The Salvatore Marriage Deal

by Natalie Rivers

  She stood up and walked across the room to look out of the tall, arched window. Sleek black gondolas loaded with tourists glided past on the jade-green canal below. She watched the languid ripples glimmering on the surface of the water, thinking about how her life had changed.

  She wasn’t a tourist any more. She wasn’t even a visitor.

  She was in Venice to stay.

  She pulled her thoughts together and headed upstairs to dress for dinner. She’d show Vito that she understood the rules of the game. He wouldn’t need to waste his time approving her choice of wardrobe—her instincts for self-preservation wouldn’t allow her to put herself through that humiliation again.

  She’d accepted that Vito was utterly serious in his intention to marry her, and although the circumstances were not what she would have chosen she was determined to make the best of the situation.

  She owed it to herself not to let the virile, masculine power of his personality completely overshadow her. She must take on the responsibility of creating a life for herself in Venice, and to prepare a place in this family for her unborn child.

  And she knew that the best route forward was to stop fighting against Vito, to find a way to work within his rules. The way to stand up for herself was to be proactive. It would be better to try to influence how things happened in the first place, rather than battle with Vito after the event.

  A little while later they were zipping across the lagoon towards the island of Burano.

  ‘I’ve missed being out on the water,’ Lily said, glancing at Vito. The golden evening light gilded his jet-black hair and cast a warm glow over his face, but his features were set in a shuttered expression. There was no way of knowing what he was thinking. ‘It was one of my favourite things about living here, even though it was winter.’

  ‘You never did seem to feel the cold,’ Vito said shortly. Then, despite the fact it should have been obvious she was trying to start a conversation, he fell silent again, his expression still closed to her.

  With a small sigh, Lily turned to look at the view, determined to enjoy the rest of the boat trip. The low angle of the sun across the water was creating a beautiful effect—dark indigo waves rippled against golden-orange ribbons of reflected sunlight. It was true that she’d always loved being out on the lagoon, and she wasn’t going to let Vito’s brooding silence mar her pleasure in the amazing view.

  Before long they were approaching the picturesque island. With its gaily painted houses and simple style, it seemed a million miles away from Venice. There were no hotels on the island, and as the evening drew in the tourists disappeared back to the city. The local artisans packed away their handmade lace and other crafts, and fishermen and their families came outside to enjoy an evening stroll.

  The driver brought the boat to a standstill on one side of the harbour, then jumped out athletically to tie the craft up. Vito disembarked first, turning to offer Lily support as she climbed out of the swaying boat onto the quayside.

  She reached for him automatically, but the instant their hands made contact a jolt of highly charged sensual energy ran through her. She snatched her hand away with a gasp, then stumbled awkwardly as the boat lurched with the movement of the water.

  Vito’s fingers closed around her forearm, his grip strong and steadying, but he didn’t speak as she climbed out onto the quay.

  ‘Thank you.’ She tried to make her voice bright and breezy as they started walking towards the main street, but it sounded strained to her own ears. Why should simply taking his hand make her so sexually aware of him? Out of the blue her body was humming with desire for him—even though he hadn’t done or said anything much since they’d left home. ‘I should know better than to make sudden movements when I’m standing on the edge of a boat.’

  She lifted her eyes to his face, and the way he was looking at her suddenly made her mouth run dry. She looked away skittishly, waiting a moment for him to speak, but it seemed he was continuing to maintain a charged silence.

  ‘For goodness’ sake!’ Lily stopped in her tracks and turned to stare up at him. ‘Stop giving me the silent treatment. You’re the one who wants us to keep up appearances.’

  ‘What do you want me to say?’ Vito asked, with an infuriating lift to one black eyebrow before he turned and continued walking towards the restaurant. ‘Should I reprimand you for acting foolishly at the water’s edge? Or would you like to talk about how the simple touch of my hand on yours sent shock waves of sexual desire burning through you?’

