His intense stare made her squirm. She quickly averted her gaze. Big mistake. Everything about this man screamed sexy—every delicious inch of him. A pair of masculine flip-flops covered his feet. Her eyes continued upward, and a pair of long, stonewashed denim covered legs led to a very impressive bulge between them, one she’d become familiar with in the short while she’d known him. A rich green polo shirt was tucked into the jeans sitting low on his narrow waist. The fit of the shirt gave her the ability to make out washboard abs, a perfectly sculpted chest and wide, muscled shoulders.
He was so handsome she wanted to hate him for it, but she couldn’t. One corner of his mouth curled up into the lazy grin she’d seen a few times now. Fashionable shades sat on top of his wavy black hair. She didn’t know if the man looked sexier dressed up or as he stood before her. She quickly decided she liked both.
“Buongiorno, bella.”
“Good morning to you as well, Antonio. Would you like to come in?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
She stepped aside, but instead of coming inside, he reached beside him and picked up the three bags sitting on the floor in the hallway. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“How long do you plan on staying?”
The other side of his mouth curled up. “As long as you let me.”
She knew she should tell him he couldn’t stay, but she didn’t want to. After last night, she didn’t want to spend another moment in his arms only to have him walk away. Knowing she already made her decision, she reached out and took the lightest bag out of his hands. He carried the other bags into the room, setting the duffel down and carrying the garment bag to the closet. Once he it hung up, his attention fell on her.
“Now that we have this out of the way, it is time I greet you properly.”
Before she could tell him he already had, he pulled her into his embrace, and his lips captured hers. The bag she held slipped from her hands. Amazing—the only word she could find to describe the sensation of his lips against hers. His hands slid down to cup her bottom, bringing her into contact with his now growing arousal.
He thrust his hips against hers before groaning. A second later, he pulled away, and she moaned in response. The fact he could turn her on so quickly was a dangerous thing. A glance at his face showed the same frustration she felt.
“As much as I would like to keep kissing you, we have plans for the day, and I promised you I would show you everything.”
She started to point out to him that his kisses showed her a lot, but she couldn’t hold back her anxiousness to see Rome, and she knew they would have plenty of time to explore kisses. Nodding reluctantly, she watched as he stepped away from her and picked up his sling pack. He put it on, tightening the strap around his shoulder.
“Do you need me to carry anything for you?”
She gave him her passport and hotel key, trusting him to be able to keep up with both better than she could. He put the two items in a pocket. Yes, he lived in a beautiful country, but it didn’t mean crime free. Once everything seemed secured, he looked at her.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded, and he led the way out of the room. “Where are we going?”
“We will start at the Piazza di Spagna, and if we have time, actually take a tour of the Trinita dei Monti.”
Tierra nodded, happy with the plans. “It sounds like fun. I am looking forward to it.”
* * * *
Antonio felt a pang of guilt at his slight deception. Eventually, he would have to tell her about the plans he made for them tomorrow. He could at least give her several hours of happiness before he gave her the shock of her life. He could only imagine how she would react when he told her about his plans for her to meet his family.
They rode the elevator down to the lobby. He let her step off the elevator in front of him and realized his mistake immediately. Her outfit just as tempting from the back view as the front.
When she opened the door, her natural beauty took him aback. She pulled her shoulder-length, dark brown hair from her face into a ponytail, making her look more like she was twenty-five instead of thirty-two, yet, the way the purple tank top stretched over her breasts made it hard not to gawk.
The tank top tucked into her shorts, emphasizing a narrow waist that flared out to nice but curvy hips, hips that now held his full attention. As if feeling his gaze on her, she stopped and looked back at him. “What are you looking at?”
It would be safer to ignore the statement but he couldn’t. He walked up to her, taking her hand in his. “The most gorgeous legs in the world.”
She laughed, giving him a dubious look. “For some reason, I don’t think my legs are what you are looking at.”
He placed a brief kiss on her lips. “Trust me. In those shorts, I can’t help but notice those legs, and if you knew how I am thinking about using them you might be in for a shock, cara.”
He watched her shiver, satisfied his words were enough to make her react to him. They made their way through the hotel lobby with her hand firmly in his. He liked the contact. Her hand tightened around his, and he looked down at her and smiled. The tightening of her hand seemed to be involuntary, and he liked the way her body reacted to his touch. He planned to explore every inch of her delicate skin before it was all over.
A moment later, they stepped out into the sun and one glance wasn’t enough to take in the beauty of everything. He’d lived in Rome all of his life, but traveled the world to other exotic locations. Still, he didn’t think any place compared to Rome. There never would be. He smiled to himself as he took in the look of amazement on Tierra’s face. Evidently she thought so as well, and it just made him want to show her everything about Rome even more.
“I think we should walk to Piazza di Spagna since it isn’t far.”
