The Helen Bianchin Collection

by Helen Bianchin

  Light fingers traced her spine, soothing her as she buried her face into the curve of his neck.

  She didn’t want to move. Didn’t feel as if she could.

  Soon, she silently vowed, she’d disentangle herself from his arms, catch up her abandoned T-shirt, then quietly retreat to her room.

  But for now she’d simply enjoy the aftermath of good sex. Very good sex, she amended silently, and felt the faint pull of unused muscles, the sheer euphoria of sensual fulfilment.

  There was a part of her which yearned to be held through the night, to be comforted by the beat of Marcello’s heart beneath her hand, her cheek. To move in the night and be gathered in close against him.

  She must have dozed, for she drifted awake to the realisation of a warm body curved round her own, a steady heartbeat against her back … and memory surfaced in a slow, unfolding image.

  No. It was a dream, surely? Like one of many which haunted her mind in the dark hours of night.

  Yet this was no dream. The arms which held her were real. And she froze for a few interminable seconds, then carefully, slowly, she began to ease herself free. Only to feel those arms tighten as warm breath teased her hair.

  ‘You’re not going anywhere.’

  ‘Please.’ Her voice was a strangled whisper of sound, and she felt the press of his mouth against her nape.

  ‘What if—?’

  ‘Nicki?’

  Ohmigod, Nicki. What was she thinking?

  Be honest, a wicked voice taunted. You weren’t thinking at all. ‘If she wakes and I’m not there.’ The words tumbled out in a rush, only to come to a halt as Marcello pressed a hand over her mouth.

  ‘Don’t,’ he cautioned quietly as he cupped her face and kissed her, slowly, lingeringly, as he felt his body harden with need and her own response.

  With care he gathered her in, his persuasive touch wreaking havoc with her emotions as he branded her his own in a highly sensitised coupling that surpassed what they’d previously shared.

  CHAPTER NINE

  SHANNAY WOKE to the muted sound of the shower running, registered the large bed, the rumpled sheets … and closed her eyes in automatic reflex as memory provided a vivid image of what had transpired through the night and with whom.

  If there was the slightest edge of doubt, her body bore numerous signs to disprove it. Not the least of which was the need to shower and retreat to her room to dress.

  Nicki.

  She reached out and checked her discarded watch, then let out her indrawn breath. Six. It was only six o’clock. Nicki rarely stirred before seven.

  The shower ceased, and she hurriedly tossed back the covers and slid from the bed.

  Where was her T-shirt? A hasty glance over the floor revealed nothing. Had Marcello picked it up?

  Oh, hell, surely not Maria? At this early hour, the likelihood was so remote it was immediately dismissed.

  So where the devil was it? She required something to cover her nudity, and she crossed to Marcello’s walk-in wardrobe, selected the first shirt her fingers touched, slid an arm into each sleeve, then re-emerged into the bedroom at the same time Marcello emerged from the en suite with a towel hitched at his hips.

  Broad shoulders, expanse of naked chest, the fluid flex of muscle as he towelled his hair dry, powerful thighs.

  There was no chance she could escape before he saw her, and almost as if he sensed her presence he lowered his arms.

  A slow smile curved his generous mouth as he caught her drinking in the sight of him, and his lips curved as her gaze slithered to a point near the vicinity of his left shoulder.

  ‘Buenos dias.’ His voice was a husky, intimate drawl as he crossed to stand within touching distance, and she was powerless to prevent the descent of his head as he covered her mouth with his own in a slow, evocative kiss.

  Her eyes dilated with a conflicting mix of emotions as he lifted his mouth fractionally from her own, and he had no trouble determining each and every one of them.

  ‘Marcello—’

  He cut off the tumble of words by the simple expediency of brushing his lips over hers … and sensed rather than heard her soft moan in protest as it remained locked in her throat.

  Her eyelids drifted down, only to spring open again seconds later as his hand cupped her breast and teased the tender peak before slipping down over her abdomen to the soft curls at the apex of her thighs.

