A Perfect Caress

by Nana Prah

  “We’re here.” The two words were unnecessary, considering they sat in front of a monstrous building that looked like a couple of the others they’d seen.

  Lanelle opened the door and slipped out of the car. Her gaze fixed on the cathedral as if she were an angel returning home. She gravitated to the church.

  He caught up to her right before she opened the door. As they stepped in, he saw nothing unique about the structure. Stained glass windows, depressed-looking statues and wooden pews. Nothing different from any of the others they’d visited. But the brown and cream marble of the floor caught his interest.

  Lanelle’s eyes were wide and mouth slightly agape; Dante would’ve thought she’d seen her favorite movie star. Since there were only a few people sitting in the pews, supposedly praying, he leaned over and whispered into her ear, “Why do you like churches so much?”

  When she didn’t answer, he touched the small of her back, pleased when she didn’t jump away. “Did you hear me?”

  Without moving her head, the iris of her eye met the corner. He recognized the look. Her exasperation shouldn’t amuse him so much. He let his lips touch the shell of her ear as he asked, “Will you answer?”

  He didn’t care if she did or not. Being close to her, he could smell the combination of her rose perfume and the faint hint of chocolate. Maybe from the cocoa she drank at breakfast.

  “I’ll explain later.”

  Dante backed away. There was no playing when she switched into her no-nonsense mood. Taking a few moments, he looped around the cathedral. Then he sat on one of the benches and proceeded to watch Lanelle observe every aspect of the church.

  He watched as she wandered through the building for a good half an hour. What he considered to be a waste of time had her enthralled, which in turn captivated him.

  Her beatific smile as she turned to him stole his breath. He’d exist in a state of oxygen deprivation if she looked at him like that every time she saw him.

  She swept past without a word. Why did he always have to chase after her? He squinted at the bright sunshine on the other side of the solid engraved wooden doors before sliding on his sunglasses.

  Not wanting to risk having the nastier Lanelle come out to play, he didn’t ask about the church experience. “I need to get directions on how to reach the cable cars. Unless you aren’t interested in going.” When had he become hesitant when dealing with a woman? Since you found one who scares you half to death because you desire her so much.

  Act too macho and she got defensive. But it went against his nature to be some kind of doormat. He pulled his shoulders back and coached himself to man up.

  “I’d like to go.” She placed a hand over her stomach. “I think eating around the clock has warped my metabolism. I’m hungry again.”

  “Me, too. Must be the fresh sea air. Let’s get to the gas station and ask for directions and a restaurant recommendation.” The definitive decision reflected his normal confident, get-it-done personality. Much better than the wuss he’d been a minute ago.

  They walked the short distance to the station, where Dante got the instructions for the cable car they’d take to Erice. The clerk didn’t seem as impressed by his fluency in Italian as they did on the mainland. In fact, the white-haired old man asked him to repeat himself three times before stating in English, “I can’t understand what you’re saying. You live on the mainland.”

  Dante shook his head. “I’m from the States, but I grew up and learned Italian on the mainland.”

  “It’s why I didn’t understand you. The dialect is different. See.” The man spoke a sentence in his language.

  Dante couldn’t understand a word of it. “What are you speaking?”

  Deep creases appeared in his cheeks when he smiled and spoke in English again. “Sicilian. Better than Italian. No?”

  Dante chuckled, not ready to get in the middle of that little battle. “What did you just say?”

  “The food at the restaurant across the street is delicious.”

  “Is ‘thank you’ the same in both languages?” Lanelle asked.

  “Pretty much, but it is nicer here.”

  She smiled. “Then I’ll just say ‘thank you.’”

  The old man winked. “Enjoy Sicily.”

  Chapter 23

  As they’d sat talking for the past twenty minutes, Lanelle prayed Dante would forget about her church fetish. If only she could’ve kept her reactions hidden. Which would’ve been the equivalent of asking Vanessa not to be snarky. She’d try for a little while, and then it would all get blown out the window.

  Lanelle might’ve been a little hard on him when he’d disturbed her in the cathedral, but it seemed he could handle her tougher side. Couldn’t he? At least he knew when to back off.

  She twirled her fork in the succulent plate of spaghetti, making sure to capture a fresh clam. Damn, Italians—Sicilians, in this case—knew how to cook.

  Slow down. Maybe breathe a little between bites. She paused in devouring the meal to chance a glance at Dante. If she hadn’t swallowed the food in her mouth, she would’ve choked with her sharp intake of air. Did he know how sexy he was? Especially now, looking at her as if he wanted to eat her up instead of the veal Parmesan sitting on his plate.

  Dante cut into his meat. “Can I ask you a question?”

  She grabbed her water and took a sip to stall for time. It helped her recover from the sudden dryness his query created. “Go ahead.”

  He placed the fork on his plate, giving her his complete attention. “I’ve observed you with Ryan and Vanessa. Disciplined and loving. You also speak to them with a respect that they appreciate. You’d make a fantastic mother.”

  She’d been thinking the same thing lately. Being with Ryan and Vanessa had made her maternal instincts and the longing to have children kick in. “Thank you.”