She nodded, and he knew she would be willing to see every inch of Rome he could show her because she already mentioned she wanted to see as many sights as possible. He hoped it wouldn’t be the last time she saw Rome, but if it just so happened to be the case, he already knew she would never forget it.
“What’s wrong?”
He looked at her, still affected greatly every time he laid eyes on hers. “What do you mean?”
She smiled. “You seemed very far away for a moment there.”
He smiled in return. “I was, but I am back now.”
“Good, because you are supposed to be my tour guide.”
* * * *
He led them in the direction taking them to the Spanish Steps, and she followed his lead willingly. She had to admit she was still a little shaken, the short walk through the hotel lobby the main cause behind it. They seemed to be on the receiving end of inquisitive stares. Some of them from employees of the hotel and others seemed to be guests. She could only imagine what they thought, but for the first time in her life, she didn’t care. She could get used to this.
The thought tripped her up a little. She’d taken a big risk, and she knew it. She couldn’t afford to get used to this and needed to keep her heart guarded or she could end up right back where she started off before this trip. Deep down, she felt Antonio wouldn’t hurt her, but what scared her was he had the power to. Antonio began to speak, and she realized they’d reached the Spanish Steps, only one of the several places she wanted to visit. She trusted he would show her everything she wanted to see.
They reached the base of the steps, and he pointed out the Barcaccia to her. She loved to hear him speak Italian. The words seemed to roll of his tongue in a way she struggled to do. She studied the Barcaccia, trying to figure out why it would be called the ugly boat. In her opinion it was beautiful. She asked Antonio questions, and he seemed happy to explain to her where the name came from. Hearing the history of the Barcaccia helped her to understand why it could be given such a name and why people showed homage when the floods occurred.
He led her over to the Immaculate Conception column. She marveled at the beauty of the intricate design, tilting her
head back to take in the magnificent sight before her.
The wind picked up, and she frowned before glancing at him. He gave her a puzzled look. “What is it?”
“When the wind picked up, I could swear I smelled McDonald’s.”
He laughed before pulling her closer. “You did.”
At the dubious look she shot him, he pointed to a discreetly decorated building. “There lies your McDonald’s. Would you like some?”
She wrinkled her nose in displeasure. “No offense, but I can eat all of the McDonald’s I want when I get back to Boulder City.”
She rubbed her stomach. “Besides, I need to wait a few more hours before I eat after the large breakfast you requested to be delivered this morning.”
He smiled. “Did you enjoy it?”
She nodded. “I have never been a big fan of scrambled eggs, but everything tasted wonderful.”
“How do you like your eggs?”
“Over medium.”
He gave a brief nod as he led her up the hundred and thirty-eight steps. They made their way into the Trinita dei Monti where he spent more time paying attention to her. She became engrossed with everything they came across. She was genuinely interested in all of the sites they saw. The history behind every item piqued her attention even more.
They ended up spending hours in the church before Tierra was ready to go. The entire time he held her hand in his, and she liked that he hadn’t pulled away from her once. Anyone glancing their way would probably think the two of them were a loving couple, something she didn’t mind. She also liked how he enjoyed the contact as much as she did.
“What are we going to do now?”
He smiled. “I thought we would go back to the hotel and have a swim before having dinner.”
She nodded, more than okay with the suggestion. It was very warm, and she wouldn’t mind swimming a few laps. The walk back to the hotel a short one, and she could definitely say going down the Spanish Steps was a lot easier than going up them.
“Did you enjoy yourself today?”
She nodded before going up on tiptoe and placing a kiss on his cheek. “Yes, I did. Thank you for taking me.”
He looked over at her as they entered the hotel. “What else you want to see within the next two weeks?”
She nodded before rattling off a list that included the Imperial forums, Mouth of Truth, Borghese Museum, and Vatican City. They headed for the elevator and took it up to her floor. Antonio had the room key in his hand by the time they made it to her room. They stepped inside, and for some reason, she felt nervous. The door closed behind him.
“Why don’t you go ahead and change into your swimsuit while I unpack a few things?”
She nodded before walking over to the dresser and opening the drawer. It became obvious she’d gone swimsuit happy. She brought eight of them with five of them bring brand-new. When she planned this trip, she’d begun to save up so she could splurge. She’d known from the beginning it would be a once in a lifetime trip. So far it say it dispute the assumption. Reaching inside the drawer, she pulled out the sapphire string bikini and matching cover-up before heading into the bathroom. Something told her it might be a little too brazen to change in front of him.
However, she left the door open just in case he did want to join her. She definitely wouldn’t stop him if he did. She changed into her swimsuit before smiling at herself in the mirror. It would be fun to see his reaction. He loved her body. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her. She stepped into the cover-up before tying the strings around her neck. When she revealed the swimsuit underneath, it would be within the safety of the pool area. Otherwise, they may not make it for the refreshing swim he suggested. She exited the bathroom to find him still unpacking.
