Page 17 of Irreplaceable

“Buongiorno, uccellina.”

“Buongiorno.” I smiled.

We stared at each other a minute, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his. The brown was a rich color, like the most decadent chocolate. Yet it was something in their depths that held me captive—an unspoken pain I could understand and relate to, even if I didn’t know the cause of it. I briefly wondered if his rage was a manifestation of that pain.

“How is your ankle?” he asked.

I lifted a shoulder. “It’s…okay. Koming brought me a brace earlier, and that helped some.”

“I’ve arranged something for us. Something else that might help.”

“You have?”

He nodded. “But it’s downstairs. Would you like to come?”

“What is it?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. He might have a temper, but I didn’t get the impression he’d hurt me. He’d never been anything but gentle with me.

“You’ll see.” He stepped closer, and I let out a little squeak of surprise when he scooped me into his arms. He was warm, and he smelled of delicious bergamot.

“I have crutches now, you know? You don’t have to carry me everywhere,” I teased as he padded down the stairs and then out to the backyard.

“Maybe I want to.”

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, noting that he was following the same path he’d taken earlier. Out to the building at the back of the property.

We passed by a gorgeous outdoor shower. Then through a hallway to emerge by another, smaller pool. This one covered in mosaic tiles that glinted in the sun. Ivy draped over the side of the walls, only adding to the feel of the luxurious secret garden. Enzo carried me through another door.

The space smelled of vanilla, and gong music played through unseen speakers in the background. I blinked a few times, my eyes trying to adjust to the darker room after the bright sun. Two massage tables were set up, with two women waiting. Watching us with warm smiles.

I grinned. “A massage?”

Enzo nodded and set me on one of the tables. He held my gaze as he continued to touch me, and electricity sparked between us. I had no idea how I was going to relax when he made me feel like this.

“Your massage therapist is well versed in injuries and aware of your ankle. She will avoid massaging below your calf where you’re injured.”

“Wow.” I nodded, impressed by his thoroughness and thoughtfulness. “Thank you.”

He dipped his head then he left me to change.

I was facedown on the table when Enzo and the women returned. My massage therapist had a firm and confident touch, with just the right amount of pressure. The more she worked my muscles, the more I relaxed. By the time she’d finished, I’d forgotten all about my ankle. And pretty much anything else since I’d melted into the table.

“Are you okay?” Enzo asked long after they’d left. At least, I thought it had been a while. I still hadn’t moved.

“I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” I muttered, facedown.

He chuckled, and when I heard rustling, I lifted my head. He pushed off the table, his back to me as the sheet fell from his hips. My mouth went dry as I scanned his naked form. The tight, lifted globes of his ass. The tattoos marking the skin of his back.

“Uccellina?”

I quickly dropped my head, realizing he’d asked me something. “What was that?”

“I asked if you needed help changing.”

When I finally dared look up again, his body was covered by the robe. I sat up on the table, gathering the sheet about me. When I met his eyes, his stare was intense, trapping me in his molten gaze. The air swirled with possibility, with desire and longing. We stared at each other a moment, the tension stretching between us like a rubber band on the verge of snapping.

He took a few steps back, testing the breaking point. Despite the distance, our bodies remained connected, tethered by some invisible link. As much as I tried to deny it, one look had me desperate for him. And judging from his clenched jaw and tightened fists, he felt it too. He was fighting it too. Fighting and failing.

It felt as if I was standing at crossroads. I could tell him I could manage and do it myself. Or I could have a little fun. This was vacation after all. And it had been so long since I’d had sex. Too long. I’d been so focused on work and getting pregnant that I hadn’t had time for much else.

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