style="font-size:15px;"> And time to get to the root of the problem between Renzo and Nico. If she could just understand that, she could help to fix this thing between them. She didn’t expect they would be best friends ever again, but if they could at least be in the same room together without wanting to kill each other, that would be a start.
The plane had landed half an hour ago now. She’d thought they were returning to Castello di Casari, but instead they were in Rome. She expected that Nico had a huge villa somewhere in the city, but rather it was an exclusive apartment overlooking the ancient rooftops and splendid ruins.
There was no staff waiting to greet them, no Giuseppe with his kind smile and brisk efficiency. There was only Nico, and the lights of Rome spread out like a carpet of fireflies.
She felt suddenly awkward as she stood in the darkened living room and watched Nico prowling toward her, his dark good looks emphasized by the formality of the tuxedo. He’d undone his tie a while ago, and unbuttoned the top couple of buttons of his shirt to give a tantalizing glimpse of bronzed skin.
She focused on that slice of skin until he stopped in front of her and her eyes drifted up to meet his. It jolted her again just how very handsome he was, with those piercing eyes and perfect cheekbones.
He took her hand in his without breaking eye contact, placed it on his shoulder.
Then he did the same with the other one, placing it on his opposite shoulder as her heart thrummed and her body warmed to dangerous temperatures.
“Alone at last,” he told her with a wicked smile that made hunger slide into her veins.
“So it would seem.”
“I want you, Tina,” he said, dipping his head to place a soft kiss on her cheek. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as his mouth traced a path along her jaw and down the column of her throat. “Too much,” he murmured against her skin, and the vibration of his voice dripped into her bloodstream like pure adrenaline. “I’ve thought of nothing but this for hours now.”
A thrill rocketed through her. “I should tell you no,” she said on a little half gasp as his lips found the sweet spot behind her ear.
“It’s inevitable, bella. You want me as I want you.”
“I might,” she admitted. “But I’m not exactly thrilled with how you’ve treated me.”
He lifted his head to look at her. “The prenup was necessary. You know that.”
She shrugged, but she didn’t remove her hands from his shoulders. “I do know. But you could have picked a better time.”
He sighed, his palms sliding along her hips. “It wasn’t ready before then. It takes time to put together a document of that size.”
“I realize that, Nico. I’m not stupid. But you could have told me earlier that we’d be dealing with it at some point.”
He dipped his head and ran his mouth along the column of her throat while she tried not to moan or fall apart in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have mentioned it.”
She sighed. She had an apology of her own to make. “Thank you for getting the dresses. It was nice of you.”
His hands slipped around to cup her bottom. “I thought you were angry over that.”
Tina swallowed as heat swirled inside her belly. “I was. But I realize you were trying to be nice. You just went about it in a typical male fashion.”
He pulled back to look down at her. “A typical male fashion?”
She nodded as she gazed up at him. “Yes. You assumed I would be happy so you proceeded without consulting me.”
“And you would prefer I consult you in the future about decisions of this nature?”
“About decisions that involve me. Yes.”
He dipped his head and ran his tongue along the top of her bodice. “And what about this, Tina? Do you wish to continue? Or shall we say good-night here?”
“Nico,” she breathed.
“You have the power to say no,” he told her. “I want only a willing wife in my bed.”
Tina shuddered as he pulled her against him, the evidence of his need for her pressing into her abdomen. He was hard, ready, and liquid heat slid through her in response.
“I think I’m ready,” she said, a shiver running through her because he’d asked. He’d asked.
“Think? Or know? Because I don’t want any ambiguity, cara. Choose me now, or go to bed alone.”
He was truly asking what she wanted—and she was a goner.
“I know. I know.” Tina wrapped her arms around his neck at the same moment his mouth sought hers, capturing it in a kiss so scorching she nearly melted from the heat. She moaned when he slid his tongue against hers, and her knees suddenly felt as if they were made of water.
She was hot and ready, like a pot that had been on the burner all day—and Nico seemed to know it.
Her pulse thrummed in her ears, her throat, her breastbone, pounding out a beat that made her dizzy while his tongue licked into her with such devastating skill that all she could do was cling to him.
He made her feel so much. So many conflicting emotions crashing through her along with a healthy, hungry appetite for what they were about to do. How could she want him so acutely? And how could he be so very bad for her at the same time?
Nico pulled her hips against his again, until she could once more feel the evidence of an impressive erection.
Tina whimpered. Just like that, it was suddenly too much to wait even a minute more. She’d decided to do this thing, and there was no going back.
She ripped at the studs holding his shirt closed until he laughed deep in his throat and shrugged out of his jacket, letting it fall where he stood. Then his hands came over hers, helped her tear the shirt open as studs popped and flew.
Her hands were suddenly on his hot flesh, her palms sliding along his skin, learning the texture of him once more. He was so hot, so hard and muscular, and she wanted him naked before another minute passed. She couldn’t think about anything but him. He drove her crazy with need.
She tugged the shirt from his trousers and then went after his belt and zipper while Nico fumbled with the buttons at her back. She could feel his frustration mounting with the tiny buttons.
He broke the kiss and turned her in his arms. “Don’t rip them,” she gasped.
“I won’t.” His voice was clipped, rough, and it made her tremble. Soon the bodice began to loosen, but he lost patience and turned her again, pulling the front of the gown down just enough so that her breasts spilled freely into his hands. Her nipples were hard little points that he flicked with his thumbs while a deep shiver rolled through her.
“Dio, you are so beautiful.”
A
