Revenge (15 page)

“Not at all. But I am not going to last much
longer.” He reached down and tugged her up, flipping her under him
with a quick movement. Using his knee, he parted her thighs, then
he grabbed her left leg and pushed it up in the air so he could get
in deep on the first thrust. His weeping cock had just touched her
entrance, he was just about to push in, when he remembered. “Do we
need anything?” he asked, looking up at her, hoping the answer was
no. He didn’t want to stop.

She hesitated at the question, abruptly
thrust back into the real world by his concern.
Was this really
such a good idea
? Maybe they should stop.

She stared at him for a second. There was
such warmth, such tenderness on his face, she had to close her
eyes. Had Vince ever looked at her that way? In the beginning
maybe. They’d been happy once, hadn’t they? Tears gathered behind
her eyelids. Enrico must have seen what was happening to her,
because he lowered her leg and eased off her. She opened her eyes
and seized his arm. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

She looked away for a moment. Memories of
Vince intruded again. Their first date. The first time he kissed
her. When he proposed. Then the menace on his face when he hit her
in the office, when he pulled out the switchblade.

Her time with Vince was over. Done. There was
no going back.

“Kate?”

Turning her head, she met his gaze. “Make me
forget,” she whispered.

He stroked the side of her face, his fingers
lingering over her cheekbone, then sliding down to her lips. “We
should stop.”

Her throat closed up. His voice was so soft,
so gentle, yet tinged with wistfulness. His tone told her that he
wanted her but that doing right by her was more important to
him.

Vince had never put her first. Ever.

She pulled Enrico close, kissing him. “No.
I’m not letting him take over my life.”

Enrico cupped her cheeks in his hands,
searching her face. “You are angry. Perhaps you are not thinking
clearly.”

She put her hands over his, making her voice
fierce. “I’m thinking more clearly than I have in a long time. I
rationalized too much of his behavior. I let him make the
decisions. I let him control my life. I’m not letting him ruin this
too.”

He raised his brows. “You are certain?”

“As death and taxes.”

He smiled, then his lips descended on hers.
The kiss was demanding, and she let out a low sound, which he
echoed with a groan. He pushed her down on the bed, his mouth on
her breasts, one hand between her legs, his stiff cock pressing
into her thigh. He suckled her breasts for a few moments, then
kissed up her neck. He stopped, breathing in her ear. “Do we need a
condom?” he asked, his voice thick with urgency.

Since she’d managed to take her birth control
pill that morning, she should be okay, at least until she could get
more. His cock nudged at her thigh and she reached down between
them to stroke it. “It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

“
Grazie a Dio
.” He parted her legs,
then surged forward, burying his cock inside her. Gasping, she
moved underneath him, widening her legs, forcing herself to relax
so she could accommodate him. He felt so damn good inside her,
stretching her, filling her up. She clenched her internal muscles
experimentally, flexing herself around him, and he let out a loud
groan. “That feels wonderful,” he panted. “But you must stop or I
will not last.”

“As you wish.” She smiled, pleased that she
could torture him a bit too.

He rose up on his knees, pushing her legs up
toward her chest, almost bending her double as he started thrusting
in and out, long vigorous strokes.
Good God
,
he was in
even deeper
,
if that was possible.
His cock stroked
something delightful inside her, again and again.

He did his best to hold off, listening to her
breathing, trying to gauge how close she was.
Dio
, she felt
good. So tight, so wet. So hot around him, clutching his cock like
a fist. With a groan, he forced himself to concentrate. He wanted
her to come again before he did.

After a time, her breathing turned more
ragged, and soon she was keening, the noise getting higher and
higher. When her cries peaked, a warm gush bathed his cock, and
that throaty sound, that extra wetness, was all it took to send him
over the edge right after her. He continued thrusting until his
cock stopped pulsing, until she caught her breath and her quivers
subsided.

Collapsing next to her on the bed, he inhaled
deeply, trying to slow down his breathing. He rolled over to look
at her. She nestled up against him, still breathing fast. “That was
amazing,” she said.

He kissed her lightly. “So were you.” He lay
back, putting his arm around her, pulling her close. Would it be
mad to ask her to stay with him once this mess was settled?

Of course it would be. She was still married.
And he was all but promised to Delfina.

On top of that, Kate didn’t know who he
actually was. And if she did, how would she ever accept him? And
then there were the Andrettis, circling them like jackals.

If he hadn’t already lost his head, he was
about to.

The morning after
. Kate looked over
her shoulder at Enrico. He was still asleep, one arm slung around
her waist, his body snug against hers.

Even though they’d made love twice that
night, he was ready again. She wriggled back against him, his
erection a delightful hardness. She heard the change in his
breathing as he woke, and then she felt the change in how he was
touching her. His grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her to
him possessively.

“Good morning,” he murmured, kissing the side
of her neck, his voice hoarse from sleep.

She turned her head to look at him again and
he stretched to kiss her lips, the contact gentle and brief, but it
stirred something in her. She rolled over in his arms and he pulled
her flush to his chest.

