"Ah, Bella. You are amazing." He couldn't resist, he pulled her down into his lap and wrapped her in an embrace. She responded, as he hoped she would, by coiling her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly, her firm full breasts pressing against his chest. The blood rushed away from his head, and he felt dizzy. She was so excited, her quick breath tickled his ear. He ran his hands up and down her lithe back, feeling her long muscles and the bumps of her vertebrae under his sensitive palms.
She pulled away, and their eyes locked, bright and hot. Then without Guillermo doing a conscious thing, their lips met. Oh, Dio. Their tongues tangled and he felt himself swell to hardness with need, her soft round bottom pressing down into his lap.
They shifted their position, and their mouths broke apart just long enough for her to gasp, and him to growl, and they locked mouths again, teeth clashing as they devoured each other, their passion building.
He caught a glimpse of movement through the sidelight in his office door, and his heart rate shot up like a rocket. Gesu! He was at work. He'd completely lost it. Pulling away, swamped with regret, he said, "Clio. Um. We cannot do this here, cara."
She sucked in a breath, blinking. Clearly she'd lost sight of that fact, too. She shot up, her hands smoothing nervously over her hair and shirt and thighs, as his eyes followed hungrily. "I'm so sorry. I… I was overcome with enthusiasm."
He grinned, his eyes meeting hers, heat flaring. "Not as sorry as I am," he chuckled.
She blushed a furious red, right to the tips of her ears.
Location notwithstanding now was not the time for him to be thinking of seduction. As much as he felt she would surrender to him in her current state of agitation, it wouldn't be fair. Clio. Clio. A woman of big ideas. A woman of overwhelming sensations. Of beauty and dreams. His heart squeezed with an unfamiliar tenderness. He wanted her. Oh, how he wanted her for his very own. But he couldn't take advantage of her in this moment, when she had given so much of herself to help him. He couldn't afford to frighten her away with another lust-filled moment of abandoned reserve that she would later regret. He mentally shook himself, dragging his focus back to her ideas. "I got carried away with your presentation."
"Hmm." Her gaze darted across the surface of his desk, and she began to gather her papers together, clearly embarrassed at her own loss of control.
It was so much. It was all too much. He was filled with admiration for her. Why could his family not have been so optimistic, clever, and daring, to come up with these creative ideas, when there was still time. Then his bubble of hope popped, and he deflated and sank back to earth.
"It will work, right?" she asked. "I know it's complicated, and it's a huge task, but… it will work, yes?"
Guillermo shook his head, smiling wryly. He raised a hand. "No. Not so fast, Bella."
Her face fell, a shadow of concern darkening her eyes. "What do you mean, no? Why not?"
Guillermo gathered himself together. No, don't give up on me, Bella. "I mean… I mean what you've done is astonishing, Clio. I'm very impressed, and you've given me hope where I had none."
"So, so you agree? We can set the ball rolling? We should do this?" Her excitement was palpable. He couldn't bring himself to quash her hopes or his own. And he didn't want to. He needed to keep this alive, and he needed Clio. He couldn't afford to alienate her, or hurt her. He would do nothing to drive her away again.
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, cautious. He drew a breath. "Let me take this file home and read it very carefully. I want to understand all that you've done, and what is involved. Okay? I… can't say anything for sure yet."
The tip of her pink tongue darted out, wetting her swollen, just-kissed lips, and he twitched with desire. "But… you do think it's possible? You think it's a good idea? Would your family go for it?"
That was a damned good question. Compared to what alternative? He ground his teeth. "I think we should keep this to ourselves for now. I need to understand better what you're proposing. The implications."
"Guillermo, we've got to try. Don't you think? We've got to at least try."
"You know, the sale is already done, the funds are in escrow. It is only a matter of completing the conditions and waiting the agreed term before it closes."
Her delicate eyebrows drew together in question. "The conditions? Your designs?" She gestured to the drawings on his desk.
"Yes, partly."
"So stop. Can't you just stop?"
He shook his head. "Not without jeopardizing the sale."
