‘You’re a week early.’ She pulled back in his arms.
He smirked. ‘I like to be unpredictable.’
She loved it when he smiled like that, filled with mischief. Life was too serious without Leo around.
‘I’ve got a surprise planned. Do you think you can manage a few days away from your work?’
‘Right now? Leo, that sounds wonderful, but I’m needed here.’
Dara made a noise of protest, only to have him silence her with a finger against her lips.
‘Do you remember your wedding vows, Signora Valente?’
Dara remembered their wedding day as if it had been yesterday. She had originally planned a simple ceremony on the beach in the Caribbean. But then they’d both realised there was only one place they could imagine becoming man and wife, attended by a few select family and friends: the castello, which had become the setting for the most romantic day of her life.
‘We both agreed to remove that medieval part about obeying one’s husband from our vows.’ She raised a brow.
‘I’m talking about the part where we promised to spend each and every day loving each other.’ His gaze darkened as his hand drifted lower on her back. ‘And it seems I’ve got about twenty-two days of loving to make up for.’
His mouth lowered to hers and captured it in a scorching kiss full of dark, sensual promise.
A muted cough interrupted them from their interlude. Mia, accompanied by one of the movers, stood awkwardly at the top of the stairs. Dara stood back from their sensual embrace, her cheeks flaming.
‘Nice to see you home safe, Mr Valente,’ Mia said and blushed. ‘Shall I book you both into the restaurant for lunch?’
‘I’ve come to steal my wife away, I’m afraid.’
Dara placed a hand against her chest, straightening her blazer as casually as she could manage under the scrutiny of her staff. ‘Leo, I can’t just leave two hours before an event—’
‘Actually, you can,’ Mia interrupted, blushing even more as both Leo and Dara turned to face her. ‘What I mean is, Dara, you’ve been working so hard... What’s the point in being the boss if you can’t take some time off? The rest of the team can see this through perfectly well.’
Leo moved forward, grabbing Dara’s shoes from the floor. ‘Mia, you are the voice of reason.’
Dara shook her head, smiling. ‘This is crazy. I have a million things I should be doing.’
‘That’s what makes stealing you away so much fun.’ He winked, pulling her by the hand. ‘Mia, you are only to call my wife if there is a fire or some other catastrophic event.’
‘Understood, sir.’ The assistant saluted, giggling uncontrollably as Leo commandeered his speechless wife from the room in her bare feet.
* * *
‘Is the blindfold really necessary?’ Dara asked, feeling for Leo’s hand in the close confines of his sleek sports car.
‘Necessary? Perhaps not,’ Leo’s voice purred silkily somewhere next to her ear. ‘But it adds to my enjoyment.’
Dara reached out, her hand coming into contact with his arm: a band of hard muscle covered in the rich silk of his dark shirt. ‘Well, in two years of marriage you’ve never mentioned this particular fantasy.’
Dara’s breath whooshed out of her lungs as a warm hand settled possessively upon her inner thigh. It had been weeks since she’d felt her husband’s hands on her body, and the sensation was just as addictive as she remembered.
‘I’ve never been one for power plays, but I must say I am enjoying the effect so far,’ he murmured seductively.
‘I’m open to the blindfold, but I’m drawing the line at handcuffs,’ she replied, focusing on the agonising slowness of his fingers as they progressed towards the hem of her skirt.
‘We’re hot enough in the bedroom without adding props, carina,’ he rasped, gripping her thigh and squeezing gently. ‘And I’m liable to stop this car on the side of the road if you don’t stop making those delicious little noises.’
Dara smiled to herself, hearing his laboured breathing. ‘I’ll behave myself if it means avoiding an accident. Still, I’m not opposed to you being so out of control.’
He chuckled. ‘I’ll make note of that.’
Less than fifteen minutes later the car had moved off the motorway and onto rougher terrain. She had expected him to take her to the private airfield where they normally housed the jet, but he wouldn’t have needed to blindfold her for that. The past Christmases of their relationship had been spent travelling abroad. Sipping champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower...exploring deserted beaches in Bali. She wondered what on earth he had planned this year. Curiosity made her stomach jolt with excitement as she felt the car suddenly pull to a smooth stop.