by Bella Andre
From somewhere deep in her subconscious, Luke's voice was fuzzy in her brain. "Women make it too easy for Travis. Make him beg, Lily."
With sudden clarity she knew that wrapping her legs around Travis's thighs and riding him in an airplane bathroom was definitely not making him beg. Mustering up every ounce of control she possessed, and then some, she slid her hands from behind his neck around to his chest and pushed with all her might.
Travis fell back against the toilet with a loud thud and a stewardess knocked on the door. "Is everything all right in there?"
Lily stared at Travis, shocked by what she'd done, but obviously not as shocked as Travis, judging by his confused and bewildered expression. Smiling, Lily called out, "I'm fine, thank you. I lost my footing for a moment."
She heard the click of the attendant's heels as she moved away from the door. "Strictly professional, Travis," she said as she slipped out the door and walked back to the bar, a new spring in her step.
"Another gin and tonic," she said as she savored her victory. God it felt good to best Travis, she thought with a giggle. No doubt he was going to kill her for embarrassing him like that, but right then, with a cool fizzy drink in her hand, and Italy awaiting, for the first time in her life Lily really didn't give a damn.
Unfortunately, the rest of the trip seemed to go on forever. Especially when Travis blatantly flirted with the pretty stewardess after making it clear that he and Lily were only business partners. She had watched them as surreptitiously as possible through barely open eyes, a blanket tucked up around most of her body and face to hide her spying. It didn't help that Travis kept "accidentally" brushing up against her to reach for the window shade, or to pick up his pen, which he dropped a dozen times throughout the flight. Every time his body came in contact with hers, goose bumps covered her skin, and her traitorous nipples went hard.
Landing in London, picking up luggage, going through customs, boarding a small plane to Rome, the limo ride to their hotel: Everything was a blur for Lily. She couldn't remember ever being so tired. Or horny, a niggling little voice whispered to her. All she wanted was to stand under a hot shower and crawl under cool sheets to sleep away the nightmare of being so painfully close to Travis and yet so far because of her own stupid rule. But even grumpy and sleepy, the magic of Tuscany started seeping in the minute they began to wind through the ancient streets in the long black limousine that picked them up at the airport.
She had pressed herself all the way against the corner of the limousine's backseat in an effort to stay as far away from Travis as she possibly could, but the light playing off the cypress trees and golden hills drew her like a moth to a flame. She rolled down her window with the touch of a button and let the sweet smells rush across her face.
"It's beautiful," she murmured to herself, having, for the moment, completely forgotten about Travis.
"Yes," he said, that low hoarse voice of his thrumming straight through her. "It is, isn't it?"
Lily couldn't help turning to look at him, such was the pull he had over her. "Simply beautiful," he said, staring straight into her eyes.
Lily bit down on the inside of her lip to keep from either yelling at him for teasing her, or, worse yet, kissing him. There was no way he could be talking about her being beautiful, she knew that with every fiber of her heart. Especially not after her little performance in the airplane bathroom. Why did he have to kiss her like he needed her to breathe one minute, then mock her the next?
Clamping her mouth shut, she turned back to the window, the beautiful sights around her blurring behind an image of Travis's face above hers, watching her intently as she came, his green eyes black as a moonless night.
7
TRAVIS GRITTED HIS TEETH as Lily turned away from him again to look out the window. He wasn't particularly interested in getting the silent treatment for the next five days. Maybe after she got a few hours of sleep Lily would be her normal self. The only problem was that Travis hardly knew what "normal" Lily was anymore. Normal Lily was supposed to be a wallflower who didn't have an ounce of guts. But from the first moment she had stepped onto the fashion runway on Saturday night, Lily had become a new woman to him.
Travis cursed himself for his rash decision to hire Lily to decorate his clients' house. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in the need to sink into her again, if he hadn't had to prove to himself that he could make her come--he could make anyone come until they went blind with pleasure, how could he have possibly doubted himself?--he could have thought straight and done the smart thing by dropping Lily back out of his life. As it was, he had definitely been thinking with the wrong head.
