Page 75 of Casanova LLC

His eyes fluttered closed. When he opened them, they were aflame.

So I just said it. “Fuck me.”

“Claire—”

“Fuck him out of me.”

“No.”

He pulled back. And I remembered, then, why I’d come up here in the first place: the deal was off.

I stood quickly, all my blood rushing to my head. “I had no right to say that. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize?—”

“I’m going to go pack?—”

“No.” He growled it.

My mouth opened, but nothing came out.

He stood, placed his hands on my shoulders, and captured me in his eyes. He spoke slowly and calmly. “I’m saying no because whatever we do, whatever I do, won’t be because of him. Trust me, Claire—” He took my face in his hands. “When I make love to you, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is him.”

Alessandro

“But I can’t promise your paintings?—”

“Let’s not worry about that right now. We’ll work it out.”

In truth…? I didn’t care about my paintings. Let them live in Sotheby’s warehouse. If the choice was my paintings or her.

I guided her back to the couch and got her a bottle of water, told her to drink it, and rubbed her back until she stopped shaking.

I heard Jacopo in my head, urging me to tell her about Richard. The deal. I knew now it was the right thing to do. She needed to have the whole picture.

But, again, the timing was wrong. How much more could she be expected to take tonight? Right now, I was all she had, all she believed to be honest and solid and trustworthy. What would happen to her if she found out that wasn’t true?

Her hand settled on my thigh. “Thank you.” She sounded more like herself, if a bit raw.

“No thanks necessary.” I looked out into the room. So did she. “Maybe just—if you could keep it between us, though.”

“What?”

“That there’s no longer any barter.”

“Who would I tell?” Her tone was rueful. “The only people I talk to are lawyers.”

And Jacopo. But I couldn’t very well say that.

“So,” she finally said. “What would we like to do?”

“Tonight?” She nodded. “I think… How about we go downstairs, maybe watch a movie, and have dinner in bed. A relaxing evening.”

She didn’t look particularly enthused at my suggestion.

“Go for a walk? Take the boat out, get some fresh air?” But she was shaking her head.

“No. I want to talk.”

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