was a long time before Cesario lifted his head from where he had pillowed it on her breasts. The ragged sound of their breathing had gradually slowed, and Beth became aware that the rain had eased to a soft pitter-patter on the roof of the cabin.
Tension seeped into her when he propped himself on his elbows and stared into her eyes, his hard-boned face as enigmatic as ever. She did not know what he expected. Should she make a witty remark or compliment him on his performance? What was the protocol between two people who had indulged in casual sex? she wondered bleakly.
Her heart leapt with relief when he smiled softly and bent his head to claim her mouth in a tender kiss. ‘So that was your first lesson in making love, mia bella.’ He laughed ruefully at her shocked expression when she felt the unmistakable sign that he was already aroused again, his hardened shaft pushing against her hip. ‘As you can feel, I am an impatient tutor, and my body is eager to give you your second lesson.’
‘Why don’t you, then?’ she invited daringly, feeling a flood of silken heat between her legs.
To her disappointment he eased away from her and stood up. ‘Because I must be patient and allow your body time to recover from any soreness.’ He could not resist dropping another kiss on the slight pout of her lips. ‘We have plenty of time, cara,’ he assured her gently.
Beth did not like to think of time. The results of the DNA test would be known in a matter of days, and if they proved that Cesario was not Sophie’s father she would take the baby back to England and probably never see him again. He had proved how much he desired her, but she was under no illusion that he wanted anything more than a brief affair with her.
Feeling agitated, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and to her horror saw a small, betraying bloodstain on the sheet. Cesario returned from the bathroom and she flushed when his eyes settled briefly on the mark.
‘I’m sorry. I’ll change the sheet.’ A host of confused emotions surged up inside her, and inexplicably she burst into tears.
‘Shh, carissima.’ Cesario swept her into his arms, feeling a curious tug on his heart at the sight of her distress. ‘The sheet is not important. Come.’ He carried her into the bathroom where the bath was filling, and lowered her into the fragrant bubbles.
Beth let out a shaky sigh as she sank into the warm water and felt the tension seep from her body. ‘I don’t know why I’m being so silly.’ She was embarrassed by her tears and quickly rubbed her hand over her face.
‘Not silly,’ he assured her in his deep, velvet-soft voice. ‘Just very lovely, and rather more innocent that I had expected,’ he added wryly.
He knew he should feel guilty that he had taken her virginity, but he could not regret the most profoundly moving experience of his life, Cesario thought fiercely. He felt a sense of honour that she had chosen him and another curious sensation—a golden glow inside him that he hadn’t felt for a long time but which he realised with surprise was happiness.
‘I can manage,’ Beth protested when Cesario tipped shampoo into his palm.
His eyes met hers and his gentle smile made her heart ache with a longing that he. She caught her lip between her teeth and told herself to be sensible. Just because he had made love to her so beautifully it did not mean that he loved her. But when he looked at her as he was doing now, she couldn’t help but believe that he cared for her a little.
‘Humour me, hmm…?’ he murmured, and proceeded to wash and rinse her hair before he lifted her out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her.
It was a novel experience to be taken care of, and Beth gave herself up to the tender ministrations of his hands as he dried her and carried her back to the bed. He stretched out beside her and kissed her, parting her lips and tasting her with little sips that deepened to something innately sensual.
Her skin was like satin, Cesario thought as he explored her with his mouth, sucking gently on each of her swollen nipples before moving lower to ease her legs apart and bestow the most intimate caress of all. She gave a little gasp, shock quickly turning to delight, and he smiled and set about his self-appointed task, using his tongue and all his skill and patience until she writhed and sobbed his name, and he tasted her feminine fragrance as she climaxed beneath him.
‘Sleep for a while,’ he murmured when he took her back in his arms and brushed his lips across her hair.
She looked at him uncertainly. ‘But don’t you want to.?’
‘That was for you, cara.’ He ruthlessly controlled his throbbing need and watched her eyelashes flutter against her cheeks.
There was plenty of time for him to make love to her fully and experience the pleasure of their mutual satisfaction, Cesario mused as he settled her head on his shoulder. Whatever the outcome of the DNA test, he saw no reason why Beth should not remain at the castle as his mistress. Not for ever, of course. He did not do for ever.
He frowned, wondering why the prospect of ending their relationship—as he surely would eventually—was such an unwelcome thought. But he could not imagine his desire for her fading any time soon. He had been captivated by a green-eyed witch and he was in no rush to escape her magic.
* * *
‘I’m sure Sophie has gained a few pounds,’ Beth remarked as she cuddled the baby before handing her to Cesario. ‘Luisa has a set of baby scales and she’s going to weigh her later.’
They were in the castle gardens, enjoying the spring sunshine that shone from an azure sky, although Sophie—who had been propped up on a pile of cushions on the rug—was protected from the sun by a parasol which provided plenty of shade.
Cesario settled the little girl in the crook of his arm and covered her dark hair with a sunhat before he strolled over to one of the ornamental pools so that she could watch the fountain splashing into the water.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve put on a couple of pounds too,’ he murmured, when Beth walked over to join him. His gaze dropped to her low-cut strap-top. ‘Not that I have any complaints, cara. Your breasts are definitely fuller. How do you expect me to do any work when you’re such a sexy distraction?’
She laughed and pushed her silky brown hair over her shoulders, her eyes glowing in a face that was no longer pale and drawn but as tanned as the rest of her slim body. A combination of iron tablets and good food meant that she was no longer anaemic. She still did not get much sleep at night, but she could not blame Sophie. The baby now slept through the night, and if she did stir, the nanny, Luisa, now occupied the bedroom adjoining the nursery and was on hand to see to her.
No, her sleepless nights were for a very different reason, Beth mused, feeling the familiar lurch of her heart when Cesario gave her a sultry smile that had the immediate effect of making her blood zing in her veins.
‘Considering how many times we made love last night, I would have thought you would be glad of a few hours shut away in your study while you restore your energy.’
‘I am fully recuperated,’ he assured her dryly, his eyes glinting with amusement and possessive heat. ‘A fact that I intend to prove while Sophie has her afternoon nap.’
He chuckled when Beth blushed furiously. ‘I can’t imagine what the staff must think about the amount of time we spend in bed,’ she muttered.
‘You
