Innocent in the Italian's Possession(19)

Truths, she amended.

She'd never been with a man before, and he was sure to realize that. How long could she put him off?

Not long, she feared. What in the world would she tell him then regarding the jaunts to Milan?

He set his glass down and strode toward her, nudging her chin up with a  finger that sent a new wave of awareness crashing through her. She hated  that her body responded so readily to him.                       
       
           



       

"You look dead on your feet. Come, let me show you to your stateroom."  He guided her across the salon with a hand to her back, a hand that left  her burning hot as if he'd left his brand on her skin.

She broke contact with him as soon as she walked into the suite. But the  effort drained her and the soft lighting, the quiet, all tempted her to  curl up on the first sofa she came to and sleep.

But before she did, she had to appease the final thing that would rob her of rest. "Have you spoken with your father?"

His shoulders snapped taut for a moment, as if her query had been a  stinging lash. "I talked with his nurse earlier. He's resting and his  surgery is scheduled for tomorrow."

"I gather you've instructed your crew to travel through the night," she said.

"They have their orders."

He pushed through double doors into a large bedroom that was dominated  by a sumptuous bed. "The rooms are well stocked for impromptu visits. I  trust you will find everything you need."

Did he entertain off-the-cuff often? Or was he speaking of his feminine conquests and the provisions he kept on hand for them?

Jealousy slammed into her, blocking everything but the fact that she  couldn't bear to envision Stefano with anyone else. He was the last man  she dreamed of making love with, and yet the only man who had invaded  her dreams with lusty temptations and promises of forbidden pleasure.

Would reality prove half as wonderful?

"I'm sure I'll manage," she said, too weary to drum up genuine annoyance at him at this point.

What's done was done.

"If you require anything, my suite is right across the salon," he said, seeming in no hurry to leave her quarters.

His tie hung loose around the strong column of his neck. He'd unbuttoned  his shirt, revealing a teasing glimpse of his sculpted chest dusted  with black hair.

The contrast between stark white shirt and deeply tanned olive skin  fascinated her. She'd spent her life around fishermen whose skin had  baked a dark brown working in the sun. Her papa had had skin like  leather.

Not so for Stefano. His skin looked smooth and soft, stretching taut  over hard, unyielding muscles. Soon she'd know what he looked like  without clothes. She'd feel that strong hard body moving on hers.

She clasped her hands together to still their trembling. And instantly noticed something very wrong.

"No!" She stared at her ring finger. Her bare ring finger.

"Bella, what troubles you?" he asked, his voice a rich baritone that stroked over her skin and left her trembling.

"My ring," she said, and quickly described the marquise cut aquamarine  flanked by two tiny diamonds that matched her necklace. "I've lost it  somewhere."

"I'll have the servants search the boat and helicopter for it," he said "D'accordo?"

She nodded, even though it was not okay. Her papa had given her that  ring when she'd gotten her degree. Losing it was like losing her papa  all over again.

She hugged her waist when she ached for someone to hold her. No, not someone. Stefano.

She'd lost too much. Her parents. The inn. And now Cesare's life hung in the balance.

"I would like to accompany you to the hospital tomorrow," she said, desperately needing to see the older man.

Again that abrupt tightening of his shoulders and back. "The doctors have stressed he is not to think of work."

"I won't mention the shipyard except to say all is fine," she promised,  not about to be dismissed so easily. "Please. I am worried about Cesare  and will be a nervous wreck waiting at the office for news."

"Of course." His smile was tight, and a hardened glint sparked his eyes now. Anger?

Yes, he was likely annoyed that she'd insisted on coming to the  hospital. He must know he couldn't stop her, that her being there was  simply a show of support.

She was first and foremost Cesare's personal secretary! This unsavory  agreement she made with Stefano fell below that-as he'd said, it was  simply business.

"Sleep," he said. "I can promise you that you won't get much rest tomorrow night."

And with that predictive remark he was gone.

She stared at the closed door a long moment, but the subdued light and  luxurious bed called to her. He was right. She needed rest.

Gemma found a silk gown in the bureau, one of a dozen that still had  tags on them. A good deal of her pique drained away knowing she wouldn't  be wearing his lover's castoffs.

Yes, morning would come far too soon, she thought as she crawled into  bed and doused the light. She sank into the down topper and sighed.                       
       
           



       

All she needed was a few hours' sleep.

But she couldn't close her eyes for when she did, she saw Stefano's  arrogant face and the dark desire that lit his eyes, which stirred an  unsettling restlessness within her. So she paced the large bedroom in  the velvet hush of night and prayed for exhaustion to overtake her.

How appropriate that he was as difficult to remove from her thoughts as  he was from her life! When her mind grew too crowded with imaginings of  what he expected of a mistress, she peeked out into the salon.

It was empty. All was quiet, and why shouldn't it be since it was nearly four o'clock in the morning.

Gemma slipped into the salon and paused, her brief silk nightgown cool  against her bare skin. She debated going back to find a robe or  coverlet, then decided not to bother.

She was alone here. Stefano was asleep, and hopefully if she paced  between the porthole and exterior door another thirty minutes she'd grow  too weary to keep her eyes open, too.

"You should be in bed," Stefano said, his deep voice reaching her from the dark recesses of the room.

She stopped and stared at him bathed in shadows. How long had he been standing there watching her?

"I couldn't sleep," she said. "A problem I've had for years."

"Does nothing help?"

"If I grow tired enough from pacing and fretting, I will usually fall asleep for several hours."

"You need a better diversion than pacing."

She was tired and cranky and in no mood to spar with Stefano tonight. "What do you suggest?"

"Facciamo l'amore."

Making love was not a good idea, not without her new contract in hand.

"We agreed to begin tomorrow night."

One broad, masculine shoulder lifted in a lazy shrug, and as the faint  moonlight played over his olive skin she realized he wasn't wearing a  shirt. Her throat went tight as her gaze lowered, admiring his taut  belly ribbed with muscle, lean hips that would make a god proud and the  evidence of his desire that jutted hard and long toward her.

Gemma's legs turned to jelly, refusing to support her. Or maybe the heat  from his gaze and the fire now sparking to life within her melted  whatever usually held her upright.

She managed a weak, "Oh," as she crumbled.

But she never hit the floor.

No, Stefano moved like lightning to catch her up against him. Gemma pushed against his chest, but the effort was halfhearted.

Her palms skimmed that unyielding masculine wall she'd longed to touch and she simply forgot how to breathe.

He was hot and strong and oh so sexy. Even in the dim light she could  see his eyes weren't a solid brown but dusted with flecks of gold.

Right now those specks were molten, melting any reservation that dared  to cross her mind. Not that much was crossing her mind except how  wonderful it felt to be held this close to this man.

"I can't let you do this," she said, the words tumbling from her in a  breathy whisper as she realized that he was going to kiss her.

Or was she simply seeing what she wanted to see?

The seductive slant of his smile warmed her more than a full sun. "Why try to stop what we both want?"

His mouth captured hers, the kiss long and deep and drugging. Passion  sang through her veins in a virtuoso's concerto, bringing tears to her  eyes for the sheer beauty and power that flowed from him into her.

She didn't know how a kiss could muddle her so, but she was lost in his  embrace, in this moment. He pressed her into the bed without breaking  the kiss and she started. How had he carried her to her bedroom without  her being aware of it?

Then the question was lost as he stroked her arms, her back, her  breasts, taking his time with each. The glide of her silk gown was a  barrier she loathed and an aphrodisiac that heightened her pleasure.