“Do you need any help?”
He looked up at her and smiled before shaking his head. “I am almost finished.”
She pointed the drawers he could use out to him before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. A few moments later, he everything unpacked, then headed into the bathroom himself.
When he returned a moment later, she almost bit her tongue. He still wore his shirt but gone were the jeans and in their place black swim trunks. Antonio had very nice legs. Strong and powerful were the only two words she could think of to describe them.
“You ready?” Antonio asked.
“I will be once I get my flip-flops and sun block lotion.”
She gathered the two items quickly, and they made their way to the pool. Only a handful of other people meandered around the pool—a perfect opportunity for her to drive Antonio up the wall without a lot of witnesses. He laid out a towel on a lounge for her.
“If you want, I can put your sun block lotion on.”
She smiled. Even though she was African American, she had fair skin and could burn easily or experience peeling skin.
“I would like that.”
Reaching behind her neck, she untied the string to her cover-up and let it fall. Antonio’s eyes automatically began to darken. She lay down on a patio chaise, smiling to herself when she heard his strangled gasp. This should definitely prove to be interesting.
* * * *
Antonio fought back the growl threatening to escape, certain he was about to have a heart attack at the sight before him. Tierra’s body could only be described as luscious. The sight of her dropping the cover-up almost made him throw her over his shoulder and carry her back up to the room. Instead, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before flipping the lid on the sun block lotion. Reopening his eyes, he put a good amount of the lotion into the palms of his hands as a smile came to his face. If her intent was to tease him, he could tease her right back. Her body deserved to be played with, and the strong urge to touch her in every way possible bubbled beneath the surface.
She had a very nice body. Muscular, but only enough for her to be in shape and still remain feminine. Her narrow waist led to a nice round bottom.
A strong image of tracing her spine with his tongue came to his mind. It took him several moments to get his mind past her spine and bottom until his gaze fell onto her legs. They resembled the legs of a Las Vegas showgirl even though she didn’t have the height. He rubbed his palms together before lowering his body to the chair beside her.
Beginning with the left leg, he rubbed the sun block on, making sure she was good and covered. When he reached her upper thigh just below the swell of her rounded bottom, he snuck a feel of the smooth skin there. She didn’t say anything, but her body let him know she had to be well aware of what he was doing. He moved over to her other leg before moving up to her back, then made his way to her arms.
He’d been right about her body being firm yet feminine in the places it needed it to be. She turned her head to look at him.
“Are you finished?”
Her voice sounded huskier than normal, and her breathing deepened. His touch affected her as he wanted it to, and it wasn’t over yet. It wouldn’t ever be over if he could help it.
He shook his head. “Now it is time for me to do the front.”
Chapter 5
Tierra took a deep breath as they walked into the hotel’s restaurant. She truly was surprised they made it to dinner after their earlier outing at the pool. They’d literally taken an hour rubbing sun block on each other. It led to an immediate dip into the pool and then to another round of rubbing sun block lotion on each other. Thankfully, there weren’t too many other patrons around.
By the time they made it back to the room, she’d cooled down once again. Fortunately, she needed to start getting ready for dinner. It proved to be enough of a deterrent to keep her from stripping naked as soon as they walked into the hotel room. But they had a dinner reservation, and she was hungry. She’d chosen to wear a scarlet, ankle-length halter dress. Even though it had been a major headache, she washed her hair before styling it into big curls, leaving them to fall around her face.
Antonio already told her several times how beautiful she
looked in both English and Italian. He looked just as handsome in his custom-made suit. It fit his body as a dress suit should. She allowed him to lead her inside the nice restaurant. His status became clearer the longer she remained in his presence. She observed Antonio being treated with a great level of respect. From what she could tell, he deserved it. It seemed he’d earned it.
The voice of the waiter brought out of her musing as they made their way to their table. Antonio ordered a bottle of wine for them. She opened the menu and didn’t know what she looked at let alone what she should order. This was the first time she would have authentic Italian food. Antonio must have read the confusion on her face.
“Would you like for me to order for you?”
She nodded, hoping she could trust his taste. He didn’t let her down by starting them off with herb-flavored oil and focaccia. Carciofi romani followed the focaccia. The artichokes tasted great to her. They were tender and pretty much melted in her mouth. When the waiter placed the spinach gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce in front of her, her eyes widened.
“How many courses are we going to have?”
He smiled. “Not including this one, we have two to go.”
He eyes widened even more. “How in the world do you stay in such good shape if you eat like this?”
He chuckled. “Simple. I don’t eat like this every day. This is my treat for you, cara.”
She smiled at the endearment she’d become used to. “Well, that's good to know. Otherwise, I would be alarmed at your eating habits.”
He laughed. “Your candor is one of the many things I like about you.”
Propositioning the Rich Italian Page 4
