he did what he was best at and kissed her slightly parted lips.
Angelo’s mouth took possession of hers as he dragged Tara into his lap.
And that fast, she was lost. It all felt so incredibly right. The heat of his body against hers, his uniquely masculine scent surrounding her and the spicy warmth of his mouth both comforted and enticed her. The feel of his rock hard muscles holding her gave her a primitive sense of security no modern woman would admit to.
As much as her mind told her attraction to this man spelled danger in capital letters, her body responded to his as if she’d found the other half of her whole. The half she hadn’t known was missing until this very moment.
She wanted to dismiss such thoughts as juvenile and fanciful, but they permeated her being with rock solid staying power. Her soul knew this man.
Hard, mobile lips molded hers perfectly and with just the right amount of pressure that she moaned under the onslaught to her senses.
He growled in response to the sound, his hand gripping her waist tightly. She felt like she was being kissed by a wild predator claiming his mate, not a refined businessman. She responded on a level she had never allowed herself to explore before, digging her fingertips into his shoulders and reveling in the leashed power she sensed there.
He lifted her by the waist, repositioning her so she straddled his hips and their torsos were pressed close together. She could feel the threat of his hardness against her most sensitive flesh and the layers of clothes between them did nothing to negate the heat that connection generated.
Jolts of sensual awareness rippled through her body, making her arch toward him and shudder while his lips continued to entice her passion to greater heights.
Suddenly his thumb brushed upward from where his big hand rested against the indentation of her waist. It caressed her in an up and down motion, teasing at her rib cage just below her breasts before dipping down over the curve of her hip.
Her breath suspended in her chest as she waited for him to explore further, to actually touch swollen flesh chafing at the restrictions of her bra. But he didn’t and she found herself breaking her lips from his to suck in much needed oxygen.
“Angelo,” she panted.
She didn’t know what else she wanted to say, couldn’t form a cohesive thought to save her life.
His hands curved around her in a hold so possessive, she gasped. “This thing between us is good. Don’t dismiss it, stellina.”
She had no answer, so she remained silent.
He kissed her temple and then the corner of her mouth as if he couldn’t help himself before guiding them both to their feet. She dusted the sand from her clothes and her legs, while he pulled something small from his pocket.
It was a mini digital camera. He aimed and took a shot of their sand castle, then took a picture of her looking at him.
She wasn’t smiling. She had no idea how she looked. Her thoughts were deep and her body was still vibrating with sensual awareness.
“You wanted a picture of our sand castle?” she asked, surprised by the gesture.
“There is more than one way to preserve a dream.”
The message in his eyes was one she was terrified of interpreting so she turned away.
He laughed, the sound husky, as she started back up the beach. “I won’t let you run from me, Tara.”
She didn’t answer because if she was honest with herself, she’d have to admit she didn’t want to.
TARA wasn’t exactly shocked when Angelo pulled his luxury car into a spot in front of a Frank Lloyd Wright style house positioned on a cliff overlooking a private beach not far from where they’d built their sand castle.
She’d half expected him to offer to rent a hotel room so they could shower the sand off before dinner, but the privacy and subtle magnificence of the home was beyond anything she would have envisioned.
“Is this yours?” she asked as he turned off the car.
“Yes.”
“I’m surprised you keep it considering how little time you must have for vacations.”
“I’ve found it useful in hosting negotiations with West Coast companies.”
Ah. That made sense. Seclusion and the home court advantage…both great assets to have on his side when working on a business deal.
The inside reflected the stark simplicity of Wright architecture, but the quality of both the house’s furnishings and minimalist décor pointed to Angelo’s wealth.
He led her to a bedroom with a huge plate glass window that overlooked the ocean. “You can shower and change in here.”
“Thank you.”
She watched him walk away, her feelings no more settled than they had been on the beach.
After her shower, she brushed her hair out in front of the mirror in the large en suite bathroom. She left it down, shimmering in silky waves over her shoulders, contrasting against her white dress. She’d thought this dress was more conservative than the one she’d worn the night before even though it also had spaghetti straps.
It fell to her ankles in a form fitting line that was nevertheless not clingy. However, the row of tiny buttons that began at the sweetheart neckline stopped eight inches above the hem, leaving a slit that parted when she walked. And it struck her that a man of Angelo’s temperament would see the buttons as some kind of challenge.
She bit her lip, wishing she’d brought something less in your face feminine.
Just then, he walked into the room. The lack of a warning knock said more about his sense of possessiveness than it did his lack of manners. She had a feeling the oversight had been very deliberate.
“Ready?” he asked, dressed in a pair of dark chinos and white Polo shirt that set off his dark skin while accentuating the sculpted muscles of his chest.
Talk about sexy.
She put her hands out in a stock modeling pose. “What do you think; am I ready?”
His eyes flared with blue heat as he gazed at her. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She slipped her feet into a pair of heels. “Now, I’m ready to go.”
He put his arm out and she took it, saying nothing when he casually suggested she leave her things in the room for later.
She was curious to see what his plans for the night were. After his comments before they left the beach and the way she had responded to him, she wondered if he was considering using sexual intimacy to convince her of their compatibility.
She’d
