Artie blinked back moisture gathering in her eyes. He sounded so convincing. He even looked convincing with his gaze so focused on her, his mouth smiling at her as if she was the most amazing woman who had ever walked upon the face of the earth.
It’s an act. Don’t be fooled by it. None of this means anything to him and neither should it mean anything to you.
‘You may kiss the bride.’
The priest’s words startled Artie out of her reverie and she only had time to snatch in a breath before Luca’s hands settled on her hips and drew her closer, his mouth descending inexorably towards hers. The first warm, firm press of his lips sent a jolt of electricity through her body. A jolt that travelled all the way down her spine and fizzed like a sparkler deep in her core. He lifted his lips off hers for an infinitesimal moment as if time had suddenly paused. Then he brought his mouth back to hers and sensations rippled through her as his lips moved against hers with increasing pressure, his hands on her hips bringing her even closer to the hard heat of his stirring body.
One of his hands left her hip to cradle one side of her face, his touch gentle, almost reverent, and yet his mouth was pure sin. Tempting, teasing, tantalising. She opened to him and his tongue touched hers and her insides quaked and throbbed with longing. She pressed closer, her arms going around his neck, her senses reeling as his tongue invited hers in an erotic dance. Every nerve in her lips and mouth awakened to his kiss, flowering open like soft petals to strong sunshine. She became aware of her body in a way she never had before—its needs, urges, flagrantly responding to the dark primal call of his.
Luca angled his head to change position, his tongue stroking against hers, a low, deep groan sounding in his throat. It thrilled her to know he was as undone by their kiss as she was. Thrilled and excited her to realise her own sensual power. Power she hadn’t known she possessed until now.
The priest cleared his throat and Luca pulled back from her with a dazed look on his face. Artie suspected she was looking just as shell-shocked as him. Her mouth felt swollen, her feminine core agitated with a roaring hunger he alone had awakened.
Luca blinked a couple of times as if to reset his equilibrium. ‘Well, hello there, Signora Ferrantelli.’ His voice was rusty, his gaze drifting to her mouth as if he couldn’t quite believe what had happened between them moments before.
Artie licked her lips and tasted the salty sexiness of his. ‘Hello...’
Luca spoke briefly to the priest, thanking him for his services, and then led Artie to where Rosa had set up refreshments in the garden. She sensed him pulling up a drawbridge, a pulling back into himself. He stood without touching her, his expression inscrutable.
‘Right. Time to celebrate. And then tomorrow we’ll go and visit my grandfather.’
A wave of ice-cold dread washed over her. ‘But can’t we leave it a while? I mean, wouldn’t he expect us to be on our honeymoon and—?’
‘I can’t afford to leave it too long before I introduce you to him,’ Luca said, frowning. ‘He’s in a vulnerable state of health.’
Artie chewed at her lip and lowered her gaze. ‘I understand all that but I need more time to get used to being your...wife. I’m worried I’ll do or say something that will make your grandfather suspicious.’
Luca gave her a smouldering look. ‘If you kiss me like you did just then, any doubts he has will disappear.’
Artie could feel her cheeks firing up. ‘I was only following your lead. I haven’t been kissed before, so—’
‘Really?’ His eyebrows shot up in surprise.
She pulled away from him and hugged her arms around her body. ‘Go on, mock me for being a twenty-five-year-old virgin. I must seem like a pariah to someone like you who changes lovers daily.’
Her conscience rolled its eyes. I can’t believe you just told him you’re a virgin.
He scraped a hand through his hair, making it tousled. ‘Look, I kind of figured from your father that you were lacking in experience but I didn’t realise you’ve never had a boyfriend, even as a teenager. Did your father forbid you from going out or something?’
Artie averted her gaze. ‘No. I was busy looking after him after the accident that killed my mother and seriously injured him. There wasn’t time for dating.’
His deep frown brought his dark eyebrows together. ‘Why were you the one looking after him? Why didn’t he employ a nurse or carer?’
Artie turned slightly so she was facing the view over the estate. Luca’s penetrating gaze was too unsettling, too unnerving. How could she explain her reasons for taking care of her father? How could she explain the guilt that had chained her to his side? The guilt that still plagued her and had led her to marry Luca in order to save her family’s home? The home that was the only thing she had left of her family. ‘It was my choice to look after him. I was happy to do it.’
Luca came up behind her and placed his hands on the tops of her shoulders and turned her to face him. He expression was still etched in a frown, his hazel eyes gentle with concern. ‘You were just a child when the accident occurred. It was unfair of your father to allow you to sacrifice yourself in such a way. But what about school? Surely you would have had plenty of opportunity to mix with people your own age?’
Artie pressed her lips together for a moment. ‘I finished my education online. I was given special permission. I didn’t want to leave my father to the care of strangers. He was stricken with grief after losing my mother. We both were. It was my choice to take care of him—no one forced me to do it.’
His hands began a gentle massaging movement that made the tense muscles in her neck and shoulders melt like snow under warm sunshine. ‘I think what you did for your father was admirable and yet I can’t help feeling he exploited you. You should’ve had more time to yourself doing all the things teenagers and young adults do.’
