Her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer and he wished they were naked, skin to skin. He released her lips, whispering Italian words calling her beautiful, telling her how much he wanted her, thankful she couldn't understand the language. Her hand caressed the side of his face, running up through his hair as she moaned beneath him. He trailed his fingers down her neck, down her shoulder, and across her chest.
Tenderly he let his fingers trail across the mounds of her breasts and she arched, pressing against his hand. He kissed down her neck and across her chest until his mouth was just above the décolleté of her dress. He kissed the spot tenderly and she moaned, the sound deep in her throat as she held his head in place.
It was then he felt the first few raindrops splattering across his face, her chest. He glanced up at the sky and noticed the gathering of storm clouds. Why couldn't have the rain held off a little longer, just a few more hours in her arms? "The sky is about to open on us, mio caro."
She rose to a sitting position, forcing him from her breasts. "We should go."
He kissed her softly on the lips. "But I was enjoying our time together."
"Me too," she said softly.
Just then the skies opened and quickly they jumped up, throwing the leftover food in the basket. With the blanket over their heads, they looked at each other and laughed.
"Oh, Bella," he said. "You're going to make my life difficult."
His lips lowered onto hers again as he kissed her in the rain.
Bella sat staring out the window of the bakery. She'd come home from her picnic with Luca and immediately gone down and made eight loaves of bread. Now while the bread was baking, she sat with pen and paper and again contemplated what she was doing.
Today, Luca had shared his dream of the vineyard and how it would help his family replace the money they'd lost when they closed the bakery. He needed the money from the sale of the bakery to buy equipment for his dream. And with her leasing the bakery, his own dream was on hold. He was sacrificing for her and that just didn't feel right.
His father and sister had been so kind to her, and she saw the love the four of them had for one another and wished her family had the same closeness.
Her father was probably searching for her, but she wasn't going to live by his threats any longer. If he disinherited her that was fine, but she needed to face them and tell him no more future husbands being paraded in front of her. No more telling her to come home to Boston. She was an independent woman and she was done with running.
It was time she confronted her father and told him she also wanted access to the money in her account. She would take that money and purchase the bakery from Luca, so he could live his dream. She was currently living hers and she didn't want to be the person who kept him from acquiring his dream.
She had no idea where this thing between the two of them was headed, but she knew that whatever it was, it felt right. When she was with him, it seemed like she'd come home to where she belonged and who she was meant to spend her life with. And for that reason, she needed to warn her father and let him know she would not accept any more of his schemes to get her to marry. She was done.
Picking up the pen, she glanced down at the paper, sighed, and finally had the words exactly like she wanted them.
In New Hope, Texas. Need money. Don't come if you expect me to marry someone you choose. I've already found someone.
She knew telegram operators were notorious gossips and knew everyone in town, but she wanted her family to know she wasn't going to marry someone her father had chosen. The image of Luca with raindrops splattering his face as he kissed her had her heart leaping into her throat. She didn't know where they were headed, but she liked the direction they were going. And now, maybe she could help him achieve his dream.
After she took the bread out of the oven, she walked down the street to the telegraph office. She was taking a huge risk in letting everyone know where she was, but it was time to stop hiding and face them. She was after all, an educated woman, a suffragette, and she was fearless. Or at least, she liked to believe she was strong.
Chapter 8
A week later, Bella was waiting outside the church for Luca to appear. He'd told her he had a surprise for her. The wind gusted, blowing hot dust rippling down the street. Fall was here.
At home, the leaves would have already started turning, but here in Texas, the heat lingered. Though the nights had finally started to cool off, she kept waiting for the first sign of fall and hopefully soon, winter. But right now, she was sweating, it was so warm.
Finally, she saw him driving up to the church. He pulled the wagon to a halt and then jumped down. "Sorry, I'm late, but the priest was there today and the mass was long."
"There's not a priest there every Sunday?"
"No, only twice a month. He travels, visiting other church's in the area," he said helping her up into the wagon.
"What are we doing today?" she asked sitting on the bench.
Maybe today she would tell him the truth about her real name and her father searching for her and how he could be showing up any day. Maybe today, he would learn she was really a shipping heiress and wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.
He climbed onto the wagon, turned to her, and smiled. "Papa would like for you to come to an early dinner tonight. He said he knows that you must work in the bakery this evening, but he'd like for you to see our home."
"I'd love to," she said with a smile. "But that's later this afternoon. What are we going to do?"
Luca grinned and she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. He took her hand, raised it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "Oh, how I've missed you this week. We'll find something to keep us busy."
She knew exactly what she wanted to do with Luca and it involved lots of kissing. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Why was it this man seemed to warm all the places in her heart and fill her with such joy? "Did you have a good week?"
"Yes. How about you? Did the bakery do well?"
They had agreed not to talk about the bakery, but how could she not tell him they had broken all the records they set and it was their best week ever. She was starting to have returning clients and that made her feel so good. To know people were coming back to experience more of her baking.
