An Invitation to Sin(30)

       
           



       

He felt her tension as they were surrounded by people and then felt that  same tension seep from her as she realised that no one had even given  them a single glance.

They didn't expect to see her and so they didn't see her.

And the disguise was good.

‘So, Teresa-' he pulled her forward to the area in front of the stage  where a group was already performing ‘-what does a girl like you  normally get up to on a Saturday night?'

She blinked innocently. ‘Normally I'm milking the goats, Tomas. And what  do you normally do when you're not dressing in jeans that are a crime  against fashion?'

Normally he was sleeping with some woman he never intended to see again.

Luca was slowly absorbing that fact when the crowd surged forward.

Instinctively he reached for Taylor, intending to protect her from the  crush of people, but she was already dancing, arms in the air, joining  in with everyone around her as the group on the stage revved the  audience into a state of excitement.

As the sun set, darkness fell over Mount Etna and coloured lights played  over the crowd and the atmosphere turned from excited to electric.

And still Taylor danced and it was the sexiest, most erotic thing he'd ever seen.

She moved with unconscious grace and sensuality, in perfect time to the  music, thinking of nothing but the moment. It was the first time he'd  seen her out in public and not looking over her shoulder.

‘You're a real wild child, Teresa.' But she couldn't hear him over the  music so he scooped her face into his hands and kissed her and she  kissed him back, smiling against his mouth, happier than he'd ever seen  her.

The chemistry was instantaneous and mutual.

Her arms locked around his neck and they kissed, oblivious to the crowd around them.

If someone hadn't bumped against them hard, they might never have  stopped kissing and Luca released her suddenly, wondering what he was  doing and she was obviously wondering the same thing because her smile  faltered.

‘Thank you for this-' she glanced at the crowd and the stage ‘-and for  arranging something you knew would make me happy. You've gone to so much  trouble and, well, you've surprised me, Luca Corretti.'

He'd surprised himself. He didn't go out of his way to make a woman  happy because a happy woman was a woman who wanted to stick around and  he'd never wanted that.

But seeing Taylor having fun had given him a high like no other.

They stared at each other. He brushed her hair away from her face and she caught his hand and gave him a warning look.

‘Don't mess with my hair, Tomas. Took me hours to get it looking like this.'

He'd forgotten about the wig. All his attention had been on her and  suddenly he wanted to be on his own with her. ‘Let's get out of here.'

‘No wait-' she shouted above the noise, her voice pleading ‘-can we just stay for the fireworks? I love fireworks.'

He intended to talk her out of it but then he saw her face as she gazed  up at the sky, as enchanted as a child as silver exploded against black,  showering the night sky with a thousand stars.

They stayed until the light from the last fireworks had died away and  then mingled with the crowd as they made their way back to their car.

‘That was amazing.' She lifted her hand to remove the wig but he stopped her.

‘Leave it on until we're home.'

‘I'm not ready to go home. I'm not ready for this to end, Tomas.' Her  eyes sparkled, alive and excited, and the rush of attraction almost  knocked him flat.

‘I think if your father could see you now he'd have a heart attack. What exactly do you have in mind, Teresa?'

She curled her fingers into the front of his shirt and pulled him  towards her. ‘I want to go to the beach.' Her voice was low. ‘I want to  go swimming.'

‘Swimming?' Luca stared down at that full mouth and knew he was in trouble. ‘Did you bring a costume?'

‘No.' Her smile was all woman. ‘But that doesn't matter because what I want more than anything is to swim naked.'





CHAPTER EIGHT


SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER ever having so much fun. She felt light, happy and … free.

Here in the car, protected by the darkness and the disguise he'd given  her, she was no longer the Taylor Carmichael she'd created. She was the  girl she'd left behind years ago. The girl her mother had disciplined  into another version of herself.

The girl she'd forgotten.

‘Tonight was the most fun I've had in ages. Thank you.'

She put her hand on his thigh. Felt hard, male muscle tense under her fingers.                       
       
           



       

‘Carry on like that and you won't be a virgin for much longer, Teresa.'

‘Is that a promise?' She slid her hand higher and heard his breathing change.

‘I chose the wrong disguise for you. You couldn't pass for a good Catholic girl if I dressed you in a nun's habit.'

‘How far is the beach?'

‘Too far. I need cold water.' They were close to home and he pulled off  the main road and they bumped and bounced down a rough track while she  soaked up the dizziness of freedom.

‘I can't get used to the fact that no one is following us.'

‘If they do, they'll lose a tyre on this road and it will serve them  right.' He switched off the engine and they sat for a moment, listening  to the hiss of the sea as it hit the sand and the soft, rhythmic sound  of the cicadas as they sang in the night.

The full moon cast a silvery light over the water and she decided she'd never been anywhere more romantic in her life.

‘Come on.' She was first out of the car, pulling her T-shirt over her  head as she ran down the sandy path that led to the beach. She heard him  behind her and they hit the sand at the same time, kicking off shoes  and stripping off the rest of their clothes. ‘Cover your eyes, Tomas.'

‘Why would I do that when the view is so good? I may be a simple farmer  but I'm not stupid.' Without shifting his gaze from her he stepped out  of his jeans. ‘No wonder your father has kept you locked up, Teresa.  You're a danger to mankind.'

Taylor undid her bra. ‘I have a lot to pack into one night before you send me back.'

She dropped the bra on top of the rest of her clothes.

‘I could be wrong but I get the distinct impression you really are thinking of swimming naked.'

‘If I arrive home with my clothes wet my father will be suspicious.'

‘True.' His eyes gleamed. ‘In that case you'd better remove everything, Teresa.'

‘Way ahead of you.' She dangled her panties from her fingers and saw his  gaze darken but as he reached to haul her against him she dodged  backwards and sprinted towards the sea, gasping as the cold water closed  over her ankles.

How many times had she dreamt of doing this? How many times had she been  tempted to run into the waves and swim naked only to stop herself  because she knew someone would somehow manage to get a picture of her?

But tonight she wasn't thinking about that.

Tonight, no one knew where she was and she was thinking of nothing but  the moment as she plunged forward and felt the cool water close over her  head. She came up gasping and laughing to find him standing there  holding a damp mass of something unrecognisable in his hand. ‘What's  that?'

‘Let's just say you're no longer a redhead.'

‘Oh, no! The wig!' She made a grab for it but he threw it onto the beach and turned back to her.

‘Now you're finally naked.'

And so was he. She gasped as he scooped her up and ploughed into the waves and tightened her arms around his neck.

‘Drop me and you're dead, Tomas.' But she knew he wouldn't drop her and  she buried her face in his neck and breathed. ‘You smell good.'

‘Comes from spending the day herding sheep.' But his voice was husky  and, as he lowered her into the waves, his mouth found hers. They sank  under the water, kissing, desperate for each other.

There was only the moonlight but it was enough for her to see powerful  shoulders above the surface of the water. His hair was slick and wet,  his eyes gleaming in a face that was so wickedly handsome just looking  at him made her stomach flip.

‘You're looking good, Tomas.'

‘Taylor Carmichael skinny-dipping. Who would have thought it? Finally the woman in the maze that day has come out to play.'

Taylor Carmichael.

Her stomach gave a little lurch and just for a moment she heard her  mother's voice telling her she shouldn't be doing this, that she should  be thinking of her image, that she shouldn't be trusting a man, but the  voice seemed further away than usual, barely a whisper, and when Taylor  listened again it was gone. Smiling, she pulled away from him and  plunged back into the water.

She'd waited too long for this. Too long to deny herself this moment and  as her arms cut through the cool water she realised she was smiling.