An Invitation to Sin(29)

Taylor Carmichael didn't need anyone to reassure her. She made her own choices and was confident in herself.

‘What would you do if I said I didn't like what you were wearing?' The  question fell from his lips before he could stop it and she raised her  eyebrows.

‘You don't like me in my underwear?'

‘That wasn't what I meant.' He wished he hadn't spoken and truthfully he  could hardly concentrate. He was so hard his brain had ceased to  function on any level above basic.

She looked at him thoughtfully. ‘To answer your question, if you told me  you didn't like what I was wearing I'd probably just take it off. Is  that what you want?' Her fingers toyed with the lacy edge of her panties  and his mouth dried.

‘No, Cristo, don't take any more off. Put something on. Fast.'

‘But you said you didn't like what I was wearing.'

‘That wasn't … ' His flesh throbbed and his mind blurred. ‘Never mind. Just get dressed.'

‘Maybe I won't.' She stepped closer and slid her arms round his neck.  ‘Maybe I'll tease you just a little bit longer. I still owe you for the  opera.' Her mouth was a breath away from his and Luca felt his control  unravel.

‘Taylor-'

‘Is there a problem?' Her lips curved slowly as she covered him with the flat of her hand. ‘Because I could probably fix that.'

The skilled stroke of her fingers made him groan. Her confidence in herself was as sexy as her body.

He'd grown up with a woman who needed constant reassurance and worked with women who were body obsessed.

He'd never met anyone like Taylor.

‘I thought you Were careful not to be caught doing naughty stuff in public.'

‘We're not in public. We're in your private, hightech garage with just  your car as witness. And anyway, you're talking about Taylor Carmichael  and thanks to you she's currently driving back to your palazzo. Which  means we're alone.' Her hand slid slowly down his shaft and he groaned  and hauled her against him.

‘This wasn't part of my plan.'

‘It's always good to be flexible. And talking of flexible … ' She curved  her bare leg around his thigh and he gave in to it and pressed her back  against the car, breathing hard.

He looked deep into her eyes and then his hands were in her hair and he  was kissing her and she was kissing him and it was exactly as it had  been the night before. Exactly as he'd remembered it. The intense  chemistry, the desperation, the clawing need that made him ignore the  fact that his relationship with this woman wasn't following the usual  pattern.

It was the wrong place, the wrong time and not part of his plan but his  hand slid low and found the wet warmth of her and he heard her moan  against his mouth.

A loud crash in the distance had them both pulling apart.

Frozen, they stared at each other and then Luca gave a soft curse. He  would have taken her right there. Right then and not paused to think  about the sense of it.

‘Oops.' A strange smile on her face, she eased away from him and  finished dressing in a flash. ‘Maybe this isn't such a good place after  all.'

‘We could go back to the house.' His mind was a blur, his body rock hard.

‘No. You've arranged a secret night out for me. No one has ever done  this for me before. I want to do it.' She grabbed the bag and tugged on a  pair of floral shorts. ‘These clothes are hideous. Who chose them?'

‘Someone with no taste whatsoever.' But it made no difference, he  realised. Whatever she was wearing, she was the hottest woman he'd ever  met. Trying to think cold thoughts, he changed into jeans and slid into  the car, ducking his head so that he didn't bang it on the roof.

‘Do you really think we won't be recognised?'

‘I sincerely hope not or my reputation as the head of a fashion house is  for ever destroyed. I would rather shoot myself than have someone think  I chose to wear this. Come on. Let's do this.' Making an effort not to  look at her, Luca turned the key in the ignition, rolling his eyes as  the engine coughed and spluttered. ‘Believe me, even if the clothes  don't convince people, this car is a perfect disguise. Everyone who  knows me also knows I wouldn't be seen dead driving this piece of  garbage.'                       
       
           



       

Still laughing, Taylor was pushing stray wisps of hair into the wig. ‘Do you like me as a redhead?'

In the process of reversing the temperamental car out of the garage,  Luca allowed himself a brief glance. ‘You look surprisingly cute given  that you're dressed in something that should be banned by the fashion  police.'

