Oh my God, she thought before her brain shut down.
The desire she experienced earlier paled in comparison to the sensations now rushing through her. Quincy never kissed her like this. If he had, she would have clawed Shannon’s eyes out for imposing on their relationship. Truthfully, she hadn’t given herself to Quincy, a decision she didn’t regret in hindsight. Sharing this with Antonio told her why. His mouth sent heat surging through her. She literally felt like she could combust. This lip lock could go on forever, and it wouldn’t be long enough for her.
Antonio shifted against her, and she came directly in contact with an impressive erection. Even with her lack of experience, she knew when a man could be classified as well endowed. Antonio fell into that category. The first moan of pleasure escaped her, and he swallowed it up. She did not want it to ever end. As soon as the thought entered her mind, someone cleared their throat. Antonio took his sweet time pulling away from her, but when he did, she sagged against him, and he kept her in his arms. He stared deeply into her eyes for a moment before looking at the person who so rudely interrupted their earth shattering moment. She quickly determined sound came from the bartender.
“Sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Carabelli, but you have a phone call.”
* * * *
He felt Tierra freeze within his arms and cursed under his breath in Italian. The person on the phone just might die a slow and painful death if it wasn’t an emergency. He gave her another glance, puzzled by the expression on her face. She looked as if she just suffered the shock of her life. He couldn’t blame her. The kiss they just shared could only be described as extraordinary. He instantly wondered what it would be like if they went further. Based on the kiss they just shared, their compatibility registered off the charts. He definitely planned to find out just how well suited they were as soon as he took care of the person on the phone.
“I will be right back.”
She nodded stiffly, and he stepped around the bar to pick up the phone. Even with his back to her, he could still feel her gaze on him. Picking up the phone, he spoke a gruff greeting to his youngest brother.
He promptly cursed him when he found out the ludicrous reason why he’d been pulled away from the most passionate kiss of his life. Of all the times for his brother to have the need to borrow his car, this qualified as the worst. After telling his brother he would be busy for the rest of the night and not to bother him, he slammed down the phone. He took a deep breath before smiling. As irrational as it sounded, he couldn’t deny his anxiousness to get back to Tierra. His smile faded quickly when he turned and saw she wasn’t standing there. Immediately, he knew exactly where to find her, and he would do just that.
Chapter 2
Tierra paced back and forth, imprinting a trail into the carpet of her hotel room, but she couldn’t help herself. Mortification did not even begin to explain what she felt. To think she’d thrown herself at a Carabelli. She might be inexperienced, but she wasn’t stupid. It didn’t take a genius to figure out Antonio had to be related to the owner of the hotel in some way. How common of a name could Carabelli be? At the moment, she hoped a very prevalent one. He probably stood downstairs having a good laugh at her expense.
She pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes and wondered what she’d done in her life to deserve such embarrassment. Walking over to the bed, she sat down only to stand back up as a vivid image of her and Antonio in the bed, locked in a lovers’ embrace flashed through her mind. She stifled a groan and walked out onto the balcony. She could easily imagine sitting out on the balcony enjoying a glass of wine while wrapped up in Antonio’s arms.
Exhaling heavily, she tried to focus on the view of the city, which felt just as warm and intimate as the room.
Groaning, she closed her eyes before stomping back into the hotel room. She had to find a way to get Antonio off her mind. No way could she get involved with him now. It would be a major mistake. She would have to find another suitable candidate outside of the hotel to avoid more potential staff. Of all the people, why did she have to run into Antonio? He seemed to be one of kind.
She sighed heavily. Right now she needed a nice long soak in the vintage marble bathtub, one of the major reasons she chose this hotel. When the reason why she wanted the tub came to mind, she moaned in agony. The instant she spotted a photo of the tub, she began to think about all of the seductive plans she’d come up with. The way she imaged it, they might have never made it outside of the bathroom. Now it would remain a distant fantasy.
She would definitely be in the tub tonight, but it would be by herself. Fortunately, inexperience was her problem, not ignorance. She knew how to satisfy herself. Unfortunately, Quincy hadn’t known how pleasure her. Hopefully, Shannon would have better luck.
Tierra stifled a sigh. She faked enough orgasms with him to last her a lifetime. She’d read enough self-help manuals to know what to expect. Because of this she’d taken the time to learn how to pleasure herself on her own, as well as why she hadn’t been tempted to give herself to Quincy. Either that, or deep down she’d known he belonged to the reptilian species and was not worth giving herself to. One thing she knew for sure—he wasn’t worth wasting any more of her thoughts on with a vintage marble bathtub calling her name. She made her way toward the bathroom only to be stopped when a knock sounded on the door.
The person probably had the wrong room. She definitely wasn’t expecting company. A quick look out the peephole left her gasping. She leaned against the door, trying to figure out what she should do to get rid of Antonio. How in the world had he found her? She dropped her face into her hands and shook her head. Of course he could find her. With her first name and access to the hotel’s computer it probably hadn’t been hard for him at all. She jumped as he knocked on the door again. Her heart began to race, and this time not from arousal or excitement. What is the hell was she going to do? He knocked again even louder, and she knew she needed to think and act quickly. Otherwise, he might disturb the entire floor. Taking a deep breath, she put the safety latch on the door before opening it.
