Annie West - Sleeping With The Enemy

“Then he is a fool.”

Her eyes were suddenly sharp. “Really? Does that mean you’d consider allowing your wife to work in the finance department of Gavretti Manufacturing?”

He flicked an imaginary speck of lint from his tuxedo. “Perhaps. One day.” He had no intention of letting her anywhere near his financial department. She was a D’Angeli, and he didn’t kid himself that her loyalties had suddenly switched when she’d said her vows.

Still, if he’d been Renzo, he would have used her expertise. He could say that honestly. He always used the best tool for the job.

“I suppose I can’t ask for a better answer,” she said. Then she laughed, the sound so light and beautiful that it pierced him in unexpected ways. “I bet you thought I’d tell you I was reading a romance novel, or perhaps a tome that everyone claims to have read but really haven’t.”

He couldn’t help but smile in return. She was infectious when she laughed. “Such as?”

“Oh, Ulysses maybe. Or Moby-Dick . Something giant and meaty and excruciating in the extreme.”

Nico put a hand over his heart in mock horror. “I happen to like Ulysses .”

The corners of her mouth trembled as she worked to keep a straight face. “Then I am sorry for disparaging it. I’m sure it’s a fine piece of literature.”

“You aren’t sorry,” he said, enjoying the way her face lit up with mischief.

She gave up the pretense and laughed again. “No, not really.”

“Don’t worry,” he told her. “I’ve never actually read Ulysses . I was just teasing you.”

She shook her head. “That’s very bad of you.”

He took her hand in his, his thumb ghosting over her palm. He could feel the tremor that ran through her body. An answering thrill cascaded within him. Soon, he would take her. He had to.

“I like being bad,” he murmured as he nibbled her pretty fingers. “I excel at it, in fact.”

Her only answer was another shiver.

TINA was on edge in a way she hadn’t been since the night she’d met Nico in Venice. That night, when she’d gotten into the gondola with the enigmatic stranger, she’d known they would end up in bed together even if she hadn’t fully admitted it to herself.

Tonight, she was admitting it. And she wanted it so desperately her skin tingled with anticipation. It didn’t matter that she’d been furious and hurt earlier. Nothing mattered except that she’d stood in that tiny chapel and promised to love, honor and cherish until death do us part, while her heart thrummed and her palms sweated and the man standing beside her gazed at her with piercing silver eyes.

They were in this together now, officially, and tonight was their wedding night. She couldn’t quite wrap her head around it. She was a married woman, the marchesa di Casari, and her family had no idea. Guilt slid deep into her bones. Renzo would hit the roof when he found out. Thank God that wouldn’t be for another couple of weeks at least—more if she was lucky. Still, she had time to figure out how to tell everyone what she’d done.

And time to get to the root of the problem between Renzo and Nico. If she could just understand that, she could help to fix this thing between them. She didn’t expect they would be best friends ever again, but if they could at least be in the same room together without wanting to kill each other, that would be a start.

The plane had landed half an hour ago now. She’d thought they were returning to Castello di Casari, but instead they were in Rome. She expected that Nico had a huge villa somewhere in the city, but rather it was an exclusive apartment overlooking the ancient rooftops and splendid ruins.

There was no staff waiting to greet them, no Giuseppe with his kind smile and brisk efficiency. There was only Nico, and the lights of Rome spread out like a carpet of fireflies.

She felt suddenly awkward as she stood in the darkened living room and watched Nico prowling toward her, his dark good looks emphasized by the formality of the tuxedo. He’d undone his tie a while ago, and unbuttoned the top couple of buttons of his shirt to give a tantalizing glimpse of bronzed skin.

She focused on that slice of skin until he stopped in front of her and her eyes drifted up to meet his. It jolted her again just how very handsome he was, with those piercing eyes and perfect cheekbones.

He took her hand in his without breaking eye contact, placed it on his shoulder.

Then he did the same with the other one, placing it on his opposite shoulder as her heart thrummed and her body warmed to dangerous temperatures.

“Alone at last,” he told her with a wicked smile that made hunger slide into her veins.

“So it would seem.”

“I want you, Tina,” he said, dipping his head to place a soft kiss on her cheek. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as his mouth traced a path along her jaw and down the column of her throat. “Too much,” he murmured against her skin, and the vibration of his voice dripped into her bloodstream like pure adrenaline. “I’ve thought of nothing but this for hours now.”

A thrill rocketed through her. “I should tell you no,” she said on a little half gasp as his lips found the sweet spot behind her ear.

“It’s inevitable, bella . You want me as I want you.”

“I might,” she admitted. “But I’m not exactly thrilled with how you’ve treated me.”

He lifted his head to look at her. “The prenup was necessary. You know that.”

She shrugged, but she didn’t remove her hands from his shoulders. “I do know. But you could have picked a better time.”

He sighed, his palms sliding along her hips. “It wasn’t ready before then. It takes time to put together a document of that size.”

“I realize that, Nico. I’m not stupid. But you could have told me earlier that we’d be dealing with it at some point.”

He dipped his head and ran his mouth along the column of her throat while she tried not to moan or fall apart in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have mentioned it.”

She sighed. She had an apology of her own to make. “Thank you for getting the dresses. It was nice of you.”

His hands slipped around to cup her bottom. “I thought you were angry over that.”

Tina swallowed as heat swirled inside her belly. “I was. But I realize you were trying to be nice. You just went about it in a typical male fashion.”

He pulled back to look down at her. “A typical male fashion?”

She nodded as she gazed up at him. “Yes. You assumed I would be happy so you proceeded without consulting me.”

“And you would prefer I consult you in the future about decisions of this nature?”

“About decisions that involve me. Yes.”

He dipped his head and ran his tongue along the top of her bodice. “And what about this, Tina? Do you wish to continue? Or shall we say good-night here?”

“Nico,” she breathed.

“You have the power to say no,” he told her. “I want only a willing wife in my bed.”

Tina shuddered as he pulled her against him, the evidence of his need for her pressing into her abdomen. He was hard, ready, and liquid heat slid through her in response.

“I think I’m ready,” she said, a shiver running through her because he’d asked. He’d asked .

“Think? Or know? Because I don’t want any ambiguity, cara . Choose me now, or go to bed alone.”

He was truly asking what she wanted—and she was a goner.

“I know. I know .” Tina wrapped her arms around his neck at the same moment his mouth sought hers, capturing it in a kiss so scorching she nearly melted from the heat. She moaned when he slid his tongue against hers, and her knees suddenly felt as if they were made of water.