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Dara’s breath whooshed out of her lungs as a warm hand settled possessively upon her inner thigh. It had been weeks since she’d felt her husband’s hands on her body, and the sensation was just as addictive as she remembered.
‘I’ve never been one for power plays, but I must say I am enjoying the effect so far,’ he murmured seductively.
‘I’m open to the blindfold, but I’m drawing the line at handcuffs,’ she replied, focusing on the agonising slowness of his fingers as they progressed towards the hem of her skirt.
‘We’re hot enough in the bedroom without adding props, carina,’ he rasped, gripping her thigh and squeezing gently. ‘And I’m liable to stop this car on the side of the road if you don’t stop making those delicious little noises.’
Dara smiled to herself, hearing his laboured breathing. ‘I’ll behave myself if it means avoiding an accident. Still, I’m not opposed to you being so out of control.’
He chuckled. ‘I’ll make note of that.’
Less than fifteen minutes later the car had moved off the motorway and onto rougher terrain. She had expected him to take her to the private airfield where they normally housed the jet, but he wouldn’t have needed to blindfold her for that. The past Christmases of their relationship had been spent travelling abroad. Sipping champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower...exploring deserted beaches in Bali. She wondered what on earth he had planned this year. Curiosity made her stomach jolt with excitement as she felt the car suddenly pull to a smooth stop.
Leo jumped out from the car, ordering her to wait as he opened her door and helped her out into the crisp night air. He gently removed the blindfold, allowing Dara a moment as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings.
She looked up at the familiar facade of Castello Bellamo and felt her breath catch. Thousands of tiny twinkling fairy lights adorned the steps to the double doors. The entrance glowed as though lit up by some kind of magical force.
‘The real surprise is inside.’ Leo took her by the hand and led her up the steps and through the open doors into the grand hallway.
The castello had always been a magical place to her, with its vaulted ceilings and mysterious corridors. But now it simply took her breath away. Thick garlands of flowers adorned each side of the staircase, and tiny ornamental elves sat on a side table surrounded by candlelight. The light from the chandelier above had been left dimmed for maximum effect, and she could see a warm glow emanating from the doorway leading into the front sitting room.
‘Leo, the place looks like something from a fairy tale.’ She sighed, wandering through the archway. Her breath caught as she took in the enormous Christmas tree that dominated the room. The tree had to be at least nine feet tall, and was perfectly decorated in an array of red and gold. ‘Did you do this all by yourself?’ she asked, still stunned by all the effort he’d gone to.
‘I had some help,’ he admitted. ‘I remembered you spoke about how much you loved the traditional family Christmases you had as a child.’ Moving his weight onto one foot, he leaned against the archway and watched her. ‘Do you like it?’
Dara turned to him, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she realised that her powerful jet-setting husband was actually nervous.
‘Leo, this is so thoughtful, I’m actually—’ She swallowed down her emotion, trying not to ruin the moment with silly tears.
‘What’s wrong? Have I upset you?’ Leo was by her side in an instant and enveloping her into his strong embrace. ‘I know that we usually spend this time of year somewhere warmer and more exotic. Are you disappointed?’
Dara shook her head quickly, looking up into the brilliant emerald depths of his eyes. He was so serious, so concerned, and yet she couldn’t seem to find the words to assure him that this was wonderful.
‘It’s perfect,’ she rasped. ‘Thank you.’
She felt his arms relax around her, pulling her closer into the wall of his chest. She tilted her head up and claimed his mouth in a kiss full of heat and promise.
* * *
Leo groaned and smoothed his hands down Dara’s back slowly, allowing his hands to rest on her supple curves. She was still as addictive as ever, his wife. And he’d be damned, but he couldn’t wait another moment before having her.
The soft rug before the fire made for an excellent makeshift bed. He lowered them both to the floor slowly, unbuttoning his shirt in the process. Dara began to pull at the buttons on her own blouse, but Leo had other plans. He laid a hand gently on top of hers.
