Gold(26)

All of a sudden, the words weren’t simply words. They were a possibility. And as she devoured each one slowly, her imagination raced with ideas of what Dante could be doing to her, maybe even right now. Lustful, sensual visions that made her heart race with want.

Dante had said explicitly that she was the one in control. That he would pursue her only to the extent that she wanted to be pursued.

And it was clear that he was attracted to her, despite her own reservations and serious doubts to the contrary.

Perhaps it was time to take a step in the direction of her own wants for once? To make an effort to put the past behind her, along with all its bad memories and frightening nightmares that had kept her from ever letting another man into her life.

She peered behind her to see Dante flipping a page, but not turning away from the worn-out volume she’d read years ago.

If there was ever a man worth taking a chance for, it was Dante for sure.

Ella tried to ignore her own body’s reaction to her thoughts and instead went back to the book. But reading more wasn’t helping, and instead, she just got more aroused and jealous of the two characters getting it on in her story when she could be doing the same with the male model in the bed next to her.

Just the way Dante looked at her couldn’t be faked. Like a person stranded in the desert looks at a fountain of water. Or the way he kissed her, insatiable in its desire yet completely controlled, listening to her wants and wishes and not forcing himself into her life like others had tried to do. Or even how blunt he was when they first met, holding nothing back from her and speaking without artifice.

Ella realized that if the rest of the week went by and she didn’t at least give this a chance, she would always regret. How many chances did a person get to live out a fantasy like this? Once, if ever?

No, Ella wasn’t going to let fear run her life anymore.

She closed her book and set it on the nightstand.

Steeling her resolve, Ella turned over to the other side and scooted next to Dante on the bed, who seemed entirely caught up in reading and nothing else right now.

She nestled in close to his arm, enjoying the feel of the hard muscle there, and tried desperately to think of something to say, since Dante didn’t seem to even realize she was there.

“I was thinking, um, maybe I would take you up on your offer,” she said, hoping he’d catch on.

“About what?” he said, not looking away from the book.

“You know. What you said earlier today. On the dock.”

“Oh. That,” he said, finally looking down at her. Seeing those piercing gold eyes made her pulse thump in her veins. She saw a teasing twinkle there, but his face remained oddly calm.

Not what she’d expected from someone who’d been flirting like crazy with her.

Had she been hallucinating?

He closed the book. “Win you over? Woo you? We can arrange another date…”

“No,” she choked out, hating her body for being on fire already. “The other things.”

“Ohhh,” he said. “I see. Stuff like this.” He held up the book.

She gulped and nodded, too turned on to care about her pride anymore.

In one quick, feline movement that was too smooth and light for his substantial size, Dante tossed the book aside and leapt over her, pinning her against the bed, straddled by his taut thighs, all his impressive height over her.

“I thought you would never ask,” he said, surrounding her on all sides with his huge body, his crisp masculine scent like icy mountain air with just a hint of sunshiny warmth.

“What do you mean?”

“I could sense you were…” He cocked his head. “How do I say it?” He grinned. “Wanting me.”

She groaned in embarrassment. “You’re kidding me.”

“No. I just couldn’t be the first one to act,” he said, lowering himself and whispering into her ear. The feel of his hot breath was ticklish and arousing, waking her body in places she never knew existed. “I had to wait for you to come to me, like I promised.”

“How did you know, though?”

“Little things,” he said, interrupting her, running a hand lightly over her side. The touch was so soft yet intense, lighting up each nerve ending in a trail. So different from anything she’d felt.

She had to hope it would keep being different.

She had to keep the past at bay.

“Like what?”

“Little hitches in your breath as you looked over at me. Slight squirms as you tried to resist,” he said, hooking a finger lightly at the top of her pajama pants, teasing the skin there. If this was a prelude, then what he was about to do was going to be very, very good.

“You notice things like that?”