Page 31 of Under Her Skin
So now, in a couple of hours, she would see him. The thought of looking into his eyes and feeling his skin against hers…she hoped for it. God, how the hell was she supposed to keep her cool? Hero drew in a shaky breath, opened the window to the balcony of her room, and gazed out over Como. It had been a hot day, but now late in the afternoon, the heat began to dissipate, leaving a sultryfeeling.
Hero slid into a light cotton dress of a pale pink and brushed her long hair out. Grinning to herself, she hoped it would get mussed up and tangled before the night was out. She closed her eyes and let the thought of his fingers stroking her bare back make her shiver withanticipation.
By the timeeight o’clock came around, her stomach was in knots. Fliss and Imelda had gone out to dinner. Fliss taking one for the team, as she put it, so Hero was left alone to pace the apartment, getting more and morenervous.
When the intercom buzzed, she started a little, her heart hammering against her ribs. She paused before opening thedoor.
The first sight of him, so devastatingly handsome in a dark blue sweater and blue jeans, made her whole body tremble. His eyes gave away his own nerves, but as he opened his mouth to speak, Hero couldn’t stop herself. She threw herself into his arms and crushed her mouth against his. His arms clamped around her, his hand cradling the back of her head as he kissed her back, his mouth hungry. Hero’s tears wet both theirfaces.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Arturo’s voice broke as they paused for air, “God, I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Hero,il mia amore…please forgiveme.”
“If you’ll forgive me, Turo. I’m so sorry about the Patrizzi—about everything.” She was weeping with joy at being in his arms. Arturo kissed her again until she couldn’tbreathe.
“There’s nothing to forgive, my sweet darling, nothing. Hero…” He cupped her face in his hands. “I love you.Ti amo, Tiamo.”
“I love you, too…I know it’s stupid-fast, but I don’t care. Iloveyou, ArturoBachi.”
He groaned and picked her up. “We’ll go to my place, but for now, I can’t wait, my love. Where is yourbedroom?”
She kissed him as he carried her to her room, then not wanting to wait, they stripped quickly and tumbled onto the bed. Arturo slid his hand down between her legs and smiled. “You’re alreadywet.”
“I’ve been thinking about you—about this—all afternoon. Turo, don’t wait. I want you inside of...oh!”
With a grin, Arturo thrust his engorged cock deep inside her, and Hero groaned with pleasure. As he thrust, he sucked on her nipples until they were rock-hard, stroked the soft skin of her belly tenderly, attending to every part of her body as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Hero wrapped her legs around his waist, her thighs taut against him, her hands on his face, his shoulders, his back as they made love. She couldn’t stop touching him, and when they came—together—they clung to each other as if the world were trying to tear themapart.
“Don’t let me go again,” she whispered, and he nodded, his eyes closed, his forehead againsthers.
“Never again…never everagain…”
They dressed,and Arturo took her hand as they walked to his car. “I have a surprise foryou.”
Her face was adorably flushed from making love, her hair mussed, her dark eyes shining at him as they drove out of town. Instead of turning south towards his home, he took the north shore road. Hero, her dark hair flying in the night air, laughed. “So, this surpriseis…?”
“Patience.” He teased her, and she stuck her tongue out at him in jest. Arturo chuckled to himself. It had taken just seconds to get back to where they had been, but no, they seemed to have skipped several steps in their reacquaintance. “Sweet one, I know we have a lot to talk about, and I don’t want to miss any of it. But for tonight, can it just be you and I? Just…love?”
Hero touched his face. “I’d like nothing more. We have all the time in the world totalk.”
Arturo turnedthe car into the long driveway of theVilla Claudiaand waited for Hero’s reaction. Hundreds of thousands of tiny white lights had been strewn around the rundown hotel’s terrace alongside a few braziers of open flame set along the grounds. Under the pergola, candles guttered on the stone table, and champagne was on ice with two glasses next toit.
Hero blinked a few times and looked at Arturo. He smiled at her. “Do you likeit?”
“It’s beautiful, Turo, absolutely stunning. Wow…wow…”
Arturo stopped the car, and they got out. He offered her his hand, and slowly they walked up the stone steps to the terrace. Arturo showed her around the grounds first, and then they walked into the hotel. Hero moved around, running her hand over the old-fashioned fixtures, the walls with the peeling wallpaper. “It’s incredible,” she enthused, “so much character. Is it anotherhotel?”
Arturo, watching her carefully, shook his head. “No, this is a personal project of mine…and hopefully yours,too.”
Hero looked confused. “What do youmean?”
He indicated the hotel. “A home. Our home. If you would do me the honor.” He stepped closer to her and cradled her face in his palm. “Sposami,Hero Donati. I love you like I’ve never loved anyone else. Like I’ll never love any woman ever again. Marry me. Be mywife.”
Hero stared back at him.It’s too soon. We don’t know each other. This is crazy.All of these things played on a loop in her brain, but instead of saying them aloud, she just said oneword.
“Yes.”
ChapterSeventeen
“Married.”
