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His laugh was a throaty invitation. “Then let me enlighten you, Mrs Katrakis.” He scooped down, lifting her against his powerful chest, carrying her in from the terrace, over the threshold of the lounge area. And as he moved through the house, she felt not just like he was carrying her through a building, but like he was physically moving her from her old life and into her new one. A fresh start – away from her family, her parents, her ex-husband.
This was all new, and it was all hers.
CHAPTER FIVE
“IT IS YOUR TURN,” he said from behind her, the water lapping gently around them. The infinity pool was the last word in luxury. Overlooking the ocean, and despite the cool of the evening, the pool was warm, like a spa – and somehow the briskness of the air temperature only made the sensation of being submerged in the water lovelier.
“My turn for what?” She floated onto her back, staring up at the sky – lit with mauves and the last whisper of the day. Bella had been disappointed when, instead of taking her to his bedroom and making slow, delicious love to her, he’d led her to a pool room and showed her a selection of bathing costumes – tags still attached – for her to get changed into. He hadn’t even offered to stay and help her!
Disappointment though had quickly given way to delight – and anticipation, for she knew before the night was out she would be in his arms again, her body possessed by his in a way that she’d been dreaming of since they’d first slept together.
“Life stories,” he said teasingly, wetting his fingers and splashing her.
“Ah.” She straightened a little, her feet not touching the bottom, so she had to tread water. Only he swam to her and caught her body in his hands, holding her easily.
Just when she’d thought the feeling of warm water and cool night air couldn’t get any better…! “What did you want to know?”
He lifted a hand, brushing her hair back from her forehead. “Your first marriage.”
“Ah.” She bit down on her lip, her mood changing. But he’d spoken about something that must have been hard for him – didn’t she owe him the same? “What about it?”
“When did you divorce?”
She sighed. “Several years ago.”
“You still use his name?”
She frowned.
“When you came to my office, you didn’t use Howard…”
“Oh, no,” she nodded. “I know. I … my dad died, when I was twelve. And I spent a lot of time with my godparents – the Salbatores. Xavier’s their son. I suppose, even after we divorced, I continued to feel like a Salbatore.” She smiled, on safer ground when she thought of her ex-parents-in-law. “It’s more a sign of my affection for them, than it is for Xave.”
“So you were married and yet you never slept with your husband?”
She should have expected that question – but she hadn’t. She froze, her expression completely unmoving. “No.”
“That, then, is my question to you.” He ran his hands down her back, cupping her buttocks, lifting her and wrapping her legs around his waist.
Bella chewed on her lower lip, not sure exactly how to broach that subject. It was so messy, so confusing. Half the time she could barely make sense of that period in her life herself.
“And after you have explained this to me,” he said, huskily, “I will kiss you here,” he dropped his mouth to her throat, flicking his tongue against her pulse point there. He ran his hand to her breast, cupping it. “And here.” And then, he rolled his hips, pushing his powerful manhood between her legs. “And here.”
A gargled groan sounded from deep within her.
“I’m singing for my sexual supper?” she couldn’t help asking.
“Something like this.” His eyes were hooded.
“It’s not a big deal,” she said, finally. “Xave was in an accident. He was injured – badly. It’s a miracle he survived. His memory was impaired.” She held her breath a little, the sight of him in the hospital bed one she knew she’d never forget. “Once he was well enough to walk, we married, but he still wasn’t himself. He withdrew from me. He wasn’t interested in me and it never felt… right. Looking back on it, I see now that our marriage was never about love. Nor desire. It was convenient for him, and for me. And we cared about each other – we still do – as friends. But it was never like… I didn’t walk into a room and want to… It wasn’t like…”
Vitalo watched her quietly, his expression giving nothing away, and then, he tilted his head forward, just far enough to brush his lips to hers. “It wasn’t like this?”
Flames leaped in her blood.
“No,” she agreed, moaning, as his hands found the straps of her bathers and pushed them down her arms a little. “It was never like this.”
“He was a fool to resist you,” Vitalo said, lifting up so his eyes could bore into hers. “But I am selfishly so glad he did.”
