He’d left a message for Izzy at the hotel telling her that he would be late and she was to explore the area if she wished and dine without him. Although the hotel was traditional on the outside it had its own beauty spa so he’d booked Izzy in for some treatments and for her hair and makeup to be done in the morning.
And now he was back to thinking of Izzy again.
He dropped back onto the bed, spread out his legs and yanked his shirt tails out from his trousers. His breath came out slow and steady until he felt the burn of his lungs emptiness. Why the hell hadn’t he booked his room further away?
It was gonna be a long night.
* * * *
Izzy heaved a fortifying breath as panic clutched at her insides. I can do this, right? It was just playing dress-up with an extremely handsome guy who heated her blood to boiling. Simple.
Wearing a dress that made her feel fantastic helped—if only in a small way.
She’d awoken to the cool breeze of the morning air buffering through the open balcony door and the awakening ray of the sun’s first light against her cheek. Disappointment cut through when she realized she’d fallen asleep, but that pang was soon overwhelmed by a stronger sense of relief. Yesterday, and indeed the erotic visions last night, had been nothing but the taunt of her dreams. If she had tried to seduce Jack his refusal would have made today too much to bear.
The repeated knock on the door sent the flurry of butterflies playing trapeze in her tummy scattering through her body, to her limbs, making her legs wobble as she took tentative steps and her hands tremble as she reached out to grip the door handle.
She felt ridiculously nervous but also an undercurrent of excitement bubbled to the surface, lifting her lips. The remnants of last night’s teasing dream added a rosy hue to the slant of her cheekbones that the self-inflicted chill of the shower hadn’t managed to disperse. The day may be fake, but her feelings were undeniably real.
Her breath released in a small puff as she caught sight of the vision she thought her mind had prepared for. She hadn’t. Not near enough. Her lips parted, her tongue jamming in her throat. He was the most stunning man she had ever seen. The black suit he wore fitted him with the perfection, hugged each muscle and sinew like a lover’s caress. His short, dark hair was neat but the glossy strands still invited touch. The faint shadow of his jaw added a ruggedness that kicked his masculinity up a notch more than Izzy thought possible.
But it was his expression that undid her resolve. Undoing her mental restraint faster than a stripper’s Velcro pants.
Every cell in her body shouted her desire.
The bodice of her dress suddenly seemed too tight as his eyes took on a silvery quality as his gaze swept over her completely unabashed. His lips curved in a smile that was as equally welcoming as it was wicked. A fire lit in her belly. Her breasts strained wantonly against her bodice. The sheer lace panel above the satin sweetheart bodice did little to conceal her from his probing gaze.
His gaze dipped lower, her ribcage tightening with the intake of her breath as he took in her narrow waist and moved on to the curve of her hips where the skirt of her dress flared out and fell in soft layers of chiffon like a waterfall’s end. She shifted her ivory satin-heeled feet as his intensity became too much and the urge to arch herself against him like a starving cat overwhelmed her.
But his eyes said he wouldn’t mind. Of course he wouldn’t. After all, this wasn’t the real Izzy. Treehouse Teen Izzy had been replaced by a pretender.
“You look beautiful, Bella,” he said, his tone husky.
Emotion squeezed her heart. It had been so long since he’d called her Bella.
He stepped into the room, his long legs eating up the distance, to collect her equipment which he threw effortlessly over his shoulder. She turned as she heard his hiss of indrawn breath.
Lying on the bed was the black lace underwear she’d worn last night. Her cheeks infused with color and warmth.
A long, tanned finger reached out to lift one silk strap. She swallowed.
“Were you wearing this last night?” he asked softly.
“Y-Yes, I was feeling very...hot.” Not quite a lie, she reasoned, omitting her explanation of the type of heat she was feeling last night. And right now.
“Hmm, last night was...hot,” he agreed. The corner of his mouth twitched as he allowed the silk to slip from his fingers.
Jack walked back to her side. “Shall we?” he invited with a smile and the offer of his arm.
Izzy returned the smile and slipped her arm through his. “Yes.”
Moments later, Izzy was giggling as he wove through narrow streets in the rented Ferrari. Jack drove the same way as he did everything...with command at his fingertips. She’d shrieked with delight as they sneaked out from the back of the hotel and through the doors where the car was waiting. Jack loaded the back with her equipment and revealed her beautiful bouquet. It was small, yet elegant and tasteful, with ivory roses interlaced with delicate wild flowers. It smelled divine but not as divine as Jack. That scent would never be replicated.
Slowing down, Jack weaved into an alleyway and stopped the car.
“You’ve gone to so much trouble, Jack.”
He shrugged, eyes fixed forward. “It’s worth it to see the look on your face. I wanted it to be right this time.”
It was definitely right. So right it was wrong. But if he wanted her to enjoy it she wouldn’t disappoint.
Jack stepped out of the car then came around to her side. He opened her door and held out his right hand. She took it with a grateful smile that faltered as a shot of electricity seemed to radiate from his palm to hers. Their gazes met. He’d felt it too.
