One Night with Her Italian Doc

by Karin Baine

  ‘You know, we’d be more comfortable in the bed I hired for the day.’

  ‘Uh-huh? Whose benefit would that be for, mine or yours?’ She flicked her foot and splashed water over him to cool his ardour.

  ‘There’s no reason why it couldn’t be mutually beneficial.’ He leaned over and kissed her. It was a long, languid affair that liquefied her bones and organs alike, leaving her a puddle of hormones at his touch.

  Eyes closed and revelling in the taste of him, she felt his arm slipping under her knees and a floating sensation as he scooped her up and carried her over to the bed.

  ‘We can’t... Not here.’ She was breathless from the romance of the setting but she hadn’t completely lost her mind.

  ‘No one can see us, Sophie. I want to make love to you.’ There was nothing she wanted more, her body throbbing with need for him. It was just the matter of her unwillingness to become an exhibitionist that prevented her from fully giving in to temptation.

  He dotted kisses around her neck as he joined her on the soft bed, doing nothing to help her resist. When he slid the straps of her sundress down and exposed more of her skin to his attentions she knew the last vestiges of her willpower would disappear with the rest of her clothes.

  ‘Luciano...’ She had to swallow her breathy plea, her mouth as dry as the rest of her was wet.

  ‘Okay. I don’t want you to feel inhibited in any way.’ Luciano moved away, taking his silky mouth and strong hands with him. For one horrible second Sophie thought he was calling it a day, his spontaneously sexy adventure brought to an abrupt end because she couldn’t fully relax.

  Instead, he discreetly pulled the drapes closed, leaving them totally obscured from outside view. Apart from the sound of the waves lapping against the pontoon, it was easy to believe they were ensconced in a completely private, luxurious hotel room.

  ‘Happy now?’ he asked as he undid his shirt.

  Sophie sat up for a better view. ‘I will be after the strip show.’

  Luciano complied with a sexy smirk and a wiggle of his hips as he unbuttoned his shirt. He gave her a quick flash of his gorgeous chest before covering up again.

  ‘Boo. Get ’em off!’ she heckled until her sexy stripper had divested himself of his shirt and tossed it at her, quickly followed by his trousers.

  It was so much fun being with him. When he wasn’t weighed down with grief and guilt, he was the sort of man she could picture herself being with. There would never be a dull moment when he was constantly surprising her and trying to make her happy. She was a lucky woman and she wished she could hold onto this feeling, this man, for ever.

  The thought struck her hard as he bounded onto the bed with that glint in his eye that made her shriek with sheer delight. He would never expect her to change who she was to suit his expectations. He’d known who she was from the first time she’d challenged him in that treatment room. They’d shared their fears and had entered into this fling knowing what scars they both bore from the past.

  For now, she had nothing to lose by indulging in this holiday fantasy and everything to gain in confidence and gorgeous memories. Luciano was providing her with a particularly yummy one now, stripping away her clothes to cover her naked body with his. What could be more exciting than making love outdoors and feeling as though they were the only two people in the world?

  ‘Don’t hold back,’ she gasped, desperate for his body to join hers and make some more of those memorable moments he’d been so generous with so far.

  ‘Are you sure?’ His voice was strained with the restraint he was unnecessarily clinging to on her behalf.

  ‘Love me, Luciano.’ She hadn’t meant to say those words but it was what she was thinking. For one afternoon she wanted to believe she was the most important person in his world because he was the most important person in hers.

  She opened to him, body and soul, and Luciano took possession of everything she offered with a powerful thrust. With him inside her she was complete, whole again, and back to the woman she had been before domesticity and a cheating ex had snuffed out her spark. Luciano had brought her back to herself.

  They rocked together, their bodies wrapped tightly around one another, the sheen of sweat glistening on their naked skin. When she reached that peak of total ecstasy she forgot where they were, letting anyone nearby know how much her lover was satisfying her. Luciano echoed her cries soon after.

