“I’m so sorry,” she said. “One of the kids wandered in and I…”
“Thought you’d bring the others in for a dip in the pool?”
“No, of course not.”
He raised an eyebrow, taking in the six dripping wet children gathered behind her.
“Well, they did go in the pool, but they weren’t supposed to. Elena wandered in,” she said, pointing to the smallest child, the little girl with a dark braid running down her back who had been digging up his flowers. “I had to come in after her, and I couldn’t leave the other children outside the gates by themselves. So…well, I…we came in and then they saw the pool and they were hot and one of them went in and then the others…well…”
“How did you even get in? Climb the gate?”
Her mouth dropped open with a gasp of outrage. “Of course not! I would never. The gate was open.”
Luca shot a glance to Joseph, his anger spiking. It was hard enough keeping the paparazzi and curious tourists at bay. The last thing he needed was for his gates to be opened wide and welcoming them in.
Joseph frowned. “I will check on it, sir.”
Luca glanced back at the girls, his frown deepening. He didn’t like being around children. It wasn’t that he disliked them especially. They were just so small, and messy, and noisy. And destructive, he thought, looking at the one who’d torn up his flowerbeds.
“Well,” he said, clearing his throat, unnerved a bit by all the feminine eyes staring at him. The bright, blue pair belonging to the crazy mother hen of the group in particular. “If you all have finished with your swimming for the afternoon, perhaps you could…”
Before he could finish, the buzzing noise he’d heard faintly in the background grew to a roar.
“What the fu—”
“Mr. Vasilakis, watch your language, please!”
Luca stared down at Constance in astonishment. Had she really just chastised him for swearing, in his own home, where she was trespassing? His lips cracked into a grin, despite himself. It had been a long time since anyone had surprised him.
The roar grew louder as a helicopter rose from behind the rock hills his house nestled against, close enough the blades sent gusts of wind tearing through the backyard. The girls all shrieked, some scattering toward the house, the others tackling Miss McMurty’s legs. Knocked off balance, she threw out her arms and he reached to catch her. She landed neatly in his embrace, clutching at his biceps for support.
The helicopter flew out of sight, but Luca knew they’d circle back around in a minute. Damned paparazzi. They weren’t supposed to get that close. He couldn’t get rid of them, though he supposed he was partly to blame, since he always managed to give them something good to report. You’d think they had enough pictures of him joyriding through town or at a restaurant with some woman. Partying with people he had no business being with, whose only goal in life was to get in the papers no matter what stupid thing they had to do to accomplish it. He let himself get pulled along a few too many times. Some of his finest moments, right there. Just at that moment, however, he was having a hard time thinking about anything but the woman in his grasp.
She fit against him perfectly, like she’d been made especially for him. She gazed up at him, her breath coming in sharp little gasps. Her shirt was still damp and the water had made the fabric tantalizingly see-through, just enough that he could make out the outlines of a spectacular pair of firm, round breasts. The faint scent of cherry blossom rose up to meet him. God, she smelled good.
Her lips parted and he leaned closer. She didn’t back away, her eyes riveted to his mouth. Her breathing kicked up a notch and she lifted her face ever so slightly. Well then…
Luca’s head dipped down and she jerked back just before he made contact.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You seemed like you were expecting a little something extra,” he said, not letting her go. “I thought I’d indulge you. Wouldn’t want to be a bad host, after all.”
He leaned toward her again but she slapped a hand against his chest. “The children will see!”
Luca grinned. His body blocked her from the kids’ view. She should be a lot more worried about the damn helicopter that was probably on its way back.
“Excuse me,” she said, but before she could say anything more, the helicopter circled back around, its roaring motor shattering whatever strange moment they’d had. The wind from the blades kicked up sand, dirt, and debris and he pressed Constance’s face against his neck to protect her face from the flying particles. He held her close and pressed his lips to her ear so she could hear him.