Her Royal Bodyguard (13 page)

Rico backed her against the side of the building and she wrapped her legs around his hips. She was distracted for a moment when she felt the gun at his side pressing into her thigh. She pushed away the thoughts of why he needed to wear a weapon at all. Right now his rigid arousal hit at just the right spot between her legs. She instinctively rocked her hips to rub against him. Her breasts pillowed against his chest and her nipples tingled, wanting more friction, more stimulation. Angelina moaned and Rico echoed her cry of yearning.

“I am finding it difficult to rein in my passion,
amore
.”

She swept her lips along his rough jaw, licked away the water that kept coming from the sky. “I don’t want you to rein in anything,” she gasped. “I want your passion. All of it. Don’t you know that?” The rain and wind whipped around them wildly. She loved it. Nothing in her life before this had been the least bit wild.

He bent his head and licked her throat. “You drive me crazy.”

She dropped her head back to give him better access, but the rain hit her face and made her sputter. His hands gripped her intimately, holding her up by her bottom. She caught his mouth, drew his lower lip into her mouth for a quick slurp.

“What are you going to do to me when we get back to the apartment?” she asked, her voice husky with her desire.

Rico chuckled and nibbled at her lips. “You want to stand here in the rain and talk?”

“Can’t get any wetter,” she told him.

“We could get a lot drier.”

Angelina laughed. “Still. Tell me. Before we go back. I want to know what to look forward to.”

Rico sighed, then began to speak in a slow, deep voice. “If you had asked me this earlier, I would have told you I’d want to strip you slowly. A long, sexy reveal. A tease for me and a chance for you to get used to being naked in front of me. In fact, I was looking forward to it.” Tingles danced along her skin and the spot between her legs began to throb. “But now I want to get you out of these wet clothes that are leaving nothing at all to my imagination. As fast as I can.”

She fisted the back of his wet T-shirt. “As long as you get these wet clothes off of you as soon as possible too.” Her voice sounded raw, raspy.

“I will,
amore
. Then I will dry you with a soft towel, so your skin will not be chilled.”

She licked at his lips, drinking in his taste as well as rain water. “I don’t think I could ever be chilled as long as I’m with you.”

Rico groaned. “I will lay you down on that big soft bed and I will kiss your skin until you are driven as crazy as you have made me.”

“I’m already crazy for you. Don’t worry about that.” And so ready to experience the passion they would make together.

“I will make you crazier still. With my fingers. With my mouth. I will make you soar. I promise. Over and over again.”

Angelina panted lightly, from his words, from the tone of his voice, from the images he’d conjured in her mind. “But I want to feel you inside me.”

“You will.” He laughed. “You will.”

The rain began to let up slightly. “I’m getting you out of this weather,” he murmured, letting her legs down. Her leather sandals slapped loudly as they hit the wet sidewalk. “And then I’m taking you to bed. And we will stay there for hours.”

“I like the sound of that.”

They crossed the street and headed for the villa. Angelina was so hot she was surprised there wasn’t steam rising from her wet skin. She wanted to be in their little apartment, their place away from the rest of the world. If she was nervous about her first time, the nerves were slight compared to the need flowing through her system.

Finally, they reached the little courtyard. The flowers in the pots and window boxes looked a little worse for wear, colorful petals scattered on the stones beneath their feet. The sky was brightening now though, the rain only a light sprinkle now.

Her wet clothes clung to her skin, heavy and uncomfortable, like her old life had become. She wanted nothing more than to be rid of them. To start a new chapter in her life. To press up against Rico, skin to skin. To finally know what it meant to be a woman sharing passion with a man.

Arm in arm, they headed for the stairs.

Then the villa door burst open and Rosa flew out. “Oh no. You poor things. You are soaking wet.” She tutted and brushed Angelina’s hair out of her face. “You’ll get a chill. Hurry. Get yourselves dried off and in some new clothes.”

“We’re fine,
Tia
,” Rico said, inching away from her.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t make it back in time,” she went on, “so I’m glad you decided to make a run for it even if you got wet.”

“In time?” Rico asked with a frown.

“For dinner. You didn’t forget?”

“No, of course we didn’t forget,” Angelina hurried to say, although it had completely left her mind. “I’m afraid we lost track of time.”

Rosa grinned as if she knew what they’d been doing on the street corner. “No matter. Come down as soon as you’re ready. We’ll wait for you.” She kissed their cheeks and dashed back into the lobby.

Angelina looked up at Rico and shrugged, doing her best not to show her disappointment and frustration. He took her hand and they climbed the stairs to the apartment.

“We could miss dinner,” Rico said hopefully once they were inside.

Angelina groaned and stepped into his arms. “We can’t. She’d come looking for us. Besides, she is family. And she’s letting us stay here. It would be rude not to go.”

“You’re right, of course, but I am disappointed. However…” Rico stepped back and pulled his clinging T-shirt away from his body and over his head. “We do need to get out of these wet clothes.”

Angelina swallowed, getting a look at his bare chest, shoulders, and arms for the first time. They were a perfect distraction from the weapon at his hip. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo.” She reached out and traced the black swirls that formed a band around his muscular bicep. Her fingertip buzzed with the erotic sensations. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Rico stepped closer and grasped the bottom of her T-shirt. “May I?”

She nodded and raised her arms over her head. Rico tugged the wet shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. Angelina shivered, but it was more because she was baring her body for Rico for the first time, rather than from the slight chill from the air conditioning on her wet skin.

