Truly A Match (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Book 4)

by Tamra Baumann

  Now her toes were curling, she was so close to the edge. “Normally, I’d really enjoy this. But I’d have been happy to do it standing against a wall, it’s been so long.” She hadn’t meant to sound like Marilyn Monroe, all out of breath, but he was stealing hers with his torturously slow touch.

  “I know.” He smiled as his mouth slowly trailed south again. His warm breath between her thighs made her belly clench with need. When his fingers joined the exploration party, her hips flew off the bed. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

  She closed her eyes as the erotic heat welled up in her that no form of electronic love had ever given her. His gentle torment had put her just on the edge, just another few seconds and—

  He stopped. Leaving her panting for more.

  She was pretty sure a person could die from that kind of torture. “Okay. You win. Please?”

  “Non so cosa vuol dire.” Marcello slowly crawled up her body.

  She caught his handsome face between her hands. “You know exactly what I mean.” But she loved it when he spoke Italian when he made love to her. So, she kissed him, slowly stroking her tongue against his, trying to convey how much she wanted him without words.

  He must’ve gotten the message because that low groan was one he only made when he was all the way in the zone. And she wanted to hear it again. She loved to please Marcello as much as she loved to be pleased.

  “My turn.” She pushed his shoulder, and he quickly flipped to his back.

  “I’m all yours, bella.” He crossed his hands under his head, showing off muscled arms that made her knees weak. He had to keep his body in perfect shape for the movies. His fans could all look, but only she was allowed to touch. She wasn’t going to miss a spot.

  She grinned as she straddled his legs. “What to do with this much perfection?” She leaned down and kissed him. “You make it hard to know where to start.” She gripped his strong shoulders, then splayed her hands across his hard pecs, slowly gliding lower to wander over his muscled abs. His six-pack was a work of art she always loved to trace with her fingertips. As she moved even lower, he sucked in a deep breath.

  She took him in her hand and ran her thumb over the tip, just the way he liked it.

  Marcello closed his eyes and groaned out her name. As she stroked him, long and slow, his eyes fluttered open, and the obvious desire in them for her melted her heart. Besides being a major turn-on.

  She couldn’t wait any longer.

  Thankfully, he hadn’t been with anyone else since her, and she was on birth control, so she moved on top of him and let him fill a need she’d had for him for entirely too long. Their hips fell into a familiar pattern that soothed as much as it stoked the embers burning inside.

  Marcello reached up and cupped the back of her head, bringing her mouth down to his, positioning it just where he wanted it. Slowly kissing her, he kicked the connection between them to the next level. His other arm snaked around her shoulders, and he pulled her close before he rolled on top of her, still holding her like he’d never let her go.

  She let him take over and gave in to the pleasure burning in her core, building by the second, growing ever closer to giving her sweet release.

  He whispered in her ear, “Amore mio più profondo del mare.”

  His love for her was deeper than the sea? Tears formed in her eyes as he kissed her neck. Then his hips moved faster, in time with her racing heart. She wished she had better words to tell him she loved him more. Instead, she hugged him tighter, never wanting to let him go. “Me too.”

  He stared into her eyes again. “How much do you love me, Rachel?”

  More than anything, so she said, “Più di tutto.”

  When his expression softened, it pushed away any remaining barriers she’d erected around her heart. She closed her eyes and let all the pleasure Marcello gave her flow through her, wash over her, pulling her under his spell. Wanting as much as he could give her, she wrapped her legs around his back to take him in even deeper.

  Marcello obviously took that as an invitation to race her to the finish line, because he made love to her with a whole new kind of purpose, but she doubted he’d beat her.

  Desire boiled deep inside, slowly electrifying her whole body as anticipation built for what only Marcello had ever given her. And then it hit, sharp as a knife, stealing her breath, and finally, after so very long, sating a need that had burned in her for what had felt like an eternity.

  Marcello was right behind and called out her name. Then his whole body turned to a pile of putty on top of her.

  He scooted down and tucked his face into the crook of her neck, laying a soft kiss just in front of her ear. She smiled, reveling in a pool of satisfaction, as her fingers drew little circles on the back of his neck.