God she loved kissing him. His early morning
stubble rasped against her skin, a light scratching, but it felt
good. He took her mouth slowly, his tongue exploring; he wasn’t
rough and demanding the way some men were. The way Vince was.
Enrico didn’t try to have it all with his kisses. They were just a
prelude to the main course, a delightful tease.

His fingers caressed the hair from her face.
“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to touch you like this,” he
said, running his fingers through the strands.

Kate smiled and reached up, brushing his hair
back off his forehead. His black hair was thick and wavy, soft
beneath her fingers. She remembered wanting to touch it, and now
she was. He looked at her solemnly. “You’re awfully serious about
something,” she said.

He was about to open his mouth when she
stopped him, her fingers pressing into his lips. “Before you say
anything, I want you to know I’m not going to stay for long. I
don’t expect anything from you. As soon as I can, I’m going back to
the States, and I’m going to stay as far away from men as
possible.”

His brow furrowed. “Then what are we doing
here?”

“Having a good time?”

“Kate, this, you, mean something to me. I
don’t sleep with many women.”

“I like you, Enrico. A lot. But I’m not sure
it goes further than that. I barely know you.”
And you still
love your wife
.

He took her face in his hands. “I’d like to
get to know you, to see if we can have a future together.”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. If he knew why
she’d slept with him, he’d be hurt. The band of his wedding ring
pressed into her cheek, and she reached up, tapping it with her
fingernail. The ting of her nail against the metal seemed loud.
“How can you say that when you’re still wearing this?” She searched
his face, seeing him wince.

He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, his
brown eyes turbulent. “Maybe you’re right,” he finally said, his
voice thick.

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly.
“Let’s think of this as a fling, okay?”

“Can we leave it open?” he asked. “Just
entertain the possibility there could be more?”

She sighed and dropped her head back onto the
pillow. “Let’s enjoy each other, and when the time comes, let’s not
make it difficult.”

“Just consider it.
Per favore
?”

His eyes were unguarded, naked, vulnerable.
Saying no would be a slap in the face. “Okay. But I’m not making
promises. Do not misunderstand me.”

He smiled broadly, his face relaxing. “I
understand.”

The joy on his face made her bury her worries
in a smile. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. Not after
what he’d done for her. But she’d been clear. When she decided to
go, he’d have to accept it.

They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the
dining room, trading sections of the newspaper like an old married
couple. Kate looked over at Enrico, his dark eyes roving over the
business section as he sipped a cappuccino. Vince didn’t like to
read the paper, but they’d shared plenty of breakfasts together,
many of them like this one, quietly companionable ones where little
needed to be said. Some little part of her missed Vince and thought
it strange she was here with this other man, a man who was
definitely not her husband. “Excuse me,” she said to Enrico,
folding up her napkin and setting it beside her plate. “There’s
something I need to do.”

Her voice must have betrayed her somehow. He
looked at her for a moment, concern in his eyes. “Is there a
problem?”

“No. I just need to check my voice mail.”

“Ah.” His face tightened, and she left before
he could say anything. It really was none of his business.

Kate retrieved the phone from her purse.
She’d been dreading hearing from Vince, but maybe he’d calmed down
and seen how he’d overreacted. Maybe he’d agree to let her leave
and get a quick divorce. Of course, if he knew what she’d done last
night…. But there was no video after all.

She turned on the phone as she walked out to
the terrace behind the house, trying to enjoy the view of the
garden, the rolling lawns that led down to the lake.
What a
gorgeous day
, she thought, with the sky clear and blue, the sun
glittering on the water, the craggy peaks of the Alps rising high
around her. But her stomach filled with butterflies as she waited
for the phone to come to life.

A beep told her she had voice mail. No
surprise. She pressed the button to check it, and sure enough,
Vince’s voice greeted her. “You fucking cunt,” he said, his voice
low and menacing. “I’m gonna slit your throat.”

She deleted the message, her fingers
trembling as she pressed the buttons. There was another from him;
she deleted it too as soon as she heard the anger in his voice.

So much for the quick divorce. What the hell
was she going to do? She couldn’t stay with Enrico forever. She
shouldn’t be staying with Enrico at all. Not if she knew what was
good for her.

She had to get the hell out of Dodge. This
minute.

Kate found Enrico typing on the laptop in his
study. He was so absorbed she had to cough to get his attention. He
started to smile but stopped. “Kate, what is wrong?”

She fidgeted for a second, not sure she
wanted to ask him for help. “Vince called.”

“What did he say?”

Her heart started pounding. “He threatened to
kill me.”

Enrico’s eyes sharpened. “What exactly did he
say?”

Her throat closed up, strangling her next
words. “He said he was going to slit my throat.” Her knees turned
to jelly and she collapsed onto the chair in front of his desk.

Enrico jumped up and came around to her. He
sank down on his heels, taking her hands in both of his.
“Everything will be all right.”

She shook her head, grateful for the warmth
of his touch, the strength of his fingers around hers. She tried to
keep herself calm, but a tide of worry overwhelmed her. “What am I
going to do? Where am I going to go? How am I going to live?” She
pulled a hand from his grasp, covering her mouth as tears spilled
down her cheeks. Her eyes swam and blurred; she could barely
breathe.