Tempted by Desire

by Carole Mortimer

  All the time he was coming closer and closer and Suzanne felt mesmerised by the dark brooding look in his eyes, and those firm slightly parted lips that slowly lowered on to hers as he bent his head. Suzanne was unprepared for this caress and her mouth parted involuntarily at the demanding pressure of Cesare’s.

  Everything seemed to be happening slowly, as if in a dream. All Suzanne could register was sweet searing pleasure, a floating sensation beyond description. Celeste was right, lights didn’t flash, and there were not sounds of thunder, there was just complete removal from reality.

  She turned into Cesare’s arms, her hand moving up his chest to caress his shoulders and the thick column of his neck. Her fingers ran through the hair that grew low over his collar, loving the feel of his strong muscular body beneath her touch. His lips moved firmly against hers, demanding and receiving a response that was completely without reserve.

  Cesare moulded her body against the hardened muscles of his thighs, his hands running experimentally over her hips and slowly up over the taut nipples that pushed responsively against the thin vest top. One hand lingered to explore the intimacy of her body before slowly trailing back down to her thighs, his fingers digging into the softness of her flesh as he strained her closer.

  His lips wrenched away from her clinging mouth and he buried his face in her bubbly curls. ‘You enticed me into this, cava,’ he muttered throatily, raining kisses wherever his lips alighted.

  ‘I did?’ she asked softly, her lips slowly caressing his chest where several buttons of his shirt had come undone under her questing hands.

  ‘You did,’ he agreed firmly. ‘You with your green eyes that beckon and beguile, and tempt a man to find out if you taste as sweet as you look,’ he groaned against the smoothness of her throat.

  ‘And?’ she questioned breathlessly, lying back now as he bent over her.

  ‘You taste sweeter, much sweeter.’ Once more his mouth descended on to her own, and she knew herself lost again. ‘So much sweeter than I ever believed possible.’ He parted her lips to probe the moistness of her mouth, curving her body up to meet the demand of his own. ‘Tell me, cara, if I asked you to be with me tonight would you come to me?’

  She looked away from those probing grey eyes, wanting to say yes to anything he asked of her. She knew now that this was the man she had been searching for all her life, the man who had shown her heaven with the touch of his lips. He was the reason she couldn’t react to Robert or Vidal, or any other man. He was the man of her dreams, not dark-haired and velvet-eyed at all, but silver-blond with all too seeing grey eyes. He was the Conte Cesare Martino, and she loved him.

  Complete panic entered her eyes and she moved hurriedly out of his arms. She wasn’t a fool, she knew that when he asked her to come to him that was exactly what he meant, and nothing more. He was a man who took a mistress at will and discarded her as easily, a man who would use her and throw away what was left. And there wouldn’t be much, just a shell of a girl still in love with a man who didn’t want her.

  But how had it happened? Why had it happened? Until a few minutes ago she had been happily contemplating her date with Vidal that evening, confident of his growing affection for her. And now everything had changed. She would never be the same again, never feel the same again. And tonight she had to spend the evening with Vidal, all the time Wishing she were with his brother, no matter how tragically it might end for her.

  She looked at Cesare now, wishing she could say yes to him, but fearing the outcome. She had never gone further that a few lighthearted kisses, Vidal’s embrace of two nights ago the nearest she had ever come to experiencing such soul-shattering kisses. And yet in Cesare’s arms she had come alive, sensually alive to the demands of her own body. And it frightened her, made her completely vulnerable to this ruthless man’s moods.

  Looking at him now she could hardly believe the passion they had just shared. She felt sure her hair was more unruly than normal, that her eyes were over-bright and feverish, her cheeks aflame, and her lips still throbbed from the urgency of his kisses. And yet apart from those few extra buttons undone on his shirt and a certain rakishness to his hair, Cesare seemed completely unmoved. She felt shattered, and he looked as calm as usual! He had just upset her whole world, he had no right to look so calm and composed!

  Because of her resentment she answered more sharply than she intended. ‘I have to get back,’ she told him stiffly. ‘I’m going out at seven o’clock.’

  ‘With Vidal?’ She was no longer looking at him, so she missed the tightening of those well-shaped lips.

