Now she could almost taste the current of electricity that cackled in the air between them.
“Do you live far from here?” he asked, holding her hand as they sat in her car.
“It’s not far at all. Ten min—” she didn’t get to finish because he leaned over and kissed her passionately and she almost wilted beneath his lips.
“I’ve wanted to do that since you came to pick me up,” he told her as he pulled away.
“I’ve wanted you to do that since I came to pick you up.” She still hungered for his lips, and for privacy, and him.
“Mind if we take a look at your place?”
“Sure, let me show you where I live,” she said, huskily, and drove away. “It’s a small apartment,” she told him.
“Andrea,” he said, stroking her thigh and making it difficult for her to concentrate. “No excuses. I don’t care if you lived in a two foot broom cupboard.”
She laughed. “A two foot cupboard would make things difficult.”
“Difficult?” He asked, she could feel him watching her as she tried to fix her attention on the road ahead.
She could have sworn she heard him whistle and when she felt his fingers creeping higher up her leg, she knew he had whistled. Her short black dress had ridden up to expose the tops of her thigh high stockings that were held in place by metal clasps. She stared down quickly and saw that she also revealed two inches of naked skin. She had wanted to impress him and not leave anything to chance and the way his eyes had swept hungrily over her body when they’d walked into the restaurant told her that her choice of an outfit had provoked the very response she’d sought.
If she’d had any thoughts of taking this slowly, they’d fallen by the wayside long ago, along with her discarded work clothes.
She drove fast, speeding along the familiar streets while arrows of excitement danced along her back. The feather light touch of his fingers along her naked thighs tipped her body dangerously close to the edge and left her body waiting in patient torment, drunk in anticipation of what his next move might be. He slowly moved the hem of her dress up even more, and thoughts as wicked as sin lingered in her mind, strumming her already eager body.
“Your skin is so soft,” he murmured, sliding his hands across her thighs.
Her breath hitched and she had no coherent reply for him. She dared not turn and look at him, knowing that to do so would send her into a tailspin of desire.
It would be better, and safer, to arrive home first.
“We’re nearly there,” she told him. Her voice was raspy as she tried to rein in her thoughts.
“Good,” he replied as his fingers settled along her inner thighs. He teased her mercilessly and she enjoyed the thrill of every second.
She swallowed and let out a moan.
“I’ll stop if you want me to.”
Her silence indicated consent and when her heartbeat drummed louder she knew her body was ripe and ready for him.
It was with relief that she entered the private car parking area for her small apartment block. In the dim light of her stationary car their faces were lit up by the lamppost outside. She turned to him, words failing her as his hand refused to budge from between her legs. She liked the feel of it, the possessiveness it signaled and the promise of more. She already knew there was only one way this night could end.
“I won’t stay for long, if you don’t want me to.” She felt his eyes on her and when she still couldn’t find the words to answer him, he tilted her face gently towards him.
“Why don’t you come in and decide later,” she said.
He kissed her lightly.
She got out and the cool night air smacked her senses with a coldness she was unprepared for. Riley walked over to her and grasped her hand. Silently, she led him into the apartment block and then up two flights of stairs.
“This is it,” she said, opening the door and turning on the light switch. It was only when she turned to look at him that she noticed his once blue eyes were now dark with desire. Their eyes locked for less than two seconds before she closed the door behind her and the weight of his body pinned her up against the wall. His lips locked onto hers and her body turned limp as his mouth and body welcomed her.
She crumbled and fell into him, not caring about the soft moans that willingly fell from her swollen lips. Her fingers dove into his hair, clutching it as she matched the ferocity of his kisses with the desperation that had lain dormant inside her these past few weeks. Her passion re-ignited to a full blown inferno and she didn’t think twice about slowing down or acting with more decorum; she left her restraint at the door.
She wanted all of him and she wanted him now.
She let him take her mouth with abandon, as if the need to claim her consumed him as much as it did her. She didn’t know where her moans ended and where his began, but when they pulled apart for air, he kissed her face, her jaw, her neck and then his lips sunk to her chest. He felt her up all over, hungry hands sliding over her chest and arms. For a long time they kissed, tongues meeting like long lost lovers, learning, discovering, and then riding out the feel and touch of one another, until her body ached for more, and she could feel his need for her acutely. He pulled back, and stared down at her face, his hooded eyes dark. “Do you want this, Andrea?”
She nodded, her lips open and panting, thinking only of what he could give her; of her need that had to be fulfilled. Not waiting for further encouragement, he picked her up in his arms.
“This way,” she said and directed him towards her bedroom where she hit the lights on the way in. He laid her down gently on the bed.
“Protection,” she murmured, coming to her senses.
He let out an angry grunt and shook his head. “I didn’t…”
Her heart dropped with disappointment like a stone in cold water. Could she risk it?
Dare she risk it?
Stupid, to even consider that she was willing to think it. She lay back and watched him as he stood between her legs. Fire scorched her skin and she refused to think the night would end with nothing. Propping herself up on her elbows she watched as he dropped to his knees at the foot of her bed.