"It went very well," was all she said, keeping the numbers close to her heart. Right now her life couldn't be better, except for the fact she knew her dream was keeping Luca from completing his dreams. "How is the vineyard?"
"We begin picking the grapes next week. So I will be very busy," he said. “This year, I'm making even more wine."
If the bakery continued to do well, she would soon be able to show him how she would repay him. She wanted to be the one to give him what he needed to achieve his dream.
She smiled. "Will you need help? I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind picking grapes if you paid them a little something to help with their expenses," she said.
He glanced at her and his lips turned up. "I may just take you up on that offer. I don't want Papa out there, especially in this heat. It seems the summer will never end."
The leaves on the trees were still green with no sign of them beginning to turn. While she missed St. Louis, she didn't know if she would ever return to Boston. There was nothing there to draw her back.
"Yes, it has been extremely warm. In Boston, the leaves would already be colorful. This is my favorite time of year there."
"Don't expect the leaves to change here until early November."
"That's surprising," she responded.
"Yes, sometimes we go straight from summer to winter, without a fall in between."
Occasionally, his thigh would touch her leg and warmth would fill her, rushing through her veins and straight to her heart. No matter what happened with the bakery, she couldn't help but think she was beginning to have real feelings for Luca and that both thrilled and frightened her.
She'd never really been in love before. There had been boys who
'd kissed her, but no man had made her hunger for him the way Luca's kisses seared her.
The wagon rolled along and soon they were out of town. "When are you going to let me know where we're going?"
He was being almost secretive about what he had planned for today and that made her even more curious.
"First, I thought we would go by the vineyard and I'd show you my grapes."
"I can't wait," she said excitedly. This was his dream and she wanted to share it with him.
The wagon pulled up in front of a field of grapevines. "These are the first vines I planted, the year Mama died. They are two years old, so they're maturing. The best grapes come from these vines."
She could hear the pride in his voice and ached.
"Where did you learn so much about grapes?"
"My great-grandfather had a vineyard in Italy. Mama knew quite a bit about vineyards and kept telling me I was the one who should start a vineyard here."
He jumped down from the wagon and then reached up to help her alight. She felt his hands on her waist and her heart beat increased as she stared down into his dark eyes. She longed to caress the side of his face but thought that would be acting forward. When her feet touched the ground, he released her. "Over that ridge, there, is our house."
"You're not as far from town as I feared."
"No, in fact, Papa would have liked to have been further out, but Mama insisted we stay close to the bakery. It's a good thing," Luca said.
Grabbing the quilt from the back of the wagon, he turned to her and grabbed her hand. They walked to the edge of the field of vines and she saw the grapes ripening on the stems.
"You want to wait until the grapes are at their ripest before you pick them. This way they will have the highest concentrate of sugar."
"So how do you decide when to pick them?"
He smiled and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Go ahead, pick one and eat it."
She plucked the grape from the vine. She let the taste roll around on her tongue. "It's ripe, but it could be riper."
"Yes," he said. "The only way to know when to pick the grapes is when your tongue tells you it's time. And then you need to pick them as soon as possible."
The field was full of stalks with vines loaded with fresh grapes. She glanced at Luca as he walked amongst the vines, checking them carefully, so proud of his work.
Walking towards her, she felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest at the sight of this strong, viral man who made her hotter than the summer heat. "Where will you plant your new vines?"
"You can't see it from here, but we own the land on the other side of this field. I soon hope to have all our fields covered with vines. Then we will be the largest producer in Texas."
Sensing his excitement, she couldn't help but feel guilty she was what was standing in his way.
He reached down and brushed the hair from her face, his fingers caressing her cheek. "Walk with me. I will show you my second favorite spot."
They strolled along the grapevines and occasionally he would pluck a grape and pop it into his mouth. "Not yet."
She heard the sound of the river before she saw the water. When they left the vineyard, they walked through a grove of trees and there before them was a cool, inviting clear water creek. The water babbled over rocks, enticing and rambling before it went into a wide river.
Bella was hot, she was thirsty, and now the sight of the cool water made her want to groan. The heat was miserable today.
Spreading the quilt under a shade tree, he dropped her hand and pulled his shirt over his head.
Her mouth open at the sight of his bare chest, his muscles carved like stone across his stomach. The man was a god and she wanted to reach out and touch his bare flesh but knew that would not be appropriate. He glanced at her and grinned. "It's hot. I’m going for a dip. Come with me?”
Licking her lips nervously she glanced around and then to her astonishment he dropped his pants. Standing before her in his long johns, his muscles clearly outlined. His manhood prominent in the clinging cloth.
“Luca?” she gasped amazed at the forwardness of the man.
“What? It’s hot. We’re broiling out here. I’m going to cool off.”
“You could swim in your clothes,” she said.
