“I’m sorry, Mama, can you repeat that? I didn’t hear you.”
“I asked if you are having a good time,” her mother stated.
Tierra nodded as if her mother were in the room with her instead of thousands of miles away. She rolled her eyes in amusement.
“Yes, I am, Mama.” Her eyes fell onto Antonio. “I’m having a wonderful time.”
Antonio’s smile became wicked before he pressed his thumb into the instep of her foot. She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning out loud, but it didn’t keep her from slumping into the chair.
“Well, I hate to put a damper on your day, but your brother brought up a good point the other day.”
“Hayden had a good idea?”
Tierra’s mother picked up on her sarcasm quickly.
“That isn’t nice, young lady.”
“Sorry, Mama. I couldn’t resist.”
“Well, you should be thanking your brother and your father since they went over and got your stuff.”
The statement got her attention. She sat up, pulling her feet out of Antonio’s hands. “What stuff?”
“The stuff you had at Quincy’s. He put everything on the curb.”
She stood up, unable to hide her disbelief. “All of it?”
“All of it,” her mother replied softly.
“That asshole,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
“Tierra Marie Davis!”
She closed her eyes when she realized she just used profanity with her mother. Now she was glad there were several thousand miles between them.
“I’m sorry, Mama,” she mumbled.
“Even though it is true, I don’t want to hear sort of language coming out of your mouth, young lady.”
Tierra couldn’t think about her mother scolding her, her complete focus now on the outrageous news her mother just relayed her. To be honest, she hadn’t given any thought to the items she moved into Quincy’s home. The last six months before her wedding she spent combining her life with his. She couldn’t believe the bastard had the audacity to put her stuff out like trash. If anything needed to be sat out on the curb it was him.
“Don’t worry about it right now. If you need to stay with your father and I for a while it’s okay.”
Tierra closed her eyes, knowing she would. It shouldn’t take her long to find an apartment because she’d been smart enough to keep her finances separate from Quincy’s. Right now it seemed to be the only thing smart she’d done in her relationship with him. Still, it hurt.
Since she’d been a little girl, she knew what she wanted in a husband—a man like her father who doted on her mother daily. She would also describe her dad as strong, charismatic and a great provider.
She could remember waiting for her father to come home from work. When he walked through the door, it became family time. Everyone would sit around the table until homework was complete and dinner eaten. Afterward, they would watch television as a family. Until she’d gotten older, she hadn’t understood why her mother pressed so hard for the family values she instilled in her brother and her. She aspired to be at least half of the woman her mother turned out to be, strong enough to keep the family together through the good times and the bad. Right now she was definitely going through a bad time, but she refused to let it get her down. Exhaling softly, she turned her attention back to the conversation.
“Yes, Mama. I will stay with you and Dad until I can find my own place.”
It wouldn’t be all too different from what she’d done the two weeks prior to her marriage. Her lease had been up on her apartment. Instead of moving in with Quincy like he insisted, she moved a few of her thing to his place and put the rest in storage but stayed with her parents. Now she was glad she had. Subconsciously, she always felt uncomfortable with moving in with him before they married. Now she knew why.
“You can stay as long and you need to, Tierra.”
“Thank you, Mama.”
Tierra sighed heavily before sitting back down. “Can I talk to Dad for a moment?”
“He is still asleep. Moving your things made him realize he isn’t twenty anymore.”
Tierra smiled. “Tell Dad I said thank you. Hayden as well.”
“I will.”
“Okay, Mama, I need to get going, but I will try to give you a call the same time tomorrow. I might be cutting it close since I will be sightseeing at the Imperial Forums.”
“Okay, dear. Call us when you can.”
She smiled. “I will, Mama. I love you.”
“Love you, too, baby. Have fun and be safe.”
“I will. Bye.”
She waited until her mother said goodbye before hanging up. While her blood had been boiling a few minutes ago, she only felt extreme sadness now. To think she’d rearranged her life for a man who obviously never cared anything about her was upsetting.
“Cara, are you okay?”
She looked over at Antonio and answered truthfully. “No, I’m not. My mother just informed me that my ex-fiancé put my stuff out on the street like trash. My brother and father had to go over and collect it for me.”
A frown appeared on his face. “How long did you live with your ex-fiancé?”
She shook her head before explaining to him the stupid move she made. “I never officially moved in with him. I just moved some of my furniture and clothes in.”
She looked up at Antonio, so upset and confused she didn’t know where to begin. How she could be in this situation?
“How can a man tell me he loves me, put a ring on my finger, and spend thousands of dollars on a wedding, only to do this to me?”
Antonio looked at her as if the answer was obvious, but she just couldn’t wrap her mind around it.
“It is simple, Tierra. He didn’t love you.”
He reached out and pulled her into his lap. “The actions you speak of that have been committed against you don’t speak of love. They speak of selfishness.”
He tilted her chin up with his finger. “So, cara, the best way to get back at him is to be just as selfish as he is if not more.”