When he slid his hands under her thighs, she frowned and tried to clamp her legs together, an impossibility given that his body stood guard in the middle.
“Trust me, Andrea,” he murmured, as he slipped off her shoes, then spread her legs further apart. She knew it wouldn’t be enough, knew she wanted more, knew this would be one-sided. But she also knew she needed him, any part of him, now that her body had been played to a peak. And yet she was anxious. Sensing her hesitation, he lifted himself up, leaned over and gave her another deep, drawn out kiss. His lips sucked all logic and reason out of her brain before he moved down, slowly kissing her body over her dress, all the way to the tops of her thighs. Pausing, he lifted her dress up until it was bunched around her waist. She felt the whoosh of blood as it pooled at the base of her stomach and raced lower. She heard the roar of her heart, felt the gentle pull and heat of her desire, and watched with growing excitement as his fingers freed her stockings from the garter straps. His eyes glistened as he peeled her stockings off slowly and his lips parted as she lay back, spread-eagled and clearly displaying her panties and garter belt. A few deft movements of his fingers soon had her naked from the waist down.
“Relax,” he ordered, moving in and placing her legs over his shoulders.
First her heart shuddered and then her body shook as her breaths came, short and fast. The feel of his tongue and his lips, and the knowledge that his face was so close to the most intimate part of her, sent her over the edge long before his mouth took her there.
She was naked by the time he’d kissed every inch of her body. The shyness she’d felt at first had gone soon after he’d undressed and they now lay in each other’s arms.
“There’s no drugstore open this time of night?” he murmured, sucking her neck. She felt him hard against her still.
“Th
is is rural Italy,” she moaned, feeling loose and languid. There was no question of now driving him back to where he was staying. He would spend the night here.
It had been so long since she’d been intimate with anyone that she didn’t know if he’d blown her mind because he was so good at making love, or because it had been so long since she’d experienced this ecstasy—the kind that decimated her senses.
Whatever it was, she wanted more of it. Her feelings surprised her because she’d never moved this fast before; had never gone from kissing to this when he was still no more than a stranger to her. And yet she felt she knew everything about him, and nothing. And still she didn’t care.
13
She’d taken the large map he carried in his backpack and had spread it over his chest as he lay naked in bed. She’d shown him the relative distances to each place so that he had his bearings and knew where she lived, where Montova was, and Verona and the surrounding places.
He’d suggested that she come to his hotel room tonight, but the appeal of a hotel room wasn’t as great as the need for complete privacy in her apartment. It was too soon, she knew, but she wanted him to stay with her for as long as he was here. She didn’t want to think about how short his visit might be, whether they had a few days, a week, or more together. For now she chose to blot out the idea that their time together was finite.
She wanted another night like the one she’d had. More than that, she wanted Riley in her life for as long as she could and she was going to make the most of their time together.
Ignoring his pleas that he would get a cab back to his hotel, she dropped him off and went to work a little later. She was thankful that Leo would be spending the day with his other business and that she wouldn’t have to walk in and see his look of disapproval. Having him around right now was worse than dealing with her parents. Even they wouldn’t be so nosy, she reasoned.
Riley worried that he was in her way. No, she thought as she set about her daily work, he wasn’t in the way. He was very much what she needed in her life right now.
He’d told her that he was going to look around the town center and maybe do some sight-seeing even though she had told him that the area nearby wasn’t a big tourist attraction. Verona would be better for that but he had insisted on going there later. He told her that he didn’t mind whether a place was touristy or not. Seeing any part of Italy was a revelation in itself and he didn’t want to stick out like a tourist anyway. He preferred to see what daily life was like for an Italian living there. She understood that and let him be.
Alone in the warehouse she rearranged ‘Ava’s corner’ after checking that Leo had updated the inventory on their system. It was time to re-order and she was thankful for having a task that would keep her occupied until the end of the day, which stretched out interminably before her.
Desperate to tell Ava of this latest development in her love life, Andrea walked over to her office, made herself comfortable in her chair and called her friend. She was already smiling widely as she heard the ringing at the other end, and got ready for the promise of a good heart to heart with her friend.
But the tension in Ava’s voice—even as they exchanged greetings—was hard to miss.
“Something up?” Andrea asked, putting her own news to the side.
“Rona’s here. She’s not here in the office yet, though I wish she’d hurry up. She’s still at the pensione.” Ava sounded stressed out. “But she arrived a few days ago and today she’s supposed to be starting work, whenever she decides to turn up.”
“Ah.” No wonder Ava’s voice sounded heavy. Andrea decided that this wouldn’t be the time to spill her news. “I’m sure she’ll turn up. It can’t be easy traveling with a young child and getting settled in a new place.”
“I’m sure it will be fine. But I have moments when I wonder if I’ve taken on even more by having her here.”
“You always try to do what works best for others, Ava. You should put yourself first for a change.”