  They collapsed giggling together at their outdoor exploits. Sophie didn’t know how she was going to show her face back in the hotel. If the residents and staff hadn’t heard exactly what they’d been up to she was sure the great big smile on her face would tell them.

  * * *

  Luciano couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so happy and content. They were hidden away from the rest of the world and experiencing that post-sex euphoria that made everything seem possible. He knew this wasn’t real, yet he wanted it all. He wanted Sophie, the walks along the beach, the talking and laughing and making love to last for ever.

  He’d never thought he’d feel this way again about anyone but he wanted to be with her all the time. Not in an unhealthy, stifling, toxic relationship but in that loving, couldn’t-imagine-being-without-her way. They’d gone into this thinking it couldn’t be any more than a fling and they’d go their separate ways when Sophie left to return home. However, with all the signs indicating they were both getting over their past traumas and finding something in each other that made them want to move on, he was reluctant to accept this could be over.

  They hadn’t discussed anything beyond her trip and he didn’t know if being together was even feasible but he knew he wanted to try. He wanted to find a way to keep her in his life. If she didn’t yet feel the same way about him then he needed to give her a reason to stay until she did.

  CHAPTER TEN

  PALMA, ON THE island of Mallorca, was their last port of call before Barcelona, where Sophie would be disembarking for the final time before flying back to England. What made the occasion sadder was that she couldn’t spend her last day with Luciano because he was working.

  Her trip was no longer about exploring new places, as lovely as they were, but about spending time with him. It was him that was bringing out the old Sophie, not the surroundings. When she was with him there was excitement, adventure and all those other things she’d been craving.

  Perhaps she could be really impulsive and join him on the ship. After all, she’d already been approved as part of the crew. That way she wouldn’t be making a long-term commitment simply to him. It would give them a chance to be together whilst continuing to have some fun and adventure with the pressure off their relationship. The only problem was that she’d have to return home to sort things out. But it would be worth it to extend this adventure.

  The idea was impetuous and risky...and it was very Sophie, the old Sophie before she’d compromised herself in the name of love.

  She put the idea on the back burner while she did some sightseeing. There were some beautiful cathedrals but it didn’t seem right to visit them without Luciano. Instead, she did the typical tourist thing and went shopping. The narrow streets housed dozens of traditional Spanish shops perfect for browsing and marvelling at the local handicrafts. There was also a range of designer retailers occupying some of the most architecturally stunning premises. She only dared window shop in those.

  When she’d finished exploring the town, she made her way back towards the marina. She needed coffee to fuel her for the rest of the day and the best place to do that was somewhere with a good view. Carefully choosing a spot that was good for people-watching as well as appreciating the beauty of the city, she took a seat outside and ordered from the nearest waitress.

  ‘Café con leche, por favor.’ It wasn’t much but it was an attempt to ingratiate herself with the locals. Her efforts didn’t go unrewarded as her coffee arrived with a complimenta
ry pastry covered with powdered sugar.

  ‘Muchas gracias.’

  ‘Is this seat taken?’

  She had to tilt her head back to see the face of the man wanting to share her personal space, although her pitter-pattering heart told her exactly who it was attempting to chat her up.

  ‘It is now.’ She patted the seat next to her.

  Luciano kissed her on the cheek before sitting down. ‘I see you’re treating yourself. Sorry I wasn’t here to do it for you.’

  ‘I think you more than made up for that last night.’ She lowered her sunglasses to give him what she hoped was a sultry look. At the mere mention of their night-time shenanigans, arousal was hitting all the same spots Luciano had helped her rediscover. With any luck they’d get a chance to do it all over again tonight.

  Her seduction attempt was interrupted by their returning waitress and she was forced to change the subject. ‘What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were supposed to be working. It’s not a complaint, trust me. It’s made my day, seeing you here.’

  ‘You certainly know how to stroke a man’s ego. I’m actually on an extended lunch break. I came down hoping to see you.’

