He slowly moved back up her body, stroking her, caressing her, until she felt the need building again. She moved against him, aching for the primal connection of their bodies.
‘Please,’ she said, beyond caring that she was almost begging. ‘Please…’
‘Don’t be impatient, mio piccolo,’ he growled playfully as he positioned himself, a leg over one of hers, an intimate tangle of limbs. ‘I am trying to be careful with you, but you are making it almost impossible for me to slow down.’
Sabrina felt him at her entrance, the heat of him just hovering there making her breath hitch in her throat. ‘I don’t want you to slow down,’ she said, clutching at his shoulders. ‘I want to feel you…all of you.’
He kissed her on the mouth, lingering there before he pushed in slowly, just the tip, waiting until she accepted him before going further. ‘Tell me if I am hurting you,’ he said against her lips.
‘You’re not hurting me,’ she breathed back, her lips tingling from the movement of his own against their sensitive surface.
He thrust a little deeper, gauging her response, waiting until she stretched before he moved again. ‘You feel so good,’ he said in a deep, throaty tone. ‘So unbelievably good.’
Sabrina felt the stirring of her senses as he moved more deeply within her, the pleasure he was feeling evident by the contorted expression on his face as he fought for control. She ran her hands over his back and shoulders, delighting in the feel of him teetering on the edge of release. So much power, so much strength, and yet he was so tender with her. The love she felt for him swelled in her chest, taking up so much room she could barely breathe without feeling like she was snagging on something deep inside.
Mario slowly built his pace, the tantalising friction sending Sabrina’s senses into another wheel-spin. Instinct told her he was getting closer and closer to the point of no return. She could feel the tension in his body, the way his breathing became more hectic, and the way his hold on her subtly tightened.
She wriggled beneath him, arching her back like a sinuous cat, wanting that final trigger to make her pleasure complete.
He delved between their rocking bodies, stroking her swollen dampness until she plunged headfirst into the abyss of paradise, her body shaking, convulsing and twitching as he emptied himself in a series of hard pumps that left her breathless and gasping.
Sabrina listened to the sound of his breathing for a long time without moving. Her body felt boneless, her senses so satiated she could barely tie two thoughts together in her head.
‘Am I too heavy for you?’ Mario asked after what seemed an extraordinarily long time.
‘No. You feel…nice.’
‘Nice is not a word usually used to describe me,’ he said wryly as he rolled away.
Sabrina felt the cooler air rush at her like an icy slap on the face. He was distancing himself. There had been no loving aftermath, no lingering over a final kiss or two. There had been a long silence, and then…nothing. Was he regretting sleeping with her? Or had she not pleased him the way he normally expected a woman to please him?
He had done this a thousand times, she reminded herself. It was nothing special. This was not an experience that would live in his memory as it would hers. She was a fill-in, an amusing diversion while they were shackled together for the sake of a small child.
‘I need to check on Molly,’ she said, and clutching at the sheet, used it like a wrap to cover her nakedness as she got off the bed.
‘Is the baby monitor not working?’ he asked.
Sabrina pressed her lips together as she glanced at the device he had installed in every room. ‘Yes, but it doesn’t hurt to look in on her,’ she said. ‘Sometimes she wriggles out from beneath the covers.’
There was still nothing in his expression to indicate the intimacy they had just shared, or even if he had been affected by it. ‘I will check on her while you get dressed for dinner,’ he said, tying the ends of his bathrobe firmly around his waist. ‘Giovanna has gone to a lot of trouble. I would hate to disappoint her.’
Sabrina flinched as the door clicked shut on his exit; all things considered, it seemed a rather fitting punctuation-mark on her hopes.
CHAPTER TEN
MARIO was on his second drink when Sabrina came into the dining room half an hour later. She brought the fresh fragrance of summer flowers with her, a light, carefree scent that teased his nostrils. She had pulled her still-damp hair up into a pony-tail-cum-knot that looked both casual and elegant, and her face was lightly made up, her lips shining with lip gloss. Her eyes, however, were not quite making the distance to his.
