Beneath her, his body shook, and then his hand came down on her bottom. “I’m not dead. And I don’t appreciate you thinking you killed me but you weren’t going to check.”
“Did I say that out loud?” she murmured, still not moving. She didn’t even care that he’d smacked her on the butt. He’d been gentle and he’d rubbed her bottom right away, taking away any possible sting.
“Yes.”
“Well, I can’t move. I can’t really breathe, so that’s my excuse.”
He laughed softly. “You’re talking, Nicoletta. If you can talk …”
She waved her hand in the air dismissively, but she did manage to roll off of him to one side of the bed. She almost rolled right onto the floor, but he caught her by the hips and stopped her before she went over. She was that limp, feeling like a rag doll.
“I’m so in love with you, Taviano,” she murmured. “Just in case I haven’t told you today. You’re the most extraordinary man. I’m lucky to have you and I won’t ever take you for granted.”
He sat up and kissed her spine, just above her bottom. “You slay me, woman. Every damn time. I’m going to run us a bath. Give me a minute and I’ll come get you.”
Nicoletta turned her head so she could watch him pad on bare feet to the master bath. He walked naked, with total confidence, the way he did everything else. Every muscle rippled deliciously beneath his skin, and if she wasn’t so exhausted, she would have jumped him all over again. He was that beautiful. And she was that in love with him. What man turned control over to his woman so easily?
He had made it easy for her to trust him, always a choice. She didn’t have to turn her back on him, but when she did, she’d been rewarded. She knew she would have more confidence if they tried a different position. She wanted to try now. She looked forward to it. She still wasn’t so willing to have him pinning her down on the bed, but on her hands and knees, yeah, she could definitely try that. Just thinking about it had her blood pounding all over again.
She found herself smiling. She wanted to hug herself, but she still felt a little like a limp dishrag, so she let one arm dangle off the bed and kept her eyes on the master bath. She didn’t want to miss one glimpse of Taviano’s powerful body as he came back for her.
“You have a smug look on your face,” she observed, as he prowled across the room toward her, making her heart beat faster. There was no other word for it. Prowled fit. He looked like a great jungle cat about to pounce on her.
He flashed a grin at her that looked suspiciously like he might just be a predator coming out of the trees. She watched him carefully, wondering if she might have to show him woman power—although it was going to have to be much later, when she got her strength back. How was it that he was up walking around, and she was just wanting to lie there?
He leaned down and nipped her bottom. She yelped and glared at him, batting ineffectively.
“Go away. You’re annoying.”
“I was a god a few minutes ago.”
“My mind melted. It’s back now. I forgot how really oral you can be. Keep your teeth to yourself. I’m drifting here. Dreaming a little bit. And before you get that goofy look on your face, not about you.”
“Who else would you be dreaming about but me, woman?” He shifted her, and easily rolled her into his arms before she could protest. His mouth found her neck. “You know you love me, and you think I’m the hottest man in the world. You can’t lie worth a damn, Nicoletta.”
A little shiver went through her as his teeth scraped and then he sucked on her skin. Every way he touched her seemed erotic. He kissed his way up her neck.
“I do find you hot, but that’s because I’m a little insane.”
He bit down on her earlobe. She let out a squeal and smacked him on the chest, glaring. “What did I say to you about your teeth?”
He just laughed and stepped into the giant bathtub. The water was a degree or two hotter than she liked it, and she let out another squeal and tried to climb out. He kept a firm grip on her.
“Don’t be such a baby. The heat will take the soreness of the shadows out of your muscles—or if I was just a little too enthusiastic there at the end.”
She caught the note of worry in his voice and immediately turned back to him, looping her arms around his neck. “Baby, you didn’t hurt me, it was wonderful. Everything we did was perfect. I’m hoping the next time you’ll be able to be the one to—” She broke off, unsure how to tell him what she wanted.