The shampoo trickled over her shoulders and his chest, enveloping them with the sweet scent of jasmine and lavender. He nuzzled her throat and inhaled. “Mmm, smells good.”
She linked her arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers. “Deliciously decadent.” She laughed and squinted. “But my eyes are still burning.”
He wiped her face with water and brushed her lips with the tip of his fingers. “Can you see now?”
“Yes.” She could see his beautiful features, his chiseled jaws, his sapphire eyes blazing with desire. Her breath caught when his hands cupped her face and his lips neared her mouth.
“I want you to see how much I care about you, bellissima.”
“Yes,” she mumbled before he molded their lips and invaded her mouth, his tongue playing a happy game of passion with her senses. “Yes.” Lulled by the drizzle of the shower spray over her back, she closed her eyes.
Dante cradled her breasts and teased their tips until she moaned her delight. His sensual lips trailed a fiery path along her throat and suckled on the pink crests. “Enough, please,” she whispered.
“Sure.” His lips abandoned their prey and slithered all the way to her belly to tickle her navel.
Her knees buckled. Attentive to her every move, he lowered her with him to the tile floor of the shower cubicle. She found herself straddling him, his erection seeking entrance and gliding into her warmth. A fantasy frolicked through her mind—she and Dante cuddling and making love in a rainforest. His thrust took her to heaven and back, as she matched his tempo and collapsed, her head nestled against the crook of his neck.
“Rainforest,” she hummed incoherently with the tune of her favorite song.
“Is that your fantasy place?” With a tender smile he brushed her hair back.
She blushed and averted her eyes.
“We’ll go there someday.”
That day might never come. She was living a nightmare, and yet she’d never been as happy and relaxed as now. In Dante’s arms. When the case of Steve’s death was solved, would it be the end of her romp with Dante?
“How come you’ve never married?” She regretted the question as soon as she blurted the words.
“Why would I marry?” He snapped back, shock written all over his face.
“Forget the stupid question. You’re obviously not the marrying type.”
He stared at her for a moment.
She wriggled to get up, but he held her in place, and turned off the faucet. “Don’t move. I like you here.”
That’s all he liked. All he wanted. To make love to her now and then, until...
“I haven’t got married because I haven’t found the right woman yet.” She waved her hand and he chuckled. “Yes, it’s very clichéd, but it’s true. So far I’ve enjoyed my freedom and—”
“That I know.” She couldn’t help her crisp tone.
“But there’s always a time in a man’s life when he realizes he has to settle and start a family as my nonna often says. She wants to hold little Cantaris.” A nostalgic grin played on his lips.
“Of course. You’ll have to satisfy your grandmother and produce those Cantari babies.” She harrumphed and lowered her head to hide the scowl she couldn’t stifle.
He burst out laughing. “All in good time, my dear. First we deal with the Blue Waves’ problems.”
Her lips twitched. She didn’t give a shit if he offered his grandmother a dozen Cantari babies, legitimate or not. By then, she’d be far away, in New York, or even in Europe, maybe in France. To think of it, she’d love to go to Paris and join an interior design program at the Sorbonne. The idea soothed her.
“Time to get dressed.”
He helped her up, stepped out of the cubicle to reach for a bath towel from the electric towel rack. Wrapping her in the warm material, he kept her pressed against him and murmured, “Alexa, please, relax. We’re taking one day at a time. And I promise I will not let any harm come to you. You’re a very dear... friend. Can you trust me?”
She turned in his arms to face him. He had been at her side every hour, every minute, attentive to her needs. “Of course, I trust you, Dante.” She offered him a smile and her lips to seal their special friendship.
Yes, she could trust him, but could she trust herself not to fall head over heel in love with her handsome lawyer?
****
“Let’s go out for dinner at a fun restaurant on Las Olas.” Dante grappled with finding some distraction to offer Alexa. She was already an emotional wreck. A few more hours in her condo would drive her insane—and him too, trying to relax her.
