Swing (Landry Family #2)(83)
It took every ounce of composure to keep her wits about her. Out of all the lovers Hope encountered during her travels, Antonio was always the hardest to leave.
Antonio Giovanni was the epitome of all men that women dreamed of. Tall, dark, and handsome with an accent sexy enough to leave a trail of women swooning in his wake. The man wore charisma like a fine silk suit . . . flawless and molded to perfection in all the right places, leaving just enough concealed to make you wonder what lay hidden beneath the faultless exterior.
“Si, I think you need some rest and relaxing. Come back to bed, bella.”
Drawing a long breath through her nose, she envisioned a week-long Tuscan rendezvous curled up beside him, under him, on top of him. Hope’s lashes dusted shut at the delicious image. Tempting.
“I really have to go or I’ll be late for my meeting with Tracy. I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of your sister-in-law.”
Taking hold of the extended handle of her suitcase, she started for the door. Antonio rolled to his back. Reaching an arm above his head, he caught her around the hip, halting her rush. A low laugh simmered in her chest at his tenacity.
“You have plenty of time. Tracy said she’d be in her office between nine and ten.” Antonio slipped a strong hand beneath the hem of her indigo wrap dress. His thumb played mindlessly along her bare thigh, coaxing a shiver up her spine. “And it’s only eight thirty. Let me take care of you before you go.”
“I have to be there at nine, otherwise I’ll be cutting it close to make my departure on time, and I can’t miss my flight again.” Her voice diminished, feeling his long, strong fingers curl around the back of her leg, pulling her close, until her knees rested against the silk bedding. The subtle aches in her inner thighs, sweet and electrifying, brought reminders of the night before.
Digging a heel into the mattress, Antonio inched his body further across the king-sized bed until his head dropped over the edge. The stark white sheet purposely arranged low on his hips, exposing the dark, trimmed hair at his groin. Heaven lay just beneath the silky sheets.
A small, wistful sigh of appreciation floated from her lips, taking in his lean body and sculpted abs. He looked nothing short of breathtakingly exquisite.
“Si’. I’d hate to make you miss your flight again.”
He didn’t sound one bit remorseful.
“Liar,” she teased, barely able to hear her own voice over the pulse hammering in her ears. “I think you’re trying to torture me.”
“Si, I could torture you all day. Stay,” he murmured, taking a gentle bite of her outer thigh.
She smiled down at him, running her fingers through his thick, dark hair. If she didn’t leave in the next sixty seconds, she’d be straddling his face in sixty-one. A tousled mass of golden brown curls fell over her shoulder as she hinged at the waist, placing a long kiss goodbye to the edge of his scruffy jaw.
“So beautiful,” he murmured. Pushing the loose tresses from her face, he twisted, brushing his lips to hers. Taking her mouth, he deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing in a smooth, masterful art of seduction. The provocative pressure, demanding yet playful, drew a low groan from her throat.
“Ciao,” she whispered contritely in his ear.
“Email me the next time you’ll be in Italy. Ciao, bella.”
Hope smiled, brushing the tip of her nose to his. Her upside-down stare connected with his, soaking up the last few glimpses of silvery grey before walking out the door.
Driving along the beautiful, unspoiled Tuscan countryside, Hope appreciated the gorgeous view of Antonio’s family’s estate. Two castles, drenched in the color of muted saffron, separated by acre upon acre of lush grapevines following every rise and dip of the landscape.
The rental car came to a crawl as she navigated between two massive pillars covered in ledge stone. A large steel beam spanned above the entry touting their new name, Castello Giovanni Vineyards & Amore Mio Winery and Inn.
Though the Winery and Inn were new additions, the vineyard had been on her radar for years. Hope Tidwell worked as a foreign wine buyer for one of the largest big-box stores in the United States. She traveled the world, scouring every continent, searching for the best wines to offer their retailers at phenomenal prices. Some considered her to be a master sommelier, but she measured herself as a simple wine buyer . . . with talented taste buds and a knack for recognizing great wine. And the Giovanni family made great wine.
Following the tree-lined drive, she parked in front of the sprawling estate, large enough to be mistaken for a quaint village. A massive door built of thick wood and hand-forged wrought iron hinges was fixed open, settled between two tall turrets made from huge blocks of cut stone.
She met Antonio five years ago at a wine tasting event in Spain. They spent a glorious weekend together enjoying fine wine, delectable Spanish cuisine, and each other. At the time, Castello Giovanni was a small vineyard, unknown to most of the world, but celebrated locally for making one of the best palatable wines in all of Italy. As a fifth-generation winemaker, he had big ideas of making a profound influence on the global wine market, expanding his family name and reputation around the world. All of his dreams were coming true. Marrying the two estates created one of the most prestigious vineyards in Italy and Castello Giovanni recently received the esteemed award of being voted the Super Tuscan Wine of the Year.
The castle bustled with workers getting ready for the daily rush of tourists traveling to visit one of Tuscany’s hottest new wineries. The clicking of her heels echoed beneath the archways trimmed in aged brick as Hope walked along a path of worn, stone pavers, taking in the castle restored to its respective architecture.