"But you won't have to sell, Memmo. That's the point."
"What if this scheme of yours doesn't work, Clio? What if some… thing goes wrong? What do I tell my family then, when we have nothing but debt?"
She straightened. "You are a coward, Guillermo d' Aldobrandin."
He placed a hand on his chest. "You wound me, cara. That is not fair."
She pulled herself up straighter, sniffing. "Alright then. Alright, keep going. Work with Mad Richie on the side. Hedge your bets. We'll do both. Keep your insurance, if you must."
"Si. We could do that, I suppose. But you do not have time for this. What about your thesis?"
"I will make time, Guillermo. It's important to me. Is it important enough to you?"
Guillermo knew it was hopeless, much as he would have loved to be swayed by her idealistic dream. It was too late for the villa. Too late for his family. But it wasn't too late for he and Clio to build something new. Something to fill the empty hole in his chest. So, even though he knew it was dishonest, he would do whatever he had to do to keep Clio near him. Perhaps in time– ah, well… "You know it is, Bella. I want this to happen, too. But, it's complicated. My family– Cara, tutto quello che voglio è accontentarti."
"Don't do it to please me. It's your history."
"Don't be cross with me, Clio. I will work with you."
"How long do we have?"
"Thirty days."
She puffed her cheeks with air and blew out. "Well, get reading. We have a lot to do."
Once she'd gone, he couldn't get back to work. He was buzzing with ideas, excitement and frustrated desire. He grabbed his helmet and riding leathers and strode out of his office.
"Where do you think you're going, loverboy?" asked Ignacio, his chin dipped and his brows elevated, dark eyes peering over the rims of his glasses.
"For a ride," he growled.
Clio knew she was playing with fire. Every hour she spent working on Villa Cielo Incantato was an hour stolen from her thesis. And though she was making headway, it was slow and tedious. As much as she'd loved doing the research –she did spend an additional two years collecting data, after all– she wasn't enjoying the documentation stage. It all felt like warmed over stew. Still tasty but not nearly as thrilling as the original hunt and discovery. I guess that's why everyone doesn't have a Ph.D.
Adrenaline swirled in her veins like eddies in rapids, causing her to wonder if she was really vibrating on the outside the way she was on the inside. She was making headway on both projects, but she felt like she was figuratively and literally looking over her shoulder, expecting Dr. Jovi to pounce every moment. Would he believe she was doing all she could? Would Father?
And yet she couldn't stop. Both projects meant so much to her. It would have been impossible to explain to Dr. Jovi, or worse, her father, how much she cared about saving Guillermo's villa. She felt five hundred per cent alive, invested in a way she had never felt about anything before, even though there was no personal gain.
She looked up at her photos and sketches on the wall, tilting her head at the familiar images, her eyes resting on the ecstasy of little Saint Clare of the Cross from the Franciscan Monastery. Was it really God who moved you so, Clare? Are you really Clare? Or some not-so-innocent country lass who modeled for her lover, burning with physical desire? What moved the artist who depicted you so passionately? What quickened the blood in his veins? Was it spiritual or earthly love? Yes, she decided, she still c
ared about her thesis.
She could do both. She would do both, even if it meant she had to give up sleeping, and eat every meal on the run for the next sixty days or more. Guillermo needed her help, and she couldn't let him down.
Her thoughts lingered on Guillermo and her heart swelled with urgent longing, his image rising in her mind's eye. She was so confused. They were spending so much time together in the evenings, working toward a common goal. She felt his absence keenly during the day, as though a vital part of her had been cut out, and left on the counter at home, throbbing, awaiting their reunion.
Not for the first time today, Clio opened the Google link to the page with photos of Guillermo. It had become a daily, if not an hourly ritual. I'm not wasting time. I'm reminding myself why I'm doing this. She stared at his face, lost in the impossible deep blue of his laughing eyes, imagining him here with her. Her pulse quickened, and she felt herself cringe inwardly. Was she being a fool? Why are you doing this Clio? Is it the villa? Or is it Guillermo?
