Tonio smiled. “I knew you’d understand.”
“Maybe someday you can save up enough to rent it.”
His face darkened. “No, I can’t.”
“Don’t say that. Maybe if—”
“I’m not being pessimistic, just factual. The owner’s looking to sell now, not rent. I guess he got tired of having to find new tenants all the time. Once he gets a buyer, I’ll have missed my chance.”
Oh. “Do you think he’s likely to find a buyer soon?”
“Yes. There’ve been two open houses. I went to both and there were a lot of people milling around.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” He lifted our joined hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “I liked that idea you mentioned before.”
I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “Opening a restaurant?”
“About making out in a dark parking lot.”
I giggled and shook my hand free. Grabbing his shirt, I pulled his head toward me. Tonio released his seatbelt so he could lean in. As our lips met, his hand groped around my hips for a moment before he unbuckled my seatbelt as well.
Finally, his mouth claimed mine. It felt as good as I’d always imagined. He was definitely a slow and thorough guy when it came to kissing.
As good as his mouth felt on mine, there was something else I wanted to feel. I grasped the hemline of his t-shirt and gave a little tug. “May I?”
He smiled and said yes before reclaiming my mouth. Emboldened, I slid my hand under his shirt and rubbed his smooth abs. He was in really good shape for someone who didn’t work out as much as the twins did, although when he had time, he used the exercise equipment in the basement.
Tonio put a hand in my hair and pulled me toward him as he deepened the kiss. My hand slid upward and traced the contours of his muscles. His pecs felt so hard and warm. “Your skin’s so hot.”
He nibbled on my bottom lip and then pulled back a few inches. “Is yours?” The look he gave me was very direct.
My thumb rubbed across his hard little nipples as I thought about it. “Why don’t you find out?”
His eyes lit up as his gaze fell to my chest, where cleavage showed under the ruffled blouse. He reached for the neckline and hesitated. “We don’t have to do this. Just because you wanted to touch me doesn’t mean that—"
I leaned forward and bit gently on his earlobe. “I want to. I’ve wanted to for a long time.”
Joy lit his face as his hands went to my shoulders. He rubbed them for a few moments, and I grinned. Shoulder rubs were definitely our thing, although usually, he was behind me. Then his hands grasped the neckline of my blouse and he tugged it down, the elastic easily stretching over my breasts and down to my stomach. That left me with my arms pinned to my sides, and it reminded me of that one Sunday night at the house when I’d sat on Tonio’s lap, and he’d captured my hands behind my back.
My pulse pounded between my legs as my excitement grew. Tonio couldn’t stop staring at my breasts, which were only covered with a lacy, strapless bra. I leaned forward to give him more of an eyeful. It was pretty damn intoxicating to have a man looking at me like that. I whispered in Tonio’s other ear this time. “Please touch them.”
He licked his lips and reached forward. He used the back of his fingers to brush across the top of my breasts, and it was tantalizing. I squeezed my thighs together, and he chuckled softly. “So impatient. I’ve waited a very long time for this. Do you really want me to rush?”
“Yes,” I said in a voice filled with longing, and he grinned at me. He pushed the bra down to my rib cage and cupped the underside of my breasts, baring my nipples to his hungry gaze.
“They’re so pale. So pink and perfect. They’re just how I imagined.”
“Goes along with being fair-skinned,” I said a little self-consciously. I wasn’t used to anyone staring at my body like this. It occurred to me that I’d make a terrible stripper, and I giggled.
Tonio gave me a questioning look, but then his eyes returned to my chest. He leaned forward, a bit awkwardly because of the steering wheel and gearshift. When his lips closed over one hardened nipple, I moaned and arched my back, pushing myself against his mouth. I hooked my arm around his smooth, dark hair and held him against me. His free hand slid between my legs, but I was wearing jeans, and it didn’t feel as good as his direct touch on my breasts.
I gave myself another minute to enjoy the way his lips felt as they caressed my sensitive buds, and then I said, “Maybe we should continue this at home.”