She pushed her feet into a pair of running shoes. ‘Are you going to tell me where we're going?'

‘No. It's a surprise. And turn your phone off just in case some nosy journalist is tracking you.'

Her eyes widened slightly but she turned it off. ‘You're a very surprising person.'

‘Surprising how?' He winced as the car bumped over the uneven road.

‘Doing this for me. I thought you only ever did things for yourself.'

‘I am doing this for myself. I want to have fun and you're no fun when  you think people are watching your every move. Tonight you can be  yourself. That's if we ever get there.' He pushed the accelerator but  the car chugged along at the same pace. ‘I'm starting to think that it  might be quicker to walk. What is under the bonnet? I think someone  forgot to install an engine.'

She clutched the seat as they bounced along. ‘It must be killing you to  drive something that doesn't go over ten kilometres an hour.'

‘Next time I'll hire a donkey. It will be faster. How are you doing with that disguise? Have you tucked away all your hair?'

‘I'm one hundred per cent redhead.'

Luca turned his head. But still beautiful. ‘Scrub the make-up off.'

‘You just kissed off the only make-up I was wearing. Where exactly are we going?'

‘To a charity concert at the Teatro Greco at Taormina.' He could taste  her lipstick. Taste her mouth. Distracted, he crunched the gears and  winced. He hadn't had trouble driving since he was a teenager. ‘You said  you wanted to go to a concert, stand in the crowd and not be  recognised. That's what we're doing.'

‘I-seriously?' She sounded doubtful. ‘I read about it and the lineup is fantastic but we'll be recognised.'

‘No, we won't because we're not in the VIP seats, angelo mia. We are in  with the crowd just as you requested. You are no longer Taylor  Carmichael. Tonight, you are Teresa, a good Sicilian girl from a strict  Catholic family-'

‘You're kidding, right?'

‘And I am Tomas, the son of a local farmer who is hoping to get lucky.'  Luca flattened his foot to the floor to try and overtake a tractor but  nothing happened and he rolled his eyes and made a mental note never to  complain about his Ferrari again. ‘We are sneaking you away from your  strict parents, who would beat you if they knew you were out with me.'

‘You're enjoying this, aren't you?'

Luca discovered that he was. ‘Maybe I'm into role play. Think you can  play the role of a virgin from Catholic school who has never been alone  with a boy before?'

‘Sure.' There was a shimmer of humour in her voice. ‘Pull over and take your clothes off.'

‘Shouldn't you be shy and nervous?'

‘No. If I were a virgin from Catholic school who has never been alone  with a boy before, I'd be desperate. So pull over and get your clothes  off, Tomas.'

‘If I pull over we'll never get the car started again, especially not on  this hill.' Luca shifted gears as he drove up towards Taormina. ‘How do  you feel about pushing?' He winced as the car juddered over a bump. ‘On  second thought, forget that. You don't eat enough carbohydrate to have  the strength to push a pen across a desk let alone a car up a road like  this.'

‘Are you questioning my strength? Because that probably isn't wise. I can take you, Corretti.'

‘I wish you would. I've been desperate since last night and that  encounter in the car park hasn't helped.' Ignoring the instantaneous  reaction of his body, he kept his eyes on the road. ‘Any time you want a  repeat performance just leap on me and rip my clothes off. No prior  warning needed.'

‘I'm a good Catholic girl. I have no idea what you mean.' But she was  laughing and he was laughing too, as the car shuddered to a halt by the  side of the road.

‘Let's walk from here. It will be faster and probably a lot safer. You  do have the strength to walk, don't you? Ouch.' He winced as her fist  made contact with his arm. ‘What a hot, spirited little thing you are,  Teresa.'

‘Don't make me hurt you, Tomas.' Still smiling, she slid her arm through  his and Luca frowned slightly and opened his mouth to remind her that  they didn't need to play the role of an engaged couple tonight but she  seemed more relaxed than he'd ever seen her so he closed his mouth and  drew her against him as they joined the noisy, friendly crowd moving  towards the arena.