  His touch was incredibly gentle as he stroked the sensitive bud still acutely responsive from his attention, and he absorbed the slight hitch in her breath as he sent her spiralling to climax, then he held her until the spasms diminished.

  For a moment the past didn’t exist as he brushed his lips to each closed eyelid in turn before releasing her.

  ‘Great fashion accessory, mi mujer.’ He ran a finger down the shirt’s open edge, his gleaming gaze locking with hers. ‘Although I prefer you without it.’

  Shannay dragged the edges together in a delayed sense of modesty as she turned away from him.

  He waited until she reached the door, then cautioned quietly, ‘From now on you sleep here with me.’

  She didn’t answer, for she was unable to find the words in acquiescence or argument as she turned the door-handle and walked from the room.

  It was a relief to discover Nicki still fast asleep, and she quickly showered, then dressed in a gypsy-style skirt in shades of brown and a fashionable top, dried her hair, caught it in a casual twist and anchored it with a wide hinged clip, added lipgloss, then heard her daughter begin to stir.

  Breakfast was a convivial meal eaten out on the glass-enclosed terrace, and Shannay endeavoured to focus on Nicki’s excited conversation with Marcello on learning they were to experience the Aquopolis theme park after their morning visit with Ramon.

  Something she achieved with difficulty, given the distraction provided by Marcello’s presence directly opposite.

  If she looked at him, her eyes betrayed her as they settled briefly on his mouth, and recalled vividly its erotic tasting. How his hands had explored her body and gifted untold pleasure. And, ultimately, the sex.

  Mind-blowing electrifying passion that liquefied her bones and made her his more thoroughly than any words he might offer.

  It shouldn’t have happened.

  She should have done more than utter a weak-willed protest, then given in to the provocative power of his touch and its pagan promise to banish her restraint.

  Worse, allow him to lead her through intoxicating desire to join him again and again in mesmeric primitive climax.

  His possession had made her acutely aware of sensitive tissues, and she could still feel the slight throb deep within resulting from his sexual presence.

  It was … entrancing, consuming, and made her supremely conscious of what they’d shared. And would again.

  Unless she chose to deny him.

  Except denying him meant also denying herself, and she hated the disruptive annihilating need he generated in her with such ease.

  ‘Mummy, you’re not listening.’

  Shannay summoned a smile and avoided meeting Marcello’s gaze as she gave Nicki her whole attention.

  She knew what he would see, and she refused to allow him the benefit of reading her mind, for he managed to divine her innermost thoughts despite her efforts to the contrary.

  ‘We need to pack swimming gear for the visit to Aquopolis?’ She hazarded the guess, and heard his faint chuckle at Nicki’s audible sigh.

  ‘Daddy says we can take a picnic to another park. Not tomorrow, but the day after.’

  ‘That sounds lovely, darling.’ She noticed her daughter’s empty cereal bowl. ‘What would you like on your toast?’

  A return to the prosaic might have fooled Nicki, but she doubted the man seated opposite was under any such illusion, and it was a relief to temporarily escape when the meal concluded.

  Ramon appeared to have faded slightly, his air of fragility a little more pronounced, yet his smile was warm and h
is eyes displayed delight as Nicki greeted him with affection.

  Their visit was brief, on medical advice, for he seemed to tire more easily with each passing day.

  Aquopolis proved to be a wonderful attraction, with plenty of fun to keep Nicki enthralled for several hours, for there were slides and numerous water features. Add a picnic lunch, and their daughter pronounced it heaven.

  It was late when they left, and Nicki barely made it through her bath and a light evening meal before falling asleep within seconds of her head touching the pillow.

  Shannay retreated to her suite to shower and change for dinner … only to discover her clothes reposing in the capacious wardrobe were no longer there.

  The few drawers into which she’d stowed some personal items were now empty, and when she examined the adjoining en suite, all of her toiletries and make-up had been removed.

  Marcello?

  Or Maria, acting on his instructions?

