by Alice Bello
But the sexy son of a bitch didn’t say a goddamn word.
Bastard…
“You’re the one who wanted to talk,” I groused. “You tracked me down to my mom’s house.” I gave him a dirty look. “And how did you know where I was? I didn’t take a company car.”
He shrugged. “You weren’t at Sicerro’s, that coffee bar, or in your apartment.”
How’d he know that?
I groaned and elbowed him in the ribs, making him laugh. “You used that key you had made, didn’t you?”
And here I’d thought it was sweet when I was throwing up.
“Stalker…” I smiled as I let that float in the air between us.
Silence stretched out between us again.
I wasn’t going to say anything else if he was just going to sit there.
“When you fell on your face,” he said.
Huh?
“What?”
Dante looked up to my ceiling and sighed. “On your first day, you walked into my office and promptly tripped over your ridiculous shoes and fell flat on your face.”
I felt my face turn red. It hadn’t been the heels, it had been the sight of him standing there at the floor to ceiling windows of his office, looking like some kind of corporate raiding avenging angel.
“I helped you up, and the second you smiled at me… that was when it happened.”
“What!?!?”
Okay, I said it a little loudly. But… how could he say we’d fallen in love on the same day?
That’s ridiculous!
I stood up and started pacing the length of my room.
“Lucy…”
“Shut up!” I pointed my finger at him accusingly. “You can’t just say you fell… that you’ve…” I turned around and paced some more. “You just can’t say that!”
I walked over and kicked the pillow on the floor.
“Lucy…”
I shook my head. “You can’t say that… because that would mean you were…”
Sleeping with all those beautiful women while you were in love with me!
And there it was.
I could overlook all the platinum bachelor man-whoring if he had just now found out he…
Oh, I couldn’t even think the damn word now!
He stood up and grabbed me by the shoulders, looking me straight in the eye. “I never let myself do anything about it.”
I glared up at him.
“I… I don’t do…” He blew air out of his nose and shook his head. “I don’t do love.”
I felt cold slide through my stomach.
“And I didn’t let myself feel anything for you because of… well, everything.”
Yeah, he’d lost his family years ago. That could seriously screw a person up.
“That’s why I never date the women I fuck.”
Oh, this was just getting better and better.
“That’s why I never acted on anything… anything I’ve felt for you.”
Anything I’ve felt for you…
I looked up at him, our eyes locking, and felt my entire body warm.
“I’ve been in denial.”
I blinked and shook my head.
Denial? “Are you serious?”
Dante Saint James didn’t deny anything. Dante went after anything he wanted and took it.
I bit my lip—I was going to bite a hole in my lip if I wasn’t careful.
When I looked back up to Dante his eyes were hooded and…
Smoldering…
And just like that he pulled me to him, his face dipping, his lips hesitating, just for a moment, and then ever so slowly and softly his lips met mine.
I took in a breath and felt every muscle in my body tense.
Lord have mercy… I was kissing Dante.
Finally, after all these years, I was kissing Dante Saint James!
And… well, it wasn’t what I’d expected.
I couldn’t believe it, but I was lip to lip with the man of my dreams and I wasn’t feeling a damn thing.
He pulled me closer, licked into my mouth—and still I wasn’t getting anything.
We slowly slipped away from each other.
Dante looked really confused.
I felt profoundly disappointed.
I’d always thought kissing Dante would be a life changing moment. Like movie magic hot—too hot to be given an R rating.
But this was just one of those totally awkward, heatless kisses you have with a guy you never see again.
Dante said, “That was…”
“Not good,” I finished for him. I looked up at him. “I really thought you were going to be pretty incredible at this.”
“Hey…” Dante sounded offended.
“I mean, it’s good you know, you know… to know this now, instead of later.”
I’ve spent two years pining away for a guy who couldn’t even kiss?
What was I thinking?
Dante’s hand was suddenly around the back of my neck, and he was pulling me to him.
I gasped as he smiled at me. “I think we should give this another try.”
I felt dizzy as I said, “Okay.”
Dante’s lips crashed into mine, full and demanding.
Oh… oh my…
His arms wrapped around me, holding me against his rock hard body.
And talk about rock hard, his erection pushed against my stomach.
Heat bloomed in my face, down my spine and then a freaking bonfire ignited in my core.
I gasped as he licked once again into my mouth, and this time his tongue made every nerve in my body light up like a big old erotic Christmas tree.
Okay, that sounded corny… but damn, my brain and nervous system were already starting to misfire.
Oh…
I suddenly realized he had me pressed up against the wall of my bedroom, right up against my old Zac Efron poster.
Sorry Zac, but you were replaced in my heart long ago.
He pushed his weight against me and my body relaxed as my arms wrapped around his beautiful, strong neck.
I was kissing Dante.
I kissed, kissed, kissed him.
I felt his strong hand brush up my leg, over my hip, up my ribs and then up to cup my face, caressing my cheek.
