“Tell me, what is so bad about all of these things I’ve done for you today? Am I not allowed to treat you to a nice time?”
“You can do whatever you like. It’s just hard to have a day like that because I know this isn’t what real life is like. Before too long, I’m going to go back to Brooklyn and cook my own dinner again. There won’t be a beautiful beach out my window, and I won’t wake up to the sound of waves crashing on the rocks.”
“You can have anything you want. You just have to ask, tesorina.”
She wondered what he meant by that. Her mind instantly leaped ahead to a life together, where he’d give her a beach house if that was what she wanted. That, of course, was a ridiculous fantasy brought on by their discussion on the boat and a little too much wine. He wasn’t offering anything but an optimistic point of view. She decided to focus on something else instead, before she embarrassed herself. “Luca, what does tesorina mean?”
He smiled as he looked down at her. “It literally means treasure in Italian, but it’s a term of endearment that is used like we would use sweetheart or honey in English.”
Her breath caught in her throat when she heard the definition of the name he’d called her from their very first day together. “Why do you call me that?”
His brow furrowed. “Because that’s what you are, Claire—both a treasure and the sweetest, most passionate creature I’ve ever met.”
She couldn’t hold back any longer. Those words were a stronger aphrodisiac than any food she could imagine. Lunging forward, she met his lips with her own. She wrapped her arms around his neck to tug him closer to her. Claire felt his hands glide over her rib cage and along her waist. She wanted more. She wanted him to touch her all over.
She pressed her body against his. She could feel the firm ridge of his desire pressing into her belly. Rubbing against it, she drew a low growl from Luca’s throat. Feeling bold, she let her palm graze over his chest, dipping lower to stroke him through his pants.
Luca ripped his mouth from hers, reaching out quickly to grip her wrist and pull her away. “Claire,” he nearly groaned. His whole body tensed as he struggled to keep control. “Don’t. I can’t take it. I want you too badly.”
“Then take me. Please, Luca. I want you to make love to me. I want you to show me what it feels like to be with a man who truly desires me.”
She watched him close his eyes for a moment and draw a deep breath in through his nose. When his eyelids rose, there was a heat in his gaze.
Her hand was trembling as she reached for his. Before she lost her nerve, she turned and walked toward her bedroom. Mia had moved Eva’s playpen into her room tonight, so they had the space all to themselves.
Without turning back to face him, she reached for her dress and started fumbling with the buttons down the front. Claire could feel the heat of Luca’s body at her back, but he didn’t touch her. At least, not yet.
She let the top of the dress slip from her arms to pool at her waist. Luca’s breath was hot on her nape as he moved in closer and pressed a searing kiss on her bare shoulder. The contrast sent a shiver down her spine that met with his fingertips as he gathered the fabric in his hands and pushed it over her hips.
The sundress pooled around her feet, leaving her in nothing but her underthings. Claire held her breath as Luca unlatched her bra and slipped the straps from her shoulders. He let it drop to the floor, immediately covering both breasts with his hands.
Claire gasped and arched her back to press her body closer to his touch. She could feel her nipples tighten and harden as his fingertips stroked over them. He continued to sprinkle kisses across her bare shoulders and neck, the combination of touches building a raging fire in her belly.
“Luca,” she gasped as he rolled the peaks between his fingers. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was begging him for, but she knew he could give it to her.
He responded by gliding his palm across her bare belly to the edge of her panties. She tensed as he moved over the skin that hadn’t quite bounced back from having Eva, but he didn’t seem to notice. Luca was focused on his destination. Without hesitating, his hand slipped beneath the satin and stroked across her sensitive center.
Claire gasped, but his firm grip on her body wouldn’t allow her to squirm away from the intensity of his touch. “Sì, bella,” he cooed in her ear from behind as he moved relentlessly over her slick skin.
She felt her thighs start to tremble beneath her. Claire wasn’t certain how much of this she could take. She might collapse into a puddle right there at his feet. “Not yet,” she whispered between ever more urgent cries.