“Sure, but...” Her spontaneous smile faded and her shoulders sagged. “As much as I want to escape from here, we can’t go out. What if my enemy comes back and finds what he’s after?”
“He may think about it. But he can’t do it. While you were in the shower, I talked to Officer Raines and hired a cop to guard your apartment.” Dante walked to the door and opened it. The policeman who sat on a folding chair in front of the elevator immediately stood.
“I’m Matt George.”
Dante made a mental note to thank Officer Raines. “Come inside.” The cop stepped into the hall and waited politely. “Alexa, meet Officer George. He will guard your door.”
“I’m so pleased to meet you, Officer. Please, make yourself comfortable.” Alexa’s smile illuminated the room. Relieved that he’d managed to reassure her, Dante exhaled. With a guard outside her door, she might be able to sleep without nightmares tonight. Although, Dante was determined to keep her in his arms anyway.
“Thank you, Ma’am. My orders are to stay in front of the elevator.”
“Can I get you something to drink or eat?”
“I have all I need here. Bottles of water and cookies.” He pointed to a little cooler next to the folding chair. “You can leave your apartment without worrying. I’ll be here.”
“To be honest, Dante,” she said after the young man resumed his post outside her condo. “I don’t feel like going out. We had a hectic day. I’d rather stay home.”
“Why don’t we go to my apartment for a change of scenery? I can offer you wine and cheese. Nothing else.” Dante rubbed his chin, embarrassed about his lack of supplies. “I haven’t had the time to shop for groceries recently.” Not that he was ever very domesticated.
“I have steaks. We can grill them.” She opened the freezer and grabbed a packet of meat. “I also have vegetable and mushrooms.” Pulling out the various items, she shoved them into a plastic bag Dante held. “And here are peaches and grapes for dessert.” As she bent over the fridge to choose some fruits, the blasted short skirt hiked up her thighs.
“Perfect.” Dante admired her perfect backside and resisted the urge to reach and caress. “Bring what you need to spend the night at my place.”
She shot him a questioning look. “Why? You think something will happen here.”
“Not with the cop at your door. And tomorrow morning the security company I called will install an alarm system on your condo. I hope all of these measures will reassure you.”
“Oh God, when will all this end?” she mumbled in a weak voice as she disappeared into her bedroom to comply.
Dante locked her apartment and kept the key to be able to take a tour later tonight. “Officer, we’ll be next door, in my apartment. If you need anything, feel free to knock.”
****
Alexa stirred and opened her eyes, and met Dante’s gaze. His head propped against his open palm, he was staring at her.
“Good morning. You slept well?”
“Very well. Thank you for the massage, for—”
“I’m the one who should thank you for a wonderful night.”
Blushing to the roots of her hair, she inhaled and closed her eyes. His male scent and the rumpled sheets stirred vivid images of their night together. “I can’t believe I did...” Her voice trailed.
“You were magnificent, my beautiful Alexa. Don’t regret a
minute of our lovemaking.”
“Oh I don’t.” That was what worried her. A thousand heady feelings rushed through her. How would she survive without Dante’s lovemaking when she left? He’d been such a tender lover.
His lips settled on hers for a deep insistent kiss, making her head spin.
The ring of a phone rattled the silence. Dante grabbed his cell from the nightstand. “Cantari speaking.”
“They’ll be here at eight to install the alarm,” he explained after he shut his phone. “Time to get up.”
“Why don’t you shower and get ready? I’ll wait here and then we’ll go to my apartment.”
Wearing long pants and a button-down shirt, Dante joined her fifteen minutes later.
“You look as if you’re going to work.”
“Actually, we’re going to my office as soon as the alarm is installed.”
Dread pooled in her stomach. “Anything new?”
“Jay asked me to stop by. He spoke to Tom Dallen, and Juan searched Dianna’s background. They probably have questions as to what to investigate next.”