He wasn’t sure what else he had been expecting. He wasn’t even sure if he had a right to expect anything. He suspected she had wanted to sleep with him more out of a sense of adventure than anything else. Now it was over with, she was regretting it. He didn’t regret making love with her, not for a moment, it was more that by doing so he felt he had crossed a boundary and now he couldn’t uncross it. He had travelled into unchartered territory; the feelings he was experiencing were foreign to him. He hardly knew what to make of them.
He had slept with lots of women in the past, and not one of them had left a lasting impression on his senses. And yet his body was still humming from making love with Sabrina earlier. His skin had lifted in a frisson of excitement as soon as she’d walked into the room. He felt the tension building in him as each second ticked past, the roar of his blood, the tightening of his flesh and the ache in his loins.
He put the gossip magazine he had been flicking through aside, wondering if Sabrina had seen the photographs of him carrying Molly at the airport on the day of their arrival in Rome. The caption had read: high-flying playboy now a tamed family man. It had shocked him a little to see himself portrayed in such a domestic way. It made him think longingly of his freedom, of the come-and-go lifestyle he had always taken for granted. There would be compensations, he knew. Molly was an engaging infant, and would no doubt grow into a beautiful child. He owed it to Ric to concentrate on giving Molly the most secure and happy childhood he could. The other compensation of course was Sabrina—but he wasn’t so sure he wanted to linger too long on what to make of his ambiguous feelings where she was concerned.
‘Would you care for a drink?’ Mario asked, to break the silence.
Her lips moved in the semblance of a smile, but it was fleeting; it disappeared as soon as her eyes met his. ‘Thank you. White wine, if you have it.’
Mario poured her a glass of chilled white wine and handed it to her wryly, noting how her hand shook slightly as she took it from him. ‘There is no need to be nervous, Sabrina.’
Her eyes skittered away from his. ‘I’m not nervous.’
He picked up his glass and twirled the contents, the sound of the ice cubes bumping against the sides loud in the silence.
‘I would like to talk to you about our future,’ he said.
Her finely arched brows lifted, making her grey eyes larger than a startled fawn’s. ‘I see…’
‘Actually, I don’t think you do,’ Mario said, putting his glass down.
Her chin rose a little, although she sneaked in a quick lick of her lips which totally belied her cool composure. ‘I understand this arrangement between us is temporary,’ she said. ‘I also understand that a marriage of convenience is only workable if it is convenient to both parties.’
‘In our case it is convenient for three parties,’ Mario pointed out. ‘Molly needs both of us.’
‘Yes, but you said—’
‘I have changed my mind.’
She stepped backwards as if he had slapped her. ‘W-what?’
‘I have changed my mind about how long our marriage should continue.’ He paused for a beat or two before adding, ‘I would like it to continue indefinitely.’
He watched as her throat moved up and down, the motion like a small mouse wriggling under a blanket. Her tongue came out again, a quick flash of movement across her lips, her eyes fl
ickering with alarm. ‘But you don’t…I mean, we don’t love each other,’ she said.
Mario leaned back against the bar, crossing one ankle over the other as he held her gaze.
‘Any marriage is a bit of a gamble,’ he said, uncrossing his ankles and straightening to his full height. ‘But, when two people are prepared to make it work, it can be very satisfying in the long term.’
‘What about love?’ she whispered
‘Sabrina, we have a chance to make this work for Molly’s sake,’ he said. ‘I believe it is the best thing for her to have two parents who live together in companionship if nothing else.’
Sabrina felt her stomach clench in despair. ‘But what about what I want?’ she asked. ‘I want children of my own. How can I have the family I’ve always wanted if I am tied indefinitely to you?’
