“Good evening, Mr. Capri.”
“Ms. Giovanna.” I nodded and drank in her heavenly scent. “You look lovely this evening.”
“Thank you.” She gave me a flirty smile then remembered our situation and dropped her gaze to the floor.
“There you are.” Mariano suddenly appeared and draped an arm over Sienna’s shoulders. She waited a beat then stepped aside, moving a little closer to me. Alcohol wafted off his breath, and I saw her cringe at the stench.
Why the hell is he here and not at the dockyard where I told him to go?
“Everyone,” he took a sip of his drink as he addressed our small crowd, “I want you to meet my girl, Sienna.”
“Actually,” she cut in, “we’re not dating. I’m,” she paused, “single.” The word hit my chest hard, but I knew it was what she needed to do. “Mariano has been a lovely host and friend the last while, and I’m thankful I was introduced to the Capri family.”
“You might be the only one.” Mariano snickered, trying to make the other men laugh, but it really just came off as backward and disrespectful. “Ah, man, I’m only playing.”
I rubbed my short beard, trying to navigate my temper.
“Mariano,” my tone was clipped, “I believe I gave you a direct order yesterday as to where you were to be tonight. Yet here you stand.”
“I couldn’t miss Wyatt’s last day, or Vinni’s birthday.” He laughed like he was strung out on something, and Wyatt shifted uncomfortably. “Besides, she has been spending all her time here lately, even though I’ve asked her repeatably to come to my house.”
I licked the inside of my dry mouth, barely hanging on to any self-control I had left. He kept making it seem that they were together.
“Wyatt,” Sienna said softly, “isn’t that Joseph, the one you were looking for earlier?”
“It is, thanks.” He took her exit and raced across the room, disappearing into the crowd.
“If you all would please excuse me.” Her dark blue eyes looked up to mine for a moment then she turned and left the room.
“Niccola,” I said over the buzz of the party as he approached me on cue, “where did you say you spotted my father last?”
“By the pool.”
I left, but not before giving him a warning to watch Mariano. Once in the hallway, I spotted Francesco, who pointed out the French doors to where Sienna was walking into the garden. I wanted to ask when Elenora would arrive, but he answered the phone, quickly walking away.
I headed around the side of the hedge and dipped under into a small hollowed-out spot that Niccola and Vinni had made to hide in when they were boys. Twinkle lights were woven through the branches and provided a soft glow, but you were completely hidden from view. As soon as she was close enough, I reached out and pulled her through the soft branches.
“Oh, my goodness!” She yelped but sagged into my arms and let me nuzzle her neck. “My heart nearly leapt out of my chest, Elio.”
“You’re not playing fair, Sienna,” I growled, running a hand down her side. “I can’t tell the world you’re mine, yet you wear something like this,” I fisted the fabric near her hip, “and I’m expected to behave?”
“Never behave with me, Elio.” She tilted her head and kissed my jaw line.
“Sienna,” I warned and moved the fabric out of the way to stroke across her silky skin, “your company will be arriving—”
“You never did finish what you started in the closet at the last party.” She ground her backside into the painful erection that had suddenly developed, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head.
I stroked the back of my hand down her shoulder and pressed my lips to the nape of her neck, sucking ever so softly. Lapping, I drank in the fresh scent of her shampoo and resisted the urge to sink my teeth into her delicate skin.
“Mm,” I moaned from the bottom of my chest, “ten years I dreamed of this.”
“We have a lot of time to make up for.”
“We do,” I whispered, sending my hot breath over her sensitive shoulder, and watched with fascination as goosebumps burst down her arm.
With both hands moving quickly to her hips, I whirled her around, holding her chin as I sucked in a sharp breath, trying to control my animal instincts. The desire to feed on this woman positively consumed me.
My gaze plummeted to her chest that heaved and strained against the fabric of her dress.