She gave him a puzzled look. “How?”
One of his eyebrows rose as he smiled. “You started the moment you propositioned me in the bar.”
The corners of her mouth curled upward when she realized he had a point. She leaned closer to him.
“You are right, and since we have seven more days left to spend together, I guess I better take full advantage of the situation.”
Chapter 11
“I hate being single.”
Tierra looked at Amalía with surprise for three reasons, one being she and Amalía had been recalling their outing from the other day. The second, Amalía was beautiful and intelligent among a host of several other things, and the third, she’d seen countless men flirting with Amalía.
“What makes you say that?”
Amalía gave her one of the infamous Carabelli looks, a look she saw when Antonio was frustrated or tired. “Because I am single. I am thirty-four years old, and I am single.”
Amalía took a sip of the fruit concoction Mona made.
“I want to know why I can’t find a good man who isn’t intimidated by me or out to use me for my last name.”
She reached out and laid a comforting hand over Amalía’s. “Because it isn’t time.”
Amalía rolled her eyes in an exasperated fashion. “I don’t want to be forty and pregnant.”
Tierra tried not to laugh at the gross exaggeration but failed. “You won’t be forty and pregnant. Even if you are, there is nothing wrong with that.”
Tierra made a wide sweeping gesture with her free hand. “It is happening out there more and more every day. Take it from me when I say not to rush into something like this. I did and I am still suffering from it.”
At Amalía’s questioning glance, she told her about the events that occurred with Quincy putting her stuff out on the curb and her father and brother having to go over to collect it. Amalía’s
expression changed to shock and she shook her head.
“Men are pigs,” she stated vehemently.
Tierra agreed with her, but after her earlier conversation with Antonio, she realized she hadn’t loved Quincy. He’d been a security blanket for her, or at least what he represented had been.
They both jumped in surprise when Carlo spoke. “Well, then, I guess this would be the wrong time to ask to speak to Tierra.”
She and Amalía exchanged a look of surprise before Amalía stood up.
“If it gets you to come out of foul mood that you are always in, you can have anything you want.”
Amalía quickly disappeared inside the house, missing Carlo’s next statement. “Yes, except for what I really want I’m not sure I can have.”
Tierra remained quiet as she made a motion for him to join her. His comment spoken so quietly she almost missed it. The statement intrigued her, and she wanted to know what it meant.
“So, tell me what it is you really want.”
He responded without hesitation. “Daníella.”
She was more surprised he came right out and said it than to hear the name. From her recent conversations with Antonio, more of the Carabelli family history had been revealed, including that Carlo and Daníella were married up until four years ago. After Carlo almost lost his life in a car wreck, he divorced Daníella.
It now seemed Carlo had remorse over the decision. Unfortunately, Daníella was dating another man, for at least a year if she wasn’t mistaken. Still, Tierra had to find out where his thoughts were, better yet his heart.
“Why do you want her back?”
He gave her a blank stare that she didn’t believe for one moment. It seemed to be a question he didn’t want to answer yet. She shook her head and looked away.
“Well, regardless of why, you should remember you have already pushed her out of your life once. So, it gives her one very good reason as to why she shouldn’t dream of giving you another chance.”
Carlo’s gaze darkened. “And here I was thinking I would get an unbiased opinion.”
She smiled, giving his leg a reassuring pat. “You are, but you are also dealing with a woman who has had her heart broken by a man she cared for.”
She stood up, looking Carlo deep in the eyes.
“There is a major difference between Daníella and myself.”
He gave her a measured look. “And what would that difference be?”
“The fact she has stayed around for four years since you divorced her indicates she still cares about you.”
His left brow rose in surprise. “How are you so certain of that?”
She gave him a knowing look. “Because if you had treated me like you treated Daníella, you would walk with more than a slight limp.”
She watched as his other brow rose at her statement. A moment later, a smile appeared on his face. The grin widened, and he began to laugh. She looked at him in shock, then at the Carabelli’s who were exiting the house quickly. The looks on their faces completely priceless, certain theirs matched her own. Carlo looked like a totally different person when he laughed, more relaxed. Even though there was a smile on Mona’s face, Tierra could swear there were unshed tears in her eyes. Tierra watched as Carlo stood slowly before he reached out to embrace her.
“If that is true, I must say I’m glad the two of you are different. I will also consider what you have said.”
She gave him a slight nod, then watched him walk back into the house, the sounds of his chuckle trailing behind. Turning, she looked at the shocked family members Carlo left behind. They all stared at her in amazement.
“What did you do to make him laugh?” Amalía questioned, being the first to break the silence.
Tierra shook her head. She wasn’t going to share a private conversation between Carlo and her with his family. If Carlo wanted them to know, he would be the one to tell.
“I told him the truth.”
She smiled at Amalía’s expression of disbelief. “We have been doing that for the last four years, and my brother hasn’t laughed, let alone smiled, yet you managed to get him to do both at the same time. You have to tell us what you said.”
