The Wedding Party And Holiday Escapes Ultimate Collection. Кейт Хьюит
Читать онлайн книгу.
meant to be fresher, apparently.’
‘Fresher? It makes you sound like a lettuce.’
‘It does, doesn’t it?’ She smiled, enjoying this little banter. ‘I know I’ve dressed a bit—conservatively.’
He glanced at the lavender dress she still wore. ‘And why do you think that is?’
‘I suppose I’ve never wanted to draw attention to myself.’
He nodded slowly, accepting, and Liana fiddled with the belt at her waist, uncomfortable with even this little honesty. ‘Are you—are you coming to bed?’
He gazed at her seriously. ‘Do you want me to?’
Yes. And no. She didn’t know what she wanted anymore. She’d had such clear purpose in her life...until now. Until she suddenly wanted more, more of him, more of feeling, more of life. Yet she couldn’t articulate all that now to Sandro.
He sat back, his hands laced over his middle as he let his gaze sweep over her. ‘You’re still scared. Of me.’
‘Not of you—’
‘Of marriage. Of—intimacy.’
She swallowed hard, the sound audible. ‘Yes.’ It was more than she’d ever admitted before.
‘Well, you can breathe easy, Liana. We won’t make love tonight.’
Make love. And didn’t that conjure all sorts of images in her head? Images that made her dizzy, desires that dried her throat and made everything inside her ache. ‘When—?’ she asked, her voice only a little shaky, and he smiled.
‘Soon, I think. Perhaps on our honeymoon.’
‘Honeymoon?’ They weren’t meant to have a honeymoon. What was the point, when your marriage was about convenience?
‘Well, honeymoon might be overstating it a bit. I have to go to California, wrap up some business. I want you to go with me.’
Her cheeks warmed, her blood heated. Everything inside her melted. He wanted her. Was it foolish to feel so gratified? So...thrilled?
‘Is that all right?’ Sandro asked quietly. ‘Do you want to go with me, Liana?’
A week ago, a day ago, she would have prevaricated. Protected herself. She’d never admitted want to herself, much less to another person. Now she nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I want to go with you.’
SANDRO SAT ACROSS from Liana on the royal jet and picked a strawberry dipped in chocolate from the silver platter between them. He held it out to her, a mischievous smile playing about his mouth. They were halfway across the Atlantic and he was determined to begin what he suspected would be the very enjoyable process of melting his wife.
It was already working; last night she’d lain in his arms and it had only taken her an hour to relax. He’d watched her face soften in sleep, those tightly pursed lips part on a sigh. Her lashes had fluttered and brushed against her porcelain-pale cheeks. He’d stroked her cheek, amazed at its softness, at the softness he felt in himself towards this woman he’d thought was so hard. So icy and cold.
Yet even as he’d held her and stroked her cheek, he’d wondered. Doubted, because God only knew his judgment had been off before. He’d thought the best of his parents, of the one woman he’d let into his heart. He’d insisted on it, even when everything said otherwise.
Was he doing the same now? Desperate, even now, to love and be loved? Because Liana might lie in his arms, but she didn’t always look as if she wanted to be there. One minute she was kissing him with a sudden, sweet passion that had taken him by surprise on the balcony and the next she was cool and remote, all chilly indifference.
Which was the real woman?
Now Liana eyed the chocolate strawberry askance. ‘You have a thing about messy food.’
‘They tend to be aphrodisiacal.’
‘Aphro— Oh.’ Her cheeks pinked, and he grinned.
‘Try one.’
‘I don’t—’
‘You don’t like strawberries? Or chocolate? I can’t believe it.’
‘I’ve never had one before.’
‘A strawberry?’
‘Not one dipped in chocolate.’ Her blush deepened and she looked away. ‘Sometimes I think I must seem ridiculous to you.’
Surprise made him falter. He dropped his hand, still holding the strawberry, the chocolate smearing his fingers. ‘Nothing about you is ridiculous, Liana.’
‘I know I haven’t experienced much of life.’
‘And why is that?’
She paused, pressed her lips together. ‘I don’t know.’
But he thought she did. She must at least have a good guess. No need to press her now, though. Instead he held out the strawberry once more. ‘Try it.’
She hesitated, her lips still pursed, everything in her resisting. Then he saw the moment when she made the decision to be different, and with a little shrug and a smile she reached for it. He drew back, his eyes glinting challenge. ‘Open your mouth.’
Her eyes widened and for a second he thought he’d pushed too far. Too hard. But she did as he said, parting her lips so he could hold the strawberry out to her. He felt his groin harden and ache as she touched the tip of her pink tongue to the chocolate and licked.
‘Mmm.’ She sounded so sweetly innocent and yet as seductive as a siren as she gazed at him with eyes as wide and clear as lakes. He could drown in them. He was drowning, lost in this moment as she licked the chocolate again. ‘I don’t think I knew what I’ve been missing,’ she said huskily, and he knew she wasn’t just talking about a single, simple strawberry.
‘Liana...’ His voice was a groan as she bit into the strawberry, juice trickling down her chin, chocolate smearing her lush lips.
She ate it in two bites, and then Sandro could hold back no longer. He reached for her, dragging his hands through her hair as he brought her face to his and kissed her strawberry-sweet lips.
She tasted better, sweeter than any strawberry. And he wanted her more than he’d wanted anything or anyone before in his life. He kissed her deeply, as if he was drawing the essence of her right out of her mouth and into himself. Wanting and needing to feel her closer than a kiss, with his hands spanning her waist he drew her onto his lap, fitted her legs around him so she pressed snugly against his arousal and he flexed his hips against hers, craving that exquisite friction.
‘Now, that’s better,’ he murmured and she let out a choked laugh.
‘Sandro—’ She broke off, her head buried in his neck, and Sandro stilled.
He was moving too fast. He’d forgotten, in the sweet spell of that kiss, that she was a virgin. Untouched. Inexperienced.
Sandro closed his eyes and willed the tide of his desire back. Even so it misted his mind with a red haze. Gently he eased her off his lap.
‘Sorry. Lost my head a bit there.’
‘It’s okay,’ she murmured, but her face was still buried in his neck.
Sandro leaned back against the sofa cushions and tried, without success, to will away the ache in his groin.
‘Sex doesn’t scare me, you know,’ she said suddenly, and he suppressed a smile.
‘I’m very glad to hear it.’
‘It’s just...’ She licked her lips, sending a shaft of lust