There were a thousand reasons not to do this, but none of them as drugging as the reasons to say yes. Even before she’d come face to face with him, she’d been fascinated by the legend of Cesare Durante, curious about the man who, as the stories said, had gone from being the dirt-poor son of an Italian nanny to one of the richest men in the world. He had the Midas touch, and his confidence was its own source of power and attractiveness. But, now that she’d met him, there was so much more to Cesare, so much more that had caught her completely in his thrall, so she found herself nodding slowly, almost without her knowledge.
‘It has nothing do with Laurence.’
His smile was lightly mocking and, damn it, even that she found sexier than she should have. ‘I would hope not.’ He leaned a little closer. ‘I can assure you, he will be the furthest thing from your mind when I make you mine.’
A frown formed on her features, disbelief and uncertainty being swallowed up by a fierce rush of desire. Make you mine. The words held such a promise of possession and intent that she was already craving him, craving this. Tonight would be the night she lost her virginity and, all of a sudden, she could barely wait.
‘I will make you sing, little bird.’ He murmured the words against her ear, so goose bumps spread across her body. ‘Come home with me.’
Common sense was completely submerged by desire, so she nodded, her hooded eyes finding his a second before his lips crushed hers. ‘Yes,’ she agreed into his mouth, though the word was barely necessary. Her hands wrapped around his neck, her body arching to press to his, her agreement evident in every cell of her body. Still, she said it again, partly to convince herself this made sense and also to reassure herself this was really happening. ‘Yes, Cesare. Yes.’
He lifted his head to stare down into her eyes. ‘Words I am going to make you scream soon.’ The grey of his eyes flashed with a silent promise. Her nipples tightened against the soft fabric of her dress and, when he stepped back, his attention dropped to the tell-tale sign of arousal so that heat flashed in her face. ‘You are going to be begging me to take you, and I am going to enjoy that.’
CHAPTER TWO
CESARE EYED THE beautiful model across the table, a tightness in his body that came from the pleasurable spread of anticipation—the certainty that enjoyment was near at hand.
He threw back a measure of the scotch, relishing the depth of its flavour, the aged quality that was full of spice. Cesare liked a good scotch—the finest. There were many things he could do without, many luxuries he could afford but rarely indulged in, because he’d spent much of his life doing without, sacrificing.
But now he liked nice things, he liked them when he wanted them. Scotch. A great meal with a world-class view. Being able to get in his jet and fly wherever he wanted on a whim. And women. He liked women who were beautiful, interesting, experienced and sophisticated. He liked sex without strings, without complications, sex that could entertain him and satisfy him without requiring him to think about a woman once he’d left her bed.
Jemima Woodcroft was undoubtedly all these things and he relished the chance to get to know her body, to pleasure her and delight in her before relegating her to the back of his mind, as he always did with women with whom he spent a night.
His mind ran at its usual frenetic pace as he analysed the deal Laurence was desperately laying before him, but he was conscious of every single movement Jemima made, every shift of her body, flutter of her eyelids, purse of her lips.
Despite the disastrous state of Laurence’s hedge fund, Cesare could see the value in the offering. There was a lot of chaff, but a few of the investments packaged in with the group were substantial. One in particular stood on the brink of making major market inroads, and there was value in that, value in investing at ground level. It was clear that Laurence didn’t understand what cards he held, or he would be shopping around instead of targeting one investor. If Cesare bailed, Laurence would be sunk.
Good. Nothing suited Cesare better than a desperate negotiator. Desperation made people stupid.
Cesare attributed his success in business to three factors. First, he left nothing to chance. He researched his business options aggressively, arming himself with every bit of information he could. Second, he was hungry in a way no amount of wealth could ever remove. Poverty as a child—so spectacularly in contrast to the extreme wealth that had surrounded him at the grand country houses in which his mother had worked—had left Cesare with a feeling that a blazing fire was always right at his heels, chasing him through life in a way that would never ease. True, it had turned him into a workaholic, but he didn’t see any problem with that. Finally, he obeyed his instincts as though his life depended on them.
