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I could imagine Casanova Carrero hightailing it without a backward glance. He’d never been shy about telling women he wasn’t interested.
“This was before the yacht?” I ask, thinking back to her behavior and how she kept trying to make eyes at him, some unspoken message.
“Yes. And, no, I didn’t know she would be Vincent’s date on the boat. I never invited her. I wanted to dump her ass over the side when she showed up. I already knew I had feelings for you by then, so she was the last person I wanted around. She manipulated her way into being there because I wasn’t returning her calls.”
I stare pensively at the front of the plane, aware we’re already climbing in the air, so I unclick my belt and stretch out, taking a deep breath.
“I didn’t like her from the second I met her,” I shrug. “There’s something about her.”
“Most of that is show on her part; she can be okay sometimes. Used to be, anyway. We haven’t exactly been friends for a long time.” He pushes his arm further behind me, his other scooping my legs, and lifts me onto his lap with a quick, effortless movement. He sits me sideways across him, cradling me close so we’re nose to nose.
“I love you. I’m not hung up on my ex. I didn’t have sex with her because of any unfinished business, closure, or feelings that still lingered. It’s only you. It will always only be you. She’s only in my life now because of the circumstances, and she would be gone in a second if there was no baby.” He holds me close, forehead to forehead. I smile despite the pain in my chest and the niggles of insecurity within me.
“You always know what to say,” I whisper. My fingers softly trace his chiseled jaw across the roughness of his stubble and seductive lips, finding comfort and cooling my inner turmoil.
“It’s easy with you. It’s always been easy with you. I can tell you anything.” He kisses me lightly, yet I experience only pain constricting across my chest, guilt rising inside of me as tears begin to fall involuntarily
“Hey, hey, Bambina? What is it? Don’t cry.” His hand comes up to smooth away the tears. His expression is concerned as he cuddles me closely.
“I know I’m useless at talking; it just feels one-sided. You’re giving me so much, and I just clam up. The words won’t come.” I bury my face in his neck, wrapping my arms around him tightly, afraid he will disappear, clinging on like a life raft. His arms come around me snugly, hauling me as close to him as humanly possible.
“When we were apart, I did a lot of thinking. About how hard it was for you to tell me things. And how much of a big deal it was that you told me the things you did. It still is. I know what an ass I was. I talked to my mom a great deal after Sophie and gained insight into why you’re both this way. I’m not expecting miracles, dolcezza. I know I need to be patient and not push you. You’ll open up in time, and it’ll be worth the wait when you do,” he soothes softly.
“What if I can never tell you everything? Some of it’s too hard … too shameful,” I cry against his T-shirt, dampening it slightly as his hands caress up and down my back, trying to comfort me.
“Then I’ll live with it. Nothing that ever happened to you will ever change how I feel; it doesn’t change who you are to me.” He strokes my hair, his face pressed against it. “Knowing there are things which haunt you, Bella, they make me so angry. I want to be the one to take them away. I’ll always protect you.” His voice is raspier, with a hint of raw emotion that causes me to lift my chin back to face him.
I search out his mouth fiercely, crushing mine against it, and meet no resistance; his hands come around my body and then my head possessively. He deepens the kiss, pulling me hard against his chest, searing me into instant heat. Panting, I pull away, desire flooding me, and I caress his erection suggestively, but he grins back.
“As much as I want this right now, I’m pretty sure one of the flight crew will walk back here,” he smiles, hovering close and covering my hand over his crotch.
“I don’t care,” I reply defiantly, catching the gleam in his eye, his lips parting, and I wiggle my fingers free to continue feeling him out.
“And I thought I was the wild and naughty one,” he grins, needing no more encouragement. He pulls my legs over, lifting me so I straddle him on the seat. He moves me back a bit to unzip his pants and then slides my skirt up to my thighs. “I love this side of you, Bambina, my cute and sexy little wildcat. Who knew I would find such a fiery little number once I thawed out the icy exterior?”
“You bring it out in me with all this crazy Italian hotness.” I poke him in the cheek and give him a puckered air kiss. Watching how he dips his brows, frowning with a smile, I’m starting to realize his ‘you’re too cute for words’ look. God, he makes me horny.
“Better make this quick then; can’t disappoint my girlfriend,” he growls seductively and pulls me down for another skin-scorching kiss.
* * *
“Wake up, Bambina, we’re almost there.” Jake’s mouth hovers over mine, his breath soft on my skin. I yawn and stretch out in the seat beside him, confused that I’m in a car, not the plane. I look up and around quickly as I sit up fast.
“How the …?” I’m seriously confused. We’re in a limo, and the scenery outside is tropical.
“You fell asleep on my lap. I carried you to the car. We’ll be at the port in a couple of minutes.” He smiles at me, stroking back my hair from my face. “You look beautiful when you sleep, Bambina. Completely at peace and cute as a button.” My face heats as the blush rises; I don’t know why I’m always surprised when Jake is so sweet, so non-Carrero. I knew he could be this way even when I was only his PA, but he’s definitely upped the ante since telling me he loved me. With fewer sexual references and more adorable ones, he makes me feel desirable and beautiful like I’m floating on top of the world.
As for sleeping in peace, I learned long ago that sleeping anywhere near him put an end to my night terrors. I don’t wake with dark shadows looming over me when he’s close by, protecting me even in my dreams.
“Are we in the Caribbean already?” I rub my eyes and sit up in the seat to look out the window. Despite the air conditioning blowing on full, I can tell we’re in a warmer climate; there’s stuffiness in the car.
“It’s only a four-hour flight. The yacht’s already docked here. My father likes to come out here often, so we have a permanent mooring.” He hauls me back to him, pulling me into an embrace. “I missed you while you were sleeping.” He grins before sinking a kiss on me that fully wakes me up.
Will this burning desire he ignites ever calm down? I feel like I may self-implode every time his lips meet mine.
Moving against him fully, absorbing myself into the sensation of his kiss, I feel his hands come up around my face and tangle in my hair. We always seem to ignite passion quickly. He pulls away to lock eyes with me again, simmering the heat between us.
“I never told you how much I love your hair. I could run my fingers through it like this for an eternity.” He smiles softly again, melting the last ounces of me, and I beam back. I smile and flick my hands through the short waves with a wink as the car comes to a slow stop. Cutting my hair had been a huge change for me, and now obviously, one of my favorites.
“We’re here.” He nods with a raised brow before turning to slide out of the car and helping me out after him. The sun immediately blinds me as heat engulfs us, and I feel him slide his shades onto my face. The gesture, so normal, so typical boss Carrero, makes me grin and hug him like a child. This tiny detail, this caring mannerism, has been so vacant in my life of late that its return makes me stupidly ecstatic.
He drapes his arm around my back and walks me through the marina, leading me along a concrete walkway past some expensive-looking boats until we come to the familiar Rosalina, the beautiful, long, white yacht belonging to his family.
This boat held only heartbreak for me the last time we were here when he left me alone; I shiver at the memory. He’d gone off with God knows how many women to put distance between us, to try to forget how he felt about me.
As though sensing my memories, he kisses me on top of the head and squeezes me.
“Erasing the past … remember?” He nudges me and leads me on board by the hand, our fingers entwined as if they belong together.
***
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