  ‘Oh, yeah? I was thinking about you too.’ She was strangely touched by the fact that she’d been on his mind. If she was prepared to make some big life changes to join him on his travels, it was reassuring to know she’d be welcome. In his bed, or her bed, she wasn’t fussy.

  She bounced on the well-upholstered sofa as if to test its durability. ‘If you can’t wait until tonight, I think this should hold up to the job. But only if you don’t mind having an audience.’

  It was a ludicrous proposition, with the amount of tourists milling about, but she wanted to keep things light. She didn’t want him to think any future plans were based entirely around him. Change had been needed for a long time and her time away had provided the catalyst. There was no way she was giving everything up just for a man again, even if it wouldn’t be as much of a sacrifice second time around.

  Her antics had the desired effect as the usually smooth Luciano almost snorted coffee up his nose with surprise. He wiped away the drops that had spilled down his shirt with a smirk. ‘That’s...er...a tempting offer but I’d prefer a little more privacy, thanks. We’re in no rush, are we? We’ve got all night.’

  The prospect of that was making her thirstier by the second.

  ‘I’ve actually been thinking about making it more than just tonight.’ She drank her coffee, hoping the caffeine in her system would give her the extra boost she needed to have this conversation.

  Luciano’s eyes were as wide as saucers and for a moment she thought she’d misread their set-up. It was casual, a fling, but suggesting they extend it beyond this holiday wasn’t what they’d agreed.

  ‘I mean, only if you wanted to.’

  He grabbed her hand. ‘Yes. Sorry. That’s sort of what I wanted to talk about. Why I wanted to see you. This doesn’t have to be over. I realised we...er...haven’t been using any protection. I know it might be too late to ask now but I wondered if you were on any contraceptive?’

  Sophie shook her head. Yes, they’d been stupid not to consider the consequences of what they’d been doing. Caught up in the romance and passion, she’d forgotten the reality and possible repercussions of their carelessness. Neither of them was naive and they should’ve known better, taken precautions. It had been so long since either of them had had casual sex they’d simply got carried away. Unfortunately, hindsight or making excuses wasn’t going to change what they’d done. They’d had fun pretending they were invincible but playing with fire could lead to her getting burned. That was the one thing she was trying to avoid.

  ‘You could take the morning-after pill but I wanted you to know that if it came to it, I wouldn’t mind at all.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  This wasn’t the conversation she’d expected to have. Some flirting, maybe a nod towards their future together but nothing serious. How could she have been so stupid? A pregnancy now would ruin any future plans she had for travelling, snuffing out that last hope she had of ever breaking free from the prison Ryan had created for her.

  ‘I’d like to be a father someday so if you were pregnant I wanted you to know I’d stand by you. It might not be the most conventional start to a relationship but this could be my second chance at a family. A reason for us to stay together.’ Luciano was sitting on the edge of the seat as though the prospect of an unplanned pregnancy was something to celebrate.

  ‘Luciano, it’s very early days for us to be thinking about that sort of thing. I can’t hang about here waiting to find out if I’m pregnant just to ease your conscience. You might want to have a family, but that’s not reason enough for me to stay. Besides, I’ve told you, I want to do some travelling.’

  Fear was bubbling up inside her with every hopeful word he uttered. He wanted her to be pregnant so he could be a father, with no consideration of how she’d feel about it. There was no mention of him wanting to be with her because it felt right. Because he loved her. It was the sign of another self-centred man who’d never put her first.

  ‘Only yesterday I was thinking to myself that I’d like to go home and see my family. You could come too. I could set up my own practice out there. You wouldn’t have to do anything but rest up and keep our baby safe.’

  His excitement would be laughable if it wasn’t for the fact that he was mapping out her future for her and taking it to an even more serious level than she could ever have predicted. They’d had a couple of nights together and he was already picking out baby names. Worse than that, he had her bubble-wrapped and securely locked up so nothing happened to their imaginary baby. It was a far cry from the exotic cruise doctor exploring the world who represented no threat to her freedom and far too close to a jailer for her to be comfortable.