His instincts told him Jemima was going to be a fantastic lover; he was relishing the prospect of taking her to his bed, despite the fact he usually gave aristocrats a wide enough berth that he could land on the moon.
Still, there was something about her, and it had nothing to do with her cousin’s predicament.
Cesare’s instincts also told him Laurence was beyond desperate. He could smell the panic in the other man, feel it in his every frantic gesture, in the frequent glances he was shooting Jemima’s way, as though half-expecting her to intervene, to say something to help him.
Jemima, though, was silent. Cesare couldn’t have said how she was feeling, or if she was regretting her earlier agreement. She was one of the few people he’d met in his life that he found difficult to read. Her body language was relaxed enough. She was leaning back in her chair, champagne glass resting loosely between her fingertips—the same glass she’d been sitting on all evening—her eyes following Laurence and then Cesare without making any attempt to join in their conversations.
Knowing what was coming next, he was more than ready to put an end to this portion of the night. ‘Fine.’ He nodded, regarding Laurence carefully. ‘You have my interest.’
‘Your interest?’
Cesare had to bite back a smile when he saw how crestfallen the British man was. The only reason he didn’t give vent to his amusement was that Jemima was watching him. He could feel her gaze on his face, and was well aware that she wouldn’t take kindly to him ridiculing Laurence’s expectations. Besides, despite a lifelong hatred for men like Laurence—spoiled, entitled British brats—there was something in Laurence that Cesare could almost have grudgingly come to like.
‘You don’t expect me to sign away five hundred million pounds on the spot, do you?’
‘I just think it’s a really rare opportunity,’ Laurence muttered, dragging a hand through his hair. ‘And you’re getting first option.’
Cesare leaned forward. ‘Let’s not play with one another. I’m getting the only option.’
Laurence’s face glowed pink. ‘No, I happen to have a couple of very cashed-up investors on the hook.’
Now Jemima’s head swivelled towards Laurence and for the first time in at least thirty minutes she slipped up. Cesare saw the consternation that crossed her features and he understood it. Underneath the table, Cesare lightly ran his fingers over her exposed knee, so now her face jerked back to his, her lips parted in that sensual way she had. His cock strained against his trousers. Anticipation drummed against the fabric of his soul.
‘Sure you do.’ Cesare’s grin was tight. ‘Then let me know what they bid and, if I decide I’m still interested, I’ll better it.’
Backed into a corner, Laurence grimaced. ‘You’re my first choice. I know your history. Plus, an investment by you brings a hell of a lot of prestige. Everything you touch turns to gold.’
Cesare heard his words and wondered if he’d ever tire of this. Laurence was exactly the kind of preppy school boy who’d been intent on making Cesare’s life hell for a time, and now he was begging for his kindness, his money, his grace. His chest felt three sizes bigger. He regarded the other man for several seconds, enjoying this exp
erience way more than he should, and then pushed his chair back.
‘I’ll be in touch.’
Laurence stood a few seconds later. ‘You will?’
Cesare dipped his head. ‘Yes.’
‘Okay.’ Laurence was ambivalent. He turned to Jemima, who was still sitting down, lost in thought. Doubt briefly dimmed Cesare’s sense of anticipation because a huge part of his present mood came down to the certainty he would soon be pleasuring this very beautiful woman from head to toe—and everywhere in between.
‘Jemima?’ he murmured, and she raised her eyes to his in consternation.
Laurence frowned. ‘Jem?’
‘I’ve offered your cousin a lift home,’ Cesare inserted smoothly.
‘Oh, but you don’t have to do that.’ Laurence frowned.
‘It’s been agreed.’ Cesare’s tone held warning, a warning any of his rivals would know to listen to. And Laurence heeded it now, choosing instead to address Jemima.
