Shadow Warrior, page 25
part #4 of Shadow Rider Series
She shook her head. He remained silent, and she cast an anxious glance up at him. He met her eyes. Waiting.
“No. I’d definitely have to get used to it and wouldn’t want anyone else in the house but the two of us.”
Her explanation came out in a little rush. She’d continued walking so her face was averted, but once again, he saw that slow blush that was full body. He found the way her color rose when she looked at him both sexy and endearing. Just that sight alone did unexpected things to his body. He dropped his hand and caressed her left cheek.
Reaching around her as if to open her door, he let his body press tight against hers, so she would feel the thickness of his cock and know he wanted her as much or more than she wanted him. “If I ask you to wear something for me, you’ll have to trust that I’ll keep you safe, Grace, whether someone’s in the house or not.”
Her breath hitched, and she glanced at him over her shoulder. He swept his hand down her back from the nape of her neck to the curve of her bottom, but she didn’t protest.
“There will be many occasions that I will use something like handcuffs or ropes. I like the idea of having you helpless and me giving you orgasms over and over. I’ve fantasized about that.” He made the confession against her ear, his lips brushing her skin, his breath warm. “Does that excite you or make you afraid?”
He opened the door and used his body to urge her forward. Her trembling increased, her color going from rose to a beautiful shade of red.
“Both.” Her voice shook.
“Mia bella gattina, sei cosi coraggioso.” He murmured his admiration as he came up behind her and took her hand gently out of her sling. “I’m a very lucky man. Very few women would have the courage to be so honest with me. Without honesty between us, I would never be able to give you everything you want or need.” He caught at the stretchy lace, bunching the material in his hand and slowly drawing it up over her hips and rib cage.
Her breath was coming in fast, ragged pants of anticipation. He wanted her there, but he needed to take her even higher. Those breathy gasps caused his cock to throb and ache. Her music to accompany his seduction of her. She was giving him more than he possibly could have asked for this first time with her. She was focused wholly on him, his every movement, the way he walked, his bare feet, his open shirt, his very breathing, and that drove his own need even more.
“Stay relaxed for me,” he instructed as he pulled the sexy little gown higher. “I’m taking this off your good arm and then carefully off your injured shoulder before anything else. When I’ve got it off, use the bathroom and get ready for bed, although you won’t need clothes.”
Grace stood there for a moment, nearly bringing her hand up in an attempt to cover the fiery patch of curls at the junction of her legs. She stopped herself, and he leaned down to brush a kiss across her mouth. She’d stopped herself for him.
“Looking at you gives me immeasurable pleasure.” It was true. “I’m going to be doing a lot of that.”
She smiled, but it was a small smile, as if she wasn’t quite convinced, but he knew, over time, she would be.
He turned her toward the bathroom. “I love watching you walk.” His palm cupped her cheek and then released her. She took the cue and moved across the room to the bathroom. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was mesmerizing. Sensual. She didn’t know it and that was half the temptation.
He kept the lights off, although he had the drapes wide open. The view of the lake was incredible, and the surface served to enhance moonlight and send it through the long bank of windows. He wanted to be able to see his woman and judge just how she was feeling at any given time.
He had the covers pulled back exposing the bottom sheet. He shook her meds into his hand and waited for her return. When she came back, he put her hand back in the sling and offered the pills to her.
“I drank wine tonight.”
He had consulted with her doctor, who had assured him one glass of wine wouldn’t hurt her. She wasn’t taking pain pills so much as anti-inflammatories. The combination wasn’t going to bother her. He remained silent, still holding out his hand with the pills on his palm.
Grace took them from him. “You already talked to the doctor, didn’t you?”
“Would I take a chance on harming you?” he countered.
She smiled up at him. “You amaze me that you’re willing to see to every detail. By the time I get off work, I’m so exhausted, I honestly forget to think about myself. These past few weeks I’ve been leaving it all up to you and you haven’t let me down once. In fact, you take better care of me than I do.” She swallowed the pills down with the glass of water he had sitting on her nightstand.
Vittorio took the glass from her and pointed to the bed. She made a face at him and hesitated.
“It’s awkward getting on the bed. Doing it in front of you is really embarrassing.”
He frowned, not understanding. “You’ve been insisting on getting on your bed without help every night for more than a week. I was in the room, sitting right over there. I asked you every night if you needed help and you said very clearly you didn’t.”
For a man like him, watching her struggle had been pure hell. More, he’d been up-front from the beginning what kind of man he was and what he required. When she had refused his help, she’d refused him as a man.
She looked as if she’d been struck. Her eyes grew bright and her face flushed. She took a step closer to him. “Vittorio.” Her hand shaped his face. It was the first time she’d touched him intimately, the care in her touch. “I never meant to hurt you. It felt wrong to ask for your help when I was so confused and unsure of why you had chosen me.”
“Why wouldn’t I choose you, Grace?” He didn’t want her to step away. The tips of her breasts were just above his cock and he wanted the two scant inches between them gone, so he could press against her.
