‘You know you can have both a career and a love life, don’t you?’ Angela’s voice was soft rather than smug, reminding Sonia that she really cared.
‘Of course I do. But for now I’m happy living one day at a time, seeing what comes.’ At least in her private life.
Until now Sonia had always been full of plans and prudence. She’d always been optimistic but pragmatic too. Yet here, in this glorious, romantic setting, with her crazily sexy housemate, she deliberately didn’t let herself think about the future. She revelled in a relationship that she knew was short-term, where every day was precious because of it.
And that suited her fine.
Didn’t it?
Maybe the fragility of their relationship also explained the incredible intensity of this affair. The sense of closeness with Renzo. The way they needed just a glance to communicate, and not just about sex either. Sometimes their level of understanding was uncanny.
She lifted her hand from the railing and rubbed it over her breastbone. She must have strained a muscle or something because there was a strange, hollow ache there, right in the centre of her chest.
‘Listen, Ange, it’s late and I’ve still got to put in some work on a design that’s not quite coming together.’
‘Okay, okay. Enough of my nagging.’
‘You’re not—’
‘It’s okay, Sonia. It’s enough to know you’re happy, whatever the reason. And we’ll be back in Rome soon. I’ll look forward to seeing you then. Okay? Oh, and Matteo sends his love.’
‘I’ll look forward to seeing you too. And you can give that sexy hunk a hug from me.’
Angela’s goodbye was echoing in her ears when she sensed movement behind her.
‘Sexy hunk? Should I be jealous?’ A familiar voice, rich as morning espresso and as seductive as they came, curled around her, making Sonia’s skin tingle all over.
Out of the dimness a tall figure appeared. Wide shoulders and that proud face, mouth-wateringly gorgeous even in the gloom.
Her heart skipped a beat. Renzo might be familiar but he’d never be ordinary. Every time she saw him, even just heard his voice on the phone, it was like this. Like the first time she’d seen him, when everything inside her had stilled as if on the brink of a precipice, then thundered into life at twice normal speed.
‘You’re not the jealous type.’ Why would he be? He could have any woman he wanted. No doubt there’d be women lining up for the privilege when she and he went their separate ways.
Sonia frowned as she felt a sharp jab of pain at the thought. It made her pause.
There was no point being jealous. Women having casual sex, even rapturous, delicious, decadently wonderful casual sex, couldn’t afford to be jealous. Even if this felt like far more, like friendship, fondness, respect, even caring. Sonia’s frown deepened as a quiver of disquiet shot through her.
‘You think so, tesoro?’ Renzo strode over to her, crowding her space as he stared down with purposeful dark eyes. He lifted his hand to her chin and tilted it up till he was just a kiss away. ‘I find the idea of you looking at other men, especially sexy hunks, most...disturbing.’
Sonia’s breath locked in her lungs. The air around them seemed to still as she wondered how serious he was. It feltas if he meant every word yet in the shadows it was impossible to read his expression properly.
But you want him to mean it, don’t you?
You want him to want you exclusively, just as you want him.
The realisation shouldn’t shock her as much as it did. She’d never been into casual sex and the disaster with Eric had reinforced her innate caution. This wildly erotic adventure with Renzo was an aberration. Maybe that’s why it felt so wonderful, not to worry about the future or where it might lead.
And yet...
‘So.’ Renzo’s voice was a low burr of sound that made the hairs on her nape stand up in delicious excitement. ‘Is there some man I have to warn off?’
‘Hardly. I was talking about my brother-in-law.’
‘The one who’s a movie star and makes all the women swoon.’
Sonia tilted her head back further, trying to decipher Renzo’s expression. If she didn’t know better she could almost imagine that was jealousy tinting his tone. ‘And who is married to my sister.’
For a second longer Renzo stared down at her, then abruptly he nodded. ‘So, since there’s no other man to distract you, it’s time to devote some time to me.’ He smiled, that slow, devastatingly hot smile that turned her insides to molten chocolate. ‘I missed you.’ His voice lowered to a deep throb she felt at her feminine core.