  Whatever … transferring her and her belongings to the master suite wasn’t going to happen.

  One night’s transgression was enough.

  There wasn’t going to be a repeat.

  With that in mind, she walked the gallery to his suite and entered without bothering to knock.

  The shower was running, and she quickly crossed to the second walk-in wardrobe, retrieved her clothing and tossed it onto the bed, then she gathered up her personal items and transferred them to her room further along the gallery before returning to clear what remained.

  Drawers she’d utilised in the past held everything she needed, and she was in the process of scooping them out when a deep, drawling voice momentarily arrested the movement of her hands.

  ‘Looking for something?’

  She took a few seconds to draw a deep breath, then she turned to face him, hating the sudden traitorous curl unfurling deep inside at the sight of his near-naked frame.

  ‘I’m not moving into your room.’

  Marcello slanted an eyebrow. ‘You’d prefer me to move into yours?’

  Shannay wasn’t deceived by his even tone. ‘No.’

  ‘Then we have a problem.’

  ‘No, we don’t.’

  ‘You intend to slink in here in the dead of night and leave at dawn?’

  She tilted her chin and sent him a steady look. ‘Last night was—’

  ‘An aberration? A mistake?’ The dangerous silkiness in his voice took hold of her nerve-ends and tugged a little.

  ‘We each became carried away and indulged ourselves with sex?’

  A sudden lump rose in her throat, and she attempted to swallow it in order to speak. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Justify the night however you choose. It doesn’t change where you’ll sleep.’

  He watched the colour leave her cheeks, and hardened his heart. ‘The bed’s large, and sex,’ he gave the word a faint emphasis, ‘won’t be on the menu unless you choose for it to be.’

  Share the same bed, lie within touching distance … ‘You have to be joking!’

  ‘No.’ He turned and moved towards his walk-in wardrobe. ‘I’m going to dress for dinner.’ He paused fractionally.

  ‘Transfer everything to your room, if that’s what you want. But if you go to bed there, you’ll wake up in mine.’

  Shannay merely glared at him and marched into the en suite, where she stripped off her clothes and took a long, hot shower in the hope it might help diminish her anger.

  OK, so it was war, she declared silently as she dried off with a towel, then she wound it sarong-style around her body, secured it above her breasts and re-entered the bedroom.

  Marcello caught the heat of battle apparent, and veiled his eyes against a faint gleam of humour as he rolled back his shirt-cuffs, then slid his feet into comfortable leather loafers.

  ‘Did anyone tell you you’re impossible?’

  He had the satisfaction of offering—’Touché.’

  She bore the look of someone much younger than her years with unbrushed hair and features free of make-up.

  He restrained the desire to cross the room, dispense with the towel and kiss her senseless.

  The fact he could provided a degree of satisfaction.

  ‘Maria has dinner waiting.’

  Shannay almost told him precisely what he could do with dinner, except she didn’t trust herself to speak. Instead she extracted fresh underwear from a drawer, caught up a dress, then disappeared into the en suite again.

  In an act of defiance she took longer than necessary, and emerged to discover he was conversing in French on his cellphone.

  She selected a pair of heeled sandals and secured the straps.

  ‘Problems?’ she queried sweetly as he closed the connection.

  ‘Nothing I can’t handle.’

  ‘How … eminently satisfying to be the epitome of professionalism.’

  He almost laughed, for she was unlike any woman he knew. ‘Shall we adjourn downstairs?’

  ‘Oh, by all means, let’s adjourn.’

  Sassy, definitely sassy. He wondered if she’d be quite so brave when they returned upstairs to retire for the night.

  Maria had excelled herself, providing a rice pilaf to die for, a fresh salad, with a fruit flan for dessert.

  ‘I’d like to take Nicki into the city tomorrow afternoon,’ Shannay declared as she poured coffee, and made tea for herself.

  ‘A shop-till-you-drop mission?’

  She shook her head. ‘Some small gifts to take home for a few of her friends. Something special for Anna.’

  ‘On the condition both Carlo and I accompany you.’

