innocent crew members. The bad publicity and fatalities caused all work to cease and other companies to back out of their deals with Sotello Construction. Her father’s depression had returned in spades, enough so that Marissa had to take over much of the day-to-day operation.

Fearful for the safety of their employees, Marissa had suspended work at the rainforest until the vigilante group could be brought to justice. Every day Sotello Construction wasn’t tearing down trees, her family was losing money. If the construction company went bankrupt, then her family legacy would be worth nothing. More importantly, her family would have no source of income. They would all be destitute.

When the local authorities hit a dead end in their investigation, she started her own. After hiring a private investigator, she learned that the vigilante group targeting Sotello Construction met weekly at this bar. After adding extensions to her hair and getting colored contact lenses, she applied for a job. Getting the waitressing position wasn’t difficult. Navarro was a lot like her father. She knew all of the right things to say to stroke the egotistical bar owner’s ego, and the sexual chemistry between them helped, too. Now all she needed to do was prove that Navarro and his friends were behind the killings. Once they were brought to justice, her family legacy would be saved.

Then perhaps her father would snap out of his depression and become the great leader he was meant to be.

Don’t forget to take out the trash before you leave, Navarro said as he slipped on his jacket. And be here by ten tomorrow morning. We need to unload the inventory from the distributor before the customers arrive.

Marissa fisted her hands and tried to get her irrational anger under control. She was much more used to giving orders, not taking them. Even as a small child, she had been argumentative and defiant when it came to following her parents’ requests.

I’ll be there, she said through clenched teeth.

He grunted and went into the back, dismissing her. As she grabbed her jacket, a photograph on the wall caught her eye. Navarro was in it, standing next to someone she had never seen before. It was taken during a rare moment when the bar owner had an easy smile and relaxed stance. His long, blond hair hung freely around his shoulders and his shirt was off, revealing the intricate pattern of tattoos along his chest and abs. They were all symbols of some sort, done in heavy black and blue ink with a controlled hand. His friend also had tattoos, although his body art wasn’t quite as detailed as Navarro’s.

One tat on their abdomen looked strangely familiar, but for the life of her, Marissa couldn’t remember where she had seen it before.

"Are you all right, gostosa?" Navarro called out from somewhere behind her.

Marissa nodded and focused on the picture before her. There was something about that symbol tattooed on his washboard abs… Damn, why couldn’t she remember?

Marissa?

Footsteps echoed behind her, announcing his presence. Marissa jerked away from the picture and found him standing a short distance away, studying her.

Did your trip go as planned tonight? she asked in an effort to draw attention away from how she was studying the picture.

More or less. He glanced at the picture and frowned.

You know, I could help with those nightly excursions. Marissa took a step back, forcing herself to turn away from the wall. I know how much you enjoy talking with the customers, and—

No. The finality in his voice left no room for discussion.

Marissa bit back a growl of disgust. The man was positively frustrating. Handsome as sin, but frustrating.

Grinding her teeth, she moved to the trash to tie up the bag and tried to think of a way to get the information she needed from the secretive bar owner.

Navarro cleared his throat. Tell me, how did someone so young get to know so much about mixing drinks?

She glanced up from her work and