Kidnapping His Bride (22 page)

He hissed in a breath when she undid the snap and zipper, gently pushing her away when she curled her fingers around his cotton-covered erection.

“Slow down,” he whispered, moving so he lay on top of her, her wrists clasped in his hands as he brought her arms up over her head. “Keep that up and I’ll embarrass myself.”

She smiled, happiness coursing through her when he kissed her, releasing his hold on her so he could help in the removal of her clothing. Piece by piece, he helped her shed everything until she lay there naked. And then he was naked, their bodies twisted around each other, mouths and hands everywhere, heated breaths and whispered words of love filling the air.

And when he entered her, filling her so completely, tears sprang to her eyes while she clutched him close. Their bodies moved together perfectly, pleasure sweeping her into its now-familiar storm, and when she fell apart beneath him scant minutes later, wrapped tight in this man’s arms, she knew she’d never felt so happy.

Or so complete.

Chapter Sixteen

Three months later

“You’ve been married for a while now, you know,” Claudia Renaldi said with a slight smile, her voice deceptively casual.

Rafe shot Cat a knowing glance and she bit back the laugh that wanted to escape. They both knew where this conversation was going. “Just about three months,” Cat said, her voice just as casual. “But it’s gone by so quickly.”

“I’m sure,” her mother-in-law murmured as she watched the two of them from where she sat across the kitchen table. “I’ve been wondering…when is there going to be a baby on the way? I’m anxious.”

“Good God, Mama. We’ve only been married three months,” Rafe muttered, shaking his head. “We’re not ready for babies yet.”

“Aw, but they’re so sweet. I love my grandbabies. And since Vince and his wife are so busy working, they can’t even get together and attempt to make them. You two will have to meet my ‘I need more grandchildren now’ need,” Claudia explained.

“Not going to happen,” Rafe said firmly, his arm circling around Cat’s shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Go pick on Matteo or Stasia. See if they can provide you with more grandchildren.”

Laughing, Claudia stood and left the table with a shake of her head, headed over to where Matteo stood with Gavin. They’d gathered at the Renaldi family villa, everyone together with the exception of Vince and his wife Amber, and they were sorely missed, as usual.

Cat loved spending time with the Renaldis. They were a large, demonstrative family who accepted her with open and loving hearts. Her mother was joining them tomorrow, and they were incredibly accepting of her as well. It felt good, to be a part of such a close family. Unlike her own fractured little family. What with her father essentially missing in action and her sister still at the facility, Mama was all she had left.

But at least Annalisa was doing better. Her mother seemed to be well too. Not so glum and wailing for her old marriage and no-good husband anymore, which was a good sign. Cat couldn’t help but wonder if the behavior had been spurred on by Annalisa’s encouragement.

Cat would probably never know.

“You all right?” Rafe said, his fingers smoothing along her upper arm.

She smiled up at him. “Yes, but I hate disappointing your mother.”

“We don’t disappoint her. I think she enjoys giving us grief over babies. She knows we’re not ready.” Rafe swooped in, offering a reassuring kiss. “Don’t let her nagging bother you.”

“I just want to make sure you’re okay with not having any babies yet.” She nibbled on her lower lip. “Are you?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? I like having you all to myself.” His grin was wicked and she lightly slapped his chest. “There will be enough time for babies. You’re still young. Aren’t you the one who said you wanted to really live and see the world?”

“I did.” She laughed when he pressed his damp lips to her neck, nibbling and licking her there. Pushing at his shoulders, he leaned away so his gaze met hers. “And you’ve shown me plenty, which I love you for. Someday, though, I want to have sweet little babies with dark eyes like their daddy.”

Those brown eyes turned darker at her words. “I want a beautiful little girl who’s the spitting image of her mama.”

They stared at each other for a long, heat-filled moment before Cat burst out laughing. “We’re disgustingly in love, aren’t we?”

Rafe nodded his agreement, his smile growing. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Neither would she.

About the Author

Karen Erickson has always loved the written word. From being one of the best readers in her kindergarten class to penning romantic stories that never ended about her favorite band members (Duran Duran) in high school, she always wanted to write. It just took her a while to seriously pursue it.

With the birth of her third child came a realization—it’s one thing to talk about writing a book, another thing entirely to actually do it. She’s been published since 2006.

Karen’s a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband, three children, one dog and too many cats.

To learn more about Karen, visit her online:

www.karenerickson.com

Blog:
karenerickson.blogspot.com

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/karenericksonwritesromance

Twitter:
www.twitter.com/karenerickson

Look for these titles by Karen Erickson

Now Available:

Spontaneous

Jesse’s Girl

Fortune

Fortune’s Deception

Fortune’s Promise

Fortune’s Chance

Playing with Fire

Forbidden

Tangled

Scandalous

Notorious

Fated

Under My Umbrella

Baby, Don’t Lose My Number

Simple Twist of Fate

Tahoe Nights

My Favorite Mistake

End of Days

Neon Chaos

Worth It

Worth the Scandal

Worth the Risk

Worth the Challenge

Worth Everything

The Renaldis

Temporary Arrangement

Tempted by Her Boss

Print Anthologies

Midsummer Night’s Steam: Hot Summer Nights

Luck of the Draw

Playing with Fire

Tahoe Nights

Coming Soon:

Print Anthologies

Playing With Fire 2

Twist of Fate

Business? Meet pleasure…

Tempted by Her Boss

© 2013 Karen Erickson

The Renaldis, Book 1

Paige Stewart has committed the ultimate nanny sin—she’s fallen in love with her boss. She adores Matteo Renaldi’s sweet, precocious son. Who wouldn’t? But it’s torture going about her day-to-day tasks, catching fleeting glimpses of the boy’s enigmatic father. Chastising herself for fantasizing she’s in the Renaldi master bed…

It’s ridiculous, pointless. After all, soon little Matty won’t need her anymore and she’ll move on.