When he had decided to take Lily to Italy, he had planned to screw her brains out for five days straight. He'd intended to keep her mouth filled with his cock, his hands full of her incredible breasts, and both of them so exhausted that they would never even leave the hotel. He could have cared less whether or not they found rugs or tables or couches. His clients' house could be a barren wasteland at this point, he was so focused on doing Lily.
He still couldn't believe that she had actually shoved him onto the toilet in the airplane. He could tell by the way she had responded to his kiss that she wanted it as much as he did. The things he was planning to do to her in that small cubicle ...But then she had to ruin everything by growing a spine. Or, he thought with a rueful smile, at least a small part of a spine.
How could one woman--Lily, no less--be messing so badly with his mind?
Travis searched the rolling hills and pink-tinged buildings for clarity, but no answers were forthcoming. All he knew was that as soon as they got to the hotel he was going to take a quick shower and head straight to the nearest bar. If he was lucky, he would meet some pretty young Italian girl who could clear his mind with a few hours of meaningless sex.
It wouldn't be meaningless with Lily, a voice in his head said, and Travis started in his seat. He shot a glance at Lily to see if she noticed his sudden movement; but, thankfully, she was leaning back into the seat, her eyes closed, her breathing soft and even.
Of course sex with Lily had been meaningless, he told himself.
Just because he wanted to watch her eyes change color as she exploded beneath him, just because he wanted to hear her say how much he had pleasured her didn't mean that sex with her was any more important than his last affair with ...whatever her name had been.
Just because he'd never felt so complete with any other person, not even his brother Luke, didn't mean that he needed her. It didn't mean that he suddenly wanted to be her friend. And it definitely didn't mean that he was going to keep his dick in his pants for five days. If not Lily, someone. Although, he asked himself, Why not both?
The limo pulled up outside their hotel, the sumptuous Villa Rossi. Their driver opened the door and reached for Lily's hand to help her out, but when he saw that she was fast asleep he turned to Travis with a smile.
"The signora is beautiful when she sleeps, no?"
Travis narrowed his eyes at the driver, making it perfectly clear that the sleeping beauty was all his, staring him down until the driver stepped away from the door and went to the trunk to remove their luggage.
Travis slid close to Lily's soft, sleeping form and he brushed a red curl away from her face, unable to keep from touching her.
"We're here," he said quietly, not wanting to startle her, not when she looked so peaceful, and yes, beautiful, too.
Sleepy blue eyes opened, and Travis couldn't resist bending forward to steal a kiss. His lips touched hers, and something warm spread through him. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, and the pit of his belly hurt with lust and something else. Something he didn't want to examine. Ever. More thrown off by this warm feeling than he wanted to admit, he pulled away just as Lily's arms wrapped around his waist.
"Travis," she whispered against his lips and reached for him, but he moved out of the way just in time, before she could weave her magic spell around him again, before he stopped being ab
le to think clearly. Before he did something stupid like beg her to make love to him again like only she could.
Scooting out the door, schooling his face into a mask of impartial politeness, he held out a hand for her. Lily looked confused by his abrupt change of demeanor for a moment, but as she became fully awake her confusion was replaced by a swift burst of anger.
"I can get out of the limo all by myself, thanks," she spat at him as she lowered one round leg, then the other, to the golden gravel outside the villa. Without waiting for him, she pushed open the heavy carved wood door and walked into the gleaming tiled entryway, her hips swaying provocatively.
When did she learn to do that?Travis was angry at everything and nothing at the same time. She wasn't supposed to be so sexy.
Travis saw the driver admiring Lily again and shot a well-aimed scowl at him. He tipped the man an amount barely enough to be courteous after all of that ogling, then grabbed their bags himself, brushing past a whey-faced bellboy. By the time he reached the counter, Lily was checking in.