Dante was kissing me and the whole world just disappeared.
And then I heard the very loud, annoying sound of a school class bell ringing over and over, getting louder and louder.
He peeled his lips from mine and pulled his cell-phone from his pocket, clicking off the alarm.
“Sorry,” he said with a wicked grin, “but I promised your mother not to defile you in your childhood bedroom… also, dinner is ready.”
He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and withdrew a napkin. He dropped it in my hand and then plucked a cookie from the napkin. “Here’s your cookie.”
He brought his cookie up to his full, sensuous mouth and took a big bite. “Um…” he groaned, “good.”
I shook my head as he walked his sexy ass out of my room.
Men.
Chapter 13
Tactics
Lucy
Mom out-did herself with dinner. A pork roast so well done it was falling apart, seasoned to perfection, with my favorite sugar cooked carrots and loaded whipped potatoes. She even paired it with a very tasty dessert wine.
Truthfully, I couldn’t stop watching Dante taste his food, his wine… I was watching him like a stalker.
He sat there, in my mother’s house, eating dinner.
And smiling at me like…
Like I was dessert.
Oh my…
But then mom started her interrogation.
Classic ploy: serve up a mouthwatering meal, ply him with wine, and then twist the screws.
“So, Dante… when is the last time you were tested for STDs?”
A piece of pork roast went down the wrong way and I started to gag.
Mom unceremoniously leaned over and patted me on the back.
&nb
sp; Nonplussed, Dante said: “I’m tested every month. I also practice safe sex with every sex partner.”
Oh god…
Mom took a sip of her wine. “From what I’ve read online, and in that Rampling woman’s exposé —” Please, no… “You’re quite the man-whore.”
I gripped my fork with both hands. One hand was trying to stab my mom in the hand; the other was trying to stop the first hand.
“Is that something Lucy will just have to get used to,” Mom continued, “or can a leopard truly change his spots?”
Okay, both hands dropped the fork: they both wanted to wrap themselves around her neck.
Instead I reached over and took mom’s hand in mine, digging my nails into her palm. “Do you need help?”
Mom grimaced in pain and glared at me.
Dante turned his calm gaze my way as well.
I tried to smile. “Help with dessert?”
Mom pulled her hand from mine, shooting me a disdainful look. “I didn’t make anything special, but I did make some peach and vanilla ice cream yesterday.”
“I’ll scoop,” I said, my voice brittle. “You make the coffee.”
We stared at each other for a long, grating moment.
“Peach ice cream sounds wonderful,” Dante said.
We both turned and found the handsome billionaire grinning at us, bemusement etched on his face.
Bastard…
He was enjoying this far too much.
Mom shot me a look that said she was thinking the same thing.
Dante was finding us both oh so entertaining.
I stood up and started toward the kitchen. I heard my mother’s muffled footsteps right behind me. I held the swinging door open for her, and the second it closed I whispered, “What the hell are you trying to do to me?” in a vicious hiss.
Mom walked over to the refrigerator and pulled the bowl of homemade ice cream out, setting it on the counter of the floating island. “I’m not allowed to have questions for your new beau?”
Mom moved over to the coffee maker and started making a fresh pot.
I huffed and pulled open the drawer that held the ice cream scoop, pushing it shut a bit too hard, which earned me another disappointed look from mom.
I glared right back at her. “Not about his sex life, or whether he’s disease riddled.”
She shrugged and pulled a small tray out of a cabinet and started setting up cups and saucers, spoons, sugar and cream. “Were you going to ask him those things, or were you just going to assume he was going to give up other women and that he was just naturally immune to disease?”
I bit my lip and closed my eyes.
Unbelievable.
But she was right.
I wouldn’t have asked. I never would have asked.
I know all about him and his revolving door of women... but in my delusional brain I just thought he’d change for the right woman.
That he would change for me.
I hated when she was right.
How can she get under my skin so easily?
Must be a mom superpower.
And now I wanted to murder them both: Mom because she was right; Dante because he hadn’t answered the question.
I dished out the ice cream while mom poured the coffee.
I’d waited tables in high school, so balancing three bowls of ice cream was second nature. Mom grabbed the tray with the coffee, and we headed back to the swinging door.
I stopped and gave my mom my best beseeching look. “Please, no more embarrassing questions or comments… okay?”
I knew my mom, and if I got my puppy dog eyes look right, she’d crumble like pie crust.
She sighed and pursed her lips.
I’d won… for now.
“Fine… but I reserve the right to re-visit this conversation if he so much as mentions sex, dating, or another woman that isn’t his mom or sister.”
“Or housekeeper,” I added.
She nodded curtly and then pushed on through to the dining room.
Dante was standing by the table, the dinner plates neatly stacked and in his hands.
I love those hands…
Dante walked around us and into the kitchen.
Mom smiled in spite of herself and shook her head.
Whoever heard of a billionaire clearing the plates?
I set down the ice cream and mom laid out the coffee.
