A Night in the Palace

by Carole Mortimer

  The glitter deepened in his eyes. ‘It shall be exactly as you wish it, Lily.’

  This time she wasn’t in the least concerned by the silence of the palazzo as they paused long enough in the kitchen for him to open a bottle of red wine and gather up the bottle and two glasses; in fact, she found it reassuring to know that they were completely alone here as they moved quietly through the silent hallways to Dmitri’s bedroom.

  Bathed in the light shining from the moon through two huge picture windows and a single golden lamp beside the bed, it was bigger and grander than any other bedroom Lily had ever seen. The deep gold-

  coloured carpet was so thick and luxurious the two-inch heels of her shoes sank into it completely. A low table and comfortable chairs were set in front of one of the low windows, and a long and ornate dressing table and wardrobe took up the whole of one wall. And all those things were dominated by a huge four-poster bed draped with gold curtains that matched the richness of the bedcover and half a dozen cushions arranged against the pillows.

  A bedroom fit for a king.

  Or an Italian count.

  A man as beyond the reach of an English schoolteacher as the moon was from the sun.

  Even as Lily dropped her shoulder bag down onto an ornate brocade chair her nervousness returned with a vengeance!

  Dmitri poured two glasses of the red wine before carrying them over to where Lily stood in the middle of his bedroom, handing her one before huskily making a toast. ‘Felice, Natale.’

  Her eyes were huge as she gazed up at him. ‘Felice Natale, Dmitri.’

  Dmitri watched Lily over the brim of his glass as they both sipped their wine. His own lips barely touched the ruby-red liquid, but Lily took a deep and reviving swallow as further evidence of her nervousness, which he was anxious to dispel.

  He reached out to take the glass from her unresisting fingers, putting them both down on the table beside the bed before turning back to place his hands lightly against the warmth of her cheeks. ‘You are so very, very beautiful, cara,’ he murmured, and he bent down to place soft kisses against the arch of her throat. Her skin was as soft as velvet and tasted of honey and pure sensuality. A sensuality he longed to explore.

  Dmitri groaned low in his throat as he continued to cup her cheeks while his lips explored the delicate contours of her shell-like ear. He could feel her trembling and hear the soft hitch in her breathing as he bit gently on her earlobe before soothing it with his tongue.

  Her hands moved up slowly, tentatively, to lie flat against

  his chest, her touch as light as butterfly wings through the thickness of his sweater. Dmitri held his desire for her firmly in check as he determined to dispel the last of her nervousness before he would allow his passion full rein.

  A determination that crumbled into dust the moment he felt the softness of her lips against his own throat...

  Lily made a soft sound as Dmitri turned and captured her mouth with his. At the same time his arms moved about her waist to gather her close against the hardness of his body. Her own lips parted in order to deepen the kiss—she needed, wanted to be as close to him as possible.

  They kissed hungrily now, deeply, taking, giving, hands touching, caressing, frantic in their need to get closer than even the fragile barrier of their clothes would allow.

  Lily’s cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen, breasts tingling, the nipples hard and aching, and there was a burning warmth between her thighs as Dmitri broke off the kiss long enough to lift her up into his arms and carry her over to the enormous bed. He placed her down amongst the sumptuous cushions before slowly straightening to stand beside the bed, his gaze holding hers as he shrugged the jacket from his shoulders and allowed it to fall unheeded onto the carpeted floor.

  His sweater came next, its removal revealing the naked width of his muscled chest and stomach and the strength of his shoulders and arms. His skin was a light and olive brown, the light dusting of hair on his chest soft and silky as it dipped beneath the waistband of the trousers he now unfastened. He slipped his feet out of his shoes before letting his trousers fall to the floor, and stepped out of them to leave himself wearing only a brief pair of body-hugging black boxers, which did nothing to hide his arousal.

  Dmitri continued to look down at her as he pushed this last item of clothing down over his hips and then down his thighs. Lily gasped as her fascinated gaze was drawn to what he had revealed.

  She moved to the edge of the bed on her hands and knees, inexorably drawn to taste him even as she cupped him gently.

