Page 5 of Pregnant in the Italian's Palazzo

But she couldn’t deny that all of a sudden the air felt charged between them, just as it had on the street outside the courthouse. His eyes darkened, his gaze falling to where she could feel her embarrassment had now heated the skin on her neck and chest to a rosy hue.

‘You are blushing, Aria,’ he remarked, his voice a low murmur, his attention unwaveringly rapt upon her. ‘Have I made you uncomfortable?’

‘No, of course not,’ she said quickly, shaking her head as she rose to her feet. Ever the gentleman, he stood too, his frame broad and looming above her now that she had removed her heels. Before she could embarrass herself any further she mumbled something nonsensical about needing to freshen up, but really she just needed to step away. To gather her composure and remind herself that accepting this man’s offer of rescue was just a means to an end and not some wild beginning.

She walked further down towards the end of the cabin where she could see a large master bedroom through an open doorway. She debated going inside but chickened out at the last moment, turning into the doorway on her left instead. She gazed longingly at the full-sized waterfall shower inside the spacious bathroom; this place was more like a penthouse apartment in the sky and most certainly an upgrade from the commercial flight she’d been booked on. If only she had her luggage with her, she would have jumped straight into the shower to wash off the city mud and grime.

Longing overtook her as she stared in the mirror at her dirty reflection. Her dress was no longer damp from the rain, but it felt sticky on her skin. She took a washcloth and ran it under some cold water, dabbing it against the sides of her neck and along her chest. A sigh escaped her lips as the cool conditioned air hit her skin and she felt a little relief. Sadly there was absolutely nothing to be done to save her sheer stockings so she decided that disposing of them and going bare-legged was better than being covered in mud splatters.

She reached under her dress, unhooking the clip of her garter belt, and rolled off one ruined stocking with a sigh before changing to the other. She had just gripped the material at her thigh when she heard a gruff inhalation of breath behind her. When she looked up towards the doorway, she found she was no longer alone.

Nysio had simply intended to follow Aria to apologise for his forward behaviour, instead he’d ended up transfixed in the bathroom doorway, frozen in place as she slowly rolled her stocking down one leg.

Unaware of his presence, she’d pulled her skirt up higher, baring just a hint of the pink-and-black-printed lingerie she wore beneath, and he’d forgotten to breathe for a moment. The resulting gulp of air he’d taken in had alerted her to his presence, making her jump with fright.

Nysio instantly raised his hands and took a step backwards. The door had been ajar, but still...his reaction had not been one of innocence and the last thing he wanted was for her to fear him. As if he were a creep standing outside a window trying to catch a look at his obsession. He wasnotobsessed. He was perhaps a little more interested in her than he had been in any woman in a very long time...but he was not past the point of his own self-control.

‘Apologies, I didn’t mean to alarm you.’

‘Top tip? Maybe don’t stand silently in a doorway if you don’t want to alarm the person inside. I could have been nude.’

He pushed away the instant image his mind tried to conjure at that statement and nodded, schooling his expression to one of remorse. ‘I came in here to apologise for unsettling you and now it seems I have only succeeded in making things worse.’

He was seriously losing control of himself. First the impulsive trip across the Atlantic and now acquiring an unexpected detour and a guest on the journey home. He had already made the decision to leave New York immediately once he’d discovered his half-brothers were far too occupied in their own personal matrimonial race to bother threatening him. But for some reason leavingher, leaving Aria alone... It had felt wrong. Now here they were, having been alone on this jet less than half an hour, and he was already thinking of ways to get her even more undressed than she was right now.

‘You didn’t make me uncomfortable. It’s just that...well, you keep looking at me likethat.’ She gestured towards him. ‘The smouldering eyes and the unblinking stare. I’m honestly trying to figure out if you’re planning to murder me once we’re up in the air, or...’

He felt irritation break the surface of his control. Was she truly this oblivious to the effect she was having on him? Did she not feel it too? ‘I’m not planning to murder you.’

‘Well, that’s a relief, I suppose.’ She let out a small laugh, but her mouth remained tight and her eyes lowered as though she couldn’t quite look at him.

‘Is this a game that you play?’ Nysio took a step into the room, unable to resist the invisible thread that seemed to be pulling him towards her. ‘The pale pink dress in the rain, the refusal to behave like a damsel in distress...now thisblushing. Is it real?’

‘It’s my natural skin tone. Of course it’s real.’ She took a step towards him, her little dimpled chin tilting up stubbornly as she pressed a single pink-painted fingertip in the centre of his chest. ‘How dare you? You are the one who insisted on helping me, remember? If anyone was a damsel in distress today, it was you.’

The reminder of his vulnerable moment was like a shock of cold water over his libido. He’d thought he’d got the anxiety attacks under control, but then again, he hadn’t travelled this far from his home in an entire decade. As though she felt his shift in mood she took a step closer, her features softening.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for that to come out that way. I promise that I really don’t see your moment earlier as weak. You just...seem to have got under my skin.’

He’d got under her skin? Nysio fought the urge to laugh. Good, that made two of them now, at least. He realised that if he’d been an honourable man he would have walked away. He would have removed himself to the furthest end of the jet and maintained maximum distance until she was safely deposited on English soil. He inhaled a breath then fought the urge to groan as her delicious scent filled his lungs, scrambling his senses all over again. Her sweet perfume was everywhere. He couldn’t get away from it.

‘I...don’t wear perfume.’

Nysio looked up and met her questioning gaze, realising he must have spoken the words aloud. ‘Your soap, maybe?’

‘Maybe you should hold your nose, then. But don’t forget to breathe.’ She nibbled on her lower lip, the ghost of a smile playing upon her lips. She was trying not to laugh at him.

Rather than feeling affronted at her reaction, Nysio smiled, feeling his usual serious veneer slip completely as he realised the utter absurdity of their situation. He’d set out to play the chivalrous hero with this woman and she continued to surprise him at every turn. Was he truly annoyed at her for smelling good? He felt his own chest rumble with laughter and was shocked at the sensation of the mirth in his chest loosening the tightness there. Was his life really so devoid of humour that verbally sparring with this fireball of a woman could affect him so?

Lyrical laughter hummed from between her berry-coloured lips and Nysio found himself mesmerised by how the light made her lips shimmer. Would she taste as good as she smelled? Desire trickled along his spine, tracing down below his belt. He was suddenly very aware of their proximity and decided he needed to put some space between them pretty soon or she’d notice the thickly growing evidence of his sudden shift in mood.

Their eyes met and once again he found himself absolutely transfixed by their depth and gravity. By the time he realised he was moving closer to her, it was too late. Her balance swayed and all of a sudden she was in his arms, her lips seeking his. He allowed himself one maddening caress of his lips on hers, drinking her in like a drowning man before he forced himself to pull back for a moment.

‘I didn’t offer to take you on my jet for this purpose,’ he said heavily, staring into her eyes and trying to ignore the fact that their bodies were still completely fused together. ‘I don’t want you to feel like this is what I expect from you...like some kind of twisted payment for your airfare. I can still arrange for you to get another flight.’

He waited a moment, studying the reaction on her face as it slowly changed from lust to disappointment. He wasn’t lying, of course he would let her walk off this plane if that was what she wanted. He could be a gentleman, despite the teenager’s libido that had seemed to overtake him ever since he’d set eyes on her. He would get her on the next flight home...

‘But I don’t want to do that,’ he admitted, shocking himself with his own honesty.

---