Tierra shrugged her shoulders. “Let’s just say I caught him by surprise.”
She was grateful when Antonio stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace, saving her from further interrogation.
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Whatever you did, I’m happy and grateful for it. It is good to see my brother laugh again, even if it is just for a few moments.”
Antonio placed a kiss on her lips before pulling back. Even with the brief touch of his mouth, desire flooded through her, and she instantly thought about the satin sheets waiting for them back at his home. His thought pattern seemed to be on the same wavelength.
“It is getting late. Are you ready to go?”
She nodded, stretching upward to get closer to his ear. “I’m ready to take you up on your earlier promise to show me how those sheet feel.”
She felt his body stiffen and watched his eyes darken with passion. A second later, she was the one smiling as he rushed her through the quickest goodbyes of her life. She let him hurry her to his car. Her eyes followed him as he moved around quickly to the driver side before getting in. The drive to his house took place in complete silence, the sexual tension between them simmering. It was obvious that he struggled to keep his hands off of her, but that didn’t mean she had to do the same. Reaching out, she touched his hard thigh, and he tensed immediately.
“Cara, if you don’t want me to pull this car over and drag you into the backseat, I suggest you keep your hands to yourself for a little while longer.”
She looked into the back, contemplating if they would fit, then removing her hand. They probably could squeeze back there, but it wouldn’t be comfortable.
It was enough motivation to make her behave during the rest of the ride. He pulled into his driveway a short time later. When he appeared by her door, she was out and in his arms before she could blink. He rushed her into his home, his lips finding hers as soon as the door closed. She felt him fumble for the lock before his long stride carried them across the room to the couch she’d been admiring earlier. When he drew back, he reached for her shirt and tugged it over her head. Her breasts were barely covered by the ivory colored lace bra. A harsh groan escaped him.
“Cara, we aren’t going to make it to those satin sheets right away.”
She smiled. “Well, we always have later.”
He studied her briefly, then lowered his head, taking her nipple into his mouth through the lace. She moaned in pleasure, arching up into his mouth. A shudder darted down her spine as he switched over to her other nipple. Her back arched, pushing her further into his mouth. The move brought her lower body in perfect alignment with his. Both of them stilled before he released the nipple he’d been lavishing attention on. She drew a deep breath as he sat up. Their clothes began to disappear. She wasn’t sure where they landed, nor did she care. He slowed when he saw her matching lace panties.
“Tierra, if I haven’t told you before now, I love your taste in underwear.”
She smiled to herself, honestly not able to recall if he said the words verbally. Her mind was too scattered by his touch, but his eyes always told her. Before she could tell him so, he removed her panties. He didn’t return to cover her. Instead, he slid lower on the couch. She knew what was coming but still didn’t have time to brace herself. His mouth touched her, and she cried out in pleasure, arching into him. The man had a skilled mouth, almost driving her to the edge of insanity. When his finger joined his mouth, she screamed. His touch made her fall apart as he began to stroke her in all of the places she needed him to. His other hand came up to hold her hip, as if he knew she would try to move away from his touch when it became too intense. He held her steady as she threw her head back and screamed again when the first orgasm slammed into her. When he kept going she tried to sit up.
“Okay
, Antonio,” she whimpered. “One is enough.”
Before he could negate her statement, she cried out as another orgasm rushed through her. After he coaxed her into one more, he moved upward, covering her trembling body with his. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open, but as he entered her slowly, she focused on him. Her body contracted around him in aftershocks from her last orgasm. At his second thrust, her body jerked with surprise.
“Antonio, you have to stop,” she gasped.
He continued to move, unfazed by her halfhearted protest. She always thought it strange when she heard the phrase “dying from pleasure,” but now she had an idea of what it referred to. Her legs came up around his waist, holding him to her. A second later, she fell apart in his arms. Her body took over, sending her spiraling over the edge. She pulled him over with her into a powerful climax. He called her name on a cry of pleasure as she clung to him breathlessly, giving herself over to the satisfaction she was drowning in.
As she recovered, she stared up at him, meeting his gaze. He stared at her with an expression she couldn’t decipher. A heartbeat later, he stood up before sweeping her up into his arms. She stared at him in surprise.
“What are you doing?”
He glanced down at her before starting up the stairs. “We still have to try out those satin sheets.”
She looked at him with wide eyes. “Now?”
He nodded as he made it to the top of the stairs, then headed for his bedroom. She continued to hold onto him as he laid her on his bed. He followed her down, keeping her in his arms. It always scared her to death when the feelings she had for him came to the surface. She struggled to keep them at bay, even though it was difficult to do, especially when his arms surrounded her. She felt so safe in his embrace. How it could all feel so right to her? How could she feel more of a connection to a man she’d barely known one week over one she been involved with for over three years?
This was supposed to be a two-week affair. Why couldn’t she get her brain to wrap around idea? This could lead to serious trouble if she didn’t watch herself. She didn’t want to get hurt again. It would devastate her.
Propositioning the Rich Italian Page 10
