Triplets Under the Tree

Of course, it was what she’d yearned for. But it was another thing entirely to hear it from Antonio’s mouth.

He tilted his head quizzically. “You aren’t the kind of person who sleeps around indiscriminately. Neither am I. I want to be with you from now on. Awake, asleep. In bed, out of bed. Which part is confusing you?”

“All of it. Starting with ‘hi’ when I first knocked on the door,” she muttered.

“So that wasn’t a good subject, obviously. Here’s what we’re going to do instead,” he said decisively, because of course he could read her like a book. “We’re going to have a glass of wine. Then we’re going to take this as slowly as you want to.”

“Why?” Could she have sounded more suspicious? He was saying all the right things and she was botching this.

“The wine is to relax you,” he explained, not seeming at all bothered by her lack of decorum. “Actually, both parts are to relax you. And both parts get me where I want to be. Inside you. Anticipation will make it sweeter, so I’m quite happy with the idea of taking my time. I’ve got a whole night and I’m not afraid to use it.”

Dumbfounded, she let him lead her to his sitting area overlooking the coastline and sank onto the love seat he pointed to. Apparently, Antonio was botchproof. Good thing. She’d probably do ten more things to increase her mortification level before the night was through.

He selected a bottle of red wine from the rack on the wet bar and pulled the cork. Since his back was to her, she watched his bare torso unashamedly. Too quickly, he returned with two glasses full of deep red wine, handed her one and settled in next to her on the love seat. Clad in a towel.

It should be weird. He was completely naked underneath the terry cloth, which gaped at his thigh, revealing the muscular stretch of leg that led to his...good parts.

He glanced at her and then followed her line of vision. “Curious?”

Yes, wine was a fantastic idea. The alcohol needed to be swimming through her bloodstream, not sitting in a glass untouched. She gulped as much as she could get down, for fortification.

Because, oh, yes, she was curious. Burning with it.

“I’ve never seen a naked man before,” she croaked.

Not enough wine, obviously, if she was still going to utter gems like that.

“Not even in pictures?”

She shook her head. “I’m a novice. I tried to tell you.”

Antonio set down his glass on the side table with a hard click and then took her free hand in his. “Listen to me, because I don’t want there to be any confusion about this.”

Heart hammering in her throat, she stared at him as something tender sprang into his gaze.

“It means everything to me that no other man has ever touched you. That I get to be the first. It’s an honor and I intend to treat it as such. You should never feel as if you have to apologize for this gift you’re giving me.”

“I...um.” What did you say that that? “Okay.”

That must have been the magic word. His thumb brushed over her knuckles and he let go of her hand to run his fingertips over the back of her wrist.

And kept going up her bare arm, watching her with that dark intensity as he touched her. Without a word, he took the glass from her suddenly nerveless fingers and set it next to his. A breath later, his mouth descended and took hers in a slow, deliberate kiss that melted her bones.

His sweet lips... They molded hers, explored. Slowly, as promised.

“Wait,” he murmured, and his heat left her as he rose to click off the lights. Moonlight poured in from outside the glass, illuminating the love seat and throwing the rest of the room into shadow.

Antonio returned with the comforter from his bed and a couple of small squares that she eyed curiously until she realized what they were. Condoms. This had just turned real and her throat closed.

He spread the comforter in front of the floor-to-ceiling window and stretched out on it, beckoning her to join him. “Just to set the mood.”

But the sight of Antonio bathed in the glow from the moon froze her completely. He was beautiful, mystical. Too perfect to be real. She just wanted to soak him in, to gorge herself on his splendor.

He seemed to sense her thoughts and lay still, allowing her to gaze at him as much as she wanted. The scar marking the location of his once-broken leg forked up his calf, as seductively savage as the rest of him.

After an eternity, he reached for his towel and held it in both hands, poised to take it off. “Do you want to see all of me?”