He grunted. “Travis wants me to get some photos emailed to him by tonight.”
“You have plenty of time. Go.” I nudged him in the side.
“You sure? I can stay.”
“I’ll be fine. I need to get to writing after I leave here, anyway.”
I folded my arms, standing like a stiff statue as I waited for Marco’s return. He had left the field with the mystery man, and the team resumed practice. After ten or so minutes, I began to grow worried. I forced myself to finally move, feeling embarrassed and shy as I passed the team as they ran drills.
I entered the hall where Marco had disappeared and traveled the corridor in search of signs of him, wondering if I’d get yelled at by security. When I heard voices coming my way, I ducked down another hall out of sight, feeling like an idiot.
Marco and the mystery man were coming, and Marco was speaking English. When I heard the man’s voice, I realized why. He had a deep Irish lilt to his voice. I didn’t know anything about the owner of the team, but would a young Irishman own an Italian football team? I highly doubted that.
“And there’s no way I can change your mind?” the man’s Irish brogue sounded in my ears as I pressed my back to the concrete wall, listening as they passed by.
“I don’t have a choice. And please keep what I told you between us. I only told the team I have an important family situation, which is why I’m unable to play.”
Their voices faded as they moved farther away, and so I exited my hiding place. After a few minutes, I found my way back to the field, worried that my absence would raise suspicion.
“Maggie.” Marco waved his hand once he spotted me on the field. The Irishman was talking to both Marco and the team, but everyone appeared relaxed and casual, so all appeared to be on the up and up.
“Hey. Sorry, I was looking for a bathroom,” I lied, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“I want you to meet someone. This is Adam McGregor. He and his family own the team,” Marco said.
Adam reached for my hand and cocked his head to the side, studying me with his bright blue eyes. “You’re wondering why an Irish family owns the football team in Rome, aren’t ya?”
I finally extended my hand, and he captured it between his palms. “I, um . . .”
“No one would sell us a team in Ireland or the U.K.” The man shot me a smile, and I slipped my hand free from his grip.
I had no idea if he was kidding or not, but it didn’t matter. As long as Marco was okay, I was relieved. “Nice to meet you,” I forced myself to say.
Adam was extremely good looking, with his short dark hair, white teeth, a square jaw and a fit body. There was a spark behind his eyes that told me that he was a man of secrets—and power.
“And you are?”
“She’s Maggie Lane, a journalist for a magazine who’s writing a story about me,” Marco interrupted with a deeper than normal voice. Marco’s eyes were on Adam, his lips flat-lining, and I had to wonder if he was jealous.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Adam looked back at Marco, but Marco was looking at me—claiming me with his eyes. “How long are you in town?” Adam asked. His voice was low and smooth, and it glided across my skin like satin. He was flirting, wasn’t he?
“I leave Sunday.” A slight breeze sent my hair flying in front of my face, and my skin pebbled despite the balmy day. I cringed as my nipples hardened.
Although Adam was handsome and there was something intriguing about him, the whole billionaire-rich-boy thing wasn’t exactly my type. I was also a one-man kind of girl. Of course, Marco wasn’t exactly mine.
Marco coughed and moved closer to me, his fingers brushing over my forearm. “We should probably get going.”
Adam’s attention shifted to Marco’s hand and he took a small step back. Message received.
“Enjoy the rest of your stay, Maggie.” Adam patted Marco on the back and started to turn toward the team.
“Wait . . .” Adam and Marco looked my way, and I swallowed back my hesitation. “Could I get a quote from you, for the article?” I pulled my phone from my back pocket.
Marco nodded at Adam. Was he granting the owner permission to speak? Really?
“Yeah . . . don’t break his heart.” He cracked a broad smile. “Take care, Maggie.”
I cleared my throat and wet my lips. “He’s not what I expected,” I said once Adam was out of earshot.
Marco blessed me with an adorable sideways grin. “He’s a pretty good guy, but he gets a bad rap.”
