A Ring for Vincenzo's Heir

Giuseppe left, shutting the double doors behind him.

Alone in the shadowy bedroom, standing next to the enormous bed, Scarlett and Vin looked at each other.

“What now?” she whispered, shivering. “What should we—”

Before she could finish her sentence, before she could even finish her thought, Vin pulled her roughly into his arms. Claiming her lips as his own, he twined his hands in her long red hair, kissing her with deep, ferocious hunger that could not be denied.

CHAPTER SIX

VIN HADN’T FELT so emotionally out of control for a long, long time.

All night, he’d been forced to endure feelings he’d ignored for twenty years, since he’d left Italy and closed the door marked “love and family” forever in his mind.

But that door had been wrenched open. He was out of practice dealing with any feeling but anger, so staggered by conflicting emotions.

Right now, there was only one thing he wanted to feel.

This. Kissing Scarlett, Vin stroked his hands up her arms, feeling the silky fabric of her empire-waist dress slide beneath his fingertips. Feeling the warmth of her body beneath. He could be sure of this.

And this. He deepened the kiss, teasing her with his tongue.

Her sigh was soft in his mouth, like a whimper, but he felt the way she moved, her belly hard against his, her breasts swollen and soft.

This was all he wanted to feel. What he could physically grasp. What he could hold.

Scarlett.

Distantly, he heard the raucous noise of the party downstairs in the courtyard. But here in the hush of the darkened bedroom it felt strangely private, even holy. This was a place out of time, belonging to them alone.

Vin felt her tremble against him. Her lips parted beneath his, open and ripe for the taking. The rational part of his brain disappeared. It was like he’d never kissed anyone before.

He caressed her cheek, running his hand down the back of her neck, through her long hair tumbling down her shoulders. He drew back, looking at her. She was so sexy. So impossibly desirable. Beneath the silk bodice of her dress, he could see the hard nipples of her swollen breasts.

His body was screaming to take her now, take her hard and fast.

He exhaled, forcing himself to stay in control. She was heavily pregnant with his child, so he’d have to be gentle. She would need to be on top. To set the rhythm.

Plus, she was nervous. He felt that in her hesitation, in the way she’d shyly asked for separate rooms. She was afraid of what their lovemaking would start between them.

She was right to be afraid.

He intended to use every weapon he had to make her fall in love with him. To make her acquiesce to his every desire, and give him total command.

He needed to lure her slowly. Until she wanted him so badly that she was the one pushing him back roughly against the bed, and climbing on top of his naked body, easing her soft, wet core around him, driving him hard until they both screamed, clutching each other—

He shuddered with need. Patience, though a virtue, wasn’t his strong point.

But he was starting to suspect that the torture of wanting her, and waiting for her, would make this conquest the single most spectacular sexual event of his life. For that, it was worth a little self-control.

If he could keep himself from losing it...

He gentled his kiss, making his lips seductive and soft. She leaned her body against him, reaching up to twine her hands in his short dark hair, pulling his head down harder against hers. Her rough, savage kiss made him feel so, so good, his body taut, his blood rushing and pounding and spiraling with need—

With a silent curse, Vin pulled away. She wouldn’t be able to resist now if he drew her to the bed. He saw that in her sweetly mesmerized face. She wasn’t the problem.

He was.

He couldn’t lose control. Not now. Not ever. He needed a new strategy to force himself to slow down.

Scarlett’s big eyes gleamed in the shadowy room as she looked up at him, dazed with desire. Cupping her cheek, he said in a low voice, “You have had a long day, cara. You need some comfort. Let me take care of you.” Her forehead furrowed, then smoothed as he ran his hand gently along her shoulder. “I saw a marble tub in the en suite. Shall I start you a bath?”

“A bath?” she said, sounding bewildered, and he couldn’t blame her.