“What do you want?” she asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.
Her heart fluttered when he flashed her those straight white teeth. His smile should be labeled lethal and locked away.
“To finish our conversation from earlier, of course.”
“Absolutely not. So get lost.”
She started to close the door, but his next words stopped her.
“I could easily have maintenance come up and take the door off the hinges.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He gave her a deadpan look. “Try me.”
His eyes told her he meant his threat. Now she cursed. “Dammit. As many rooms as there are in the hotel, how did you find me?”
He laughed, and she closed the door, barely resisting the impulse to slam it. Taking off the safety latch, she reopened it before stepping back. He stood on the other side of the door looking so handsome and comfortable, it irritated her beyond belief, and she closed her eyes and counted to ten. When she reopened her eyes, he leaned against the doorjamb as if he belonged there. He now had his suit jacket back on, hanging wide open with the top button of his shirt undone, revealing nicely bronzed skin. The temptation to call GQ and tell them she found their next model almost overtook her. Instead, she folded her arms across her chest and gave him her most intimidating look.
He smiled at the expression. “May I come in?”
She gave him her infamous eye roll before stepping aside. “As if I have a choice.”
Tierra rubbed the back of her neck. “What do you want to talk about?”
Antonio laughed at the statement, and the sound sent a tingle down her spine. She heard the click of the door closing, and her spine stiffened. She turned to face him, fighting back the nerves of being alone with the sexiest man on the planet.
He stared at her for a moment. When the moment increased to two, she began to wonder if h
e’d heard her.
“Just trying to figure out why you walked away from me after we shared the most earth shattering kiss I am positive either of us has ever experienced.”
His level of smugness embarrassed her. She should deny his claim, act like her reaction to him was normal for her. Instead, she told him the truth. “Because I had no idea I was swapping saliva with a Carabelli.”
One corner of his mouth tilted upward into a smile, and her breath caught in her throat.
Lord, this man is handsome.
“Is that such a bad thing?”
She blinked at him, wondering if she’d spoken aloud. He gave her a puzzled look, and she realized he referred to her earlier statement. She closed her eyes and nodded. Maybe she would be able to focus if she wasn’t looking at him. She spoke softly.
“Yes, it is.” She couldn’t keep her eyes closed. “You are more than I bargained for.”
As soon as the words tumbled out of her mouth, she knew she should have chosen better ones. His gaze became even more heated, but she held up her hands before he could say anything and they ended up in more trouble than they already were.
“What I am trying to say is I want my affair to be with someone less risky.”
The other corner of his mouth went up, and she had a sinking feeling she would be in for a long night. She couldn’t think with this man around.
* * * *
Antonio studied the woman across from him for a moment, trying to figure out how he should handle this. She looked as if she wanted to bolt at any instant, and he couldn’t blame her for being skittish. This overwhelmed to him as well, but she intrigued him, and curiosity only made him want to explore the possibilities.
“Cara, I hate to tell you this, but any affair is risky. It is what makes it exciting.”
He took a step toward her, but the flash of vulnerability in her eyes made him stop. He forced himself to remember she’d just been hurt by the man she planned to marry. She wasn’t one of the fast-paced women he typically dealt with. He closed his eyes briefly before reopening them.
“What is it about me being a Carabelli you find so threatening?”
Her eyes widened, and she stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “You own a five-star hotel in Rome, Italy.” She winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to shout.”
He smiled, doubting anyone heard her. The rooms were made to keep sound in. Her expression became slightly irritated, and he remembered the corners of his mouth still curved upward in amusement. He cleared his expression, not wanting her to think he was laughing at her.
“And this is a problem because?”
“I am from Boulder City, Nevada.”
His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “It is about twenty miles outside of Las Vegas, no?”
She nodded mutely.
The corners of his mouth curled upward. “I haven’t been there before, but I have been to Las Vegas a few times.”
He left out it tended to be a location a woman he dated in the past enjoyed.
“For the exception of my flight here, I haven’t,” she stated in a small voice.
His eyes widened as he grasped the meaning behind the statement. He didn’t think anyone who lived so close to Las Vegas wouldn’t go at least once. It only confirmed for him the woman standing in front of him couldn’t be described as anything but special. Not to mention different, very different.
* * * *
Tierra tried hard to keep her head up and not collapse from embarrassment. Nothing was wrong with her or that she’d never been to Las Vegas. She wasn’t drawn to the flashy lights of the city. Las Vegas appeared less attractive if one lived near it their entire life and she knew so many people who lost everything they had by being attracted to the famous strip. She blinked when Antonio spoke.
“How long have you lived in Boulder City?”
“All of my life,” she stated in a stronger voice.
“And that would be?”
