‘But?’ He tilted his head, giving her his undivided attention. Her pulse quickened. She liked the directness of that look, but she mistrusted the feathering anticipation it evoked in feminine places that had been long dormant.
That secret stirring was what made her go on. Better to end this now.
‘But you were aroused. Earlier. I saw you.’ Her gaze began to slide down his tall frame, but she jerked it high again, pinning it to his face. His gorgeous, amused face.
‘Yes, I was.’ He lifted his shoulders and spread his arms palm up in a gesture that was typically Italian and unexpectedly appealing. ‘What can I say? I was just out of bed. Many men have erections in the morning.’
Sonia felt her ears burn. She didn’t require a lecture on the male libido. ‘Yes, I understand that but—’
‘And you’re a very alluring woman.’
His words stopped her. He thought her alluring? She’d just finished more than twenty-four hours of travel and felt as sexy as a dishrag.
‘You look surprised.’ Once more he angled his head as if to get a better view of her. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had directed such undivided attention towards her. Even Eric, when he’d been with her, was often more focused on his own pleasure or, she’d realised too late, distracting her from truths he didn’t want to reveal.
Sonia refused to be distracted. It didn’t matter if this man called her alluring. He probably seduced gullible, romantic women with words all the time.
‘Surprised that you should say that and at the same time tell me you’re not interested.’
‘Ah. I understand now. I blame my poor English.’
There was nothing wrong with his English. He spoke it like a native, but with a deliciously evocative accent that made her skin tingle.
‘I’m not interested in romance, Sonia.’ He leaned in as if to reinforce the words and she caught a subtle hint of masculine spice on the air. ‘I don’t want a long-term relationship with expectations. But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in sex.’
Suddenly his stare lost that edge of amusement. She felt it like a brand across her lips, her chin, her throat. But instead of dropping to her breasts, Renzo’s gaze lifted to hers and she felt a blast of energy rock her back on her feet.
‘I don’t want to woo you, Sonia. But I’d very much like to have sex with you.’
The words echoed in the charged silence between them. Sonia was amazed to discover that, bereft of any romantic frills, his unvarnished words evoked a softening sensation up between her thighs. And higher, deep inside, something eager quickened into life.
‘I don’t—’
He raised his hand. ‘I understand. You’re not interested. And so of course, I will respect that and keep my distance.’
Sonia wondered what he’d do if he knew part of her was very interested indeed. A part of her that clearly knew nothing about self-preservation. Given her track record, getting entangled with anyone, even just for recreational sex, was bound to end in disaster.
Especially as she’d never done purely recreational sex in her life.
And when that person was a smoulderingly sexy Italian...
No, and no, and no.
Renzo turned and walked to the doorway, only to turn at the last minute. ‘But if you change your mind, if you want pleasure and lots of it, I’m happy to give you sex whenever you like. All you have to do is ask.’