  After a few minutes, when their blood pressure wasn’t at near stroke levels anymore, he whispered, “I can’t move. And I don’t want to.”

  “I don’t want you to either.” She hugged him. “Except now I’m really hungry. I only got two bites of my sandwich earlier. Got a frozen pizza in that fancy kitchen of yours?”

  His chest rumbled on top of hers. “Isn’t it usually a guy who gets in trouble for thinking of food after sharing such a special moment?”

  “I can think about you and pizza too. I pretty much always think about you. I can’t seem to help it.” She ran her hands up and down his muscled back. “I care about you enough that I want to be sure you eat. And not only because we both smell like chlorine, so you’re going to need your strength to make love to me in the shower later.”

  He propped his head up on his fist. “What do you think you said to me in Italian earlier?”

  “That I love you more than anything. Well, the love part was implied because you asked me how much I loved you. Why?”

  He flipped their positions so she lay on top of him. “Just making sure you didn’t think you were ordering a burger for afterward.” He lightly spanked her butt.

  She laughed. “I knew exactly what I was saying. And I meant it.” Strangely, it was much easier to say she loved him the second time.

  “Good. Then I’ll wait right here and gather my strength to eat whatever you bring me. Because you love me so much and worry about my nutritional needs.”

  “Fine. But I’m not putting that wet dress back on. Prancing through the house in a towel won’t cut it either.” She rolled off him, hoping to find a blanket.

  “Robes.” He pointed to a closet. “Grab one for me too, please?”

  “Sure.” She slipped into a thick terrycloth robe and then handed him one. “I’ll even try to find something healthy so you can keep your body as amazing as it is.”

  “I’d rather have pizza if you can find some.”

  Good. She would too. “Be right back, then.” She opened the door but stopped. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “What we just shared was incredibly special to me Marcello. I’m sorry if I made you feel like it wasn’t.”

  “I know, bella.” His smile was so sweet, it brought tears to her eyes. “When your heart wants to say things, your smart mouth likes to interrupt.”

  Ouch.

  But he was right.

  She needed to work on that.

  Chapter Twelve

  Only a brother can treat you badly, and then stick up for you like no one else.

  After landing in Denver, Rachel gathered her things on Marcello’s plane, eager to see her kids. She’d only been gone for the weekend, but it felt like a month. “My mom made us a late lunch if you can wait to eat, Ally. Otherwise, we can run through a drive through on the way home.”

  “I’m not two years old. I can wait.” Ally stood and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

  She’d been a grump the whole trip.

  Marcello smiled. “Ally is annoyed because it throws her whole day off when I don’t stick to the schedule.”

  Ally shook her head as she walked toward the front hatch. “I’d probably oversleep too if I were up all night doin
g things I don’t want to think about the two of you doing.” She put her headphones on and disappeared down the exit stairs.

  Rachel turned to Marcello. “I’m hoping this mood ends soon. Or it could be a long three weeks until you get back.”

  “She’ll settle in.” He waited for her to go down the stairs first, then he followed behind. They joined Ally, who waited for them on the tarmac at the bottom of the stairs. “Did your mother say what she made us for lunch? Doing things this morning that Ally doesn’t want to know about has made me hungry again. I might need that drive through.”

  “Gross.” Ally shook her head and walked to the tail end of the plane to collect her bags.

  Rachel laughed. “Ally lesson number one. Never assume she’s got music playing and isn’t listening.”

  Marcello held his hand out. “Keys? I’ll go grab the car. Bring it closer.” After she laid the fob in his palm, he whispered, “Lesson two. The more annoying Ally gets, the more afraid of something she is. Judy is her only living relative beside the father who has nothing to do with her. Ally’s never been away from her mom for more than a few days.”

  “Got it.” Rachel walked to the rear of the plane and waited for the pilot to unload all their bags. Ally, dressed in a hoodie and jeans, rocked back and forth from foot to foot and blew on her fisted hands.

  “Do you have a better coat than that? It’s going to be cold for a few more months here.”