  ‘Yes, with Vidal,’ she told him shortly. ‘Do you have any objections?’ she asked defiantly.

  Cesare stood up in one little gesture. ‘I have plenty, but now is not the time to go into them. Come,’ he packed up the hamper, ‘I would not have you arrive late for your date with Vidal.’

  After folding up the groundsheet she followed him miserably to the car. They drove in silence for perhaps ten minutes before he gave an impatient sigh. ‘Would you like me to apologise?’ When she didn’t answer him he looked at her sharply. ‘Suzanne?’

  She cleared her throat huskily. ‘No.’

  ‘Then what do you want?’ he demanded roughly.

  ‘Nothing.’

  He let out an expletive in his own language before lapsing into silence himself. One glance at his taut angry face warned her not to say another word. What would be the good of telling him she was angry with herself and not with him? She was angry and confused and in love with a complete stranger! At least, her body recognised it as love, the rest of her didn’t feel too sure about it. How could she love someone she didn’t really know? It seemed incredible.

  By the time they reached the hotel she had convinced herself she had imagined it all. No one fell in love just at the touch of another person’s lips. She was being silly and impetuous, and allowing the Conte’s experience and sensuality seduce her into believing the unbelievable.

  The Conte opened the car door for her, bending low over her hand as he said goodnight. ‘I hope you enjoy your evening with my brother,’ he said harshly.

  Suzanne looked for some softening towards her in those steely grey eyes, and found none. ‘Thank you,’ she replied softly. ‘And thank you for taking me out today.’

  ‘Very politely said,’ he mocked. ‘I notice you did not repeat that you enjoyed yourself.’

  ‘Oh, but I did!’ she exclaimed. ‘At least—’

  ‘The first part of the afternoon,’ he finished for her. ‘I will not lie, I enjoyed all of it. I hope it can be repeated some time.’

  Suzanne stiffened at his intended mockery. ‘I doubt it.’

  ‘I would not be too sure of that fact.’

  She wasn’t sure, she wasn’t sure at all. Her anger at herself for her weakness concerning this man took her all the way into the reception of the hotel. Why should a few kisses have affected him, she was being stupid to expect them to.

  ‘Suzanne!’

  Oh, lord! She turned slowly to face Vidal. Oh, goodness, Celeste was with him. And they both looked furious! Perhaps with good reason, without her being aware of it Cesare had followed her into the hotel. And there could be no doubt that Vidal and Celeste realised they had come in together. Vidal looked flushed and angry and Celeste’s eyes were icy cool; she wondered for how long.

  She smiled uncertainly now. ‘Vidal,’ she greeted him shakily. ‘You’re early.’

  ‘Yes,’ he said shortly, those eyes that she had thought soft and seductive now narrowing suspiciously. ‘I managed to finish my work sooner than expected. I came here with the intention of taking you out, only to find you had already left with Cesare.’ He now looked at his brother with unconcealed dislike.

  Cesare seemed unconcerned by his brother’s outburst. ‘I was not aware, and I am sure neither is Suzanne, that she has to ask your permission before leaving the hotel,’ he said, deceptively mild, a slight smile curving those firm lips, but the eyes remain
ed steely grey, giving lie to his calm attitude.

  ‘I did not say she had to do so,’ Vidal returned stiffly. ‘But we do have a date for this evening.’

  ‘This evening, yes,’ Cesare agreed. ‘But Suzanne’s day was free. I am sure you have been suitably entertained by Celeste.’

  ‘That is not the point,’ Vidal insisted. ‘Where have you been, Suzanne?’

  She moved uncomfortably under those dark brooding eyes. ‘I—we’ve been—’

  ‘I hope you will all excuse me,’ Cesare cut in. ‘I am going to my suite. For myself I think it none of your business Where we have been, Vidal, but if Suzanne chooses to tell you that is up to her.’

  Suzanne watched in dismay as he turned on his heel and took the stairs two at a time, leaving her to face Vidal and Celeste alone, ‘We’ve been out,’ she told them defiantly.

  ‘But where?’ put in Celeste. ‘You calmly go off and don’t tell a soul where you’ve gone.’

