Around them she heard a babble of conversation but she couldn’t grapple with it. Not when Renzo looked at her like she was the only woman in the packed party and he wanted to eat her all up.
She slicked her tongue along her bottom lip and he zeroed in on the movement. He leaned in, one wide shoulder cutting off the journalist who’d been telling her about Italian politics, when someone jostled her from behind.
‘Scusi, scusi.’
Sonia turned, watching a couple stumble away towards the front door. They were wrapped so tightly against each other it was hard to see where one ended and the other began. Clearly they wanted to be alone together.
In that moment Sonia knew she wanted that too. To be alone with Renzo.
It went against everything she’d told herself was good for her. But then he wasn’t lying to her, promising stuff he could never deliver, like Eric. Renzo offered fun, excitement, pleasure, and no complications.
When had she ever done something purely for fun?
Not since she was a kid. She’d been too busy shoring up her life against the uncertainties that had buffeted her family when she was young. Too busy being responsible.
Yet still she’d fallen for a man who used and betrayed her.
Renzo, who was upfront about his wants, and his ability to satisfy hers, was incredibly tempting.
‘And then the President of the Council said—’
‘Sorry?’ Sonia swung her head around, realising her new acquaintance, Paolo, was in mid-flow, telling some rambling anecdote about the current government.
It seemed like ages since she’d looked up to find Renzo beside her, wantingher, invitingher. It must only have been a matter of moments. Yet the change in her was enormous.
Paolo launched back into his monologue. To her left the lawyer, whose name she’d forgotten, clicked his tongue and nodded, muttering something about corruption.
At her right Renzo stood tall and unmoving. Not sipping his drink, not speaking. Just waiting.
She sensed it in the prickle of awareness skittering through her, knowing he was as attuned to her as she was to him. She looked down to see his long fingers curled around the delicate stem of his wine glass. The knuckles were white and the surface of his wine quivered the tiniest bit, as if he held the glass too tight. It was the first intimation she’d ever had that Renzo wasn’t totally relaxed. Even naked, accosted by a stranger in his apartment, he’d taken her intrusion, and her stares, in his stride.
Sonia tilted her head up and again their eyes locked. It felt inevitable. So expected that she felt a smile tug her stiff lips.
‘Do you come here often?’ she murmured.
His answering ghost of a smile made something somersault in her chest. ‘Occasionally. Flavia and Rocco throw a good party. Lots of interesting people.’
Sonia nodded. ‘I agree.’ She’d met at least a dozen engaging, fascinating people tonight. But right now they were a blurred background to the reality that was Renzo, watching her as if he couldn’t look away.
She sucked in air through her mouth and wondered if she were about to make a fool of herself. But what was the worst that could happen? Her past wasn’t perfect but it had made her strong, strong enough to handle rejection.
She leaned towards him, lowering her voice. ‘But I’ve had enough. I want to go home. With you.’
Renzo’s smile was tight, his eyes alight with approval as he took the wine from her hand and put it down. ‘Good.’ His voice dipped to a low note that resonated right through her. ‘I was just contemplating kidnapping you.’
So her charming, urbane housemate was a pirate at heart after all!
Sonia knew a moment’s regret that he was too civilised to haul her up into his embrace and abduct her from the party.
But then Renzo slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close and clamping his broad palm on her hip. A flurry of sensation spilled out from the spot, and more flurries from where she fitted tight against his hard, hot frame.
He was speaking now, in Italian. Something that made the other men frown before smiling and wishing them ‘buona notte’.
Moments later he’d urged her through the crowd to their hostess, who took one look at them together and grinned, waving away what must have been an apology for leaving early.
Then they were outside, a sturdy door between them and the noisy throng.
Renzo stared down at her and Sonia felt the weight of that stare like a hand, moving across her flesh. Her breathing was loud in the quiet and so was his. Sonia realised his chest was rising and falling hard as if he too had trouble catching his breath.
‘I want to kiss you. Now. But if I do I won’t stop.’
His words made her sway closer, tilting her jaw up. She wanted him to kiss her so badly the longing gnawed within her, making her ache.
‘Maybe I won’t want you to stop.’
He shook his head and changed his hold, grabbing her hips and tugging her hard against his groin.
Sonia shuddered at the feel of his arousal, solid and long against her soft belly. The feel of his muscled thighs strong against her legs.
‘Don’t tempt me, Sonia.’ He breathed so deep his chest pushed against her. His smile was grim as he turned, shackled her wrist with one large hand and lunged towards the stairwell that would take them to street level. ‘Not till we’re somewhere private. Then you can tempt me as much as you like.’