The layers of her dress all now safely out of the confines of the sleek sports car, Jack waited with his hip resting on the bonnet and his arms folded while Izzy checked over her equipment. The courtyard setting was around the corner, Jack had explained, so Izzy was preparing her equipment so they were virtually ready as soon as they reached the background setting.
Although it was still very early in the morning the smell of baked bread permeated the air from the nearby bakeries. It reminded her that she hadn’t eaten breakfast because of nerves invading her stomach. Now she was much more relaxed, and the surrounding sights and sounds easily invaded her senses. If she wasn’t already drooling over Jack the scent of food would be luring her.
Smiling although his brows furrowed, Jack gave a small laugh as Izzy pointed her camera in his direction and clicked the image of him against the vivid red car. It suited his dark coloring perfectly. The surprise addition of his killer smile would make the image a keeper in her personal photo album. It would be fantastic in her portfolio, but this one was for her eyes only.
“Do you realize how much I used to get paid for a shoot like this?” he admonished with a grin. “Are you taking advantage of me, Izzy?”
“I’d say we’re taking advantage of each other. I’m wearing a wedding dress for your benefit, Jack. I have to have some perks,” she teased.
And after this shoot if any of the images were suitable and Jack’s precious deal was signed on the dotted line, she was hoping to use some of them in her portfolio. Bookings this year were limited because of her travels the previous year and the unexpected house repairs and debt. It was important to add to the bookings she already had to build up her client base again. Satisfied wedding clients often booked their children’s or family portraits afterward so it was important to showcase her talents.
Izzy’s eyes widened and a smile spread over her face as Jack led her into the square of the courtyard. Right in the center was a fountain, light making the water shimmer like diamonds as the sun continued to spread its golden glow. The sound of bubbling water intermingled with the increase of her pulse. It was a beautiful setting and perfect for photography at this time of day. The courtyard was shady and sheltered from streaks of light that caused shadow-lined faces. The morning light was delicate and muted. The aged wooden doors o
f the church would be the perfect background.
Excitement bubbled over. This was her passion. Imagining a frame around possibilities and making them beautiful. There was no greater gift than sharing the beauty of what one saw with others, capturing a split-second moment and turning it into a treasured memory.
As Izzy secured one tripod together on the cobbles before attaching her prized Canon camera, Jack did the same with the second. Each camera had a remote timer connected to it and was set to take continual images at intermittent intervals. One would be focused at close-up range and the other more superior camera would be set at distance. She instructed Jack to stand at the church doors as she used her light meter to set the camera’s exposure level. The other distance camera was set to take panoramic shots that would encase most of the courtyard. Izzy adjusted the settings on the remote timers. One had been set at long exposure time and the other short. Hopefully nothing would be missed.
She always preferred natural rather than staged shots, they seemed to provide the heart to a story she was capturing. All they had to do was pretend they were happy newlyweds. Easy peasy.
Setting the timers to start, she picked up her skirts and rushed over to Jack with her laughter rushing out in breathy pants as he handed her the bouquet.
His lips curved into a grin. “You’re the expert, so I’m in your capable hands. So, boss, what shall we do?” he asked, the hint of suggestion not going unmissed.
As she tilted her head to meet his gaze her smile lifted her cheeks. She considered her response. Well, he was asking.
“Let’s play,” she said with a grin.
* * * *
Oh, he’d play all right. He’d been hoping for this type of invitation since he’d set eyes on her this morning. No, before that he admitted to himself. He was feeling more than playful now as he’d watched the enthusiasm for her craft shine through her movements, the brightness of her eyes. If this setting were to be a jigsaw then she was the vital piece. Her delight at the surroundings was palpable and he wanted to absorb it more than he wanted his next breath.
Her glossy, caramel hair was loosely pinned at her nape in artful disarray of twists and tiny plaits, with strategically freed strands drawing attention to her small straight nose and delicate features. He took advantage of the exposed slender column of her neck and slid his hand over the soft skin of her nape until his fingers cupped her neck and picked up the wild beat of her pulse under his thumb. Or was that his?
“I’m not waiting for you to ask this time,” he rasped as he lowered his head, her surprised voluminous eyes widening further.
He resisted the urge to kiss her with every ounce of unrepressed lust, and instead he covered her mouth with his with a restraint he hadn’t known he possessed. He tasted her slowly, moving his lips over her soft ones with care and attention as he seared her taste to memory. His tongue joined the exploration, eliciting a soft moan. That and the feel of plump breasts grazing against his chest pulled his restraint taut to the point of snapping.
He wrapped his right arm around her waist, his fingers meeting the bare skin of her back as he tugged her closer. Izzy responded by tilting her head back, allowing him greater access into the sweet recess of her mouth. She joined him in the slow, teasing dance of mouths, tongues, and desire. Tasting him back as thoroughly as he had indulged in her.
Suddenly their interchange spiked into something more. Exploring became a heated demand, Jack grateful that the frothy layers of her dress disguised the erection forcing its way against his zipper as their mouths became hungry. He groaned at the flick of her tongue and felt her smile beneath his lips. Temptress.
They both broke apart at the same time as music filtered to their ears. Izzy wore the same expression he was sure he did. The same dazed, hungry look. He trailed a finger over Izzy’s kiss plumped lips and soaked up the look of longing in her eyes, that highlighted the tiny golden flecks within the darkness of chocolate.