He grinned at her. “I’m a man. I’m not ashamed of my body and you shouldn’t be either.”
Staring at him she felt stunned. What should she do? She couldn’t very well leave and she didn’t want to. If she were honest with herself, she was falling in love with Luca. Her heart, her body, her very soul longed to join him in that cool stream.
"You can keep your underclothes on," he said as he ran to the river’s edge and leaped into the water much like a boy.
The splashing sounds were too much as he disappeared beneath the water. When he came up, he wiped the water from his face. "Come on in. It will cool you off."
Oh my, she wanted to so badly, but it wasn't proper. She could ruin her reputation if anyone found out. Sweat poured down her back, leaving her dress clinging to her.
But it would feel so good.
She was a suffragette. She was an independent, forward thinking woman. She could jump in the water if she wanted to. Turning her back to him, she unbuttoned her dress and pulled it from her hot body. The cool breeze touched her skin and she felt so much relief.
Quickly she pulled off her shoes and socks and wound her hair up high on top of her head and shoved the pins to keep it in place. Dressed in only her chemise and pantaloons she crept to the edge.
The water lapped at her toes, feeling almost cold. The coolness was all the temptation she needed.
Luca rose out of the river like a Greek god, his body shimmering with water. He held out his hand and she took it to keep from slipping on the rocks. He led her into the center of the river where the water was cool and she sank up to her neck. "Oh my goodness, this feels wonderful."
He smiled and pulled her into his wet arms. They bobbed in the water, his eyes dark with a fire she could feel in her own blood. "You are beautiful. A wet river nymph."
Feeling self-conscious at her near naked state, she laid her hands on his bare skin. Heat sizzled through her and it wasn't from the sun. This was a heat only Luca created within her. She ran her fingers down his chest and watched as his eyes widened and his nose flared. He cursed.
"Am I hurting you?" she asked.
"No, you fill me with hunger," he said softly in her ear. "I want you like a man wants a woman."
He stepped in between her legs and she could feel his erection hard against her center.
"Oh," she said with surprise.
He smiled at her. "You make me hard for you."
His words made her heart beat fast as she lifted her hands to his face and pulled his mouth down to hers. She wanted him just as much as he desired her. And even if this wasn't meant to be forever, she hungered to show Luca her love. For she knew that even with the issues of the bakery facing them, she'd fallen in love with him. It was why she had decided to contact her family and expected her father to arrive any day. But before he got here, she longed to make certain she was Luca's woman. No one else's.
His lips moved over hers, possessing her with a hunger she'd never experienced before. He pressed his rigid, hard member between her legs and she knew her decision was made. No matter what happened tomorrow, today she was Luca's woman.
Finally, she pulled back from him. "I've never done this before, but I want you, Luca. I want to experience what happens between a man and a woman with you."
"Madre Dios," he said beneath his breath and covered her mouth with his.
Luca pulled Bella out of the water and moved her to the blanket he'd spread on the ground. Her chemise and pantaloons were plastered to her skin, the shadow of her nipples showed through the wet material and he lowered his mouth and sucked the tender orb into his mouth. She gasped and tilted her head back giving him more access.
"Oh, mio caro," he whispered against her
breast. "You are beauty and fire."
She moved into his arms, and her mouth lifted in eager anticipation of his sensual assault, surrender only a heartbeat away.
Luca poured his soul into his kiss, and all the pent-up desire he'd kept dammed came flooding out. A moan resounded from his throat as his lips sought and plundered hers. He felt like a drowning man going down for the final time as he pulled her close, her wet breasts crushed against his chest.
Why did this woman affect him like none before her? How was it she had managed to get under his skin when none of the others had? He craved her touch like a man addicted to opium and didn't care that she was the reason his own dreams were on hold. He needed her like the earth needed rain.
She tasted of honey and sweetness, of passion and tangled sheets, and he wanted nothing more than to take her to bed and slip into her womanly sheath, but they were outside under the trees, next to a babbling stream.
Mindless sex would not suffice with this woman. He wanted her body and soul, her eager and willing. He wanted her like no other woman before. Only Bella seemed to fill the emptiness inside him that sent him into the vineyard.
He wrenched his lips away from hers, his breathing hard and fast. "Are you certain this is what you want?"
"Kiss me again before I change my mind."
Luca needed no further invitation. His lips eagerly sought hers as he pulled her onto the quilt beside him. She gave a soft sigh of pleasure, her eyes half closed.
"Is this wrong?" she whispered.
"No, not between us. This has been building for so long."
She turned to face him, her hand reaching out tentatively to caress his cheek. "I want you."
"Oh, mio caro," he said under his breath thinking that no woman had ever told him that she wanted him. Never before, and he felt like this was where he belonged. She was his home, his hearth, and his world. He wanted her even more than she desired him.
Wild Western Women Spring Into Love: A Western Historical Romance Box Set Page 31