  ‘Dio mio...!’ A groan of pleasure burst from his lips even as his hands became entangled in her hair, and he held her against him so she could take him fully into her mouth.

  Dmitri felt himself swell as the intimacy of her ministrations caused the blood to course hotly through his veins. He was unable to stop himself from thrusting slowly, rhythmically, and his fingers tightened their grip in the silky tangle of her hair in an effort to draw her even closer still.

  He gritted his teeth at the unimaginable pleasure she was giving him. It was almost beyond bearing!

  ‘Basta, Lily—enough,’ he finally managed to mutter as he gently pulled back from her. ‘A minute—no, one second more of that and our lovemaking will be over before it has even begun,’ he explained apologetically, as she looked up at him with disappointment in her eyes. ‘And I have not tasted any of the delights of your own body yet,’ he added gently, pulling her up onto her knees.

  He discarded her cardigan, his lips against her throat as he slowly slid the zip of her dress down the length of her spine. He slipped the dress down her arms and allowed it to fall about the delicacy of her waist.

  Revealing that she wore no bra beneath it!

  Her breasts, small and pert, were bared to his hungry gaze—perfectly rounded orbs tipped by rose-pink nipples that were already hard and begging to be kissed.

  He lowered his head and took each into his mouth in turn, his own pleasure intensified as he heard her catch her breath. Her hand cradled the back of his head to hold him against her as she arched into him, and his hand moved up to cup one breast while he caressed and tugged on the pouting nipple of the other with his mouth. Her small gasps were telling him clearly what pleased her. And he so wanted to please her!

  But it was not enough. He wanted to taste all of her. He needed to taste all of her!

  Lily offered no resistance as Dmitri disposed of her dress completely before lying her back against the silken cushions and skillfully stripping off her underwear and her shoes.

  ‘Bella, Lily!’ he breathed raggedly as he knelt beside her, his gaze hot as he devoured her nakedness. ‘You are as beautiful, as perfect, as any Bernini sculpture.’

  Lily didn’t think so; she had seen the perfection of those sculptures in the guidebooks on Rome that she had devoured before coming here. But if he believed it to be true, who was she to argue?

  And then she knew she couldn’t have spoken, let alone argued, as Dmitri parted her legs to kneel between her thighs, the heat of his gaze centred on the jewel he had revealed amongst her silver curls before he lowered his head.

  Lily exploded. That first sweet rasp of his tongue had quickly engulfed her in a pleasure unlike anything else she had ever known or imagined.

  Dmitri allowed her no quarter as a second, even more intense climax hit her. Lily almost sobbed with pleasure as he brought her to peak after peak of release with his lips and tongue and those wickedly clever fingers, until she completely lost track of time and reason.

  Then Dmitri entered her gently and began to move. Slowly at first—torturously slowly—before he increased the pace of his movements at her frantic entreaties, all the time murmuring words of Italian against her throat and her breasts as he kissed and caressed her, driving her ever onwards towards another peak. This time the pleasure he gave her seemed to come from the very depths of her, and she clung on to his

  shoulders mindlessly as he took her with him to his own plate
au and then over the edge into oblivion.

  * * *

  Dmitri woke slowly, pleasurably, aware of the morning sunlight of winter shining through the windows as he lay curled spoon-fashion against the back of the woman asleep beside him in the bed, her hair a silken curtain of platinum down the length of her back. One of his arms was draped across her waist, and her hand was over his as he cupped the fullness of her breast. His morning arousal nestled snugly against the curve of her bottom.

  Lily.

  Beautiful Lily.

  He had never encountered a more giving and responsive lover. He didn’t just think so; he knew so!

  Despite having awakened her in the early hours of the morning to make love a second time, Dmitri knew that he wanted her again. Now.

  As if she was aware of his need, he felt her stir in his arms, and knew the exact moment when she came completely awake. His breath left him in a heartfelt sigh as she parted her legs invitingly, to allow him to enter her inch by slow inch, their movements languid, measured, as they brought each other to another satisfying climax.

  It was difficult for Dmitri to know which was the more satisfying—the wild and lusty lovemaking of last night, or the gentle giving and taking of this morning. Both had been unique and exciting in a way he had never imagined.