He held her questioning look for a pulsing moment before he shifted his gaze. He sent his hand through his hair and moved to the other side of the room. ‘I do not want to have children,’ he said. ‘I am sorry, but that is not something I have ever seen for myself. The responsibility of Molly is more than enough for me.’
She stared at him in bewilderment. ‘You’re expecting me to give up that lifelong dream for you?’
His eyes came back to hers, hot, hard and determined. ‘Not for me—for Molly,’ he said. ‘If it is too much to ask you to sacrifice having children, then after a suitable time I will release you from our marriage.’
Sabrina felt her stomach fold over in panic. ‘Define “a suitable time”.’
His eyes moved away from hers again. ‘I can’t put an exact time on it. It will depend on many things.’
She lifted her chin. ‘Like my turning a blind eye to what you do on the side?’ she asked.
His expression tightened. ‘If you are not happy with the conditions, you know what you can do. You will be more than adequately compensated.’
She put her wine glass down and brushed back her hair with an unsteady hand. ‘I’m not sure what has motivated this,’ she said. ‘But if it has anything to do with what happened earlier, I—’
‘It has everything to do with what happened earlier.’
Sabrina rolled her lips together, her eyes hunting his for a sign of what he was feeling, but his expression was as neutral as if they had been discussing the weather. ‘Wow, I must have really impressed you in bed!’ She affected an airy tone.
A smile flashed through his dark eyes. ‘You did.’
‘The novelty factor, right?’
‘Wrong.’
She stopped breathing as he closed the distance between them. Her heart began to hammer as his hands settled about her waist, his long fingers warm and strong as he brought her that little bit closer. She felt the stirring of his body against her, the slow and steady burn of his gaze making her toes curl up inside her shoes. Her eyes flicked to his mouth, his sexy half-smile sending another hot rush of liquid longing between her thighs.
He brought one hand up to her face, cupping her cheek as he brushed the pad of his thumb over her lips in a caress that was as gentle as it was potent. She felt every sensitive nerve snap to attention, each one buzzing with expectation.
When he touched her like this it was all too easy to put aside her hopes and dreams to have another moment of magic in his arms. But Sabrina wondered how long it would be before she began to resent him, to hate him for holding her back, for not allowing her to access his heart. He was not willing to give up his freedom. That hurt, so too did the fact that he would never commit to her emotionally. Why else would he refuse to blend his blood with hers and have a child together? That was the biggest slap in the face of all—he didn’t want any permanent reminders of their liaison. Molly was enough responsibility for him; dear, little motherless Molly, who would very likely be the one to get hurt in the long run when her guardians were eventually torn apart with bitterness and recrimination.
Sabrina pulled out of his hold, rubbing at her arms as if her skin was itchy from a rash. ‘Don’t do this, Mario,’ she said. ‘This is not how normal people behave.’
‘What is normal about our situation?’ he asked. ‘We have been thrown together by circumstances beyond our control. I think it is up to us to make the best of the hand we have been dealt.’
‘I don’t know about how you live your life, but mine is not and never has been a game,’ Sabrina shot back with a glare.
He let out a breath as he raked his fingers through his hair. ‘I am not suggesting we treat this lightly. I am sorry if I have given you that impression. Having a child is a big step. It is too big a step for me. I watched my brother and his wife go through a painful separation after the loss of their first baby. I am the first to admit there are no guarantees, but I want this to work, Sabrina. I want it to work for Molly, but also for Ric and Laura. They chose us for a reason. Think about it for a moment—they must have been confident we could make a go of it as a couple, otherwise they would never have nominated us.’
She threw her hands in the air. ‘I’ve thought about it, Mario, and I still can’t believe they did what they did. We are polar opposites. If we had met under any other circumstances, you wouldn’t have given me a second glance.’
‘You underestimate yourself, cara,’ he said. ‘You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met. But unlike a lot of other women I know you don’t choose to display it at every opportunity.’
She rolled her eyes and swung away again. ‘You only want me because of my inexperience. It’s a primal thing; it has nothing to do with emotion, but everything to do with evolution.’