  ‘There was no one here to tell,’ she answered reasonably.

  ‘You could have left a message at reception,’ returned her stepmother tautly. ‘Or didn’t that occur to you?’

  ‘No, it didn’t! It may have escaped your notice, both of you, but I am over eighteen and a perfectly free agent. I don’t have to tell anyone where I’ve been or where I’m going!’ She had been stung into anger by Cesare’s scornful dismissal of her. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I too wish to go to my room.’

  ‘Your own room?’ Celeste queried softly behind her.

  She spun round. ‘Yes, my room! What are you implying?’ Her eyes narrowed.

  ‘I too would like to know that.’ Vidal’s voice was chillingly cool and glancing at him Suzanne saw that he wasn’t looking at Celeste but at herself.

  She looked from one pair of accusing eyes to the other, all the time her; anger rising. ‘Just what do you mean, Vidal?’

  He shrugged, his face still distant. ‘You have been out with Cesare, what am I to think?’

  ‘I should think it’s pretty obvious what you imagine! I’m going to my room and I couldn’t give a damn what the two of you think. I just want you to leave me alone.’

  ‘But I—We are going to the theatre this evening,’ Vidal reminded her hurriedly.

  ‘I couldn’t go out with you after this,’ she smiled bitterly. ‘Why don’t you take Celeste instead? The two of you seem to have so much in common that I’m sure you’ll get on well together.’

  She didn’t wait for either of them to reply but stepped into the waiting lift, pressing the button for her floor. How dared they! She fumed silently to herself. She spent an innocent day out with Cesare Martino and they had the nerve to accuse her of being more than a casual acquaintance. Well, perhaps it hadn’t been that innocent, but they weren’t to know that. It had started out innocently enough.

  She slammed the door to her hotel room, flouncing into the room to throw her handbag on the bed. She came up with a start. ‘Oh!’ her eyes widened. ‘How did you get in here?’ she demanded, outraged.

  The Conte sat up from his lounging position in her armchair, smiling in the face of her anger. He held up a key. ‘This fits that door.’

  ‘How did you get it?’ Suzanne demanded. She stood back away from him, challenge in every line of her body.

  ‘I own this hotel, it is quite easy to get the key to any room I want to.’ He watched her agitated movements through narrow eyes. ‘And I wanted the key to your room—very much.’

  ‘You—you did?’ her eyes were wide with shock. ‘And even if you did, it isn’t very ethical.’

  He laughed softly. ‘Ethics do not enter into our relationship. You would not answer my plea for you to come to me this evening, so I have come here for my answer.’

  ‘You—you’ve come here?’

  ‘You surely did not expect me to just let you go like that?’ he chuckled lightly. ‘Oh, no, Suzanne, I would not do that. I wondered how long it would take for you to leave Vidal and Celeste in reception. I am glad I did not have too long to wait.’

  ‘L—long to wait …?’ she repeated hesitantly. ‘I don’t know what you mean, but my answer to your question is no. I would have thought you would have realised that.’

  He shrugged. ‘Women have been known to change their minds.’

  ‘Not me, not in this case anyway. And I want you to know that I’m getting highly fed up with your creating situations and then walking out on them.’

  ‘Do I do that?’ He seemed unconcerned by her refusal.

  ‘You know you do.’ She ran a hand through her hair, tousling her curls into more disarray than usual. ‘You did it the other evening and again just now. And it’s always me you leave to sort it out.’

  ‘And did you—sort it out, I mean?’

  ‘Hardly,’ she said dryly. ‘I left them to it.’

  ‘Completely unscathed?’

  ‘No.’ She found her gaze drawn again and again to him. He must have come straight to her room because he was still dressed exactly the same—and still looking as attractive. ‘They made their displeasure felt.’

  Cesare laughed. ‘I am sure they did.’ He stood up. ‘Well, now that I know you are capable of defending yourself, and you have given me my answer, I will leave you to change for your evening with Vidal.’

  ‘Was that what all that was about, a lesson in defence?’

  ‘Perhaps.’

  ‘I see. Well, you can keep your lessons to yourself. And I’m no longer going out with Vidal, this evening or any other time.’