  ‘Sorry to introduce the mundane, Dmitri.’ Her self-conscious chuckle reverberated against his chest. ‘But I believe I need to use the bathroom.’ She turned to look at him teasingly over one bare shoulder.

  He kissed her lingeringly, smiling as he slowly withdrew from her and lay back on the pillows. ‘And while you are gone I will go downstairs to make us breakfast, and bring it up on a tray so that we can eat it together in bed.’

  ‘No one has ever brought me breakfast in bed before,’ Lily murmured as she rolled over to lean on her elbows and look down at him, still slightly dazed at being in bed with the deliciously gorgeous and totally edible Dmitri Scarletti. Dazed and satiated. More than she would ever have believed possible before the wonders of last night and this morning.

  Nevertheless, she still felt slightly shy when she thought of the intimacies they had shared, her cheeks warming as she recalled how she had touched, caressed and kissed his body, and how he had reciprocated.

  Dmitri reached up to smooth the hair at her temple. ‘Every woman should be brought breakfast in bed on Christmas morning, cara.’

  Oh, good Lord—it was too! Lily had totally forgotten it was Christmas Day in the glowing aftermath of their lovemaking. ‘I don’t have a gift for you.’ She gave a rueful shake of her head.

  ‘Nor I you.’ His eyes were warm with laughter. ‘But I believe we might think of certain gifts we can give each other once our strength has been restored with food, hmm?’

  Lily became lost in the dizzying fact that they had known each other for less than two days. Certainly when they had met she would never have imagined that they would end up in bed together this morning!

  Dmitri sat up to kiss her lingeringly on the lips. ‘And later—much, much later,’ he added huskily, ‘we will discuss what you would like to do with the rest of the day.’

  Lily’s breath caught in her throat as she looked at him searchingly. Had she been wrong? Hadn’t this just been a one-night stand for him? He obviously wanted to spend the rest of the day with her too...

  His next words confirmed it, as his lips sent rivulets of pleasure down her spine as he sought the hollows of her throat. ‘Today will just be for you and me, cara.’ He bit gently on her earlobe and chuckled when she arched her back in pleasure. ‘A feast to satisfy all our senses.’

  His words conjured up such a vivid image of Dmitri eating sliced strawberries from the tips of her breasts, drinking their juice from her navel, that Lily once again felt deliciously aroused.

  ‘It sounds...wonderful,’ she breathed longingly.

  ‘Oh, it will be, cara.’ Dmitri kissed her one last time before throwing back the bedclothes to stand beside the bed, totally unselfconscious in his own nakedness as he padded softly across the carpeted floor towards the bedroom door.

  Lily lay back on the bed, totally relaxed as she enjoyed that unobstructed view of the lean contours of his back and the tautness of his bottom.

  Was a man supposed to have such a gorgeous bottom that it tempted a woman to want to bite it? Whether he was or not, that was exactly what she wanted to do to it!

  Later. She could do as she wished later.

  She stretched as he left the room, becoming lost in sensual and arousing memories as her body ached in places she hadn’t known it could ache. Pleasurable, hidden places that had known the touch of Dmitri’s lips and hands, and caresses that now made her blush to think of them. Or flush with excitement at the thought of him repeating them!

  It was the sound of the telephone ringing somewhere in the distant reaches of the palazzo that finally penetrated her daydreams, reminding her that he would be returning soon and she hadn’t even gone to the bathroom yet.

  She would have time later to indulge in yet more fantasies...

  * * *

  Dmitri hadn’t come back upstairs by the time Lily returned, refreshed, from the bathroom, having lingered long enough to take a quick shower as well as brush her teeth. The black silk robe she had found hanging behind the door was obviously one of Dmitri’s, and it reached to her ankles when she slipped in on over her nakedness. She’d had to turn the sleeves back three times in order to free her hands so that she could wrap the robe about her twice before tying the belt in place.

  It might not be glamorous, but it definitely felt sexy. The silky material brushed softly over her sensitised breasts and thighs much like the caress of Dmitri’s lips and fingers, causing Lily’s nipples to stand erect and engorged beneath it.

