He sat very still, his gaze not leaving hers. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman in her twenties who’s still a virgin. It’s not that common, Katie.’
He said it as if there was something wrong with her. Of course it had to be her—yet again she was the one at fault.
‘Maybe not in the circles you hang out in, but I don’t think it’s that abnormal,’ she said stiffly, barely masking her inner rebellion. ‘No doubt I’m the most untouched woman you’ve ever met. And you’ve married me. The irony is extreme, don’t you think?’
She tossed her head—embarrassed, defensive and wary...but mostly with herself. With that little weakness she had within her when it came to him.
‘Does Carl know you’ve not had a boyfriend?
She paused, horrified at the question. ‘I don’t know.’ She stared down at the blanket covering her. ‘You think he wanted to marry me because of that? Like I was some kind of virgin sacrifice?’ She rejected the idea completely. ‘Marriage is for a long time. Brian could’ve just offered him the use of my body for a night...’
Suddenly she was bitterly hurt. Anger forced her to look back into Alessandro’s too-handsome face.
‘You can’t think why he’d want me for a wife at all, can you?’
‘I can’t understand why anyone would want a wife at all,’ he countered calmly. ‘Or a husband, for that matter. It’s not you personally.’
‘And yet here you are, married to me,’ she pointed out.
Alessandro stared back at her. They were locked in a still, silent moment.
‘I think Carl wanted someone controllable. A doormat,’ she finally said, slicing through the strained atmosphere.
‘You’re not that controllable,’ he muttered.
‘No. I’m not.’ She lifted her chin, embracing the defiance he sparked within her. ‘And I’m not going to struggle with six months’ celibacy because I’ve been uninterested in that all my life,’ she said scornfully.
Desperately she wanted to believe her own words. Desperately she wanted to score a point against him because he made her so uncomfortable.
But he didn’t rise to her bait, he only goaded her more—with that smile.
‘I don’t think you’re “uninterested” in that,’ he said softly.
‘You can’t imagine anyone being uninterested,’ Katie scoffed.
‘Lame call, Katie.’ He sent her another considering look from beneath those long, dark lashes. ‘You might be inexperienced, but you’re not that immature.’ He paused, his head cocked. ‘Who gave you your first kiss?’
She stared down at the blanket between them and refused to answer.
‘Katie...?’
The hint of appalled incredulity in his voice let her know he’d figured it out.
‘Don’t let it go to your head,’ she gritted.
‘It’s not going to my head,’ he drawled wickedly.
‘Really?’ She lifted her chin and glared at him. ‘Do guys seriously get off on this?’
He laughed, but it didn’t sound easy. ‘Don’t try to distract me. Denial is unworthy of you, dolcezza. I’ve kissed you. You kissed me back.’
‘And let’s agree not to do it again.’
He shook his head. ‘You are afraid—why?’ He frowned at her as if she was a conundrum. ‘If you’ve waited this long there has to be a reason.’
Oh, he had to be kidding...
But his insistent prying had pushed her past her learned reticence. She’d make him as uncomfortable as he made her.
‘Maybe I was waiting to give my virginity to my husband,’ she said in dulcet tones, and sent him a demure look. ‘That’s a reason why a lot of women wait.’
He stared at her, as still as a predator waiting for his moment to pounce, an unreadable expression on his face.
She rolled her eyes again, masking the intensity this conversation was building within her. ‘The only reasons I’m a virgin are lack of interest and lack of opportunity.’
That devilish look lit within him. ‘Why, how convenient... You have both now...’ he murmured.
Surely he didn’t mean—?
He leaned closer. ‘I’m interested. I’m your opportunity.’
She just stared at him.
‘Right here, right now. We both know how well we’d get on together. What do you say, Katie?’
She was almost certain he wasn’t serious, but the awful thing was part of her had already melted in complete surrender...and she was angry with both herself and him for that.
‘I say I’m not interested.’
His smile swerved. ‘Are you sure about that?’
Her breathing quickened. ‘I also say you’re mean.’
‘Opportunity is not the only reason.’ His lips twisted in mockery as he proved her a liar. ‘Are you waiting for love, Katie?’
‘Well... I’d have to at least like the guy,’ she retorted furiously, pushed to the extreme.
He winced and pressed his hand to his heart. ‘After all I’ve done for you...?’
‘Don’t tease.’ She borrowed his look from under lowered eyelashes. ‘I’m no match for you.’
He stared for a second, then laughed. ‘And that little pretence shows just how up to my weight you are, Katie. You’re quiet because you’ve had to be—not because you didn’t have something to say. You’re not entirely shy.’
He reached out and grabbed her hand, flattening her fingers when she tried to curl them into a fist.
‘You’re going to have to get used to a little touching, Katie.’ He traced circles on her palm with his index finger as he spoke. ‘If you want to prevent Susan from being anxious you’ll have to present a blissfully happy façade to her. You said it yourself: you’ll have to fake it. You’ll need to look and act like you’re in love with me and you can’t talk to her until you’re certain you can do that.’
He spoke lightly, but she understood that he meant every word.
‘I’m not having the world know this marriage is a sham. You wanted this, you’ve got it, but you’ll have to act the part. I will touch you. I will kiss you. Everyone knows I’d never be cold with my wife.’
She realised that beneath that tease, even as he touched her so softly, he was angry.
‘I’ve seduced you away from your fiancé after all,’ he mocked. ‘You’re going to have to look spellbound.’
Waves of heat rose just from those tiny tickling circles. His skilful fingers cast sensations like confetti—skating caresses that sent shivers of anticipation down her spine.
She swallowed the hard lump in her throat. ‘You’re sure that isn’t for your own ego?’
‘You know my ego doesn’t need the boost.’ He held her hand more tightly and leaned closer. ‘You can’t blush every time I come within two feet of you. You can’t pull away or look shy...’
She didn’t want to pull away. Unfortunately she suspected he knew that too.
‘We’re going to need to practise,’ he added softly.
‘You’re kidding?’
He shook his head and smiled wickedly. ‘As serious as ever—that’s me.’
With that he tugged her closer and pressed his mouth on hers. It was a teasing, light kiss, one she could have broken from easily. But she didn’t. Instead she stilled, uncertain whether to push him away or kiss him back. Then her body overruled her brain and decided for her and she leaned closer.
Instantly he slid his other hand to the nape of her neck, holding her so he could kiss her even more deeply. His lips roved gently, firmly, and his tongue stroked in a light tease. His fingers still clasped hers. His touch felt beyond intimate, bathing her in rose-gold heat. He was warm and strong and giving.
Delightful, dizzying wisps of wonder trickled through her veins. She tasted his smile in his kiss and somehow she smiled too. Who’d have thought kissing could be so e
asy or feel so right?
Yet the second she thought that a flicker of something else rose. Once again he’d unleashed something long hidden—something so sharp she wasn’t quite ready for it. But she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t pull back. The desire to keep kissing, keep touching, keep connected to him was too strong.