  ‘No it didn’t,’ Lily said indignantly, feeling hot colour flood to her cheeks as she hurried to keep pace beside him. The very mention of sexual desire was doing things to her that she’d rather deny, especially given Vito’s current rather arrogant and hostile mood. She was glad now that they were walking along and he wasn’t looking at her any more.

  ‘Of course it did. And, if something as simple as touching hands turns you on, whatever will happen at the restaurant when I take you in my arms and make a show of how happy we are together?’ His voice rumbled through her, setting her nerves alight.

  His absolute confidence in his effect on her bothered her on more levels than she could say. Even thinking about the fact that he could turn her on was doing exactly that. She could feel her skin start to flush, and her heart rate had definitely speeded up.

  ‘Why can’t we have a proper conversation?’ Lily protested, trying to ignore the way she was feeling.

  ‘We could try,’ Vito said, as he held the door for her to walk into the restaurant. ‘But you might as well face up to it—not much else is going to hold your attention. We both know how this evening has to end.’

  Mental pictures of Vito making love to her whirled through her mind, and she could feel her body buzzing with anticipation. Try as she might, it was impossible to ignore the images and the way they were making her feel.

  Lily’s cheeks were scarlet as the maître d’ rushed over to them, fussing about how long it had been since their last visit, and showing them to the best table in the restaurant.

  ‘Your usual glass of prosecco to begin?’ he asked.

  ‘That would be perfect.’ Vito flashed Lily a lazy smile that sent a frisson skittering through her. ‘After all, this is an evening of celebration.’

  ‘I shouldn’t drink more than a few sips,’ she said. For some reason she shied away from mentioning her pregnancy.

  ‘What is it you English say?’ Vito asked, with a devilish glint in his eyes. ‘“A little of what you fancy does you good”?’

  Lily’s face was glowing and she could feel herself actually trembling. She told herself it was just nerves magnifying her reaction to his provocation, and buried her head in the menu to avoid his piercing gaze.

  If she was going to get through the evening unscathed, she had to get herself in check. She forced herself to read the menu, concentrating very hard on all the options, to chase all other thoughts out of her mind.

  She was feeling slightly more composed when the waiter came to tell them the special fish dishes available from the day’s catch, and she was pleased at the extra distraction. By the time they had both made their selections, she had more or less clamped down on her wayward reaction to Vito, although she knew her control was pretty tenuous. She’d have to work very hard to keep the conversation neutral.

  ‘We should discuss wedding arrangements.’ Vito suddenly spoke, taking her by surprise with his change of tack.

  ‘Of course,’ Lily replied, overwhelmingly relieved that he had apparently given up his campaign to make her feel uncomfortable. She picked up her prosecco glass and took a sip of the sparkling white wine that the Veneto region was famous for. The delicate bubbles fizzed pleasantly in her mouth, and for a moment she felt the tension start to drain out of her body.

  ‘It must be very soon,’ Vito continued. ‘And I think a relatively small family affair would be best. Is there anyone you wish to invite who would be able to come at short notice?’

  ‘I
don’t know. I hadn’t really thought.’ Lily smoothed her hand over her long hair in sudden consternation. It was going to be strange enough going through with the wedding. And nothing had changed regarding her concerns about keeping up appearances with her mother or best friends being there. ‘You know, I think it would be better to tell them afterwards. Maybe they can visit later.’

  ‘Ashamed of your fiancé?’ Vito asked. His tone was utterly neutral, and for a disconcerting moment Lily wondered if he was offended or being sardonic.

  ‘No.’ She looked him squarely in the eye. A couple of months ago she would have been so proud to call him that. ‘I’m just not sure I’ll be able to convince the people I love that this is real. I’m still getting used to it.’

  ‘All right,’ he said. ‘If you think it would be best, we’ll keep it very small. Just my grandfather—if he’s well enough—and a couple of witnesses.’