  Ally tugged her headphones off and left them hanging around her neck. “I ordered one. It’ll be at your house day after tomorrow. Along with some gloves and stuff.”

  “Good.” She’d worn a heavy sweater, so she took her coat off and wrapped it around Ally’s shoulders. “Until then, you can borrow mine. This isn’t even cold to me.” Sunny and forty-five was nice for winter in Denver.

  Ally glanced over her shoulder and frowned as if she was about to protest, but instead, she stuffed her arms inside the wool coat that was a little too big and buttoned it up. “Thank you.”

  “No problem.” She gave Ally a shoulder bump. “So, in doing your extensive background check on me, did you happen to figure out who my twin sister is married to?”

  Ally nodded. “I saw his name, but I didn’t dig into him or anything. Derek something, right?”

  Wow. Ally was good. “It’s Derek Cooper. I noticed you were playing a game he writes on your laptop earlier. You seemed pretty into it, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “Universe of Zeldane?” A frown split Ally’s forehead for a moment, and then her eyes widened. “Get out! Deek Cooper is your brother-in-law? He’s got mad programming skills.”

  “So I’m told. I guess that game is pretty popular, huh?”

  “Popular?” Ally snorted. “Everyone is playing it.”

  “Well, then you two will have something to talk about when you meet him.” Especially because her whole family was at her house waiting for them as a surprise. She’d wanted to formally introduce Marcello to everyone after their weekend announcement.

  Ally asked, “Have you ever seen his setup? He must have amazing hardware.”

  “Yeah. His study looks like something out of a sci-fi film. He’s a really nice guy. I’m sure he’ll let you see it if you’d like.”

  “That’d be incredible.” Ally beamed the first real smile Rachel had seen. “Thank you!”

  Marcello joined them. “What’s so incredible?”

  Rachel helped load the car while Ally gushed about Deek to Marcello. Who knew her sweet but geeky brother-in-law would come in so handy one day?

  After they pulled into her garage, Rachel hopped out of the car and led the way into her house. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on the babies.

  She opened the door that led into her kitchen, and her brother, Nick, called out, “Look, everyone. It’s Quick-Draw!” Whipped cream, sprayed from eight cans at close range, flew at her from every direction.

  All she could do was hold her breath and hope it’d end soon.

  When the uncontrollable laughter started and the spraying ended, she wiped the cream from her eyes. “Marcello and Ally, meet my family. Comedians, all of them.” She turned to her eight-year-old niece, Emily, and her new-by-marriage nephew, Asher. “Even you guys? I thought we were pals. And don’t you have school today?”

  Asher was trying not to laugh as Emily explained, “Teacher planning day. And it was Uncle Nick’s idea. He bullied us into doing it.”

  “Really?” Rachel scooped a handful of cream from her hair and slowly walked toward her annoying baby brother. “That true, Nicholas?”

  “Hey, new suit here.” Nick held his hands up in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “I didn’t have to bully very hard. You kind of set yourself up for this, on national TV, no less.”

  She wiped her hand down the front of his fancy suit and tie, then ground the whipped cream in. “You won’t know when, and you won’t know where, but payback’s a bit—”

  “Rachel! There are young ears present,” her mother called out. “Hello, Marcello, and Ally. Come in. And don’t worry, we only spray people with food around here, so you’re safe, Marcello.”

  Marcello swiped a finger full of cream off her shoulder. “Tastes much better than pepper spray.” That got snickers all around again.

  After she sent the stink eye to the rest of her family, Rachel glanced at Ally to see if she was ready to bolt from the loony bin. The kid was grinning from ear to ear. And so was Marcello. The traitors.

  She turned to her mother. “Are my children still here, or have you sent them off to boarding school as a prank?”

  Her mom smiled. “They just went down for a nap.”

  “Good.” She crouched down to her one-year-old nephew Rafe, in Shelby’s arms. “I’m sorry your daddy is such a baboon. I hope you take after your mommy.”

  Then she pointed a finger at Marcello and Ally. “And since you two think this is so funny, I’ll leave you with this pack of wolves while I go change. Good luck. You’ll need it.”