A moment later Dante returned and sat down with us.
I took a bite of ice cream—heaven. As always, mom made the best ice cream.
Mom had her spoon almost to her mouth when Dante said, “To answer your earlier question, Mrs. Hopewell: If Lucy agrees to dating me—and I want that and much more from her—then yes, I will be only for her.”
I sat there, my mouth open, my mind blown… my ice cream forgotten and my heart thudding with exquisite, near painful joy.
Mom smiled, her gaze unsure but happy.
“Call me Lydia.”
And then everyone started to work on their bowls of ice cream.
Wow…
Chapter 14
Speeding
Dante
It took some creative negotiations, but I finally got Lucy to let me drive her home.
I had to promise to have her car delivered back to her apartment building by morning, and to pay whoever was assigned the task triple their usual pay.
Oh, and she wanted to drive.
“I love this car and have wanted to drive it since the moment I saw it.”
I have to admit, the way she spoke about the car made me a bit jealous.
I took in the dreamy stare she was giving it and decided to go for it.
“Did you feel like that when you first saw me?”
She nodded absently.
Then her brows wrinkled as she took in what I said.
And then she snorted. “No!” she laughed that tinkling laugh of hers. “When I saw you I…”
And that’s when she came to and realized what she was about to say.
She turned on me, glared up at me with the most adorable pissed off expression, and then shot her pointed finger up toward my face.
“Knock it off, Mr. Saint Sex—” Her eyes turned wide as saucers and she clapped both hands over her mouth.
I stood there and stared down at her, trying not to laugh, but loving how Mr. Saint Sex had just rolled off her tongue.
She shook her head and stomped her feet on the porch floor as she twirled around in a nervous circle.
“Miss Hopewell,” I said in my best stern voice. Her eyes shot up and our gazes locked. “I hope you’ll refrain from calling me that in the work place.”
She really did look near falling apart.
Aghast…
I reached out and pulled her to me, leaning down as I planted a ravenous kiss on her.
I kissed, kissed, kissed her, there on her mother’s porch, not caring who might see.
Only that I was kissing Lucy.
My Lucy.
When I ended our lip-lock she wobbled on her feet, so I held onto her shoulders surreptitiously to keep her from falling over. But truthfully, I couldn’t keep my hands off her.
“Wow…” Lucy said in a sing-song voice, “that was nice.”
Nice?
That was an amazing kiss.
“Just nice?” I prodded.
And just like that Lucy’s dreamy expression and glazed over eyes snapped into a knowing, devilish leer.
“I’m sure you’ll get better with more practice.”
Wait a…
And then she held up my car keys and gave them a little shake. “I’m still driving.”
I stood there, gobsmacked as she turned, flounced down the porch steps and skipped girlishly toward my car.
I knew so much about her… or so I’d thought.
But I had no idea she could pick a pocket.
And I was suddenly quite aware that she would, for the foreseeable future, surprise the hell out of me at every turn.
/> I let out a contented sigh, watching my breath fog and float away.
“This is going to be fun.”
Chapter 15
Speeding Part 2
Lucy drove the Jaguar like she was born to race on the German Autobahn. I was amazed that a woman who drove a Prius could handle a mechanical marvel like my Jaguar F-Type coup.
But in no time at all (though my life flashed before my eyes at points) she pulled up in front of her apartment building, screeched to a halt, and then put the mighty beast in park.
I licked my lips. The way she handled a high end sports car made me wonder even more about what she would be like…
I gulped.
I was nervous.
Again.
That was… well, that was still pretty new.
Lucy leaned back and sighed, a contented, satisfied smile on her lovely face.
“That was fun.” She shot me a naughty little look (and I swear she growled). “I love… your car.”
My heart was thudding against my ribs. And it felt as if the scientifically perfectly controlled interior of the car had just been cranked up twenty degrees.
Lucy blinked, and then she turned to look forward again, this time staring at her hands in her lap.
No… keep looking at me…
Those eyes, her eyes…
They were freaking addictive!
“So I’m home.”
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t want her to get out of the car.
I didn’t want her to walk into her apartment building and then up to her apartment.
I didn’t want her to leave me.
Not now…
Not ever…
But…
But she wasn’t ready.
Just then Lucy lunged at me, throwing her body across the car, wrapping her arms around my neck as she kissed me, her lips demanding, her tongue tracing the part in my lips until I opened up and let her in.
That seemed to calm her, for a moment, as she licked up into my mouth, sipping me, tasting me.
My body pulsed, my flesh was on freaking fire, and my cock had hardened and was now stretched until it was rubbing at my hipbone.
She pulled her mouth from mine, smiled a radiant, infuriating little smile, and then said, “Thanks… for the kiss. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”
And just like that she grabbed the handle to my door, pushed it open and rolled on over me, landing like a ninja on the snow covered sidewalk. As she backed away—leaving me sitting there, the door still open—she bit her lip.