Page 36 of The Italian's Marriage Bargain

‘At least I know she wants me.’

How long they stood in stunned silence, Felicity didn’t know. The spitting fire, the ticking clock, the low music were no match for the pounding in her temples, the vile taste of bile in her throat as she digested his words.

‘Felice.’ His voice came out in a low, weary moan, his head shaking as he tried to touch her, one hand reaching for her arm, but she shrugged it off, her face utterly white as she tried to fathom what he had just said. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

‘Why not.’ Her voice was a croak, her throat felt as if it had been sanded, and despite the heat of the fire, her raging pulse, she had never felt so icy-cold. ‘It’s hardly a State secret.’

‘I should never have said it,’ he said again, ‘because it simply isn’t true.’

‘Isn’t it?’ Tears were now coursing, unchecked down her pale cheeks, but her voice was angry and strained. ‘I’m sorry if I’m not very good at this—sorry if I’m not one of the sophisticated lovers you’re used to. I don’t know the rules, Luca, because I’ve never played before. I don’t know what’s real and what’s imagined; I don’t know how I’m supposed to react when half the village assumes that you’re sleeping with Anna. And if your words were meant to give me some sort of cruel bedroom kick, then they worked, because you’ve hurt me.’ A pale, trembling hand thumped at her chest, the fury lighting in her eyes again. ‘You’ve hurt me and you promised you never would!’

A mass of flesh bore down on her, crushing her face with his kiss, quieting her protests, her doubts, her fury, her fears with the weight of his adoration. Hungry hands ravished her body, possessing it. Lowering her to the floor, he pulled at the dress. The tiny row of buttons at the back were too much to take in, the need to be inside her overwhelming both of them, and he pushed the soft fabric up over her thighs, ripping the tiny lace panties and tossing them aside, revelling in the sweet taste of her. She gasped beneath him, shocked and unsure at first, unable to believe he could be enjoying this, but his groans of approval were the confirmation she needed.

His closed eyes and rapt concentration allowed her a brief interlude to take in the feeling of him there, his probing tongue flicking at her swollen bud, her thighs tightening in spasms as her stomach tensed not with nerves, not with embarrassment or shame, but with the delicious trembling of her orgasm, deep, rapid contractions, that made her back arch. His strong hands held the peach of her trembling buttocks as she quivered under the mastery of his touch, tiny gasping sobs coming out of her parted lips, her body a delicious ball of tension, down to her curling toenails.

He had to stop, had to let her catch her breath, had to let the world stop spinning for a moment—only just as she thought it was over, just as he knelt back on his heels and the flickering pulse of her womanhood abated slightly, he pulled her dress higher, the sight of her engorged pink breasts meriting a slow kiss as he pulled down his zipper, as she moaned beneath him, exhausted, sure she had left that magical place he had taken her to, sure it was over for now.

The sight of him so swollen and virile stirred something in her almost akin to fear, her eyes widening with a thrill of sexual terror as he slowly parted her legs, dragging her along the cool tiles, every movement measured now, his eyes locking on hers, his voice a distant drum in the swirling fog of passion.

And he revelled in it, revelled in her innocence, in the feel of her gasping for him and him alone, adored the sound of strangled gasps that filled the vast room, the satin of her skin beneath his touch. He wanted so much to hold this moment for ever, to bathe in the beauty of her gaze, to treasure the feel of her, swollen and ready and welcome at his engorged tip, but he couldn’t. The need to be inside her, to feel her wrapped around him, to plant his seed high in her womanhood was utterly overwhelming now, and he plunged inside her, simultaneously exploding as she gripped like a velvet vice.

‘Felice.’ His single word was more a moan, a gasp, as lay beside her, pulling her into the crook of his arm, his fingers making idle circles along her arms. The tiny, almost invisible hairs shivered as her nerves twitched, her body slowly winding down, ever down, and the world came back into focus. It took a moment to register that the phone was ringing, and they lay there for a silent moment, refusing to let a stranger intrude, relaxing when it stopped, when only the crackling fire and the sound of their breathing filled the room.

Now.

Closing her eyes, she took in a heady breath of the musky, citrus tang of his aftershave, the solid chest beneath her cheek, and for a moment in time she felt safe, sure that their lovemaking, the deeper union they had forged tonight, would sustain this onslaught. ‘Luca…’ Her voice was barely a whisper, her eyes still screwed closed as the dice started to roll, but the phone was ringing again, and Felicity froze in his arms as he cursed at the intrusion.

‘It might be important,’ he said, reluctantly untangling himself, quickly sorting his clothes. She fumbled on the floor, pulling down her dress as he picked up the phone.‘Pronto?’

As Luca’s voice became more urgent, her forehead creased. He spoke loudly, but she tried to convince herself that nothing was wrong. Italians always shouted into the telephone, she’d learnt, always sounded as if World War III had broken out or the family was about to be ripped to shreds by marauding wolves, when all they were discussing was the weather.

‘It’s Ricardo.’ As Luca replaced the receiver the reassuring smile didn’t come, his face paling as he walked over. ‘He has had a heart attack.’

‘Oh, my God.’ Sinking to the couch, Felicity shook her head. ‘I saw Anna just this morning. She said he had chest pain, but they thought it was just indigestion.’

‘It was his heart. They’ve taken him to a hospital in Rome, the best, but he nearly died on the way. They managed to revive him, but he is very sick. Anna is very upset.’

A smart retort that was absolutely out of place bobbed on Felicity’s tongue, but she bit it back. Ricardo was a close friend of Luca; the last thing he needed was a sarcastic comment from his wife. Still, Felicity wasn’t quite convinced Anna really was that upset. Her dismissive words about her husband this morning still reeled in Felicity’s mind. If she’d called a doctor, taken him to the hospital then, instead of buying indigestion liquid, surely this could have been avoided, surely…

‘I have to go.’

‘To Anna?’ Felicity gasped, unable to comprehend what he was saying and praying she’d somehow misheard.

‘She’s upset; she’s alone at theinfermeria. I couldn’t say no to her. Come with me.’

Instantly she shook her head. The wordinfirmeriahad sent an icy chill through her spine, memories of Joseph’s death too utterly painful even to tentatively explore. ‘I can’t.’

‘Can’t or won’t?’ His words were sneering, but seeing the pain in her eyes he stopped, one hand tentatively catching her cheek.

‘That’s where Joseph died.’

‘Oh, Felice.’ His words were gentler now, her palpable pain reaching him. ‘I am so sorry for your pain. But you of all people must realise how Anna is feeling; surely you can understand why she needs me to go to her?’

But Felicitydidn’tunderstand; the part of helpless female was one she had never played before. Her mind whizzed back a year, to here in this very city, sitting on a hard-backed chair as Joseph neared his painful end, her parents, exhausted from their mercy flight, grabbing a few hours’ sleep back at the hotel.

My God, she didn’t even speak the language, but it had never even entered her head to wake her father in the middle of the night, to call him to fetch her. Why the hell couldn’t Anna get a taxi? ‘Surely she’s got family, friends? Why does it have to be you?’

‘Because it’s always me!’ Luca’s words were sharp—bitter, even. ‘Anything happens in this village, it is me they call.’ His voice softened then, and taking both her hands, he looked at her, imploring her to understand. ‘If it was you alone at the hospital Ricardo would do the same. I wouldn’t expect any less from him, and I cannot let him down.’

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