  Conjuring up her last remaining shred of dignity, she lifted her chin and headed for the shower to plot revenge on her brother.

  Marcello had met Rachel’s mother and sister, but not the rest of her family. He knew most of their names though, and quickly paired up who he figured went with who. He put his hand on Ally’s back and nudged her forward hoping they’d introduce themselves in case he was wrong about their names. He wanted to make a good impression. “Everyone, Ally has agreed to help us with the twins. She and her mother are like family to me.”

  Rachel’s mom wrapped an arm around Ally’s shoulder. “Welcome, Ally. I’m Linda. We aren’t usually this poorly behaved, but Rachel rarely makes a mistake, so none of us could resist.”

  Ally smiled. “I thought it was pretty funny.”

  “Me too. Come have some lunch and get to know everyone. Rachel texted from the car and said you’re a fan of Deek’s, so why don’t we find you a seat next to his?”

  Ally’s face lit up. “That’d be great. Thanks!”

  Marcello’s phone vibrated with a text, so he pulled it out for a quick look before they sat down to eat. He didn’t recognize the number, but the subject line caught his attention. His stomach knotted with familiar dread.

  It was in Italian. And it said Wednesday or jail. He’d blocked his father, so he must’ve borrowed someone else’s phone.

  Apparently, his father had found his courage again on his flight back home. Would he really go to the police if his bluff was called?

  Before he could open the text, Rachel’s brother joined him and stuck out a hand. “Hi. I’m Nick.”

  He put his phone away and shook Nick’s hand. “Rachel has told me all about you. Nice to meet you.”

  “You too.” Nick leaned closer and in a low voice said, “Just so we’re clear. You hurt Rachel again, and you’ll have to answer to me. Got it?”

  “Understood.” He was getting off to a great start with Rachel’s family.

  A cute, short
blonde with a baby on her hip stuck out her hand. “Nick’s bark is worse than his bite. I’m his wife, Shelby, and I’m very glad to meet you.”

  Marcello figured a kiss on the cheek as was his normal greeting might get his arm broken with Nick standing by, so he nodded as he shook her hand. “Yes, the matchmaker. Nice to meet you too, Shelby.”

  He wanted to sneak away to read the text, but didn’t want to offend Rachel’s mother, so he followed Nick and Shelby to the dining room table. Rachel’s father motioned him over and pulled out a chair. “You can sit right next to me, Marcello. I have a few questions for you.”

  Perfect. Was there a firing squad in the backyard if he answered wrong?

  He glanced at Ally to be sure she was all right. She was talking to a blond man who wore a T-shirt that read: I was addicted to the Hokey Pokey . . . But then I turned myself around.

  He didn’t get it, but Rachel said Lori’s husband always wore funny T-shirts, and Ally was asking him a million questions, so he must be Deek. The two older kids belonged to them.

  Rachel’s father sat down and stuck out a hand. “Edward. Nice to officially meet you. Finally.”

  He returned the shake. “You too. It’s an honor to be here.”

  “I would have told Rachel not to take you back after you left her pregnant with twins. But then, I’m not perfect either. As long as Rachel’s happy, you and I will get along just fine.”

  Rachel was right, the men in her family stuck together like a pack of wolves, protecting her. He couldn’t blame them for it. He’d do anything to be sure she was safe too. Especially now that Rachel and the kids had been in the news. He needed to be sure his father didn’t have any way of contacting them while he was away in Canada. He’d already hired the best security service in Denver for their physical protection. They were due to start that evening, so he’d better tell Rachel.

  He couldn’t ever tell her the whole story about the attempted murder charge that kept him from ever going home, she’d lose all respect for him. And that he couldn’t bear. That, and he didn’t want her to worry. Or to be involved in any way that could get her in trouble too. Being his lawyer might make her safe to help as she suggested, or obligated to turn him in once she heard the whole story. He couldn’t be sure, so it was still best to leave her out of it. Not open the door to the dungeon from hell that was his past. She’d see all his skeletons too.