A Moment on the Lips(49)

Wha-a-at?

The combination of her hot mouth, cold champagne, and the feel of the tiny bubbles of the mousse bursting against his skin simply blew his mind. He heard himself babbling something, but he didn’t have a clue what he was saying. All he could focus on was the incredible sensation. And when his climax hit him, he saw more sparkles in his head than he’d seen on the Eiffel Tower, only minutes before.

When he finally recovered, she was lying next to him, her head pillowed on his shoulder and her arm wrapped round his waist. He was holding her very, very tightly.

‘I don’t think I’m going to ask who taught you how to do that,’ he said.

‘Actually, you were my first,’ she said. ‘I shared a flat with this girl in LA, when I was eighteen. She was completely outrageous. And she told me this was her favourite party trick.’

He blew out a breath. ‘Some party trick.’

‘Yeah.’ She looked smug. ‘I love the fact that I had you completely helpless and babbling.’

‘You did not.’

She grinned. ‘Was that a request for a repeat, Dante?’

He backtracked fast. ‘Uh, you blew my mind enough the first time.’ He wasn’t sure he’d survive a second. At least, not in such close succession.

‘So you admit that you babbled?’

‘OK, OK, I admit it. You had me babbling.’

‘Helpless and babbling,’ she insisted, completely merciless.

‘Helpless and babbling.’ He kissed her. ‘And I’m going to be planning my revenge. By the time I’ve finished with you, you’re going to be helpless and babbling, too.’

She laughed. ‘I do hope that’s a promise.’

He kissed her again. ‘Absolutely.’

He almost, almost blurted out that he loved her—a near-admission that shocked him to his core.

He’d sworn never to fall in love, never to make the mistakes his mother and sister had made. So how come she’d charmed the barriers around his heart into simply falling down for her? How come the only days in his life that felt as if they had colour in them were the days when he saw her? And since when had hot, mutually enjoyable sex turned into an emotion that scared him witless?

Pushing the thoughts away, he said softly, ‘Today’s been the best birthday I’ve ever, ever had.’

Her eyes filled with tears. ‘Oh, Dante.’

He stroked her face. ‘Don’t cry, Caz. I just wanted you to know that today’s been special. More than special. And I really appreciate it.’

He really appreciated her.

He just didn’t have the words to tell her how much.





CHAPTER TWELVE

CARENZA half woke, aware that something was tickling her face; it took her a few moments to work out that it was the hair on Dante’s chest. She shifted to get more comfortable, and ended up with her face pressed against his neck. And somehow her mouth was open against his skin and she was kissing his throat.

He murmured her name sleepily, and tipped his head back to let her kiss him. She was half lying across him and he shifted, pulling her so that she was on top of him. And then he was kissing her throat, nuzzling her skin, nipping it gently.

She could feel him hardening beneath her, and rocked against him; right now, she really needed to feel him inside her. It was obviously the same for him because he lifted her slightly, then eased inside her as she lowered herself onto him. He wrapped his arms round her and held her close, still kissing her as he thrust into her.

This felt so incredibly good. She loved the power of his body against hers, loved the way he made her feel, each thrust taking her higher. Pleasure rose through her body; heat began to pool in the soles of her feet, then spiralled up through her, tightening and tightening. And then she was falling over the edge. Dante was right there with her, all the way.

As the aftershocks died away he withdrew, gently rolling her onto her side. His body spooned round hers, one hand settling round the curve of her breast and his mouth resting against her shoulder.

Was it her imagination, or did he just murmur, ‘I love you, Caz,’ against her skin?

Wishful thinking, she decided. It was the kind of thing Dante would never admit, even if he felt it. He was positively phobic about relationships. Given his childhood experiences, she could understand why. But somehow she needed to find a way to get him to open up to her … She drifted back into sleep, still mulling it over.