  She wandered over to the window to look out over the city of Rome. A city that would forever be the most romantic in the world as far as she was concerned. The city where she had fallen in love—

  She turned as she heard the sound of the door opening, smiling teasingly as she saw he wasn’t carrying the promised tray of food and drinks. ‘Did you decide that breakfast could wait, after all—’ She abruptly broke off her teasing, the smile freezing on her lips as she became aware of the bleakness of Dmitri’s expression.

  His jaw was clenched, his mouth a thin, uncompromising line, and his eyes glittered like shards of pale green glass in the pallor of his face. He totally ignored Lily’s presence in his bedroom as he moved to pull on black boxers before dressing quickly in jeans and a black sweater taken from the shelves in the long wardrobe.

  ‘Dmitri?’ Lily was alarmed as she crossed the width of the bedroom in light, hesitant steps. ‘Dmitri, is everything all right?’

  He turned sharply, and she recoiled slightly from the icy anger she could see those chilling green eyes. ‘Of course everything is not all right!’ he said cuttingly.

  Lily gave a gasp as she fell back a step, her cheeks paling in the face of his obvious disgust.

  Oh, dear Lord! Could it be that in the clear light of day he had gone downstairs and realised exactly who he had shared his bed with the previous night?

  And wished that he hadn’t...

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  DMITRI’S eyes narrowed as he saw Lily’s stricken expression. ‘Did you imagine that I would be pleased about the situation?’ he bit out furiously.

  Her eyes were wide. ‘I— Well— No, perhaps not pleased, exactly. But—’

  ‘There is no but, Lily.’ Dmitri began to pace the bedroom, feeling much like a confined tiger must as it paced its cage. He needed to get out of here. Away from Lily who looked so sexily alluring in his own black silk bathrobe. And the memories the rumpled bedclothes behind her brought so vividly back to mind. ‘I will wait for you to join me downstairs in the kitchen once you are dressed and we will discuss this there,’ he informed her frostily.

  ‘Discuss it?’ She gave a frantic shake of her head. ‘Oh, no, Dmitri. I don’t think I want to sit do
wn with you and actually talk about...about what’s happened!’ She looked horrified at the suggestion.

  His eyes narrowed. ‘Because our opinions on the situation differ so drastically?’

  Lily swallowed hard. ‘No doubt,’ she said faintly, wondering if the pain in her chest was caused by the fact that she couldn’t seem to breathe properly or if her heart might actually be breaking into a million pieces.

  Because she had realised during Dmitri’s absence downstairs that it wasn’t only the city of Rome she had fallen in love with last night but that she loved Dmitri deeply. Completely. Irrevocably...

  And he was looking at her, talking to her, as if last night had been nothing but a mistake on his part. A mistake he obviously deeply regretted.

  She looked away, no longer able to bear even looking at the disgust she could so easily read in his expression. ‘I think it best if I just get dressed and then go straight back to the hotel.’

  ‘Where no doubt you will order a bottle of champagne and drink a toast to the happy couple?’ he said accusingly.

  Lily turned back slowly. ‘I’m sorry—I don’t understand?’

  Dmitri snorted. ‘I am sure Felix was only too delighted to explain the situation to you!’

  ‘Felix?’ She frowned. ‘But—’

  ‘I am not in the mood to play games, Lily.’ Dmitri eyed her coldly. ‘Claudia told me that Felix was telephoning you at the same time as she spoke to me. I thought it best not to tell her that at that moment you were upstairs in my bedroom.’ His mouth twisted. ‘But please do not attempt to pretend you do not know exactly what I am talking about.’

  ‘I don’t.’ Lily stared up at him uncomprehendingly. ‘I did hear the telephone ringing downstairs earlier, but— That was Claudia?’

  ‘Oh, yes,’ he said from between clenched teeth.

  Lily’s throat moved as she tried to swallow, her mouth suddenly very dry. ‘I went into the bathroom while you were downstairs. I took a shower.’ She shook her head. ‘I haven’t heard from Felix since before I left London, apart from that message he left on my mobile two days ago telling me to not come to Rome after all.’ Something Lily dearly wished she hadn’t done now!