  ‘We could take the metro.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘A limousine and a bodyguard?’ she queried with intentional mockery, and met his studied gaze.

  ‘A necessary precaution.’

  The Martinez billions were tied up in numerous corporations throughout the world. It was a given Marcello’s personal fortune had escalated dramatically over the past four years.

  So many assets. Yet only a few knew the extent of the Martinez benevolence to various charities, the hospitals they’d funded in third world countries.

  It made the family a target. At risk from the insurgents who hated wealth and all it represented. The beautiful people who appeared to have everything while the less fortunate lived in tenements and fought for food.

  During the two years of her marriage she’d given tirelessly of her time to help Penè organise events for charity, frequently suffering the older woman’s acerbic tongue and endless criticism as they worked together.

  Possibly Ramon’s daughter saw it as a necessity to figuratively strengthen the spine of her nephew’s wife, and her manner had achieved that, not without some resentment and restrained anger on Shannay’s part at the time.

  ‘If you insist,’ Shannay conceded, aware that to argue with him over the protection issue was a waste of time. ‘On the condition you allow me to judge what purchases are bought. I won’t have Nicki acquire an inflated sense of her own importance and become a spoilt little madam.’

  Marcello inclined his head. ‘We’ll drive into the city after visiting with Ramon.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  She finished her tea, then she transferred everything from the table onto a mobile trolley and wheeled it into the kitchen. It took only minutes to stow food into the refrigerator and stack the dishwasher.

  ‘I need to make a few international calls, send some emails,’ Marcello informed as she returned to the dining room.

  Good. With luck she’d be asleep in her room by the time he came upstairs.

  As a plan, it worked very well. Except she failed to take into consideration he’d carry through with his threat.

  For she came sharply awake as her room was flooded with light, followed seconds later by firm hands lifting her effortlessly against a hard male chest as Marcello calmly carried her along the gallery to the master suite.

  ‘You fiend.’ The accusation came out as a strangled whisper
as she clenched a fist and thumped it against his shoulder.

  An action which had no effect whatsoever, and she angled her head, then sank her teeth into hard muscle, heard his indrawn breath and then yelped as he closed the door behind him with one hand and released her to stand on the floor.

  ‘Get into bed.’ His voice was a silken drawl. ‘And shut that sassy mouth, before I’m tempted to shut it for you.’

  She cast him a furious look that should have withered him on the spot. ‘Go to hell.’

  Without a further word he hefted her over one shoulder and crossed to the bed, then he slid between the covers, placed her struggling body firmly to one side and curved his own around her.

  A simple movement and the light was extinguished, and she lay there fuming, desperately wanting to fight, but aware precisely what it would lead to if she did.

  ‘Go to sleep.’

  Sure. That was likely!

  Held close against him, absorbing his body heat, and attempting to ignore the intense sensuality apparent?

  As if sleep was going to happen any time soon!

  Yet the day’s events coupled with the previous night finally caught up with her, and the last thing she remembered was feeling … safe.

  CHAPTER TEN

  THE ENSUING FEW DAYS followed a similar pattern with morning visits with Ramon, followed by an outing for Nicki’s benefit with Carlo in attendance.

  Together they spent hours at the Warner Bros Park at San Martin de la Vega, and, perhaps the most exciting of all, the Parque de Atracciones.

  A magical time for a child, Shannay accorded indulgently as Nicki fell asleep each night before the first page was turned of her bedtime story.

  As to the nights … Attempting to sleep in her own suite, only to find herself waking in Marcello’s bed, became an exercise in futility. Accepting she was no match for her husband irked unbearably.

  Eventually she admitted defeat and slid into his bed at the end of another tiring day.

  Where she stayed. Not, she assured herself, because she wanted to … merely to prove she could lie within touching distance and sleep … eventually.

  She just wickedly hoped he suffered.

  As she did, when he gathered her close … yet made no further move. A hand that slid to her breast … and remained still. Or rested on her hip, and stayed there.