She stepped away, her mouth leaving his, but her eyes never moved from him as she stepped free of the gown. It was far too beautiful and precious to let fall to the floor, so she draped it over a nearby chair, adding her bra to it, slipping off her satin sandals.
Then she turned to Luca. He was gazing at her…just gazing.
‘My most beautiful, exquisite Bianca…’ The words were breathed from him.
He came towards her. Methodically, he started to shed his clothes. Jacket first, deposited on the dressing table stool, then his tie, his shirt. He dropped his cufflinks on the dressing table, added his shirt and tie to the stool.
She watched him, unable to tear her eyes away as his sleek, hard, so well-remembered body came into view.
Not for an instant did he take his eyes from hers. Nor did hers move from him as he revealed his body to her—as hers was revealed to him. Only when his hands went to his waist did she turn away, shy suddenly. It had been so long ago…so very long ago…
But when he came to her, resplendent in his natural state, all shyness dissolved…dissolved completely.
* * *
He drew her into his embrace, her slender body pliant against his. Gently, so gently, he kissed her. A kiss of sweet desire. Ofhomage. Of renewal. Carefully, so carefully, he lowered her to her bed. All that remained of her clothes was the wisp of her panties. He eased them from her slowly, sensuously. Returned to where they had been and just as slowly, as sensuously, made exploration.
He heard her give a sigh, a whisper…no more. And then he silenced her with a kiss as soft and as sensuous as his exploration…his rediscovery.
Thoughts inchoate and insubstantial formed in his mind. How right it was to yield to what had been growing between them since she had come into his life once more. What had once drawn them together was as potent as ever.
More so…
This Bianca—the Bianca of the silvered gown, so elegant, so exquisitely beautiful—was impossible not to desire. Not to claim as he was claiming now.
Softly, sensuously, he eased his hand between her silken thighs. He felt her give another sigh of pleasure, felt her hands come around the naked column of his back, her fingertips running slowly, exploringly, along the contours of his spine. Her thighs were slackening, granting him access to where he most desired to be. His lips were still caressing hers, his tongue lacing with hers. He could sense her arousal mounting, the liquid glide enticing his slow, questing exploration, revealing her response to him. And a restlessness was starting up in her—he could feel it, sense it, knew its cause.
He lifted his mouth away, gave a low, husky laugh. ‘Patience,bellissimaBianca. Patience…’
He would not keep her waiting long, for he knew that what was happening to her was happening to him too. But self-control was absolute. This was too exquisite. He would not rush it. It was a feast…a banquet to be savoured slowly.
All the night long…
* * *
His touch at her most intimate places was unbearable…impossible to endure. He was toying with her…playing with her. She felt her thighs slacken, her legs splay. Her hands were running up and down his spine, grazing the muscled contours of his back. She wanted to reach for him, guide him to her. But he was holding himself away. She could not bear it—could not endure it.
She lifted her shoulders, wanting, aching to feel the frottage of her crested peaks brushing the hard wall of his chest.
As if it was a signal, his mouth left hers. Found another place. A moan broke from her. His lips and his tongue at her breast were unbearable—impossible to endure.
She wanted more…so much more…
I want everything. Everything that I have yearned for, longed for, for six long years. To have Luca again. To be in his arms…his embrace…
Restlessness filled her again. The arousal he was drawing from her was mounting, but she did not want it to be hers alone. She whispered his name, an imprecation—a plea.
‘Luca…’ she sighed. ‘I want you…only you.’
He lifted his mouth from her aching coral peak. Smiled down at her. Gold glinted in the deep darkness of his eyes in the soft light from her bedside lamp.
‘Then you shall have me, Biancabellissima.You shall have me…’
He moved across her body, slipping his hands from her. She gave a cry of loss, for she knew her moment was very near, and she ached for his touch…
It came slowly…questing. Teasing…toying. Her hands went to his hips, to draw him fully down, but he was too strong for her. His weight was on his elbows, either side of her. His gaze poured into hers.
‘How much I want you,’ he said.