‘Are you sure? It’s no trouble for me to drop you off...’
Cesare was surprised to realise he was holding his breath, awaiting her reply. After what felt like several minutes, but was actually just a few seconds, she stood, placing her still half-full champagne flute on the table.
‘No, really, it’s fine.’ She eyed Cesare, something strange in her expression—trepidation or uncertainty, something he couldn’t quite make sense of. But then she smiled and her whole face lit up, as though an army of firebugs had filled her blood. She glowed from the inside out, and his gut kicked with an unmistakable rush of sensual heat. ‘I’m ready to go.’
In the restaurant, he’d been an impressive specimen, but here in the confines of his luxury car Cesare Durante was like a whole other species. This was madness but she couldn’t summon even an inch of hesitation.
It was one of the pitfalls of her job that she was expected to attend events and parties, and it seemed to go hand in hand with her attendance that she was there to hook up. But she never had. Somehow, seeing such overt sexuality on display had inured her to its effects. Curiosity had been subverted by something approaching prudishness and then, as the years had gone by, embarrassment. Embarrassment about her virginity and what people would say if they knew the truth. And here she was, in the car with a man she found unbearably sexy, and some time tonight she’d lose her innocence... She couldn’t wait.
A hint of anxiety creased through her for a moment when she thought of Laurence. Was there any chance being with Cesare could negatively impact the likelihood of Cesare investing in Laurence’s fund? Surely not? He’d said as much, hadn’t he? Business was business, distinct from pleasure.
She shifted her gaze sideways, eyeing him thoughtfully. He was immaculately dressed. His suit, a charcoal grey, contrasted perfectly with his crisp white shirt, and his black shoes were polished to gleaming. His hair was neat, his nails too. His fingers were long and capable-looking, with hair-roughened knuckles.
They didn’t speak in the car. It was as though neither of them could find words, or perhaps both were equally afraid that talking would cut through the spell that had weaved some kind of magic around them, binding them together in a shared moment of madness.
London zipped past, all bright lights and ancient buildings, and then the car was running alongside Hyde Park, bringing them into Knightsbridge. It pulled off the road at a large and gracious townhouse. Despite the age of the building, modern modifications had taken place and an underground garage had been installed.
The car slid into it effortlessly, a gate closing behind them. Only then did Cesare turn to her, speculation in his face, as though waiting for her to change her mind.
She didn’t want to.
It was insanity, but it was also the thing she wanted most in the world.
At his look of enquiry, she smiled. ‘What are we waiting for?’
He expelled a breath and leaned forward, his lips claiming hers quickly, tasting her so she moaned, lifting her hands to the lapels of his shirt and gripping him tightly.
‘Not a goddamned thing. Come on.’ He growled the instructions into her mouth then pushed his door open, holding it and waiting for her to step out. She’d entered and exited limousines with the world’s press waiting to get a shot up her skirt. She knew precisely how to disembark with an air of dignity—but it was a lot trickier to manage when her knees were quivering and warmth was spreading through her in anticipation of what was to come.
Despite the fact this was a residential address, there was a lift on the other side of the basement. He laced his fingers through hers, pulling her towards it, his enthusiasm making her smile even as his face was so serious.
The lift was as elegant as you’d see in any five-star hotel. More so, in fact, because it had only one occupant, so there was no wear and tear, no scruffy carpet. It was immaculate, just like Cesare—highly polished wood-panelling, a darkly tinted mirror and five buttons, indicating it served the whole house.
‘Five storeys?’
His eyes pinned her to the spot. ‘A basement and a rooftop terrace,’ he pointed out. ‘So only three.’
‘Oh, that’s far more modest.’
His expression showed scepticism as the lift doors opened onto the second floor. He held the door open, waiting for her to step out. ‘And you live in a flat share, I suppose?’ he responded.