Rico’s appreciation was evident in his expression. She glanced down and realized she might as well not have had the bra on, the thin lace was so transparent from the rain. Her beaded nipples poked at the fabric. Before she could think twice, she reached behind her, unhooked it and let it fall to the floor.

“Ah,
amore
,” Rico groaned. He reached out for her, but then dropped his hands back to his sides. Her breasts ached with the need to experience his touch. “I don’t dare lay a finger on you or we will never leave this room.”

There was such power in the knowledge that she made a strong man like Rico struggle to remain in control. She grinned slowly as she eased down the zipper on her jeans, tugged them down and kicked them away along with the ruined sandals. Rico wiped a hand over his face, but he didn’t turn away.

“If this was not your first time, I would have you bent over that table,” he growled. “I would be deep inside you at this very moment.”

She could picture it. Imagine it. She desperately wanted to know how it would feel for real. “How fast do you think we can eat dinner?”

“Fast.” He took her hand and led her into the bathroom. He grabbed a soft white towel and ran it over her wet skin, not lingering in any one spot as she would have liked. “Now get dressed before I forget myself.”

She glanced at the bulge behind the zipper of his wet jeans. “But don’t I get a chance to see you?”

“Not now.” Rico pushed her out of the bathroom. He followed her into the bedroom, grabbed some dry clothes and went back into the bathroom.

Angelina pulled a soft ivory dress out of the closet and slipped it on over clean, dry underwear, hiding a smile as she did. But the smile dimmed as she looked into the mirror on the wall while she pulled her wet hair into a ponytail. Rico came up behind her and caught her gaze in the reflection.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She stared at her bare face, so much plainer with her hair pulled back. She’d never felt less like a princess. Less like an attractive woman. “I wish I could put some make-up on so I could look prettier for you.”

Rico turned her around and brushed the tips of his fingers along her cheek. “You are beautiful. There is nothing you could do to be any prettier.”

Angelina wasn’t sure she believed him, but she smiled anyway. She curved her palm around his sleeve where she now knew there was a sexy tattoo hiding. “I don’t want to go downstairs.”

“You were the one who told me we couldn’t be rude.”

“Yes, you’re right.” She backed away and stepped into the shoes she’d gotten at Gina’s shop the day before. “A quick dinner. Very quick.”

“Agreed.”

But as soon as they entered the front door of the villa, they knew this would be no quick dinner. The lobby and dining room were filled with people who shouted out their congratulations.

Rosa rushed up to them, joy obvious on her face. “Surprise! Are you pleased? We knew you had no time for a reception after your wedding and Giuseppe and I wanted to throw you the party you should have had.”

Angelina gave Rico’s aunt a hug, blinking away the tears prickling her eyes. So many emotions churned inside her. Shame at the lies they continued to tell. Frustration at the delay of her first lovemaking. Gratitude at the thought put into this party and for the many people who came tonight to celebrate with them.

And as she stepped back and watched Rico take his aunt’s face in his hands and kiss both cheeks, Angelina was aware of the final emotion filling her chest to overflowing. Love. She’d fallen in love with this incredible man.

The party went on forever.

It was a wonderful evening. So many friendly people toasting to their happiness. Angelina’s glass was constantly topped off and she lost track of how much wine she’d drank. The villa was filled with smiles and hugs and much laughter.

But it was also a terrible night. Along with the smiles and the hugs and the laughter were so many lies. Angelina clung to Rico’s arm and kept smiling until her cheeks ached, as she’d been taught from an early age.

Plates of delicious food were everywhere, placed on practically every flat service. Everyone wandered around, eating, talking, laughing, and asking more questions to which Angelina and Rico had to furnish answers. This was no longer the exciting adventure she thought it would be. She was so tired of making up stories.

As the evening went on though, nudging her in the back of her mind was the reminder that she was in love with Rico. The knowledge brought enough joy to brighten her mood and push away some of the dark shame. She would have to thank her father again for throwing out the royal marriage decree so she was able to find love with a man of her choice.

Francesco stopped by to offer his good wishes and brought the shopping bags they’d left with him. Maria ran their purchases up to the apartment while Francesco took the time to enjoy a glass of wine with them. He said most of his customers were here anyway.

Rosa and Giuseppe surprised Angelina and Rico even more with a beautiful wedding cake from the bakery Angelina and Rico had stopped into on their first day in Tuscora. She could hardly believe it had been only the previous morning. The past two days had felt like at least a week. She stared at the colorful icing wildflowers that decorated the top of the cake and remembered her story of carrying a wildflower bouquet at their make-believe wedding. And felt guilty again for all their lies.

She hugged Rosa again. “I can’t believe you did all this for us. Thank you.”

“Bah. You are family.” Rosa’s eyes glittered with tears behind her glasses. “Now go. Cut the cake with your husband.”

Angelina joined Rico at the table and then flinched when almost everyone in the room lifted a camera or phone. She’d quickly forgotten how much she hated to be surrounded by cameras.

Rico frowned and held up his hands. “No photographs.”

“What?” Maria called out among the grumbles. “No pictures? Come on, Rico. Be serious!”

“If they say no pictures, then no pictures,” Giuseppe said. “You must respect their wishes. We don’t need pictures to remember this night.”

The cameras and phones were lowered and Angelina smiled as the friendly faces of the group were revealed. “Thank you all for celebrating with us. We certainly didn’t expect this but we are so happy to see you here tonight.”

Her chest started to tighten at the thought of all the people they’d involved in their deception. But then Rico took her hand, laced their fingers together and brought them to his lips for a soft kiss. The tension loosened. The group cheered and then called for a real kiss. Rico grinned and pulled her in for a quick, hot kiss.