She knew she should leave because he would soon return her to her room. She wondered with a pang if he’d ever let a woman spend the whole night in his bed.
She was sitting up when Ciro’s hand caught her arm. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’
Lara’s heart thumped. ‘Back to my own bed.’
‘Don’t. Stay here.’
Lara looked at Ciro. His eyes were still closed. Maybe he wasn’t even awake, so wasn’t aware of what he was saying. She lay down carefully and he rolled towards her, trapping her with a leg over hers. She felt him stir against her. He opened his eyes.
A bubble of emotion rose up in her as she took in Ciro’s stubbled face and messy hair. Without thinking she reached out and touched his scar gently, running her finger down the ridged length.
‘Does it hurt?’
‘Only sometimes... It doesn’t hurt... It feels tight.’
‘You were never tempted to get it removed? Like the people you help with your charity?’
His mouth firmed. ‘No. I think it’s important for people to see it—to know that if they want to live with their scars, it’s okay. And it’s a reminder.’
Lara was touched by his sentiment. Then she frowned. ‘A reminder of the kidnapping...? Why would you want that?’
‘Not that, specifically, but it’s a reminder that I’m not as infallible as I once believed. And it’s a reminder not to trust anyone.’
Including me, Lara thought.
Facing him like this in the half-light, with no sounds coming from outside, made her feel otherworldly. As if they were in some sort of cocoon.
‘The dream you were having last night...’
Ciro rolled onto his back again. ‘It was a nightmare.’
Hesitantly Lara asked, ‘About the kidnapping?’
He nodded, clearly uncomfortable. He probably saw it as a sign of weakness.
‘I had them too,’ Lara said.
Ciro looked at her.
‘For months afterwards. The same one, over and over again... The hoods being put over our heads, then taken off. Realising we were in that van with those men. Being ripped out of your arms...left at the side of the road—’ She stopped, shivering at the memory.
Ciro reached for her and hauled her into his arms. He said, ‘I would never let that happen again—do you hear me?’
Lara looked at him, saw the determination on his face. She nodded. ‘I believe you.’
There was something incredibly fragile about the moment. And then Ciro hauled her even closer and kissed her. Their bodies moved together in the dawn as they reached for each other and their breath quickened. This was nothing like the ferocity of last night—it was slow and sensuous, and so tender that Lara had to keep her eyes closed for fear that Ciro would see how close to tears she was.
* * *
‘Working from home again?’
Ciro looked at Lara and raised a brow, but there was no edginess to his expression. ‘Do I need to ask permission?’ he said.
Lara shook her head and helped herself to some of the salad which had been laid out on the terrace at the back of the house by the housekeeper. Ciro had been joining her for lunch the past few days. It had been a week since that tumultuous night, and since then Ciro hadn’t taken her back to her own bedroom once. They woke up together, and usually made love again in the morning.
But Lara knew it was dangerous territory to believe anything was changing.
Ciro sat down and helped himself to some salad and bread. The housekeeper came out and poured them some wine.