“You have to remember where I work, Vittorio. I’m an event planner. I’m hired to put on events for your family. We move in completely different circles. You date movie stars and I carry around a serial killer.”
She made an attempt at humor, but he didn’t like it.
“I know you don’t think you’re in any way beneath me.”
She dropped her hand to her side and ducked her head.
He caught her chin. “You don’t get to hide from me. That’s part of our rules. We’re honest with each other, even brutally so. Am I wrong in thinking you have high self-esteem?”
She pressed her lips together. For a moment he caught a flash of amusement in her eyes. “Evidently too high. I considered you to be a spoiled playboy with too much money. I kind of put you in a category of super-beautiful, but a little useless.”
His eyebrow shot up. Truthfully, he wanted to laugh. “Useless?” he echoed.
“Not as bad as some of your brothers,” she added hastily.
He did laugh. She was priceless. “Some? Which ones of my brothers were more useful?”
She did laugh then. “I can see no matter what I say, I’m going to be in trouble. I’m extremely thankful you aren’t really heavily into whips.”
“My hand, however, is wondering how your very pretty ass will feel under it. And remember, gattina, I like it when you blush. Red looks good on you.”
“It definitely doesn’t. I’m a natural redhead, and we don’t ever wear red. It would clash.”
He spanned her waist with his hands and lifted her onto the bed. “Sit right there for a minute and tell me what was different about climbing into bed last night, from tonight.” He shrugged out of his shirt and very carefully laid it over the back of one of the two chairs in front of the long built-in fireplace.
“I’m naked.”
Deliberately, he ran his gaze over her body. Her breasts rose and fell with each breath. She looked vulnerable and excited, so perfect he could barely contain his desire, and he was an extremely disciplined and controlled man. “You are naked. I just noticed.”
She laughed, and the sound of her laughter played over his body like the touch of fingers. His cock felt as if it might shatter into a million pieces. He didn’t care. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world when he had never felt quite like it with anyone else. She made everything new and different. She was well worth the long wait and the worry that he’d never have anyone right for him.
“You’re not.”
“I’m not, am I?” He touched the front of his pants, rubbed over the thick length of his burning cock. The heat was tremendous, his need of her growing every moment he was with her. Still, he took the time to be playful with her. He wanted her on edge, slick with hunger, but he didn’t want her afraid. Sometimes being a little fearful could heighten her pleasure, but not this time. Tonight, he was going to take his time and make love to her. He’d meant what he’d said when he’d told her he didn’t want to ever see her hurt or with tears in her eyes. He knew never was a long time, but he would still do his best to make that promise count.
She laughed just as he knew she would. “You have a beautiful body, Vittorio. I noticed you at all the functions you attended. I couldn’t help watching you. You’ve probably had several stalkers and I’m fairly certain I could be counted among them.”
He liked that. He liked that a hell of a lot. “You noticed me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Every woman notices you. I think the men do, too, even the straight ones. You’re that good-looking.”
“But you took great care to stay out of my way.”
“Spoiled useless rich boy, remember? I had fantasies. Hundreds of them. I couldn’t take the chance that you would ruin even one of my illusions.”
He stepped close to the bed. “Widen your legs for me.” She did so, and he stepped between her thighs. “What else went on at these events that I didn’t know about in reference to me or my family?”
“You want me to tell you event-planner secrets?” There was laughter in her voice, but he heard the underlying reluctance. She thought he wouldn’t like what she might say.
He ran the pad of his finger from her collarbone to the top of her breast where he traced back and forth. “There aren’t any secrets between us.”
“You have secrets.”
It was a challenge. His Grace was more than intelligent. She was very quick. “Yes, but I intend to tell you every single one of mine. What’s the harm in telling me about anything to do with me?”
He kept his eyes on her face. Willing her to take the next step. They were still dancing around each other in the guise of teasing, but he needed her to take the next step to trust him with things she wouldn’t normally tell him.
“I don’t want you upset with Katie. I’m the one coming up with all the irreverent nicknames for certain clients.”
He remained silent, disappointment slicing through him. They weren’t at that point yet, and he knew above all else, patience was key to getting her to trust him wholly. He shook his head, annoyed with himself for trying to push her beyond where she was ready to go.
“Vittorio.” She whispered his name and there was an ache in her voice.
She didn’t like disappointing him, and she knew she had. He leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to her mouth. That alone made him feel as if she’d given him a great gift. She might not trust him all the way yet, but she definitely cared enough that when he wasn’t pleased, or he was disappointed, she was upset.
“It doesn’t matter, gattina, it will come with time. We’ll get there.” He was confident they would.
“It does matter.” Grace surprised him with her fierce reaction. “I’m embarrassed that I can be childish at work. I want you to recognize that I’m a professional. I love what I do and I’m seriously good at it.”
“I’ve listened to you and Katie every day for the last week. I’m very aware you’re professional.”