“Oh yeah?” I perked a brow, the journalist in me intrigued.
“Yeah, you know the stereotypes about rich men being arrogant pricks?” He laughed. “Let me go say goodbye to the guys.”
“Why don’t you stay? I can get a cab back to the hotel. I have to get a draft of the story to Travis, or I’ll never hear the end of it.” I could tell he wanted to say no. “Please,” I said, making use of my special powers—narrowed eyes, pouty lips curved down. “Please stay. We can meet up tomorrow if you’re free. Not for work, but for fun.”
“Are you sure?” His hand was on my elbow, and I had to take a deep breath at the simple touch of his fingers on my skin. I wanted to ask him how he was feeling and how his mom was, but I also didn’t want to alter the apparent good mood he was in.
“I’m sure.” I crossed my fingers in an X over my heart. “Promise.”
His sudden warm kiss on my cheek took me by surprise. “What if someone gets the wrong idea?” I said with a hint of playful sexiness to my voice.
His eyes creased as his lips turned up into a beautiful, heart-melting smile. “You mean to say . . . the right idea.”
Twenty-One
It was that damn woman again. The same mousy brown hair, dark green eyes behind black-rimmed glasses, gawked at Marco and me as we met in the lobby of the hotel.
“Give me one second, Marco.”
Marco adjusted his hat as if that would protect him from the fans that began to approach him once I moved away.
“Excuse me,” I called out to the mystery woman when she looked up and my eyes locked with hers. She spun on her heels, turned and hurried out the door. “Shit.” Just like last time. I wasn’t about to go running down the street or in front of a car again.
I slumped my shoulders, a bad feeling building inside me. I went back into the hotel and stood behind Marco as he finished signing autographs. “Maybe we should head to my room,” I offered when he finally waved off the last few fans.
“Good idea.”
“How was yesterday?” I asked once we were safe inside the four walls of the small elevator.
“Like old times,” he responded, sadness laced in his words.
“When will you tell your mother the truth?” I hadn’t meant to ask, but it had popped into my mind. I looked up at him with hooded eyes.
“She’ll figure it out once she moves here. And she’ll get angry.” He smoothed a hand over his printed tee and moved his hand up and around to the back of his neck. “Did you finish the story?”
“Yeah.”
The doors opened, and we swapped places with another couple before making our way down the hall to my room.
“And what did your boss say?” he asked.
“That it was boring.”
“Boring?” He laughed. “Not a football fan either, huh?”
“He was hoping for something a little more news breaking,” I replied as I pulled the key from the pocket of my red shorts.
“He wanted a ‘Lois Lane’ article,” he said with a smile to his eyes.
“He can get over it.” I swiped the card at the door and waited for the green light to allow us entrance.
“Is your job safe?”
I half-grunted, which wasn’t too attractive. “I think so.” The heavy door closed behind us, and we made our way to the living area. When would I tell Marco the truth about why Travis sent me to Italy? Would it ever be the right time?
“So . . . can I read t
he story?”
“Hm. Maybe. If you’re good,” I joked. “But it looks like now I’m free until the game on Sunday.” I wanted to change the subject, not sure if I wanted Marco to read my so-called “boring” article.
“Perfetto.”
His Italian had my skin tingling and my cheeks warming, like always.
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming. “I was wondering if you’d like to get away for a few days with me.”
I stopped moving and faced him. “To where?”
“It’s a surprise.” He held his palms out and tipped his right shoulder up in the air.
“Does it involve flying?” I grimaced.
“No.” He took a step closer to me and touched my chin.
“What does it involve?” I rolled my tongue over my teeth and drew my lips together.
He looked past me into my room before directing his attention back my way, his silvery eyes once again holding my gaze. “Mm. Maybe a bikini. Of course, nudity is always an option.”
My legs trembled as a band of heat shot between my thighs. “Oh.” I wet my lips as he twirled a lock of my blonde hair between his fingers.
“We don’t have much time left before you go, so I thought it would be a nice idea to get away.”