“It’s easier said than done,” sighed Ava. “I’m sure it will work out fine. I know my sister.”
“What about her baby?” asked Andrea. “How’s she going to manage work and look after the little one?”
“I’ve hired someone to help out. This way she’ll have no excuses.”
“Excuses?”
“Uh—,” Ava sounded uncomfortable, “Rona has a tendency to do what’s best for her.”
“You’ve asked her to come over so that she can make things easier for you. Make sure you use her well,” Andrea reminded her.
Ava laughed off her concerns. “Oh, I plan to. Don’t worry. Anyway, what’s up?” she asked.
“Nothing that can’t wait,” decided Andrea. “It wasn’t important.”
“Any luck with that new crib supplier?” Ava asked.
“Not yet, but I will follow up.” Andrea promised, making a note to contact d’Este. “Ciao.” She sat for a few moments considering what to do next. She’d have to make d’Este a priority, especially since Ava was always asking about them. She decided to discuss it with Leo when she saw him next.
The day passed quickly and she rushed out of the warehouse slightly earlier than normal. Parking outside Riley’s hotel she called him from the car as she had done yesterday, but instead of coming out, he beckoned her inside.
This was the first time she’d ventured inside and it was immediately obvious that the place was a one on a scale of one to fifty, where Bellagio had been a fifty. It was small, with no more than ten rooms, she guessed; modest and spartan. The bespectacled receptionist frowned at her as she bravely walked through the main lobby, blindly looking around for room 8. It was on the left and she quickly rushed along the hallway in the right direction.
Riley was already standing in the corridor, leaning against the wall, one foot casually crossed over the other. His eyes twinkled as she walked towards him.
“Hi,” she said, shyly at first because seeing him again, in a new day in which their status had changed and knowing how intimately he had kissed her all over, took some getting used to. They weren’t mere friends anymore; now they’d crossed into the realm of lovers.
He threw his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.
“Hey,” he said, and quickly reeled her inside, closed the door, and kissed her within seconds. She marveled at the speed and dexterity of his movements, at the smell of him and feel of him, and her body reawakened, screaming out for the same ecstasy he’d given her yesterday. His kiss was deep, and hard, the kind that lingered long after their lips parted.
He grabbed her hand and she willingly followed him into the room, saw the small bed, the neat luggage and the backpack he often carried.
“Stay with me tonight.” It wasn’t a question, or an order, but somehow his words dripped with sexual promise. He held her gently around the waist and she slipped her hands on his chest and gazed up at him. He towered over her, holding her captive with his piercing blue eyes boring deep into her brown ones.
“I could.”
The sound of a television in the room next door broke the silence.
“But?”
She raised her eyebrows and they both listened.
“We’d have more privacy at mine.”
“Privacy?” he said, and she felt his hot breath on her neck.
Yes, privacy.
He pulled her to the bed and she straddled him, her hands on either side of his shoulders.
“You want me to stay at yours?” he asked slowly, and moved her hips closer.
She nodded eagerly as he slipped his hands under her skirt. “I could stay at yours tonight, if it’s not too much to ask—”
“It’s not,” she replied, as flames licked her body, and she knew she could not be without him for the rest of the day. “I don’t know how long you’re planning on staying here…” They stared at one another’s lips and she became vaguely aware of their collective and heavy breathing.
“I don’t either,
” he murmured, giving her hope. “I’d intended to spend a week here. But now…this…and meeting you…”
She felt herself smile, felt a warmness hover all over her skin. Yet she wanted to be sensible too and not let her emotions spiral completely out of control. Was it wise to continue this—whatever this was, knowing that he might be gone in a few weeks’ time? Could she put herself through that pain? She’d only recently stopped thinking about him and now here he was.
If he left after this, she wasn’t sure how she would get through it.
Live for the moment. They had been Riley’s words.
She thought to herself. Even if she knew he was leaving soon, she was in no position to stop this. To hell with the aftermath; she would take what she could.
“Then let’s make the most of whatever time we have,” she told him.
He answered with a kiss. “I’ll get a change of clothes to take with me.”
“You could stay over for a few days,” she said, putting it out there and watching his reaction.
“I would be imposing.” He slid his fingers along her arms.
“You wouldn’t,” she insisted. “I like being with you, however long you’re here for…” The words were on the top of her tongue, to tell him to check out of the hotel but a niggling voice at the back of her mind told her to take it slow. Asking him to stay with her would only signal her need for him. If she wanted some modicum of respect it would be better not to reveal all her thoughts at once, especially at the start when everything was shiny and new.
She didn’t want to get things wrong again.
“I’ll take a change for tonight and tomorrow, then.” He said, making her break out into a smile.
But instead of going out for dinner as they had initially planned, she drove back to her apartment. Once there their plan changed again and instead of cooking something together, he’d taken her to bed with an urgency they both felt. They were both naked within seconds of stepping foot into her apartment.
Hearts on Fire: Romance Multi-Author Box Set Anthology Page 80
