“No, do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Have a pastor somethingwith him?” The flame had been growing progressively hotter since the two of them smiled at each other the first time.
Her brow drew down and her lip curled.
I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my jaw. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.” My hand headed toward my hair, but she snatched it before it was all the way up.
“Alright.” She glanced around and snuck a kiss to the back of my hand before releasing it. “Now call Mario. Let’s get this thing reported.”
Alright? Was it that simple? I could apologize and she would leave it at that? Our relationship was so new, so fragile and raw. It hadn’t even been two weeks since she told me she never wanted to see me again.
But she came back to me. Said all the words I’d dreamt of and more. She’d made love with me, laughed with me, traveled with me. And I’d throw it away for what? For petty jealousy?
“Who’s the one thinking too much now?” She nudged my shoulder and smiled.
The fire shifted inside me, her forgiveness propelling it from a fit of jealousy to furious desire.
I stuffed the phone into my pocket and pulled her into an embrace. Holding her tightly, I pressed my cheek against hers, wanting her soft skin against mine. Her warm touch, her even temperament. If only I could wrap her in my arms and never let her go.
“You alright, Antonio?” she asked hesitantly.
“I’ve never been better.” Leaning back, I took in her beautiful face. “Are you sure you want to stay here? We could return to the villa?”
“Hardly. I want a tour of the lab, then we’re going to the archaeology museum.” She frowned, pushing out of my arms. “And no PDAs so close to the office.”
I reached for her, the desire to express my emotions fully overwhelming me. “I need to make love to you right now.”
She stepped back with a grin. “I think you have the words need and want confused.”
When I followed her, she chuckled, placing a hand on my chest to hold me at bay. “Relax. Isn’t that what you keep telling me?”
I balled my fists on my hips, unable to control my breath or my smirk. Women rarely said no to me. Until her. She said no all the time, while still saying yes so much more.
Hand still on my chest, her head swiveled around, evaluating our surroundings. Would she kiss me if no one was looking, as she’d kissed my hand? Biting her lower lip, she winked at me.
She strolled toward the nearest building, the flirtatious sway to her hips. I was hot on her surprisingly slow-for-Samantha heels. Instead of heading to the door, she took a detour around the side into the small alley between it and the next building.
Leaning against the stone wall once we were near the back, she beckoned with a finger. “Vieni qui, bello.”
Moistening her lips, she was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. I pressed my body against hers, into her softness, grasping her hands and pinning them beside her head. My mouth approached hers, but I stayed out of reach. “Shall I make love to you right here?”
She tested my grip, as she always did. The rough exterior of the building would tear at her skin if she tried to pull her hands down, but I’d release her in a blink if she wanted me to. “I was thinking a little make-out session. You know, to tide you over until later.”
“An appetizer?” I rubbed the growing bulge in my pants across the front of hers, wanting the appetizer, the main course, and dessert. Not to mention seconds.
Eyes widening, she let out a little gasp. “Where did that come from?”
I ran my tongue along her top lip. “I wonder.”
Her tongue darted out to encourage mine into her mouth, and I happily obliged. She moaned as I kissed her, bowing her body away from the wall, eliminating the space between us. Releasing one of her hands—which dug into my hair—I pulled her blouse out of her pants and reached underneath. Splaying my fingers across her abdomen, I skimmed the bottom of her bra with a thumb.
“Lacy,” I whispered, pulling away enough to look down her top. Robin’s egg blue with white lace. “When did you get that?”
“When you snuck off tonotbuy me something in Capri.”
I leaned in to nuzzle her neck through my grin. “Would you be angry if I did buy you something?”