‘I admit that I find your innocence refreshing,’ he said. ‘But it is not just about that. There are many things I like about you.’
Sabrina pursed her lips as she waited for him to continue.
‘I like the fact that you let the public think what they wanted over the Roebourne affair in order to protect the children,’ he said. ‘I also like the fact that you agreed to marry me even though you disliked me intensely. Once again, you put your feelings aside for the sake of a small child. Those are very admirable qualities, cara.’
She let out a small sigh. ‘I don’t really dislike you intensely—at least, not now.’
His expression contained a hint of wryness. ‘I kind of figured that.’
Sabrina wondered what else he had figured out. Did he know how much she loved him? Was he laughing at her naivety for falling for a man who had no intention of returning that love? Although he said he wanted their marriage to continue indefinitely, he had spoken of liking her—not loving her. There was a very big difference, and it mattered to her. It mattered a great deal. How could she settle for second best when all her life she had dreamed of having it all—a man who adored her, a child or two to cement that love? Bringing up their little family as a solid unit, the sort of unit she had been denied during her childhood.
The loneliness of her upbringing had always tormented her. That was why she had married Mario; to protect Molly from experiencing the same—or at least it had been one of the reasons. He could have looked like the proverbial bell-ringer at Notre Dame and she still would have married him to protect her little god-daughter—although it was rather a bonus that he didn’t, she thought as her eyes went to his again. He was the most amazingly good-looking man; her heart fluttered every time she looked at him. Would she still feel this way in two, ten or even twenty years? Or would she end up hating him for locking her into a loveless marriage that existed only for the sake of Molly?
She shifted her weight, forcing her eyes to make the full distance to his penetrating gaze. ‘Just because we…had sex doesn’t mean I am in love with you.’
‘It would be hypocritical of me to expect you to be,’ he returned. ‘I have had sex with many women without once falling in love.’
Sabrina tried to ignore the spike of jealousy that jabbed at her at his statement. ‘Women you will continue to sleep with?’ she asked.
His eyes never once moved away
from hers. ‘I told you before, I expect our marriage to be an exclusive arrangement.’
She cocked a finely arched brow at him. ‘You mean you won’t keep a mistress on the side?’
‘Why would I want a mistress when I have you to warm my bed?’ he asked with a look that smouldered like hot coals.
Sabrina felt her breath catch inside her chest. ‘So…so you want our marriage to be a normal one, but without actually falling in love with each other?’
He studied her for a pregnant pause, not speaking, barely even moving.
Sabrina supposed that was his answer: no answer. He was not prepared to commit himself emotionally. He had never been in love with any of his lovers, why should she be any different? Why torture herself with foolish hopes that would only break her heart in the end?
‘Signore and Signora Marcolini?’ Giovanna’s voice sounded from the doorway. ‘La cena è pronta.’
‘Grazie, Giovanna,’ Mario answered. ‘Dinner is ready,’ he translated for Sabrina.
She followed him to the elegantly laid-out table, sitting down on the chair he pulled out for her. ‘Thank you.’
‘My brother and sister-in-law are keen to meet you,’ he said once he had taken the seat opposite. ‘Remember the business dinner I mentioned?’
‘The one tomorrow evening?’
‘Yes,’ he said, spreading his napkin across his lap. ‘As joint heirs to our father’s estate, Antonio tries to attend most of the bigger functions, although he leaves most of the business end of things to me due to his surgical commitments. He and Claire will be there tomorrow. They have just returned from abroad. He called me while you were having a shower.’
Sabrina toyed with the rings on her finger before meeting his gaze. ‘What sort of business is it that you do?’
‘Corporate lending and fund management,’ he answered. ‘I also have a commercial-property portfolio that I run on the side. Lots of eggs in lots of baskets.’
‘It sounds very demanding.’
Bound By The Marcolini Diamonds (The Marcolini Men Book 2) Page 14