“Why don’t we go and find somewhere to eat?” Stephanie said, as enthusiastically as she could. In reality she had little appetite, but the alternative—to stay by the fire and have her past uncovered layer by layer—was unbearable.
And he would try. She knew that. Giancarlo cared too much not to.
“I really do want to know more about your work,” she added.
“Really?” He gave a look of mocking disbelief.
She blushed. “Let’s eat anyway.”
“Just don’t tell we’re going to search for the Chinese restaurant as well. I don’t think I could wait that long.”
Her shoulders were shaking with laughter. “Have you remembered everything from that night?”
“Everything.” His eyes flashed suggestively.
A warm glow was spreading throughout her body.
“You are incorrigible.”
He did little more than lift his shoulders expressively. “And you love me for it, cara.”
She almost choked on her wine. “After so long? You should be grateful I haven’t forgotten you altogether.”
“But you haven’t. Have you?”
“And you,” she said quietly, “have you thought about me over the years?”
“You have to ask me that?”
She ordered dinner to be sent up to her suite, and later, after she had taken him to her bed and they had made love slowly and sensuously, she had spoken quietly of her life.
She was brutally honest.
Brothel keeper. Madame. Prostitute. Words she normally refused to utter. Words that had no place in her vocabulary.
Far from being shocked, Giancarlo had laughed delightedly. “I always knew you would make your own way in the world,” he propped himself up in order to give her his full attention, “and that whatever you chose to do, you would be successful.”
Stephanie lay very still, her eyes brimming as she tried to focus on some obscure point on the ceiling.
“Look at me, amore mia.” Taking her chin, he gently turned her face towards him.
“You are strong. Passionate. You have the will to survive. Things I have always loved about you. Why should it be any different now?”
He leaned down and kissed her gently.
Then his eyes widened innocently.
“Perhaps you will even introduce me to some of your beautiful girls?”
The tension was broken, and Stephanie spluttered on her laughter. “Never,” she said, pulling his mouth down to hers once more. “I’m keeping you for myself.”
Stephanie lay awake. She thought it must be somewhere around seven a.m., judging by the quality of the light. She would have said she hadn’t slept at all, but she knew that was impossible. Instead she had drifted in and out of semi-consciousness.
Nothing would ever be the same again. Not her, not her life, and certainly not her dreams, as unrealistic as they might have been.
Beside her Giancarlo stirred. “Buongiorno amore mia,” he murmured.
“You’re not really awake, are you?” She touched his face gently.
“No.”
“Then stay asleep.”
“If only I could.” He nuzzled closer to her, and touched his lips to her shoulder.
“When must you leave?” she whispered.
“Soon.” He slipped his arm around her waist and tugged her firmly towards him. His erection pressed hard against her belly.
Unable to help herself, she laughed. “Do we have time?”
Even as she spoke she was running a hand down over his hips. “Of course.”
She eased her leg over his, to give his fingers access to her, then gasped when they fluttered over her clit.
“Oh God!”