  He continued to hold her gaze for a long moment, his blue eyes looking smoky in the candlelight, and for a second Lily had a flash of how it used to be between them. She was glad he had accepted what she said without making more of it. She knew she had to make the marriage look normal—and she had very good reasons for going ahead with it. But it was still too soon to be confident that she’d manage in front of the people who loved and knew her best.

  The rest of the meal passed smoothly. Vito kept the conversation light, for which she was very grateful, and by the time Lily had finished her ice cream she was surprised to realise that she had actually enjoyed a proper meal for the first time in weeks. Maybe her body was finally settling into the second trimester of her pregnancy and the misery of morning sickness was over.

  ‘Let’s go home,’ Vito said, signalling for the bill.

  Lily looked at him, suddenly remembering what he had said about them both knowing how the evening would end. A dark shiver of anticipation ran through her. She couldn’t deny that she missed the nights of passion they had shared.

  Her skin was flushing again, and she stared at the paintings covering the walls to take her mind off making love with Vito. On their earlier visits to the restaurant he had told her how previous owners had sometimes accepted paintings as payment for meals. As a result the walls were covered with an astonishingly eclectic array of artwork that she’d always enjoyed looking at—but right then it wasn’t enough to distract her from the thought of lying in Vito’s arms.

  It was dark as they travelled back across the lagoon, and a beautiful crescent moon hung in the sky. Lily shivered, hugging her silk wrap tighter around her—not because she was cold, but because of the way Vito had started looking at her again.

  It was too dark to see his features clearly, but she could sense his expression was the one she had seen so many times before when they’d been lovers. The expression that meant very soon they would be making love.

  ‘You’re cold,’ Vito said, slipping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer to his side.

  ‘Not really,’ Lily responded, leaning against his hard muscled body with a ripple of pleasure. Half a glass of prosecco had gone to her head—or maybe she was simply intoxicated by her proximity to Vito. His spicy masculine aroma was filling her senses, making her body sing with remembered sensations.

  ‘You’re trembling,’ Vito murmured, leaning close to her ear. She could feel his lips moving deliciously against her hair. Excitement knotted deep inside her, making her shiver in expectation of what was to happen later.

  ‘I’m not really cold.’ The words came out in a small, shaky voice, and she realised that although she yearned to lie in his arms again she was also extremely nervous. Would it be as good as she remembered? Would Vito be satisfied with her?

  Their physical compatibility was the one thing that might create a genuine bond between them in their marriage of convenience. Or was she placing too much significance on it? Would it ever again be more than just sex to Vito?

  ‘I’ve missed this, bella mia.’ Vito’s deep, sensual voice rumbled right through her as he lifted his hands to turn her face towards him. His fingers slipped between the silky tresses of her hair, and he inclined her head slightly to one side, as if he was about to kiss her.

  Lily gazed at him silently. Her heart was racing and she wanted to feel his lips against hers, experience the mastery of his kiss again. But for a long moment he didn’t move.

  ‘So have I,’ she whispered, thinking about the time when it had been natural for her to pull him close for a kiss. Before she thought about what she was doing, she leant nearer and pressed a light kiss against his mouth.

  For a heartbeat she held her breath. He hadn’t kissed her back. Maybe this wasn’t the way he wanted it to be now. But her lips tingled with the feel of his firm, sensual mouth and she was desperate for him to kiss her properly.

  Suddenly Vito began to move and everything seemed to happen at once. His strong hands were under the hem of her full skirt, sliding rapidly up the outside of her legs, making the breath catch in her throat. Then, before she realised what he was doing, he took hold of her hips and lifted her so that she was sitting astride him.

  She grabbed hold of his broad shoulders to steady herself as desire flooded through her, pooling at the very centre of her womanhood. Her most sensitive feminine place was now pressed intimately against him. She could feel his erection pushing powerfully against her through his trousers. They were in a perfect position for making love—and sensation stormed through her quivering body, as if that was really what they were doing.