“Wow. Okay,” I breathed. “Let me pack a few things and try and get ahold of Will.”
“Don’t pack much—you won’t need it.”
The promise of a few clothing-optional days with Marco had my body burning with need.
He took a seat and checked his phone while I tossed a few things in one of my bags. I texted and called Will, but when he didn’t respond after several attempts, I told Marco I had better at least try his room on our way out. I didn’t want to abandon Will when he was still so heartbroken over Maria. He had struck out with her again last night, and he had been so bummed that he showed up at my room drunk, at midnight. He fell asleep on my couch while I stayed up until two in the morning wrapping up the story. Thank goodness for the time difference—it was still evening in New York when I’d emailed Travis the article.
I knocked on Will’s door with Marco at my side. “Will? You in there?”
Just as I was about to give up, I heard the lock slide. The door opened, and Will was standing in front of me, his dark, muscular chest on display. He was holding a large, white towel around his waist. “Sorry. Showering. Everything okay?” Will glanced at Marco and back at me.
“Um. Marco and I were going to—” I stopped talking when I caught sight of Maria standing a few feet behind Will.
I couldn’t help myself. I flung my arms around Will’s neck and whispered in his ear, “Thank God.” I pulled away, and he returned my comment with a wink and sly smile.
“I guess it’s okay if I go away for a few days then?”
“I’ll be pretty tied up, myself.” Will smirked.
“Have fun.” I patted him on the arm.
“I’ll have her back by Friday,” Marco said over my shoulder.
Will nodded at him. “Be good.” He winked again and my cheeks reddened.
“You, too,” I joked, and waved goodbye to Maria before Marco and I left.
“You weren’t expecting to see them together?” Marco asked once we were out of the hotel and in his car.
“No. Will kind of pissed her off last week.”
“Looks like they made up.” He started up the car and pulled out onto the road.
“I’m hoping Will finally settles down. I mean, he barely knows Maria, but I think she might be the one for him. And the fact that she lives in New York—maybe they’re meant to be.”
“And if she didn’t live in New York, do you think they wouldn’t have had a chance?” Marco adjusted the stick shift, and my eyes were drawn to his muscular forearms as he changed gears.
I had to wonder what Marco was getting at. “I don’t know.”
“Long distance relationships are hard.”
Was he sending me some kind of message? He’d already told me that he’d be dedicating his time to his mother’s health and wouldn’t be able to get involved with anyone. He didn’t need to remind me. “I don’t think I’d survive one,” I responded grimly.
“I would want to be in the same zip code as the woman I loved.”
I glanced over at him, but his eyes remained on the road. I saw a tick in his cheek as he clenched his jaw.
“Me, too. You know, if I loved a woman.”
He tipped his head back, and a low rumble chortled from his throat.
***
Put a stamp on me and mail me, because I couldn’t believe my eyes. The sparkling water was clear, so translucent you could see the flutter of fins from colorful fish swimming alongside the boat. The dramatic, craggy mountains served as a beguiling backdrop as they plunged into the sea. The grand villas, restaurants, and other buildings dotted the landscape in a rainbow of colors lining the sea as our boat sped along the Amalfi Coast. The view was so picturesque I wondered if I was in a living postcard.
I shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that Marco owned a multi-story yacht, but when we arrived at the dock after driving from Rome to Naples, and he walked me onto the large, gleaming white boat, my mouth dropped open. I was pretty sure the yacht was more spacious than my home in New York.
My writing career would never afford me this kind of luxury. Well, maybe if I wrote an international best seller . . . but who was I kidding? I should stick with what I loved.
Of course, the story on Marco had turned out to be way out of my depth. Like, being at the bottom of the ocean, where no light had ever reached, kind of depth.
I released my grip on the railing and turned around to locate Marco. We’d been riding along the coast for a while, and he had suggested we anchor and relax for a bit.
My eyes landed on Marco as he made his way up the steps and out of the cabin. God, the man was hot. “You make one sexy captain,” I couldn’t help but say.