"I believe you have a reservation for Lily Ellis," she said, gracing the good-looking older man behind the counter with a sexy smile.
"Buono," he said, giving Lily a slow perusal, stopping at her breasts for much too long.
She smiled back, all innocence. Travis snorted. She was so naive she didn't even know that she was being hit on. These Italian men would have her on her back with her legs spread wide so fast she wouldn't even see it coming. The image of her beneath some foreigner sent fire shooting through his gut.
She flicked her hair over her shoulder, and Travis watched as the Italian's eyes refocused again on her incredible breasts. One thing was clear: He had no choice but to protect Lily from these prowling, skirt-chasing Italians.
And the only way he could do that was if they thought that she belonged to him. Travis was mulling over how he was going to pull off the necessary protective measures without angering Lily even more, when fate stepped in. Looking slightly embarrassed, the man behind the counter shook his head. "Signora Ellis, I am afraid I do not have any reservation under that name."
Lily looked momentarily flustered and then shot an accusing glance at Travis. "You did have your secretary book two rooms, didn't you?"
Travis leaned against the counter. He couldn't have hidden his smug grin if he'd wanted to. He scratched his chin, as if giving it some deep thought. "You know," he said finally, "I very well might have forgotten to mention that one small detail."
Giving him a look that spoke volumes about how much she despised him, Lily turned back to the Italian. "I'll take any room you've got. No," she said with increased venom, "I'll take the most expensive room in the hotel. I'm sure my business associate would be happy to pay for it."
Travis crossed his fingers and smiled as the man said the very words he hoped to hear. "I'm sorry, signora, but we are completely full. There are no available rooms."
"No available rooms?" she repeated in a hollow voice.
The man bowed his head. "I'm sorry, but there is only the one room for Signor Carson."
"With two double beds?" she asked, a final shred of hope lingering in her tone.
He shook his head. "I'm afraid not, signora. One large bed, perfect for two lovers."
Travis watched Lily clench and unclench her hands. He wouldn't have been surprised if steam started coming out of her ears at any minute. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but admire her poise in the face of adversity. Who would have thought that Lily Ellis had an ounce of poise to her name?
"Fine," she said as she snapped, looking like a glorious goddess in her anger. She grabbed her suitcase and dragged it behind her. "I'll go stay somewhere else."
"Signora," the man called out after her, "you will not find another room for miles. The Festivale di Matrimonio will be this weekend."
Travis did a quick translation and felt the sucker punch in his gut again. The Festival of Weddings? This whole thing with Lily had turned into some kind of sick joke.
First, he couldn't keep his hands off her. Then she wouldn't sleep with him again. And now, they were going to be surrounded by dozens of happy couples who were pledging their undying love to each other. Travis was certain that the man upstairs was having a good laugh right about then.
Making a clear effort to keep hold of her good manners, Lily turned back around, and calmly said, "Excuse me, the town is hosting the festival of what?"
The man smiled placatingly, but Travis didn't miss the wicked gleam in his eyes as he glanced at Lily, then Travis. "In your language, signora, it is the Festival of Weddings."
Lily looked ill. "The Festival of Weddings?" She glared at Travis, who shrugged. Turning on the innocent man behind the counter, her poise clearly in shreds, she repeated in a hollow voice, "The Festival of Weddings. You've got to be kidding me."
"No, signora, it is for real. The Festival of Weddings takes place in Saturnia once every twenty-five years. It is the most wonderful of all nights." He placed one hand over his heart. "Love is everywhere during the festival. No one can resist it."
Travis shifted uncomfortably, sensing something ominous and murky in his future, but Lily simply gave a quick sidelong glance in Travis's direction and snorted.
"I can sure as hell resist it," she muttered none too quietly.
"We have been preparing for the festival for many months, and now it is nearly upon us."
Glad that the ball was firmly back in his own court, Travis said, "Looks like we're going to be sharing a room after all," not bothering to keep the sound of victory hidden from his voice.