He sent her a glance full of compassion, but she cringed. Since the day Steve had drowned, every day had brought her more stress, new misery, and added fear of the future. Without the happy interludes in Dante’s arms, her life would have been unbearable.
They crossed the landing from Dante’s door to her condo. The guard greeted them with a sleepy voice. “The Chief said I could leave when you are back in Ms. Alexa’s place.”
“Go ahead. Thank you, Officer.”
“I’ll make coffee,” Dante said after they entered her apartment.
“Thank God, the place looks fine. I’m getting dressed.”
She hit the shower, dried her hair, and slipped on a pair of white pants and a black blouse. Out of habit she reached to push the coat hiding the cache push-button, but pulled back her hand. Afraid of doing anything that might reveal the position of her safe, she strode out of the closet and put on the pearl set she’d left on her dresser the night before.
Her heart heavy, she considered her bed and wondered if she’d ever have the courage to sleep in this room on her own again, knowing that so many enemies lurked, waiting to harm her.
“Alexa,” Dante’s voice interrupted her depressing musing. “Front desk called. The technician is on his way up.”
“Coming.” She slipped on a pair of black moccasins and padded to the kitchen.
Dante’s appreciative gaze swept her from head to toe as he greeted her with a bone-melting smile. “You look fresh and lovely.” He poured a cup of coffee from the pot on the kitchen counter and handed it over to her just as the bell chimed. “Do you want me to tell him anything specific?”
“No, just to install a system on the front and kitchen doors of the apartment, and on the glass doors to the balconies.”
“I’ll take care of that.” He admitted the technician and explained her requirements while she remained in the kitchen, sipping her coffee.
For the hundredth time, she blessed Dante for his continuous attention, and then admonished herself for not taking care of her own business. Her father and then Greg had always made sure she never lacked anything. Time to grow up and become independent. Really independent as in tackling men’s chores.
Ready to spring into action or at least participate in the discussions, she sauntered to the hallway and stood next to Dante to watch the technician work. Dante asked the right questions and she took mental notes of the answers.
“When you come back home, you’ll have a minute to open the door with your key and deactivate the alarm. Otherwise it alerts the security company who’ll contact the police. So you should try to avoid false alarms.”
Swallowing hard, she nodded with a grimace. “I’m not sure I’d like to be reminded of danger every time I return home.”
“You’ll get used to it.” The warmth in Dante’s eyes reassured her more than his words. “Let’s have breakfast while he works on the glass doors.”
Around eleven o’clock the technician announced he’d finished his work, and then he demonstrated how to operate the control. “Anything else, sir? Would you be interested in a surveillance camera?”
Alexa frowned. “What for?”
But Dante surprised her by saying, “We may think about it. If we were to install a surveillance camera, where would be the best place to hide it?”
Was he out of his mind? She’d never agree to have a camera spying on her every move.
“It depends on what area you want to survey,” the technician said.
Dante scratched his jaw. “Assume we want to cover the living room.” With the technician on his heels, he proceeded to the middle of the large room.
The men turned around, scanned the ceiling, their gazes resting on corners and light fixtures.
“One these three dangling lights above the bar would be ideal to hide a little camera.”
“Really?” Dante’s voice held a strange note.
The technician stepped to the bar area and raised his head scrutinizing each lamp. A grunt escaped him. “But...but...” He went from one to the other and examined them again. “You already have a surveillance camera in this one.” He pointed to the lamp on the right. “And it covers the whole living room.”
“I think the detective and Officer Raines spotted the camera. I noticed they kept looking at the dangling lamps when they searched the kitchen and bar area. Alexa, did your father tell you that he installed a camera?”
“No.” The whole thing didn’t make sense. “Are you sure it’s a camera?”
The technician smirked. “Oh yes, Ma’am, I install these little eyes often enough to recognize them.”
“So Greg must have put it here.” Dante crossed his arms and paced around. “How or where would he watch the recording?”
