A Moment on the Lips(22)

‘Are these your parents?’ he asked when she walked in.

She nodded and set the tray of coffee down on the low table. ‘I wish I’d had the chance to know them better. Everything Nonna, Nonno and my English grandparents told me about them—they were nice people. Kind. Good to be with.’

‘What happened?’ he asked softly.

‘Car crash. Nonna and Nonno were looking after me for the weekend and my parents were going to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary in Rome. A special treat, just the two of them—I mean, they loved me to bits, and I loved them, but time on your own with the love of your life is special.’ She dragged in a breath. ‘Except … They didn’t come back.’

He could see that she was making an effort to hold the tears back, but one spilled over and dragged its way down her skin. He wiped it away with his thumb. ‘Caz, don’t cry.’

‘You’re using my name again.’ Her voice was all shaky.

He stroked her hair back from her forehead. ‘Don’t read anything into it, Princess. And we’re not getting involved with each other. I wouldn’t be good for you.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I just do.’ She’d want far more time than he’d be prepared to give her. She’d push him and push him—and if his control snapped, it would be a disaster.

She sighed. ‘And now you’re going to go all brooding again and shut me out.’

‘Not everyone wants to bare their soul to the world.’

She nodded. ‘That’s a guy thing. I get it.’

‘I’m sorry. I can’t be who you need me to be.’ He nuzzled her shoulder. ‘One thing I can do for you, though.’

‘Kiss it better?’ she asked, her eyes huge and vulnerable and pleading.

This was a bad idea. He needed to stop this, right now. But his body wasn’t listening to his head. ‘Yes.’

Dante’s mouth was warm and sweet and soothing; it felt like balm to her soul. As if he was trying to kiss the pain away.

She took his hand and led him to her bedroom.

His black cashmere sweater so soft under her fingertips, but better still was his skin when she’d peeled the sweater over his head. ‘You’re gorgeous,’ she said, stroking his pectoral muscles. There was a light dusting of hair on his chest; she loved the friction against her fingertips.

‘So are you.’ He peeled off her strappy top and traced the lacy edge of her bra.

Her hand was shaking as she reached for the zip of his jeans; he gave a sharp intake of breath as she eased the denim over his thighs.

It took him seconds to dispose of the rest of her clothes; then he carried her over to the bed, pushed the duvet aside and laid her against the pillows before climbing in next to her.

‘You’re such a princess,’ he said, smiling as he sprawled on the mattress.

She knew exactly what he was talking about. ‘Sheets with a high thread count are comfortable. What’s so bad about that?’

‘I knew your bed would be like this. Well, actually, no. I thought you’d have hundreds of cushions and this’d be a four-poster covered in voile.’

‘Silk ribbons.’ She curved her thumb and forefinger round his wrist.

‘Is that what you’re thinking, Princess?’ He licked his lower lip and gave her a smouldering look that turned her to mush. ‘I think I like how your mind works.’

She laughed. ‘If I was still in the art business, I’d so commission a painting of you.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘What kind of painting might that be?’

‘Naked. And for my eyes only,’ she said.

‘Good, because I think my mother would have a fit if there were naked paintings of me on display all over Naples—not to mention what your grandparents would say.’

‘Well, the décor in Tonielli’s does need a bit of updating,’ she teased.

‘Not with naked pictures of me, it doesn’t.’

‘It’d draw in a lot of female customers.’

‘If that’s on your business plan, I’m red-penning it already.’

‘No. This is separate. Just you and me.’

The vulnerable, needy girl had gone, replaced by a sparky, funny woman he liked a lot. And making love with her was pure pleasure. Particularly when she insisted on taking the lead and straddled him.

‘I like this. Great view,’ he said, reaching up to play with her breasts.