Artie stepped out of his hold and interlaced her fingers in front of her body. She glanced to where Rosa was hovering with a bottle of champagne. ‘Shouldn’t we be mingling with Father Pasquale and our two other guests?’ She didn’t wait for him to answer and turned and walked towards the housekeeper standing with the priest and the other witness, who worked part-time on the Castello Mireille estate.
* * *
Luca watched Artie pick up a glass of champagne from the silver tray the housekeeper was holding. Her expression was now coolly composed but he sensed he had pressed on a nerve when discussing her role of caring for her father. He’d already suspected she was a virgin—her father had intimated as such—but no way had he suspected she had zero experience when it came to dating.
No one had kissed her before him.
She had never had a boyfriend, not even during her teens. How had her father allowed that to happen? Surely he must have realised his daughter was missing out on socialising with people her age?
Luca ran his tongue over his lips and tasted the sweet, fruity residue of her lip gloss. He could still feel the soft imprint of her lips on his, could still feel the throb of desire kissing her had evoked in his body, the deep pulses in his groin, the tingles in his thighs and lower spine.
He had kissed many women, too many to recall in any detail, but he knew he would never forget his first kiss with Artie. It was embedded in his memory. He could recall every contour of her soft mouth, every brush and glide of her tongue, her sweet vanilla and wild-strawberry taste.
But he would have to find some way to forget, for theirs was to be a paper marriage. A six-month time frame to achieve his goal of setting his grandfather’s mind at peace. Knowing Artie had so little experience was an even bigger reason to stick to his plan of a hands-off arrangement. It wouldn’t be fair to explore the physical chemistry between them, because it might raise her expectations on their relationship.
He didn’t do relationships. And certainly not that type of relationship.
Long-term relationships
required commitment and responsibility for the health and safety of your partner. His track record on keeping those he loved safe was appalling. It was easier not to love. Easier to keep his emotions in check, to freeze them so deep inside himself they could never be thawed. To imagine oneself falling in love just because of a bit of scorching hot chemistry was a foolish and reckless thing to do. He no longer did anything reckless and foolish.
Luca glanced at Artie and something pinched in his chest. She was standing next to the ancient stone fountain, the tinkling of water and the sound of birds chirping in the shrubbery a perfect backdrop for her old-world beauty. The sunlight brought out the glossy sheen of her dark brown hair, the light breeze playing with a curl that had worked its way loose from her elegant up-do. She was looking into the distance, a small frown on her forehead, and every now and again the tip of her tongue came out and swept across her lips where his had recently pressed. She turned her head and caught him staring at her, and her cheeks pooled with a delicate shade of pink.
Had he made a mistake in choosing her to be his temporary bride? She was so innocent, so untouched and other-worldly, like she had been transported from another time in history or straight out of a classic fairy tale. And yet he’d felt a connection with her from the moment he met her. A powerful connection that no amount of logic and rationality could dismiss. His brain said Don’t go there and yet his body roared with primal hunger.
But he would have to get his self-control back in shape, and fast, because falling for his sweet and innocent bride would be the most reckless and foolish thing of all.
CHAPTER FIVE
ARTIE WAS AWARE of Luca’s gaze resting on her every time she glanced his way. Aware of the way her body responded to his lightest touch. The merest brush of his fingers set off spot fires in her flesh, sending heat travelling to every secret place in her body. Smouldering there like hot coals just waiting for a breath of oxygen to fan them into vibrant life.
His kiss...
Best not to think too much about his kiss. They were supposed to be keeping their relationship platonic, but nothing about Luca’s kiss was platonic. It was sensory overload and she wondered if she would ever recover. Or stop wanting him to kiss her again. And why stop at kisses? He had woken something in her, something hungry and needy that begged to be assuaged. The idea of asking Luca to tweak the rules of their marriage slipped into her mind like an uninvited guest. It would be an ideal opportunity for her to get some experience on board. A six-month marriage where she could indulge in the delights of the flesh. What was there to lose other than her virginity?
Your pride? her conscience piped up. He can have anyone. You’re not even his type. How do you think you could ever satisfy him for six minutes, let alone six months?
Luca took a glass of champagne off Rosa and came over to where Artie was standing near the fountain. He glanced towards the priest and then back to her. ‘Father Pasquale is having a good time indulging in Rosa’s food. How long has she been working here?’
‘Since I was a baby,’ Artie said. ‘This is her home as much as it is mine.’
‘So, what would she do if you were to sell up and move away?’
Artie raised her chin. ‘I would never sell the castello. And I don’t want to live anywhere but here.’
I can’t live anywhere but here.
Luca held her gaze for a long moment. ‘How will you maintain the estate? It needs a lot of work, and sooner rather than later.’
She drained her champagne glass and sent him a narrowed glance. ‘Is this the right time to discuss this? It’s our wedding day.’
His brows drew together in a frown. ‘Do I have to remind you of the terms of our marriage?’
‘No.’ She flashed him a pointed look. ‘Do you need reminding? That kiss was a little enthusiastic for someone who insisted on keeping things on paper.’