“Thirty-two years,” she replied without hesitation.
An expression crossed his face but cleared too quickly for her to decipher it, probably pity. She wouldn’t be surprised. If their roles were reversed, she would probably feel pity for him. To be honest, she felt pity for herself. She spent her entire life pleasing others. So much so it hadn’t dawned on her how unhappy she felt until she stepped off the airplane upon her arrival in Rome. She made up her mind then this trip would be all about her.
“Tierra.”
She looked up at Antonio as her name rolled off his lips.
“None of it matters to me.” He stepped closer to her, and she saw the sincerity in his eyes.
“The only thing that matters to me is you are unhappy, and as strange as it sounds, I want to be the one who makes you happy for however long it is you are here.”
Her mouth dropped open. It sounded as though he planned to take her up on her offer for an affair, but only if she would have him. The final decision belonged to her, but it became obvious he hoped she would choose him.
“You have only known me for an hour.” The excuse sounded weak even to her ears, and she’d propositioned him after knowing him for less time. Thankfully, he played the role of a gentleman and didn’t bring up the fact. Instead, he gave her a gentle smile.
“Long enough to know you deserve the best of everything.”
Her eyes closed as the thoughts of what this could mean raced through her mind.
His sincerity silenced her for a few moments. She knew the decision she made would be one of the biggest she ever made in her life, a decision she knew she would regret for the rest of the life if she didn’t take it. He offered her everything she wanted from him, and she wanted a lot. Opening her eyes, she smiled.
“Two weeks,” she murmured.
He gave her a blank look, and her smile widened. She liked having the upper hand and could easily get used to it.
“I will be here in Rome for two weeks.”
She could tell when he understood what she meant. He stepped closer to her but didn’t touch her, and she wanted him to—a lot more than she should.
“Will you let me show you everything there is to show you in the next two weeks?”
She knew without a doubt he referred to more than sight-seeing, and she looked forward to everything he offered. In return, she would give him just as much. Anything less would be a waste of time, and she would regret it. “Yes.”
She spoke one word, but it said so much, and his smile matched hers.
“Buon. Good.”
After a moment of silence between them, she found herself shifting at the intensity of his gaze, something she would to have to become comfortable with because he seemed to focus it on her quite a bit.
He studied her with an inquisitive stare, as if he were trying to figure something out. She could never remember being this affected by any of Quincy’s looks. Yet, something about Antonio’s eyes made her more aware of herself. His gaze traveled over her slowly, as if sizing her up. Fortunately, she wasn’t ashamed of her body. Her parents gave her great genes, and she took yoga four times a week to help discourage any of the bad ones that wanted to sneak a few pounds when she wasn’t looking. She wasn’t a small woman by any means, but neither could she be classified as unhealthy, and she loved every curve she been given. Confidence helped her to stay relaxed as his eyes roamed over her body. The look in his eyes said he liked what he saw.
She wore a dress meant for seduction, a short one she bought on an impulse. The instant she tried the dress on she knew she had to buy it, and the way Antonio looked at her, she made the right clothing choice. His intense stare fell upon her legs, toned, shapely, and the dress only emphasized that. The overwhelming image of wrapping her legs tightly around his waist as he gave her pleasure overtook her. Her strong reaction to him was alarming, frightening. She took a step back, not missing when his expression clouded with confusion.
“It is getting late, and I should let you get in bed. I am sure you are stil
l tired from your flight.”
His tone told her he was being a gentleman, and she didn’t want him to be. The thought surprised her, and she hesitated. He already affected her strangely. She shook her head to clear it and tried to speak calmly.
“Actually, I was getting ready to get in the bath and…” She let her voice trail off as she realized what she almost revealed to him. Those bellinis might have affected her more than she originally thought. He didn’t need to know what she planned to do when she climbed into the tub. Speaking of which, it seemed to be screaming her name again. If only she could get to the bathroom. She already embarrassed herself enough for one night. Obviously, he tried to give her space and not rush her, and it seemed like a good idea the more time she spent in his presence.
Unfortunately, it came too late. A quick glance at him told her he figured out what she’d been about to say. She closed her eyes and wondered if she could become one with the plush carpet into which she dug her feet. Knowing she couldn’t achieve the physically impossible feat, she did the only thing she knew she could do. She opened her eyes to find him advancing toward her. For a quick moment, she could relate to prey being stalked by a predator. The desire she read in his eyes intimidated her—so much so she moved backward unconsciously. He stalked toward her until the wall met her back. His arms came up slowly until his palms rested against the wall, bracketing her, leaving her neatly trapped. He leaned forward, his face moving closer to hers.
“What were you going to say, Tierra?”
The way her name rolled off of his tongue made her want to melt. Instead, heat surged through her and pooled between her thighs.
Oh, Lord, she was in trouble.
* * * *
Antonio smiled as he watched Tierra nervously lick her lips. He wondered if she had any idea how beautiful she looked.
Propositioning the Rich Italian Page 2
