She swallowed and focused on the faint lines fanning out from the corners of his eyes, and the ones bracketing his mouth.
He lowered his head and then touched his lips to hers, and she sighed. He nudged her—once, twice, coaxing a response. Open. Open.
Chiara shivered and felt her breasts peak even though only their lips were touching. She leaned in, falling into something that she knew was bottomless...still relatively unknown...and exciting.
Rick deepened the kiss and raked his fingers through her hair, his hand anchoring at the back of her head. They moved restlessly, unable
to get enough of each other.
Then Chiara followed Rick’s lead as they stripped off their clothes hurriedly, desperate for skin-on-skin contact. When they were down to underwear, he stopped her.
She drank him in from beneath lowered lashes. He was hot and male and vital. There was the ripped midriff, muscular arms, taut legs...the erection pushing against his boxers. Suddenly she needed to catch her breath.
He lowered the straps of her lacy bra and peeled the garment away from her, and then swallowed. “Chiara.”
“Make love to me, Rick.”
It was all the invitation that he needed. He kissed her with unrestrained passion, pulling her close as her arms wrapped around his neck. And she responded with a hunger of her own, the feel of his arousal against her fueling her passion.
When she broke away, she pushed down her panties and he did the same with his boxers. And then they were tumbling onto the sofa, reaching for each other in a tangle of limbs and desperate passion.
She grasped Rick’s erection and began a pumping motion designed to stoke his passion and hers. He was warm, pulsating male—rigid with his need for her.
He tore her mouth from hers and expelled a breath. “Chiara, we’ve got to slow down or this is going to be over—”
“Before the director yells cut?” she purred. “There is no director, Stunt Stud.”
He gave a strangled laugh. “Stunt Stud?”
“It’s the name I came up with when I was objectifying you.”
“I was going to say to slow down or this will be finished before you’re satisfied.”
“Worried I won’t be able to keep up with you?” In response, she led his hand to her moist heat, already ready for him.
He stilled, and in the next moment, he was pushing her back against the pillows. Then he sheathed himself in one long stroke that had them both groaning.
As Rick hit her core, she arched her back, taking him in.
She followed his lead and the rhythm he set...building and building until she hit her climax in one husky cry.
“Chiara.” In the moment after Rick called her name, he groaned, stiffened and then spilled inside her.
He slumped against her, and she cradled him.
Contentment rolled through her—a feeling that had been too elusive in her life until now...
Nine
When they pulled up in Rick’s Range Rover to the nearly completed house, Chiara sucked in a breath. Wow.
Nervousness about the upcoming meeting with her father, who was scheduled to arrive within the hour, was replaced by happy surprise.
Rick’s home wasn’t a house but a castle. It was all gray stone and stunning turrets. She loved it.
She was so entranced that Rick had already come around and opened the car door for her before she thought to get out. She could see there was plenty of landscaping yet to be done, but still the effect from the outside was stunning.
“Want to take a look?” Rick teased as she got out. “I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of impressive homes belonging to famous people.”