  ‘Because of our day together?’

  ‘No,’ she told him sharply. ‘Because I couldn’t stand his intolerable behaviour. Your brother doesn’t own me. Now if you don’t mind leaving my bedroom, I intend having a shower, and I Would appreciate it if you would remove yourself. And give the key back to the receptionist, you won’t be needing it again. My God, you have a nerve! Did you actually ask for my key?’ She looked incredulous.

  ‘Among others.’ He brought out several more keys from his pocket.

  ‘Oh, I see. I’m only one among many.’ Her eyes glittered her anger. ‘I suppose Celeste’s is there too?’

  That firm mouth tightened into anger too. ‘And why should you suppose that?’

  ‘Why not?’ she asked flippantly. ‘You said it was only one of many, so why not Celeste’s?’

  ‘These other keys are what you might call a smoke screen, to divert suspicion from the one I really wanted. And I do not happen to desire your stepmother,’ he said through gritted teeth, moving towards her with determination. ‘But I do desire you. You know that already, do you not?’

  ‘I—I—No, of course not!’

  ‘But you do,’ he said quietly. ‘You have always known it. That is why I frighten you. And I do frighten you, do I not? This afternoon you—’

  ‘Please! Don’t let’s talk about this afternoon. I—It—I—’

  ‘It embarrasses you,’ Cesare interrupted her stuttering. ‘This afternoon,’ he continued, ‘you deliberately stopped our lovemaking because you were frightened. I understood that and did not pursue the subject, otherwise you might not have got away so easily.’

  ‘So you are on the look-out for a new mistress,’ Suzanne burst out. ‘Well, don’t include me in any of your plans. I’m not about to become anyone’s mistress, even if you do have the key to my room.’

  He held up the key. ‘This? I borrowed it for the one occasion only, the next time I enter this room it will be at your bidding.’

  Suzanne gasped. ‘You can’t imagine I would ever do such a thing? I—I wouldn’t!’

  Cesare moved stealthily towards her, his hands moving out to take a firm hold of her arms and pull her slowly towards him. ‘Are you sure of that?’ he breathed huskily. ‘Your actions earlier did not point to that.’ Those grey eyes never left her face and she stared at him as if mesmerised.

  Her eyes moved to those firm lips, parted lips, that evoked in her a response she couldn’t control. It wasn’t f
air of him to keep playing on her senses like this, but then why should he want to play fair when he made no secret of his desire for her?

  ‘I want you so much, cara,’ he breathed against her mouth, before claiming her lips in a slow languorous kiss. It was like a ravagement of her whole body, and Suzanne responded without restraint. Her body was crushed against the hardened arousal of him and she knew he meant what he said.

  She also knew she hadn’t been wrong earlier, all her logical thinking in the car had been for nothing. She loved this man. With him she reached the dizzy heights she had always believed possible, wanting only to please him in every way she could. She kissed him back unrestrainedly, running her hands caressingly over his firm muscled back.

  Cesare broke the kiss to bury his face in her scented hair. ‘Cara, you are—’

  ‘Well, Suzanne, you’ve done it now,’ drawled Celeste from behind them. ‘So you really meant it when you said you were going to your own room. What you omitted to say was that Cesare was joining you here. I didn’t realise to what lengths you would go, Suzanne.’ She came further into the room, completely unconcerned with the fact that she had just interrupted something between them that was totally private. ‘Your quest for money has really made you desperate, inviting a man into your room in this disgusting way.’ Her lips turned back in a sneer. ‘And a Conte at that!’

  Cesare stepped back, the desire that had been in his eyes only seconds earlier now completely shielded by his lowered lids. ‘Suzanne did not invite me to her room, Celeste,’ he said coldly, completely in control of himself and the situation.

  ‘I can’t believe you came here uninvited.’ Celeste looked at him sharply. ‘I know Suzanne of old, don’t forget.’

  So far Suzanne had been dazed, but this was the second time Celeste had implied that she had deliberately set out to entice Cesare to her bedroom. How utterly wrong could she be! ‘What are you saying, Celeste?’ Her eyes were huge with her bewilderment. What on earth was Celeste trying to do to her now?