"Clio?" Dr. Jovi's old man's voice in her doorway made her jump, quickly clicking closed the guilty distraction. "How are you doing, my dear? Is the writing going well today?"
"Oh. Yes, Dr. Jovi. Pretty well, actually."
"Which chapter are you working on?"
She hesitated. Where was she, again? "Um. I'm, uh…" She blinked rapidly, retracing her thoughts and efforts of the day. "Oh, I've been jumping around, doing some editing, but, uh, mainly the justifications section today." That sounded plausible. It was partly true, anyway, she recalled.
Dr. Jovi's eyes narrowed as his bald head nodded, reflecting the overhead lights like a lacquered egg. "You look rather tired, my dear. Are you getting enough rest?"
She nodded automatically. "Sure. Well. You know. I'm okay."
"I know you are working hard. I have put a great deal of pressure on you. But you know I only want you to succeed. After a point, there won't be anything I can do for you. When your time is expired, I'm afraid…" he tapered off, and she knew exactly what he was too diplomatic to say.
"You are very kind, Dr. Jovi. I could never have done any of this without your guidance, and your patience."
"Well, well." His head bobbed thoughtfully, and he absently rummaged in the pockets of his suit jacket. "It is important that you push yourself, but you seem distracted today. I don't want you to fall ill. Why don't you rest today? Take yourself home and get caught up on your sleep. Get some fresh air on the way there, heh?"
Clio scratched her head, swamped with guilt. She nodded, finding it difficult to meet his eyes. She could use the time to make a few calls, coordinate with Guillermo, and bring him up to date. And she'd still have time for a good night's sleep. "Yes. Thank you." She'd make up for it tomorrow by writing twice as much. She wouldn't let Dr. Jovi down, either. "Yes, I think that's a good idea."
"That's a good girl. Your father will be calling soon to announce his quarterly visit." He nodded, peering at her through squinting eyes as he smiled. "We want to make a good impression, don't we?"
Clio pressed a smile on her face. Oh, yes.
The walk home passed in a blur, Clio remembering to stop for a few basic food items on the way, but hardly registering the sights. She really was over-tired. When she got to her apartment, she flopped face down on the bed. I'll just have a little nap first…
She awoke to a sharp rapping on her door, her heart leaping.
Groggy, she pushed up from the bed and staggered to the door. "Who is it?" she mumbled.
"Guillermo."
Guillermo? Her heart thudded. Should she be expecting him? What time was it? "Uh. Just a sec." She ran to the bathroom and smoothed her mussed hair, tucked in her wrinkled shirt. There were creases embossed on the side of her flushed face. Shit.
He strode in when she unlocked the door, turned and took her in. She rubbed her cheek, trying to revive the circulation, and hide her creases. Smiling, he said, "Did I wake you?"
"No. No I was just…"
They both laughed as their eyes met, and she felt her face heat.
"Yes, okay. I dozed off. Dr. Jovi sent me home early."
"Well, good." He stepped forward and planted a quick affectionate kiss on the corner of her lips. "You're rested up for our work tonight." He strode to her sitting room and dropped his files on her coffee table, collapsed onto the sofa. He'd been here so often lately, he looked almost at home sitting there. He looked as tired as she felt, his eyes smudged with shadow. "I got a couple of replies today. I could hardly wait to go over them with you." He looked up at her. "Clio?"
She was standing, dozily gazing at him, feeling a buzz all over. After she'd stared at his image on her computer screen all morning like a dummy, he was finally here in the room with her, warm flesh and blood. She had to get a grip. There was so much to do.
Her stomach rumbled with hunger. "Have you eaten? Would you like a drink?"
"I'm fine. Uh, well, maybe some water, per favor?"
She went to the kitchen, filled two glasses of water. Pausing, she downed one and refilled it, dabbing cool, wet fingertips over her forehead and neck to wake herself up. Ugh. She felt like a blob of melted gelato. Or a pan of soggy tiramisu. Or a… She shook her head, grabbed a hunk of stale bread to gnaw on and took the water glasses back into the sitting room.