Lily grabbed the key off the counter and spun around to face Travis. "Fine," she said, "but if you think this changes one single thing about the strictly professional terms of our trip, you are dead wrong." Poking a finger into his chest, she repeated, "Dead wrong."
With that she grabbed the key off the counter and stalked up the granite stairs toward their room.
Travis smiled. "Women always get so cranky after long flights. Send up a bottle of your best champagne."
The man looked at Travis with a mixture of commiseration and envy before switching back to a professionally bland manner. "You are in Room 305, signor. Top of the stairs to the right. I will send the champagne right up."
LILY FUMED all the way up the stairs. So much for her long hot shower. So much for her perfect nap. So much for making it through the trip in one piece. She wouldn't be able to get away from Travis for one minute, not even to hide out in her room.
Because it was his room, the stinking pig! She sincerely doubted that he would have made the "mistake" of booking only one room if she were a middle-aged gay male interior decorator. She laughed at the image of Travis being chased around a hotel room by another man who couldn't wait to have his way with him.
But her smile quickly fell away as she wondered why she was even the least bit surprised by Travis's dastardly behavior. One room with one bed "made for lovers" for both of them for five whole days.
Travis was the most infuriating man she had ever known, she thought, as she fought with the ancient key in the old wood door. "Stupid door," she said, but when it finally swung open the only thing Lily could do was gape in wonderment.
She and Travis were going to be sharing the most romantic hotel room in the entire world. Not to mention the biggest. The suite had to be twice the size of her Noe Valley apartment. She was standing in an enormous sitting room, the bathroom and bedroom a long way off. White marble gleamed as late afternoon sun came pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sofas were covered in beautiful muted blue-and-green fabric so plush she wanted to take off all her clothes and rub herself against them like a kitten. A balcony outside the windows beckoned her as views of rolling hills captured her imagination.
Forgetting all about her anger, she moved toward the balcony as if in a dream. The vista before her was more beautiful than any picture could be.
She tried to describe it in her head, tried to put words to
the view before her so that she could call Janica and explain the wonder of Tuscany, but undulating hills covered in vineyards, old cobblestone streets, a sky so blue it seemed to have invented the color, none of that even scratched at the surface.
A sound from inside the room startled her, and suddenly she remembered: She was in Tuscany with Travis, and she was going to have to share a king-size bed with him while holding firm to her no-sex rule for five days. Scratch that. Since she was utterly certain that Travis wouldn't agree to sleep on the couch, Lily decided that she would have to be the one to suffer, even though she was desperate for a real bed. She groaned and turned around, surprised to see that the sitting room was empty.
Leaving the balcony, she saw that Travis had opened his suitcase on one of the couches in the sitting room then disappeared, probably taking his medicine bag into the bathroom to clean up. Still craving a long, hot bath, she decided she would treat herself after she kicked Travis out for a while to give her some privacy.
His bag cried out for her to snoop through it, and Lily couldn't resist. To her surprise, it looked like he had women's clothes in it. Feeling a little bad about snooping, but not that bad after the way he had tricked her into sharing a room and a bed, she realized his bag was full of one neatly folded, gorgeous dress after another. There were no tags on the dresses, nothing to indicate size, or designer, or where they had come from. The fabric on the dresses was so soft, so colorful, she was tempted to try one of them on, even though she was certain they would be too small for her. Besides, he'd know that she'd been snooping through his bag if she pulled the clothes out of their neat pile. And the last thing Lily wanted was for Travis to think that she actually cared if he had plans to meet another woman while they were in Tuscany.
Oh God. It was so obvious. Why wouldn't he have a lover in every town he visited, Lily asked herself. He was gorgeous and rich, and when he touched a woman she melted with need.
She couldn't fight back the jealousy when it reared its ugly head, laughing at her and taunting her for thinking Travis would ever choose to spend time with her when he could get a pretty, thin, perfect woman in his bed inside of thirty seconds.