  He seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking again. “I’m sorry for the loss of your children. No mother should have to bury a child.”

  He’d get no argument from her. The tight coiling of her stomach as Lanelle anticipated his next question threatened to bring up the food she’d just eaten.

  “I was wondering...” He paused, clasped and unclasped his hands and wiped his brow before folding his hands together again. His uncharacteristic nervousness would’ve been endearing if he wasn’t scaring her. “If you fell in love with someone who was Rh negative, would you be able and willing to have children with him?”

  The man she loved had asked if she could physically have children. What if she gave him the wrong answer? Was he Rh negative? She reached for her glass only to find it empty. He handed her his untouched water and she took a huge gulp. “Why do you ask?”

  “I’m interested in you,” he said softly, as if he realized a sudden desire to bolt had come over her. “And even though I’m sure you won’t admit to it, you like me, too.”

  Every inch of her skin heated as her heart rate quickened. He likes me. Tamping down her elation, she reminded herself of the negative aspect of the situation.

  He filled in the silence when she didn’t speak. “I thought we could talk about the possibility of starting a relationship. Was I wrong?”

  Jumping up and running out on this forthright man would make her appear weak. Informing him that she wanted him more than her next breath would be too telling, so Lanelle took the middle ground. “We hardly know each other.”

  “What I know so far, I like. I want to learn more. If a relationship is too much for you right now, then how about friendship?” His lopsided grin brought a wicked glint to his eyes. “Maybe we can add in a few kisses, or a little more, to keep things interesting.”

  Oh, boy. “You’ve thrown me off guard with your candor.” She sucked in a breath, then released it slowly in an attempt to get a grip on her emotions. Sh
e wanted to say yes, but she still wasn’t ready. “Let’s start with being friends.”

  “I can accept your decision.” Dante’s frown did everything to make her want to change her mind.

  Every single cell in her body screamed to tell him her full name. Not to shake him off, but to release her from the guilt. And yet she couldn’t tell him because he’d end up hating her for no real reason whatsoever. Maybe he’d be able to let go of this grudge he had and still like her for whom he’d come to know. Of course, lying to him, even by omission, was a pretty big deal.

  “Good.” Then she decided to admit the second thing that had the greatest potential of keeping him at bay for the rest of her life. “I can physically have children.”

  Before he could open his mouth, she rushed to say, “When I’m with you, I feel again. I haven’t been attracted to anyone in years. I’ve kept my heart hidden and frozen. This made me happy because it meant I’d never have to deal with another man.” She dropped her gaze. “And then you came along, making me laugh, cry and growl with anger. Breaking me out of the empty woman I’d turned into.” Lanelle caught his gaze and shook her head. “I’m having difficulty handling it. The more I try to stay away, the closer we become, and that petrifies me.”

  He reached out a hand and clasped hers as he nodded. His strength infused her with the determination to proceed. “I know the one thing most people want more than anything is children. When you mentioned it at our first dinner together, I knew you did, too.” She raised a shoulder, then let it drop.

  “Yes, children are important, but I’ve realized life goes on without them.” He jerked his head back. “Wait. That came out wrong. If the woman I end up with—” he paused as he stared into her eyes “—can’t have children for whatever reason, then there are other ways.”

  When Lanelle didn’t respond, he asked, “How do you feel now?”

  The unexpected question slammed her back into her seat. Other than a burning desire to make love to you? The overwhelming need to take care of you? Wanting to attempt to bear a child for you if we share blood compatibility? “I like you.” At least she’d been honest this time, rather than hiding behind a lie.

  The corners of his lips lifted into a full-blown smile. “Was it so hard to say?”

  If she’d summoned every ounce of courage stored within her, she would’ve told him her true feelings by waxing poetic about love. The emotion had snuck up on her like an insidious disease. Bit by bit, he’d wedged himself into her heart.

  Dante had somehow dispelled the fear of disappointment instilled into her by her ex-husband’s ready dismissal of their marriage. She was still more than her fair share of afraid, but he made her want to take the risk.

  He withdrew his hand. “I did some research about rhesus factor.”

  Of course he did.

  “Even if the RhoGAM never works, if you had a child with a rhesus-negative man, it wouldn’t matter because the child would be negative and your cells wouldn’t attack him or her.”

  She liked how he didn’t call the baby “it.” She nodded as she waited for him to continue.

  “When I disappeared yesterday, I went to a lab and got tested. I’m negative. I knew my blood type was B-negative, but I never related it to the Rh factor before.”

  He waved a hand in front of her face as she sat unmoving, the news penetrating her brain. “Did you hear me?”

  The fact that he’d gone to the trouble to find out said so much about how he felt about her. Could he be the man she’d waited all her life for? Lanelle swallowed and licked her lips. Now she felt really horrible about hiding her identity. Ready to admit the truth, she opened her mouth, only to have him place his fingers over them.

  “You don’t have to say anything now. I just wanted you to know.”

  Tell him. He’ll forgive you.