Guillermo was reading over some papers from his file, his laptop open on the side, and he patted the sofa beside him as she set down the water glasses. She sat, taking the letters from him to read them over. Mm, hmm. It was a letter from the Ministry, with a request for further details, and yet more forms to fill out. "This looks promising."
"They want more details." Guillermo leaned back, watching her as she read. Her eyes darted to the side, and a smile crept across her face. "What?"
He shrugged and reached forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Bella," he whispered.
She shot him a quizzical glance. "Yes?"
He shook his head. "Just that. You are beautiful."
"Hmm." She dropped her gaze, opened her laptop and clicked on a folder, then opened a file. "Do you have this information?"
He chuckled. "Yes, I brought it." He rummaged through his file and handed her a few pages. As she scanned them and entered the relevant facts into her computer, Guillermo sat quietly perusing plans of the villa on his own screen, stroking her forearm with a lazy finger. Her arm tingled where their skin met, and the tingling spread and warmed her all over, right to her core. It was impossible to concentrate. After the day she'd had, she wanted to toss the computer on the floor and throw herself on him. She hungered for his touch, despite the fact she'd extracted a reluctant promise from him to keep his roaming hands off of her while they worked on this project. It didn't stop her from dreaming. Or him from crossing the line.
Swallowing, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and regrouped. "Guillermo, you promised."
He was absently rubbing the small of her back with warm fingertips. "Hmm?"
"Guillermo, stop. Please." She straightened her spine, pulling away from him. "You're distracting me."
"Well, Clio. It's mutual, Bella. Being in the same room as you makes me very hot and bothered."
She turned to him, scowling, though she felt a smile tugging at her lips. "Memmo."
He caressed her cheek with his knuckles, his blue eyes shadowed with desire. "Perhaps just one kiss. And then I will be able to leave you alone."
She shook her head. "As if I'm going to believe that."
His sensuous mouth twisted. "Kiss me anyway. And afterwards you have my permission to slap me if I misbehave."
She laughed, and he took her head in both hands, driving his fingers into her thick hair, and captured her mouth with his. Oh, this is what she wanted. All day she'd been dreaming of his kisses. As his hot tongue probed her mouth, the warm tingling that he'd kindled over the surface of her body penetrated to her center, turning her insides to liquid fire.
The one kiss she'd allowed him threatened to engul
f them both, as his hands pulled her towards him, and hers slid up his firm chest to encircle his neck. They'd begun to slump lower on the sofa, getting dangerously close to reclining, when a loud warbling sound erupted in front of them. They jerked, tearing apart. Wha…?"
The sound repeated, and as her head cleared of passion, she realized what it was.
"It's a Skype call." That could only mean one thing. She leaned toward her laptop and clicked on Skype, bringing it to the front. Her heart pounded. "It's Father."
Guillermo squirmed and blinked at her. "Huh?"
"My father is calling," she hissed. "You have to hide." She gave his shoulder a shove.
Guillermo stood up and staggered. He took a lurching step away from her, and then seemed to realize what was required. He stepped around the coffee table, behind her laptop screen, and squatted so their eyes were level. "How's this?" He quirked a brow at her, grinning.
She rolled her eyes at him and sighed. The call trilled again. She smoothed her hair and straightened her clothing. It would have to do. "Shhh. Don't make a sound." She clicked on Father's icon. "Hello, Father."
"Clio, sweetheart. There you are."
Guillermo's eyes widened at the sound of her father's gruff voice, no doubt surprised to hear he had a Scottish burr. He mouthed something at her, a question. She tried to ignore him, focusing on her father's blurry, lagging face. "Yes, sorry. I was just in the toilet."
"Ah. Yes. Well. I spoke to Jovi today. He seems to think you're making good headway. I wanted to check in before I booked my flight."
"Your flight?"
"Yes, Clio. My flight. I've got a small break coming up between sessions, and just enough time to pop over to see how you're making out."
"I'm well, Father. Just fine. There's no need to–"
The Art of Enchantment (Life is a Journey Book 1) Page 18