‘I live in a flat.’ She shrugged. ‘Nothing like this.’ She waved her hand around the room. The lights had come on when they’d stepped out of the lift, subdued and golden, and they filled the space with a warmth its furnishings required. It was...austere. Yes, that was probably the best way to describe it. She looked around and, even as she recognised every piece was the very best, designer and in brand-new condition, there was an incredible lack of personality.
‘Do you spend much time here?’ she asked, genuinely curious. After all, it didn’t exactly look lived in.
‘No.’
‘Ah.’ She was strangely pleased by that. It wasn’t even remotely homely.
‘This is good?’ he prompted. ‘Are you worried I’m going to want to see you again after tonight?’
She stilled, her eyes finding his. That thought hadn’t even occurred to her. In fact, she hadn’t spent any time thinking about what happened later, tomorrow. ‘I...’
‘Relax, uccellina.’ He said the word in his native tongue, and she had no idea what it meant. ‘This is strictly a one-night thing.’
Her eyes flared wide, her heart lurching at the line he was drawing. She was glad—simple, quick, no complications. That was better for everyone, including Laurence. ‘Perfect,’ she murmured, her pulse slamming through her veins.
‘I wanted you the moment I saw you tonight.’ Something like determination glowed ferociously in his eyes and, for no reason she could think of, a frisson of something like a warning shifted down her spine.
‘And here I am.’ There was fatalism in her words.
He didn’t react.
‘Why do I think you always get exactly what you want?’
‘What do you base that on?’ His hand lifted to the flimsy strap of her dress, sliding beneath it, running it down her shoulder slowly, his eyes holding hers.
‘Am I wrong?’
His eyes flared. ‘No, uccellina.’ His fingers ran lower, tracing her arm lightly, his gaze not shifting.
It was the second time he’d used that word. ‘What does that mean?’
His hand moved to the other strap, gliding it over her flesh so her breath snagged in her throat.
‘Little bird.’ His words were gravelled. The straps slipped lower until the dress began to fall. She bit down on her lower lip to stop a sigh escaping. The fabric was silk, and it moved like water over her breasts, her nipples puckering at the slight touch. His hands guided the dress lower still, over her hips, until it fell to the floor, leaving her standing
in front of him in only a pair of heels and a lace thong.
Her breathing was ragged, her body covered in goose bumps that had nothing to do with the temperature.
‘You are beautiful,’ he murmured seriously, the words factual rather than said as a compliment. ‘But this you already know.’
It was a statement that came close to implying she was vain, and Jemima resented it, but before she could respond he’d stepped closer so that his body was hard against hers and urgency made it difficult to think, much less speak. She could feel every inch of him, every expansive muscle, his arousal pressed to her belly.
Her hands lifted to his chest, pushing against his shirt, his pectoral muscles firm beneath her curious grip. She undid his buttons one by one, starting at his neck and working down, pausing at the waistband of his trousers so she could lift his shirt out completely. The tip of her tongue darted from the corner of her lips as she concentrated on what she was doing, but before she could push the shirt from his body he’d swooped his head down and sought her mouth with his, his lips mashing to hers, the kiss driven by a mutual, desperate passion.
He took another step forward, so her back connected with the glass window, and he rolled his hips, leaving her in little doubt as to how much he wanted her.
Lust was a new feeling for Jemima. Never had she felt so attracted to a man that she wanted to act on it like this. Her brain had ceased to function; she was operating purely on instinct and her instincts were telling her to enjoy this.
‘I need to...’ What? See him? Touch him? Feel him? Frustrated by her lack of experience, her total inability to put into words what she was feeling and to explain the fever in her blood, she shook her head.
But he understood, of course he did, because the same fever was raging through him. He scooped her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, carrying her easily through the house, kissing her the entire way, and by the time they reached a bedroom and he dropped her onto the mattress she was ready to catch fire completely.
Redemption Of The Untamed Italian (Mills & Boon Modern) Page 3