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“But you don’t understand, Mari, that’s the thing You don’t understand anything”
It was Luca who took the step and Mari found her breasts pressed against the fabric of his suit coat Without thinking she lifted her hand, the silky fabric of her pashht elbow Her finger traced the hard angle of his jaw “Then help me understand”
He didn’t answer Instead he reached up and gripped her wrist with his hand and lowered his mouth to hers
She opened her lips, letting his tongue sweep inside, tasting the tangy sharpness of fine chane and the dark seduction of cool chocolate
With his other hand he dragged her closer The clinking sounds of the dining roohtly muffled by the seclusion of the alcove Luca’s lips trailed over her cheek to her ear and down the curve of her neck, dropping featherlight kisses that ht have had
“Luca,” she uttered, shattered, wondering what it would be like to give herself to a man for the first time since that awful day seven years before To feel safe and protected Cherished
“The first tiainst her teers into her waves “And I knew that moment that one day you’d wear it down and you’d look exactly like you do tonight Bellissima Mariella”
She tilted her head back, feeling her hair slide along her shoulder blades as his mouth followed the curve of her neckline toward her collarbone There was no reason for hi her this way unless…unless…
Sensation after sensation swirled through her: touch, taste, the feel of his body holding hers and the taste of his lips as their ers found the zipper at the back of her dress and lowered it a few inches, sliding his fingers along the seam while Mari ached to be touched It ceased to matter where they were
But he stepped back
“I can’t do this Mari It’s not fair”
Her body still vibrated from his embrace “I don’t understand”
Gently he reached out, picked up the trailing end of her shawl and placed it over her naked shoulder “I cannot be with you tonight knowing that tomorrow…”
He hesitated, the silence so terrible Mari thought she would certainly scream Finally she broke the silence with the one question she had wanted to ask since this e to hear the answer