My palms went clammy as I made up my mind about what I wanted to do.
We were far from the coast, which gave us some privacy, but not too far that our anchor wouldn’t reach the bottom of the sea. I bit my lip and glanced down at the black bikini top I had worn.
Marco paused mid-deck, standing beneath the overhang of the next deck. He put his hands into the pockets of his white board shorts and smiled at me as I untied the string from my top.
I wasn’t sure what had emboldened me to go topless, but if I couldn’t do it here and now, when in the world would I ever do such a thing?
My nipples hardened beneath his ravenous stare, and I moved with slow steps toward him. “You mentioned that clothing was optional,” I said in a low voice.
Marco looked left and right, probably checking for nearby boats. “I’m not sure if I want to share you with the world.” He kept his hands in his pockets as he knitted his brows. His eyes were hidden behind Ray-Bans so that I couldn’t get a good read on him.
My gaze flickered down to his pants, and it was obvious he was growing hard. I gulped back my nerves and allowed myself to take in the sight of his naked, bronzed abs and hard chest.
“You are trying to get me to swear again, aren’t you?” he teased as a ribbon of heat coursed through me, blanketing my insides with desire.
“Would that be so bad?” I smiled as I tucked my fingers beneath the fabric of my bikini bottoms. I had no intention of going full-on nude, but I couldn’t help but be curious about what he’d do if he thought I was.
“Maggie.” He removed his hands from his pockets, shoved his sunglasses up and into his hair, and closed the distance between us to place his hands on my hips. “You enjoy driving me crazy, huh?”
I couldn’t fight the smile that threatened my lips. Part of me wasn’t sure if I should even be making the first move, given what I’d learned about him, and how I knew there could never be a future between us, but the other part of me needed to feel him inside me again.
His hand moved up and cupped my brea
st, pinching my nipple, and he tilted my head by gently tugging on my hair with his other hand. His mouth came over mine, taking me in a hard and demanding kiss.
He broke our kiss and scooped me into his arms, then carried me below deck. We walked through the living area, down another set of stairs, and to the master suite. He placed me on the comforter, which was a stormy gray that matched the color of his eyes.
He came down on top of me, bracing his hand over my shoulder.
My breasts moved slowly up and down in time with my deep breathing.
“Do you want me, Maggie?” He stared down into my eyes, and I swallowed back the emotion that was threatening to break me in the best possible way.
“I think that’s obvious,” I teased. My hips bucked as his free hand found my center.
“It feels like you want me,” he whispered in my ear.
“More than you know.”
“I don’t think I can wait much longer to be inside you.” He rose off the bed and removed his shorts and boxer briefs. He grabbed a foil pack from a drawer beside the bed, and I had to squeeze out the absurd jealousy that crowded my brain as I realized he had used this stash of condoms before—with Sophia.
“I need you,” he said, and he was on top of me once again. The touch of his hands on my body had me snapping back to the moment.
He yanked my bikini bottoms down my legs so hard I thought he might rip them. My teeth sank into my bottom lip as I studied him with hooded eyes.
I clenched the comforter with both hands and tilted my head back in anticipation for what was to come.
And he delivered, filling me, deep inside. He moved fast and hard at first.
Then he slowed down when our eyes connected as if he wanted to take in the moment. For it to last longer.
And I would have loved for it to last forever.
I rocked against his body, my groin pulsing with need as I came closer and closer to losing control.
He gripped my thighs as he moved, but then he stopped and pulled himself out. I groaned at the loss of him.
“I want you on top.” He flipped to his back and pulled me on top of him as I yelped with surprise.
Once he was inside me again, I leaned over him and pushed his sunglasses from his head so I could run my fingers through his hair. He kept his hands on my hips as I began, with slow movements at first. Then he shifted his attention up my core and to my breasts. His eyes remained on mine as I slowly increased speed.
Forever Rome (Forever #1) Page 23
