this."
"I see," was all he said, watching me with the same appraising look he’d had when I first sat in his office.
"And I really don’t appreciate you leaving me with your luggage while you run off with some… some… woman ... you can’t even bother to introduce me to."
"I see."
"You see ? That’s all you have to say?"
"No," he said, taking a single step forward.
His sudden closeness unnerved me. I stepped back, only to find a wall in my way, and before I could think of what to say next, he was kissing me.
His hands pressed against my shoulders, pinning me to the wall as his mouth bruised my lips. I moaned, and his hands slid down my arms and around my waist, suddenly pulling me into him. Involuntarily, my arms wound around his neck. His tongue parted my lips, entwining with mine as his kisses grew more intense. His hand cupped my breast, coaxing my nipple with the lazy swirls of his thumb. I sighed softly as his lips moved to my throat, his teeth nibbling at my neck sending shivers down the length of me.
My hands dropped to his hips, hooking into the belt of his pants. He pressed me harder against the wall and slid a hand down to my thigh, raising my leg to hook it around his body as he lifted me up. I felt the heat of his rigid manhood straining against his pants, and found myself responding with a throbbing ache. It didn't make any sense, but I wanted him. I needed him. Inside me.
No. Not like this .
My eyes flew open and I caught my breath. "No," I whispered, then repeated myself more loudly.
Antonio stopped, though he still held me pinned against the wall. I searched his eyes, trying to read his expression. Then the corner of his mouth twitched, matching the arrogant sparkle that flashed across his gaze.
My anger returned in a rush of heat, an emotional leap from what I’d been feeling just moments before. "Put me down," I whispered.
For a moment, he didn’t move, and I felt a spark of fear rise in me. But then his grip on my thigh loosened, his hand sliding sensuously over my skin as I lowered my leg. He stepped back, still watching me with that infuriating… irresistible… smirk on his lips.
"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, my insides still quivering.
His lips curved into a frown and he looked away. "Angela," he said, exhaling my name in a heavy breath. "I’m—"
At the other end of the veranda, two waitresses appeared, chatting away, carrying trays of drinks. They giggled in embarrassment when they saw us, hurrying on their way.
I turned back to Antonio, but it was too late. Whatever I’d just seen pass across his face, whatever he’d been about to say, was gone; once again hidden behind his mask of reticence.
Chapter Thirty-Three
My legs had stopped shaking just enough for me to return to my room and soak my bewildered body in a steaming hot bath. I tried to push Antonio Mancini to the back of my mind, but instead, I'd found my fingers slipping between my thighs to finish what he had started.
Now I was standing in the dining lounge again, this time wearing the navy blue off-the-shoulder dress Priscilla had picked out for an evening dinner. I saw Janet Trinn sitting a few tables over and she waved, inviting me to join her.
"Mmmmm… lovely dress," cooed a voice dripping with sarcasm.
I turned to find Naomi standing right behind me, wearing a gray strapless top and matching pencil skirt. It hugged every curve perfectly, and I could tell by the haughty smile she knew how striking she looked.
"Angela, is it?" she asked. "We weren’t properly introduced, were we?"
I knew this was a rhetorical question, so I didn’t bother with a response. I noticed she hadn’t offered her hand in greeting, so I kept my own hands tucked in front of me as well. "I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name," I said, and turned to walk away.
Naomi grabbed my arm and stepped close, all in one smooth motion. "You don’t belong here," she whispered in my ear, all the while looking like an old
"I see," was all he said, watching me with the same appraising look he’d had when I first sat in his office.
"And I really don’t appreciate you leaving me with your luggage while you run off with some… some… woman ... you can’t even bother to introduce me to."
"I see."
"You see ? That’s all you have to say?"
"No," he said, taking a single step forward.
His sudden closeness unnerved me. I stepped back, only to find a wall in my way, and before I could think of what to say next, he was kissing me.
His hands pressed against my shoulders, pinning me to the wall as his mouth bruised my lips. I moaned, and his hands slid down my arms and around my waist, suddenly pulling me into him. Involuntarily, my arms wound around his neck. His tongue parted my lips, entwining with mine as his kisses grew more intense. His hand cupped my breast, coaxing my nipple with the lazy swirls of his thumb. I sighed softly as his lips moved to my throat, his teeth nibbling at my neck sending shivers down the length of me.
My hands dropped to his hips, hooking into the belt of his pants. He pressed me harder against the wall and slid a hand down to my thigh, raising my leg to hook it around his body as he lifted me up. I felt the heat of his rigid manhood straining against his pants, and found myself responding with a throbbing ache. It didn't make any sense, but I wanted him. I needed him. Inside me.
No. Not like this .
My eyes flew open and I caught my breath. "No," I whispered, then repeated myself more loudly.
Antonio stopped, though he still held me pinned against the wall. I searched his eyes, trying to read his expression. Then the corner of his mouth twitched, matching the arrogant sparkle that flashed across his gaze.
My anger returned in a rush of heat, an emotional leap from what I’d been feeling just moments before. "Put me down," I whispered.
For a moment, he didn’t move, and I felt a spark of fear rise in me. But then his grip on my thigh loosened, his hand sliding sensuously over my skin as I lowered my leg. He stepped back, still watching me with that infuriating… irresistible… smirk on his lips.
"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, my insides still quivering.
His lips curved into a frown and he looked away. "Angela," he said, exhaling my name in a heavy breath. "I’m—"
At the other end of the veranda, two waitresses appeared, chatting away, carrying trays of drinks. They giggled in embarrassment when they saw us, hurrying on their way.
I turned back to Antonio, but it was too late. Whatever I’d just seen pass across his face, whatever he’d been about to say, was gone; once again hidden behind his mask of reticence.
Chapter Thirty-Three
My legs had stopped shaking just enough for me to return to my room and soak my bewildered body in a steaming hot bath. I tried to push Antonio Mancini to the back of my mind, but instead, I'd found my fingers slipping between my thighs to finish what he had started.
Now I was standing in the dining lounge again, this time wearing the navy blue off-the-shoulder dress Priscilla had picked out for an evening dinner. I saw Janet Trinn sitting a few tables over and she waved, inviting me to join her.
"Mmmmm… lovely dress," cooed a voice dripping with sarcasm.
I turned to find Naomi standing right behind me, wearing a gray strapless top and matching pencil skirt. It hugged every curve perfectly, and I could tell by the haughty smile she knew how striking she looked.
"Angela, is it?" she asked. "We weren’t properly introduced, were we?"
I knew this was a rhetorical question, so I didn’t bother with a response. I noticed she hadn’t offered her hand in greeting, so I kept my own hands tucked in front of me as well. "I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name," I said, and turned to walk away.
Naomi grabbed my arm and stepped close, all in one smooth motion. "You don’t belong here," she whispered in my ear, all the while looking like an old
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