  Alarm bells were ringing so loudly in her ears they were giving her a headache. This was her worst nightmare come true. She wasn’t going to trade a life of domesticity in England for the same in Italy and end up back where she’d started. Meeting his parents would’ve been a big enough deal for her at present and not in keeping with her idea of adventure, never mind actually setting up home together as well.

  She withdrew her hand and sat back, creating some distance and perspective. ‘Luciano, I’m sure there are a lot of women who’d love that idea but I haven’t planned that far ahead. I’m very much in the moment these days.’

  ‘Sì. I know we’ve only just met but that’s exactly why you’re the reason I’m seeing everything so differently now. That’s why I think we should be mad and really go for it.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Her spontaneity had apparently rubbed off on him in the most bizarre fashion.

  ‘Marry me, Sophie.’

  ‘What? No. Stop being ridiculous.’ She was on her feet, her blood turning to ice at the horror that was unfolding. A proposal of marriage after a few days together was the opposite of what she wanted. He clearly didn’t know her at all. But why should he when this wasn’t supposed to have been anything more than a holiday hook-up?

  ‘Hear me out. We’re good together, yes? You want to move somewhere new. You can come to Italy with me and we could start a family. Even if you’re not pregnant now, it’s something we could work on. Losing Renata showed me that life is too short to let the good things slip away. You’re the best thing to happen to me in a long time, Sophie.’

  ‘That’s not a good reason for me to give up my life and all my future plans.’ That fear was closing in around her, suffocating the life out of her the way her last relationship had. Only this time she could end up pregnant and alone in a different country when he decided she wasn’t what he wanted after all.

  ‘You said yourself you wanted more and you’re the only person I know I’d ever consider marrying again.’ She believed he meant what he was s
aying at that moment but that didn’t constitute a good motive for her. He needed a replacement for his wife so he could go back to his old life without too much disruption. That wasn’t going to be her.

  The reason she’d fallen for Luciano was because of the person he was now, here, with the life she was envious of, not one she’d dread.

  ‘I meant as a work colleague, a travelling companion, good company, an excellent lover. Not a husband. Not someone I’m tied to for the rest of my days. I’m sorry, Luciano, we should call this what it is—a holiday romance. That’s it. Tomorrow I’m going home and we’ll leave things as they are now. Goodbye.’

  She was shaking as she walked away, gulping back the sob bubbling up from deep inside. Ending things wasn’t what she wanted but she couldn’t see an alternative. Committing herself for the rest of her life to someone she hardly knew would be a sign of desperation on both their parts, an even bigger trap than buying a house with someone. Especially if she moved what would feel like halfway across the world to somewhere she didn’t even know the language, never mind anybody or anything else.

  ‘Why did you have to ruin things, Luciano?’ she cried out, much to the surprise of the other passengers she passed on her way back to the ship.

  Instead of going home tomorrow excited and full of plans, she would be returning with a heart heavier than ever. She’d fallen for the wrong man again but this time she wasn’t going to wait until everything fell apart around her.

  Somehow the timing didn’t make a difference. Her heart had taken another hammering, irrespective of her new so-called attitude or preventative measures. Love had a whole lot to answer for when it was capable of destroying a person’s world once the rose-tinted glasses came off.

  * * *

  Luciano wanted to run after Sophie but she obviously needed space away from him. He paid the bill and walked back towards the ship a lot less enthused than when he’d left. He’d read the situation completely wrong. Thinking she’d appreciate the spontaneity of his proposal, he’d launched into it without proper consideration, carried away by the notion of starting a family with her back home. He’d thought he’d never want to put himself through the heartache again but beginning to imagine it with Sophie had proved he wanted it as much as ever. The idea of having Sophie in his life, along with the chance to become a father, had felt like hitting the jackpot in the casino.