  The movement of the boat as it bounced lightly over the waves bumped their bodies together erotically, and Lily felt her breath coming in shorter and shorter gasps. In a distant, rational part of her mind, she couldn’t believe how aroused she was. He’d barely touched her and he hadn’t even kissed her. Yet her body was on fire.

  His hands were still under her skirt, resting on her hips and pulling her into close contact with him. She longed to feel those hands glide across her, but for a moment they stayed perfectly still.

  ‘I want to touch you all over,’ he murmured as his hands started to move.

  Her knees on the seat were supporting her, and there was room for him to slide his hands around the curve of her bottom. She bit the tip of her tongue lightly between her teeth. His fingers left a tingling trail in their wake—but she needed more.

  ‘Kiss me.’ His words were a command, but suddenly she wondered if he was playing a game with her. A moment ago he hadn’t kissed her back. Would he respond this time? Or would he sit there as cold as stone—despite the fact he knew how turned on she was, and that she could feel how hard he was?

  Her position astride him meant that her head was slightly higher than his. She leant forward and brushed her lips lightly over his. He was driving her wild with frustrated sexual need—she’d try to give him a taste of his own medicine.

  But as soon as their lips made contact another rush of overwhelming desire stormed her body and, almost as if from a distance, she heard a low, sexy moan emerge from deep within her.

  Suddenly Vito lifted his hand and cupped the nape of her neck. He pulled her mouth down roughly to his, and kissed her with a furious passion that matched the pent-up energy burning inside her. His tongue plunged in deeply and she took it willingly, inviting the rough, sensual invasion of her mouth. She wanted to taste him, feel him. She wanted to be as close to him as possible.

  They’d never kissed like this before. All through the many wild or tender nights they’d shared, she had never experienced a kiss so intense. The blood was singing in her ears, blotting out everything but Vito and her overpowering need to be with him.

  Then she felt his other hand push up between them, pulling at the buttons on the front of her dress. A moment later his hand was inside, slipping under the lace of her bra to cup her breast. A deep sigh of pleasure escaped her, but he kept on kissing, delving deeper with his tongue as his fingers found her nipple and teased it.

  Sensation spiralled out from her br
east and she finally pulled back from his kiss, gasping for air.

  ‘Oh, Vito.’ She breathed deeply, feeling her body shuddering against him.

  ‘You’re ready for me.’ One hand was still inside her bra, doing exquisite things to her breast, and he slipped the other under the curtain of hair that had fallen forward over them. He pushed it behind her shoulder, then pulled her silk wrap closely around her to cover the open front of her dress. ‘And as soon as we are inside I’m going to make you mine, once and for all.’

  His words of possession rolled through her body like an incredible promise. She wanted to be his. She’d always been his. From the moment that they’d met he had been the master of her body, able to lift her to heights she had never imagined possible. Able to make her world splinter into a million points of absolute bliss, where nothing mattered but being with Vito.

  She made a murmur of protest as he slipped his hand gently from her dress, then she realised that the boat had already slowed down as it wound its way through the canals of the city. In a minute they would be at the palazzo.

  The boat glided up to the gothic arch of the water gate, and Vito lifted her from his lap. Her legs were unsteady, and before she realised what he was doing he pulled her wrap tightly around her and swept her up into his arms. A lifetime of watercraft and canals had made him nimble on his feet, and within a moment he had whisked her off the boat and carried her straight up to their bedroom.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  HE LAID her on the bed and stood over her, discarding his jacket and tie, before kneeling beside her and finishing off undoing the buttons on her dress.

  She gazed up at him, smiling at the way his fringe had fallen forward over his face. She reached up to run her fingers through his luxuriant black hair, while he unbuttoned her dress.

  Touching his hair suddenly seemed a curiously intimate thing to do. It was silly to think that, considering what had happened on the boat and what was about to happen. But for that moment she found herself thinking that everything would be all right. She could almost imagine the past six weeks had never happened.