He dropped his hand to capture hers.
“W-what are we doing, Jack?” she asked as she resisted his light tug, hesitancy welling in her eyes.
Did he really know himself? “We’re finding perks for both of us.”
Her slow smile warmed him further. Mischief quickly replaced hesitancy. “And playing?”
The twitch in his pants was his answer. He smiled and quirked a brow. “As much play time as you want.”
She squealed, and rich laughter sprang from her delicious mouth as he tugged her into a run toward the fountain then twirled her around, making her skirt flare and twirl around her slender legs. He joined her laughter and tried to remember the last time he had. It seemed so long ago.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.
“Dancing with you. You asked me to teach you years ago and I left before I had the chance.”
“Didn’t we dance together at the club?”
“That wasn’t dancing—that was foreplay.”
“Then what are we doing now?”
“Both.”
Thick lashes blinked. She cleared her throat. “My kind of dancing.”
He twirled her once more before taking her in his arms and moving to the rhythm of the instrumental sounds of traditional Italian music emanating from beyond the courtyard. As the song faded he supported her back and arched her into a dip. She laughed as he took advantage of exposed skin and kissed his way from the top of her bodice up to the column of her neck where his gaze and lips met with her hummingbird pulse.
The chime of the old clock tower made them both look up. The time made him frown. Had they really been here so long? It wouldn’t be long until the square became a hive of activity. But who could blame them, he thought as he looked to the sky, so blue and promising with the sun climbing above the buildings casting beams of light to cut through the shadows. But the vision didn’t match the beauty of Izzy, his Bella.
She broke away from his arms, making them feel emptier than they’d ever been.
He watched as she tended to her cameras, rechecking their exposures and the timers connected to them, adjusting their positions. Hell, he’d forgotten they were even there! If he’d continued along the path of his needs it would be more of a sex tape by now.
As she turned back to face him she broke into another gut-punching smile. She surprised a smile out of him as she hopped quite elegantly up onto the fountain wall as strains of another song began, more up tempo than before. She clutched her skirts in her hands, exposing slender ankles and sexy heels as she dance-stepped her way along the narrow wall edge, enticing him with each foot plant and hip sway.
He folded his arms across his chest and watched. He was finding the perks all right.
The way she looked at him and smiled made him feel...well, it just made him feel.
And how long had it been since he’d dared to feel about anything, anyone? He’d shut down those kind of emotions a long time ago. When he’d finally realized that his parents were never going to reciprocate any of the same affection to him as they did his younger brother. It pained him, and he’d always wanted to know why. When he finally found out why his last emotions were sadness and relief.
Now as Izzy danced and smiled her way toward him, he had a warmth in his chest he couldn’t understand. After all, the only feelings he allowed were sexual ones. And he was definitely already feeling those.
A smile curved his lips as Izzy began to twirl on the wall. She didn’t do anything in half measures. Everything she did involved exuberance and passion. But in those heels and unable to see her feet if she wasn’t careful she was going to—
Leaping forward as her arms began to windmill, Jack reached out and caught her before the spray of the fountain reached her and she found herself dancing in the fountain. Now with her warm body gathered in his arms, pressed against his chest, he could no longer separate the rush of water from the rush of his blood as it surged through his body. Now he wanted her a different kind of wet and a whole lot closer.
Izzy’s
released breath of surprise snatched inward again, taking his with it. Her laughter halted as the intensity of his gaze looped a tight hold on hers. No movements were made, no breaths were taken as she seemed to read his thoughts as openly as he read hers. Holding her as though she weighed no more than a bag of sugar, but with a lot more sweetness, he pleaded with his eyes for her to find the answers he knew were hidden somewhere deep inside.
A frown arched her brow as something began to fall over them. Something white rested on her cheek. What the hell! Snow in Italy? In summer?
“Quanto è bella, molte congratulazioni!”
They both fought to drag their eyes away to look at the elderly Italian woman showering them with rose petals. Her now empty hands clasped together showing her joy. At her feet rested a wicker basket containing bread and a bunch of roses, some of which were now the empty stems plucked free of the petals she’d just decorated them with. Her wide smile lifted her plump, olive-skinned cheeks.
With some reluctance, Jack allowed Izzy to drop to her feet though she remained fixed at his side. At her look of confusion he translated.
“She says ‘how beautiful’ and gives her congratulations to us,” he said as he offered the woman with kindness and warmth in her eyes a smile of thanks.
Izzy craned her head, showing her full smile. “Oh, how lovely. Grazie!”
“Possono le vostre vite siano benedetti con la felicità.”
May your lives be blessed with happiness. “She wishes you to be happy,” Jack translated uncomfortably. He wished that for Izzy. But for him?
Izzy reached out to the woman and rested a hand on her arm, giving her a grateful smile before she dashed over to the church doors to retrieve the bouquet he hadn’t noticed was left behind. Walking quickly back, Izzy offered it to the woman. “Please take this,” Izzy prompted as she gave a pointed look at the naked stems in the basket at her feet.
Best Fake Day Page 9