Matteo has no interest in dating. He’s consumed by work, his son…and his son’s nanny. She’s everything he’s not: young, carefree, trusting, maybe a little naïve. She deserves better than an embittered widower. Yet when she accidentally falls into his arms, he can’t resist drawing her in for a kiss that quickly spirals out of control.

As they travel to his family’s home in Italy and slowly fall in love, the whispers start. And when one particularly ugly story blows up in their faces, their reputations might escape unscathed, but their hearts may not…

Warning: The sexy, grumpy Italian hero is finally won over by his son’s sweetly beautiful nanny—though it was quite the challenge for her to catch him. Watch for lots of high drama, passionate love and malicious rumors before these two can find their HEA.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Tempted by Her Boss:

Paige exhaled loudly as she stopped in the living room, turning to face him dead on. “What is it that you wish to tell me?”

He was surprised by her abrupt candor. Rather unlike the Paige he’d spent time with these last few months. Her spine was stiff, her expression void of any emotion, and he realized she must be nervous. After all the talk at the restaurant after dinner, she most likely thought he was demoting her or worse—firing her.

Hell, he couldn’t bring himself to do such a thing, no matter how much he knew he should. Having her in his home was a temptation he found harder to resist as each day went by. But Matty loved her…

And Matteo wasn’t ready to let her go.

“It’s not a bad thing,” he reassured, noting the subtle fall of her shoulders when he said that. “I wanted to ask you to accompany us on a special trip.”

That got her attention. “A trip? Where to?”

“Sit down.” He indicated toward the couch. “I’ll tell you all about it.”

She slowly shook her head. “I’d rather stand, if you don’t mind.”

Huh. She was being…odd. “Very well then.” He clasped his hands behind his back. Best to stay in that position so he wouldn’t do something rash, like reach out and grab her. Haul her in close and mold that slender body to his. “I need to go back to Italy for business and I want you to accompany Matty and me for the trip.”

Her jaw dropped open, her eyes went wide. “Y-you want me to go to Italy with you? When?”

He winced. Here was the bad part. “Next week. I remember you telling me you had a current passport. That’s still correct, right?”

“Well, yes, but next week? That’s so close.” She frowned, wrapped her arms around herself.

Unease crept up his spine. Would she refuse him? Hell, he hoped not. “I only confirmed that the trip was necessary this morning. It’s why I came home early, so I could talk to you about it. But then Stasia showed up and distracted us all and now…here we are.” He spread his arms out wide, indicating the entire room, and let them slowly fall to his sides.

She sunk her teeth into her lower lip, letting it go when she started to talk. “How long would we be gone?”

“A week, maybe ten days, but no longer than that. We’ll stay at my family residence.” It was a favorite place of his. He’d grown up there, and since he’d come to the States he hadn’t a chance to go back and show his son where he’d lived and dreamed as a child. He couldn’t wait to share that with Matty.

And Paige.

“Isn’t that where your mother lives?”

“Well, yes…” What did that have to do with anything?

“So Claudia could take care of Matty, couldn’t she?” She nodded once, as if she just solved the matter.

There was nothing to be solved, though. And he wasn’t going to let her get out of this so easily. For this, he would get his way.

“But I want you there,” he said quietly. “And so does my son.”

She stood incredibly still, watching him. He noted the delicate movement of her throat as she swallowed, the way her body seemed to quiver with her every breath. He made her nervous. Hell, she made him nervous. The two of them together in a room, alone…the potent physical chemistry between them arced and spun, bouncing off him straight to her. Again and again.

“Why do you want me there, Matteo?” she asked, her voice a thin whisper. “For Matty or for…you?”

It was his turn to be shocked. What she asked, what she implied, it could never be. No matter how much he wished for it. “Paige…”

She closed her eyes and shook her head, a false little smile curling her lips. “Don’t say it, please. I don’t think I could bear it.”

“You don’t even know what I was about to say.”

Her eyes opened, pain glittering in their depths. “I’m sure it was going to be some sort of gentle let down so you wouldn’t hurt my feelings, right?”

Paige was one hundred percent right, but he had a feeling agreeing with her at this moment would be the wrong thing to do. “No.”

“Don’t lie, Matteo. I know what you’re going to say. What you’re always going to say. And maybe, just maybe I’m overstepping the line here, but I can’t keep it inside me any longer.” She rushed him, one moment standing across the room and the next she was upon him, raining her fists on his chest, her upturned face full of anger. “It’s pointless to deny what we both feel. I know I’m your employee. I know you’re my boss. But the attraction is there. I’m sick and tired of denying it. Are you?”