Fascination: The Sicilian's Ruthless Marriage Revenge. Carole Mortimer

NINE

      ‘WHAT IS IT?’ Cesare lifted his head to look down at Robin as he sensed her mental withdrawal from him. ‘Robin, tell me what is wrong?’ he prompted, lifting his weight from her to lie down beside her and look down at her searchingly.

      ‘Wrong?’ she echoed emotionally. ‘What could possibly be wrong?’ she choked. ‘I’ve just—we’ve just ripped each other’s clothes off and taken each other like two—’

      ‘Do not do this to yourself, Robin,’ Cesare silenced her, his expression dark as he saw exactly where she was going with this conversation. ‘We wanted each other—’

      ‘Exactly!’ she cried, turning away from him to move to the edge of the bed and sit up. ‘I don’t know myself like this!’ she groaned as she buried her face in her hands.

      ‘Robin …’ Cesare reached out a hand to touch her creamy back.

      She stiffened beneath his touch. ‘Please don’t!’ she instructed shakily, standing up to move away from him, unknowingly arousing in those silk stockings she still wore. ‘I have to go.’ She shook her head. ‘I need to go!’ she said determinedly, and she bent down to pick up her dress.

      Cesare moved swiftly, stilling her movements as she attempted to pull the dress back on. ‘And I need you to stay,’ he told her huskily, his gaze intent on hers as she looked up at him uncertainly. ‘I very much need you to stay, Robin …’ he repeated gently. ‘If only to show you that just now was only one of the many ways in which we will find happiness together.’

      She should never have looked at him, Robin knew. Should never have felt herself drowning in those coal-black eyes. Should never have looked at that sensuous mouth that could give such pleasure. Certainly should never have swayed towards him in mute appeal, the hunger of her kiss exactly matching his!

      Because she did know herself in that moment—only too well. Realised that somehow, in the days since she’d first met him, she had fallen in love with Cesare.

      And it was a love that made her completely unable to say no to him as he began to caress the curves of her body once again, reawakening her earlier need. But it was a need he had no intention of satisfying just yet. Once again he laid her down on the bed. His lips followed the same caressing path as his hands, gently rolling the silk stockings down her legs, and kissed the soles of her feet in a surprisingly erotic caress that made Robin’s toes curl.

      Cesare chuckled softly as he moved up her body to kiss the two rosy peaks of her breasts, before suckling them slowly, his tongue a rasp against their sensitivity, then releasing them to move his lips and tongue down the taut flatness of her stomach. He lingered at her navel as he moistly caressed that hollow, and his hand moved lower, parting the silky hair to stroke her already sensitised nub.

      Robin’s body arched in pleasure, her groans pleading now, sounds Cesare moved to satisfy as his lips and tongue replaced caressing fingers and he tasted and teased and filled her with an aching warmth that spread from her abdomen to the thighs she parted to allow his deeper caress.

      ‘I can’t,’ she gasped. ‘I really can’t—’

      ‘Oh, yes—you really can,’ Cesare assured her, and he flicked his tongue against her and watched as she blossomed and flowered beneath his caress. ‘I want to give you every pleasure there is, Robin,’ he whispered. ‘Want to touch you until I know your body intimately!’ he added. His tongue plunged into her and he felt her spasm with a release that made her cry out. Her hands tangled in the thickness of his hair and she held him to her so that she might drink in every last moment of that release.

      Cesare entered and filled her while her climax still tremored through her body, feeling those inner waves as she took and held him, his movements slow and measured as he felt the pleasure slowly building in her once again. He held back from reaching his own peak until he knew she was ready to join him, his gaze holding hers as they reached the pinnacle together.

      ‘Sleep now,’ Cesare breathed minutes later, when he was able to speak again. ‘Sleep, Robin, and we will talk in the morning,’ he assured her. And his arms tightened about her as he lay beside her, anchoring her to his side.

      Robin had no idea how long she had slept with her head resting on Cesare’s shoulder. She woke up to find the space beside her in he bed empty and sunlight streaming in through the window.

      She stretched slowly, her body aching slightly—a pleasurable sensation caused by the strength of Cesare’s hands and mouth. Just the thought of the intimacy of his touch brought the warmth of colour to her cheeks.

      Cheeks that just as quickly paled as she remembered her newly realised feelings for Cesare. She was in love with him. Was in love with the man who was forcing her to marry him. Was in love with the man who didn’t need to use any force at all when he made love to her so beautifully.

      What was she going to do?

      How could she possibly marry Cesare knowing that she was in love with him, but that his only feelings for her were sexual attraction and a need for revenge on her family?

      What choice did she have? she realised hopelessly. Cesare had given her no choice. Was giving her no choice—

      ‘What are you thinking now?’ Cesare asked as he came through from the adjoining bathroom, completely unconcerned by his nakedness.

      Deservedly so, Robin acknowledged as she looked at him from beneath lowered lashes; Cesare had the most beautiful male body she had ever seen!