She ducked her head again, and his heart sank. He didn’t like her disappointed in herself when she clearly was trying—really trying. He willed her to keep going. This was an important moment in their relationship even if she didn’t recognize it as such. He was patient, remaining silent. Waiting. He concentrated on the rise and fall of her breasts. Her skin was soft, very pale, almost glowing in the moonlight spilling over the lake and pouring in through the bay of windows.
She touched her tongue to her lip and then looked up at him, meeting his eyes. “I should trust you enough to know you aren’t petty enough to retaliate against our business, or Katie, because I like to play silly games.”
Vittorio was elated that she made her confession to him. She didn’t quite know that he wouldn’t hold whatever her game was concerning him against him, but she wanted to extend him that trust. Her work was very important to her. It was the one thing she’d had that Haydon Phillips hadn’t been able to take away from her, and she’d made it a success. She didn’t want him to belittle it, hurt it, or in any way think less of her regarding her business.
“When clients are difficult, I make up names for them, and then use acronyms in order to make us both laugh.”
He couldn’t help but smile. She made the confession as if she’d committed some terrible sin. “I see. I have one of these acronyms?”
“SURB.”
He caught on immediately. “Spoiled useless rich boy,” he translated. That wasn’t bad enough for her to have waited so long to tell him. He thought over what she’d revealed. When clients are difficult. He’d never been “difficult” at any of the charity events. She had invented a game to ease the sting when difficult clients were ugly to Katie or her. “What did you call my mother?”
She sighed. Her fingers twisted in the sheets. He couldn’t help himself. He caught her hand and pressed her palm to his thigh to give her courage.
“She was known as QBSITDROH.” She rattled off the letters fast as if she’d used them often.
He raised an eyebrow. “That is quite a mouthful.”
“Your mother is not an easy person to work with. She deserved a name befitting someone who could raise her level of contempt, sarcasm and venom. It was necessary to find a way to laugh.”
He could hear the apology in her voice. That wasn’t what he wanted from her at all.
“You’ll have to teach your special name to my sisters-in-law. They occasionally need a humorous way to cope. What does it stand for?”
“Queen bitch spawned in the deepest recesses of hell.” She looked up at him quickly as if expecting him to be angry.
Vittorio couldn’t help himself. He burst out laughing. “I have a very healthy respect for my mother, but no one can quite reach the particular level of vitriol she can when dealing with anyone in any situation. Very imaginative and apt.”
He framed her face and kissed her, taking his time, letting her fire consume him.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kissing Grace turned his world upside down. Once he started, Vittorio never wanted to stop. She tasted like wildfire, hot, spicy and yet sweet, a runaway sensation that took him down the dark path he desired. No one had ever come close to taking away the harsh reality of his life—not until he’d found Grace.
She occupied his thoughts day and night. He studied her with the same complete focus with which he’d trained. He knew everything about her that he could possibly learn in the weeks he’d been with her. Every expression. The way she moved when she was tired. The habits that gave away her moods. He knew how she liked her coffee or tea. She had a certain expression that crept over her face when she didn’t like something but was determined to go through with it.
He kissed her gently, with no demand, determined to go slowly, but in spite of his determination and all of his discipline, there was no way to keep from deepening the kiss. She set up an addiction, a craving he was never going to get over. The way she surrendered to him was the most amazing feeling in the world. She gave herself completely to him. Pleasure washed through him until his pulse thundered in his ears and beat through his cock. He’d never felt more alive, or more in need of his woman, not even after coming out of the shadows after a mission when the adrenaline poured through his body.
Vittorio had known, almost from the first glimpse of her as she leapt out of the trunk, all fury and fire, furious with her foster brother, that the passion in her would be wild and explosive.
He guided her down to the mattress, so she was lying on her back, legs over the edge, all the while his mouth refusing to leave hers. He kissed her repeatedly, long drugging kisses, wanting to consume her, devour her, seeking more of her surrender. Demanding more. All the while his hands began a slow exploration of her body.
She was exquisite. The feel of her skin, soft beneath the pads of his fingers. He splayed them wide to take in as much of her as possible. He went slow, refusing to hurry, no matter the demands of his body. He savored her, letting himself absorb the feel of her surrender to him, everything about the experience with her. The rise and fall of her breasts. How they looked, twin alluring mounds, the curves drawing his eye as he lifted his head to take in her body.
He liked having her under him, at his mercy, her body open to him, his hands moving over her possessively, letting her know who she belonged to. Grace was elegance, her body fine-boned, her rib cage delicate and small. Her hips flared, matching the sweet line of her breasts. He traced every line of her body, every curve, memorizing her, etching her into his brain, taking his time, appreciating every inch of her.
Grace was very responsive to him. Shivering. Moaning. Every sound served to heighten his pleasure. Her nipples peaked so that he couldn’t resist the temptation and he flicked his tongue over them and tugged and rolled just to hear her soft cries. He spent time on her breasts, filing away every shudder of her body, every buck of her hips. He wanted to know what she liked and what she didn’t. Every trigger point that brought her pleasure. There was no reason to hurry and every reason not to. He wanted this first time to be perfect for her. This was about loving Grace and showing her how he felt about her.