  As he called the waiter over for the check, the voice in her head kept getting fainter as the fear of losing him grew.

  “Are you ready to head out?” he asked as he stood.

  Her shoulders drooped as she realized how much of a coward she’d become. “Sure.”

  Back in the car, the tension within her made being with him uncomfortable. Following the directions of the gas attendant, they found themselves at the cable cars. Dante paid for a complete car so they’d be alone.

  Deciding to enjoy the time she had with him, she let go of everything except her soaring heart when she realized just how much he cared about her. Since she felt the same, she knew things would work out. When the cable car started climbing, Lanelle wiggled her behind on the seat.

  Dante raised his eyebrows. “What are you doing?”

  “Checking to see if it’ll shake. It’s pretty stable.”

  “You’d be a nightmare to sit with on a Ferris wheel.”

  Lanelle laughed. “I take it you don’t like when we try to flip it over?”

  “Not at all.”

  They appreciated the scenery for the ten-minute ride. “It’s breathtaking,” Lanelle gushed as she snapped a photo. “Looking down on the town and the ocean is like a dream.”

  * * *

  Dante felt the same way every time he saw Lanelle. He expected to wake up at any moment. She likes me. And yet she was still holding something back from him. He could sense it. The chicken in him wasn’t ready to ask her about it, which disturbed him. The fact that he’d rather be with someone who withheld information rather than find out the truth wasn’t like him at all.

  Maybe if his heart weren’t involved he’d make sure she told him her secret, but it was too late. Sitting at the restaurant looking into her eyes, he’d wanted her in his arms. Restaurant patrons be damned.

  Taking it slow would be the best way to win her over. Long-term strategy over short-term pleasure.

  Lanelle stiffened as his arms slid around her from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see that they were alone on the hilltop. With a wistful sigh, she leaned her back into his chest.

  “You’re more beautiful than the breathtaking scene before us,” Dante whispered into her ear.

  He turned her to face him and kissed her in that perfect moment. She clung to him as he reveled in the sweetness of her tender lips. Her smile didn’t escape him when he groaned as she swept her tongue along his top lip. Tease. The grin disappeared as he delved his tongue into her mouth and swirled it around hers.

  Stepping into Nirvana couldn’t have been any better as she returned each stroke. Her fragrance, mixed with the barely discernible tangy smell of the ocean below as she clung to him, made the moment more poignant. He couldn’t get enough of tasting her.

  The giggles of a child sounded in his ears, making him pull away. Moving slowly toward what he imagined would be a beautiful relationship wouldn’t do it for him. Not unless he wanted to take the risk of exploding whenever he was near her. “Will you stay with me here tonight?”

  Her dark eyes searched his. Time ceased when she reached up and stroked his cheek. “Yes.”

  Chapter 24

  Lanelle paced, or rather trudged, through the thick beige carpet of the extravagant suite Dante had booked after rushing them into the next available cable car back to Trapani. When the man wanted something, he went all out. Lanelle wiped her sweaty palms on her robe, thinking about how much he desired her.

  His touches and stolen kisses at every stoplight on the drive to the hotel had kept her in a consistent state of longing. He’d left the room to make the pharmacy stop they’d both forgotten on their way over, and now apprehension clutched at her.

  It didn’t help that Lanelle could envision Cynthia’s sly smile on the other end of the phone, even though Dante had been the one to tell his sister about them spending the night in Trapani when he’d borrowed her phone.

  This isn’t me. He hadn’t promised her a future, only the nig
ht. Although the mention of a relationship at dinner implied more than just a fling.

  He’d be the first man she’d slept with since her husband. He’ll see me naked. The few stretch marks on her belly she’d earned from her pregnancies would soon be exposed. The ridiculous thoughts about her body ceased as the corner of her lip twitched, remembering how much he made her laugh.

  They shared a connection. She’d felt it the first day they’d met. Knew it when the universe brought them together again at the fund-raiser. He brought out a passion in her that had lain dormant all her life.

  She should tell him about her family. A sigh left her shoulders slumped over; she knew she wouldn’t. Not tonight. The wall clock read four.

  What was taking him so long? Maybe all the shops and pharmacies were closed.

  She smacked her hands over her cheeks. She couldn’t go through with it. How would she be able to face Vanessa and her family tomorrow? Lanelle moved to grab her clothes.

  She jumped at the knock on the door just as she reached the small wardrobe where she’d folded her jeans and top.

  The hesitancy in her steps made crossing the small room take forever. She sped up when the knock repeated. It could be only one person, but she asked, “Who is it?”

  “Dante.”

  Unlocking the door, she swung it open and let him in. As he breezed past, her previous thoughts flittered away as her gaze caressed his strong back. Muscles she’d touched earlier flexed beneath his T-shirt as he placed the bag on a table in the corner of the room.

  She’d have this night with him without regrets. The future might not exist for them, but tonight she’d quench the fire burning within her.

  Turning, he approached her with open arms, and she leaped into them. Starting near her collarbone, he peppered a trail of kisses along her neck; when he reached her mouth, he plunged in. To her disappointment, he pulled back after too short a time.