Page 33 of Light Me Up

She was all power, all hunger. All for him.

He smelled so good. Her clutching fingers could barely grip the thick hard muscles of his big shoulders. She loved his huge appetite. The vital force blasting out at her. Loved his skillful, demanding kisses that were worshipful and wildly erotic all at once, and the hard, hot bulge below his belt, pressing into her.

She wanted him right here. On the grass. Deep andstrong andnow.

The only question was where.

They both looked around, but nothing suggested itself. The meticulously trimmed hedges and rosebushes that bordered the paths were too low to offer privacy. The trees didn’t help either. And as they looked, a group of people in evening dress came around a hedge of shrubs, laughing and talking.

“Damn,” Noah muttered. “I want to make you come. I want it so bad.”

“Yes, please,” she whispered back. “I approve of that, as a coping mechanism.”

That grin transformed his face, but she didn’t have time to enjoy it because he was kissing her again and his mouth was hot and tender. Demanding, delicious.

“Noah,” she whispered against his lips. “All thosepeople. Stop.”

“Fuck ‘em.”

Her protests dissolved against that kiss, but the intensity kept building, and she finally drew back. “I mean it. Stop. Or it’ll just get harder.”

“Too late.” His voice was strangled. “Oh man. It can’t get any harder than this.”

“Save it for tonight,” she told him, nipping his earlobe hard enough tomake him gasp.

“You’re on,” he muttered. “Shock me. Subdue me. Can’t wait.”

She dug her fingers into his arms. “You’ve got a long night ahead of you,” she told him. “Saveyour strength.”

The group of people smirked shamelessly as they passed. Noah gave them a glance, dismissed them, and turned his attention back to her. “We need to get inside,” he said. “Where I can chill down to socially acceptable proportions.”

Caro studied the fit of his tux pants, which strained over his erection. “Nice,” she murmured.

“Stop giving me the pure sex look,” he complained. “Itkeeps me hard.”

“So I’ll ignore you.” She turned her back on him, and soon felt his hot lips pressing sensually against her bare shoulder, which made her shiver with excitement.

“Forget it,” he murmured, kissing her neck. “The back view turns me on too.”

She cast a seductive smile over her shoulder. “It’s still too early to goinside, right?”

“Nope,” he said. “Let’s go inside anyway. I want to take you to the Sala dell’Annunziata by another way through the Palazzo. Ihave an idea.”

“Oh, really?” Caro crossed her arms. “Another last minute change of plans? Care to explain?”

Noah sighed. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but nothing gets past you. Come on, Caro. Indulgeme, for once.”

“I’m not in the moodfor surprises.”

“Fine,” he said in a longsuffering voice. “There’s something in the Palazzo that I want you to see. It’s on our way. If we take my special route. OK?”

She waited for more, fingers tapping on her crossed arms. “What is this thing you want me to see? Something secret? Something private? Something…personal?”

“For starters, I want privacy to finish that kiss,” he said, pressing his lips against her bare shoulder. “I liked whereit was going.”

This was interesting. He was being almost, well…playful. Good sign. And the look in his eyes made her tingle with erotic anticipation.

She slid her arm through his again. “OK, Noah. Lead theway. Amaze me.”

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