“On a computer. I can’t tell you exactly which computer. You’d have to ask the person who installed it.” The technician’s words finally sank into her befuddled mind.
And the bile rose in her throat.
Greg had put in that device to spy on her, to watch every one of her moves, maybe to see her ambling around in her...
Chapter Thirteen
“I don’t know who killed Steve, but I’m going to kill Greg right away,” Alexa snarled as she marched to the door.
Dante understood her anger, but snatched her back against his chest. “Alexa, I know you’re upset—”
“Upset doesn’t begin to describe it. Try disgusted, outraged, angry...”
“I know, Alexa, I know. And yet you’ve held the stress pretty well. Don’t collapse now.”
“I’m far from collapsing. I’m going to tell that peeping tom what I think about him and his protectiveness.”
“Calm down. With an investigation going on we have to watch every word we say.” He turned her in his arms. “Alexa, look at me. Greg’s indiscretion was awful. But it’s in the past.”
“Are you crazy? How can you excuse him?” Her head jerked back, shock and hurt shimmering in her beautiful green eyes.
The hell with the old man and his oppressive jealousy. “Far from excusing him, I’m mad as hell, because his spy camera must have recorded our moves when I carried you to your bedroom.” Her jaw dropped as she glanced at the dangling lamp. He resisted the urge to soothe her with caresses. “However his deplorable surveillance may help us now.”
When she scowled and tried to wriggle out of his arms, he held her firmly and cupped her face, his eyes capturing her gaze. “If Greg has been taping your living room, I’ll get hold of those discs. Maybe they can show us what happened in your apartment. Maybe we can find some clues there.”
“Oh.” She stopped struggling to get away. “Dante, the desktop in my office is Greg’s computer. He left it there with everything else.”
“Very convenient for him. He probably checked the camera recording from time to time, when you were away, since he has a key.”
“And even when I was presen
t. That sleaze bag often asked me if he could read his emails here because his old laptop was down.” Hands fisted, she banged on Dante’s shoulders. “How I want to kill him.”
“Darling, careful. That hurts.” He chuckled and pressed his point. “Don’t say anything yet. We have to go to my office now and meet with the attorneys. As soon as we come back, I’ll browse through your computer.”
Alexa closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Keeping her in his arms, Dante respected her inner struggle, her need to break away from the man who had controlled her. To think of it, her father had acted like a selfish bastard insisting she marry his partner when she was only eighteen. To protect her or more probably to protect his company?
“Fine. Let’s go to your office.” She strode to her bedroom and returned with her purse. After opening the door, she paused. “I’ll set the alarm now.”
Dante smiled. “Go ahead.” He watched her do it, pleased that she’d remembered her code and instructions in spite of the turmoil roaring in her head.
“At least, my apartment is safe now. Both from intruders and from Greg,” she added with a snort.
Fifteen minutes later, they entered the building that housed Morganstein & Cantari Law Firm. “Hi, Michelle. Please ask Jay and Juan to come to my office,” Dante said.
“Right away. They told me to call for them as soon as you arrived.”
Alexa threw him a questioning look loaded with angst. His hand on the small of her back, he led her to his office and indicated the armchair across from his desk.
The two young attorneys entered Dante’s office, one carrying his laptop and the other a folder they set in front of him on the desk.
“Glad you both came,” Jay said.
“Go ahead,” Dante prompted, hoping they would get information shedding some light on the case.
“We checked Loans and More, Inc. accounts. The company is in financial trouble. Heavy debts and threats from clients.”
Dante nodded. “That’s why Steve borrowed from Tom Dallen and approached Greg Partson who refused to lend him anything.”
“Well,” Juan continued. “Bairey and his partner Morton applied for loans from various banks and were rejected because of their bad record. So they went to wealthy individuals to bail them out.”
The Ultimate Romance Box (6 Bestselling Romance Novels) Page 67