His gaze went to her mouth, and the atmosphere throbbed with heightened intensity. ‘Maybe, but it wasn’t a one-way kiss, was it, cara? You were with me all the way.’ His tone was so deep and rough it sent a tingle down her spine. And his eyes contained a glint that made something warm and liquid spill between her thighs.
Artie went to swing away from him but his hand came down on her arm. A shiver coursed through her body at the feel of his long, strong, tanned fingers encircling her wrist. She looked down at his hand on her flesh and the warm, liquid sensation in her lower body spread like fire throughout her pelvis. She lifted her gaze to his and raised her eyebrows in a haughty manner. ‘W-what are you doing?’ Her tone was breathless rather than offended.
His broad thumb began a slow caress over the pulse point on her wrist, the fast-paced throb of her blood betraying her even further. She breathed in the scent of him—the exotic mix of citrus and clean, warm male, her senses reeling from his closeness.
‘We’re married, cara. People will expect us to touch each other.’
Her heart skipped like it was trying to break some sort of record. ‘I’m not used to people touching me.’
Luca brushed his bent knuckles against the curve of her cheek, his gaze holding hers in a sensual lock that made her insides quake with desire. ‘But you like it when I touch you, sì?’ His thumb moved from her pulse point and stroked along her lower lip. ‘You like it very much.’
Artie wanted to deny it but she had hardly helped her case by kissing him back the way she had earlier. Nor was she helping it now by not pulling away from his loose hold. Her willpower had completely deserted her—she wanted his touch, craved it like an addict craved a forbidden substance. She couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth, couldn’t stop thinking about the warm, sensual pleasure of it moving against hers. Couldn’t stop thinking about the stroke and glide of his tongue and how it had sent torrents of need racing through her body.
She drew in a ragged breath and forced her gaze back to his. ‘I’m sorry if I keep giving you mixed messages. It wasn’t my intention at all.’
He brought her hand up to his mouth and pressed a barely-there kiss to her bent knuckles, his gaze unwavering on hers. ‘You’re not the only one sending mixed messages.’ He dropped her hand and gave a rueful smile. ‘I’m not going to change the terms of our marriage. It wouldn’t be fair to you.’
Not fair? What was fair about denying her body the fulfilment it craved? ‘Are you worried I might fall in love with you?’ The question popped out before she could stop it.
His dark eyes dipped to her mouth for a moment, his forehead creasing in a frown as if he was quietly considering the possibility of her developing feelings for him. When his gaze came back to hers it was shuttered. Screened with secret thoughts. ‘It would be very foolish of you to do so.’ His voice contained a note of gravity that made the hairs on the back of her neck tingle.
‘Have you ever been in love with anyone?’
‘No.’ His answer was fast and flat.
Artie twirled the empty champagne glass in her hand. ‘I didn’t realise it was possible to prevent oneself from falling in love. From what I’ve heard it just happens and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Maybe you haven’t met the right person yet.’
‘I have no doubt such feelings exist between other people but I have no interest in feeling that way about someone.’
‘Why?’
Luca shrugged one broad shoulder, his gaze still inscrutable. ‘It seems to me an impossible task to be someone’s soulmate. To be everything they need and want you to be. I know I can’t be that person. I’m too selfish.’
Artie wondered if that was entirely true. He was prepared to marry a virtual stranger to keep his grandfather alive for a few more years. How was that selfish? And he was prepared to hand her back the castello at the end of six months instead of keeping his nine-tenths ownership. Hardly the actions of a self-serving man, surely?
Rosa approached at that moment carrying a tray with fresh glasses
of champagne. ‘Another quick one before the official photos are taken?’ she asked with a smile. ‘The photographer is setting up near the rose garden.’
Artie put her used glass on the tray and took a new one. ‘Grazie.’
‘And you, Signor Ferrantelli?’ Rosa turned to Luca, offering him a fresh glass off the tray.
He shook his head. ‘Not for me, thanks. One is enough. And please call me Luca.’ He took Artie’s free hand and nodded in the direction of the photographer. ‘Shall we?’
* * *
Once a small set of photos were taken, Artie helped Rosa tidy away the refreshments after the priest and photographer had left. But when the housekeeper announced she was going to have an early night, Artie was left at a loose end. She hadn’t seen Luca since the photo session—he’d said he wanted to check a few things out on the estate and hadn’t yet returned. She’d thought about what he’d said back at the fountain and his reasons for saying it. The more she got to know him, the more she wanted to know. Why was he so adamant about keeping his emotions in check? What was so threatening about loving someone that made him so unwilling to experience it for himself? She might not have any experience when it came to falling in love, but she knew enough from her parents and books and movies it was a real and powerful emotion that was impossible to block once it happened. But since the accident, she had given up on the hope of one day finding true love. Any love she felt would be one-sided, for how could anyone return her love once they knew the destruction she had caused?
Luca had warned her about falling in love with him—‘It would be very foolish of you to do so.’ But how could she stop something that was so beyond her control? She was already aware of her vulnerability where he was concerned. He was so suave and sophisticated, and occupied a world she hadn’t been party to her entire adult life. Hadn’t his passionate, heart-stopping kiss shown her how at risk she was to developing feelings towards him?
His Innocent's Passionate Awakening Page 6