Secrets and Seduction Las Vegas (Sexy Italian Imports Book 1) (8 page)

“My sister started referring her patients to me. Word spread, and now my calendar is nearly full.”

“Do you take writers as patients?” Antonio wagged his brows at her.

She frowned. Was he serious? The corners of her mouth turned up. “No. I have to draw the line somewhere.”

He laughed. “We are an unsavory bunch.”

“Do you enjoy writing?”

“I do. I’m outlining the next book in my series. Have you read any of them?”

“Yes, I’ve read a couple but none in the last year.”

He didn’t seem offended. “I have a few in my trunk. I’ll give them to you when we leave.”

“Thank you. What’s the plot of the new book?”

He sat back and rested his arm along the top of the booth. “It takes place in Vegas, of course.”

She was captivated by the way his shirtsleeve rode up and bared his bicep. Staring, she took a deep breath and blew it out. She would love to touch.

He chuckled. “Hello? You still with me?”

Looking into his eyes, Valerie felt her cheeks warm, and shifted her gaze down at her glass. “Sorry, go ahead.”

“Riiiiight. Now I won’t be able to concentrate.”

She snuck a teasing look at his face. “Now
I’m
being bad?”

“Yes, you are, and I love it.”

She should control her flirting. This wasn’t the kind of guy who was safe to play games with. “You were explaining the plot…”

“Here’s what I have so far. It’s about a beautiful woman psychiatrist.”

Valerie listened closely. Perhaps he could use her help with some aspects of his writing, since she was in a similar business to his heroine.

“She’s dating a big, dumb basketball player.”

Her brow furrowed. Was he teasing her?

His smile flashed mischievous. “And they haven’t made love yet because she’s got the hots for another guy.”

She closed her eyes for a second. How was he able to sum up her situation in one breath?

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s too unbelievable.” She tried to look serious. “No one would buy that story.”

Antonio let out a sharp laugh. “Sorry,
bella
, I couldn’t resist. Touchy subject?”

She looked away from his intense stare. “Somewhat.”

“The big, dumb boyfriend? Or the desire you feel for the other man?”

Her gaze shot back to his. Desire filled her all the way to her toes, but, at the same time, bitter guilt chilled her. Here she was out with “the other man” while Troy was vacationing with his buddies.

His eyebrows drew together, and he sat forward. “Tell me what you’re thinking, Valerie.”

She shook her head and focused on swirling wine around her glass. “Nothing important. Let’s talk about the blackmailers, all right?”

He relaxed back into the booth, but she sensed him watching her. “Whatever you’d like.”

“What are you going to do about the latest blackmail letter?”

He shrugged. “I paid it.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “What choice did I have?”

“But…how…”

“They were smart this time. They had me hide it in a men’s bathroom. In a police station.”

“Really? Did you wait to see who picked it up?”

He smiled. “That’s the interesting part. I tried to loiter, but the cops kept rousting me. I had my private detective there, but he kept getting thrown out, too.”

“Did you watch the door? See if anyone you knew came out?”

“There were a lot of exits. Hundreds of people in and out during the day.” He drank his full glass of wine in one swallow. “So it’s over. Hopefully.”

She sat forward. “Will you tell me what the blackmailers have on you?”

He looked at her as if she’d turned into a werewolf. “No.”

“I’m asking because Betina said her indiscretion was from about twenty years ago. She wouldn’t tell me what it was, just that it would embarrass her and her family.”

Antonio nodded. “It was something I did in college.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “Nothing horrible, but I live a quiet life. I don’t want reporters finding out where I live and turning me into a major attraction.”

“I understand.”

The waiter interrupted with their lunch and encouraged her to finish her wine so he could refill her glass. For a half hour, they gorged on the restaurant’s famous eggplant parmesan, lasagna Florentine, linguini with clam sauce, Caesar salad, and garlic bread. She made yummy sounds as she bit into each new taste delight.

Antonio groaned. “Do you always moan like that?”

She looked up and moaned, “Mmmm hmmm, always,” then caught the look in his eye and recognized his double entendre.

“Baby, you can’t tell me to keep the conversation on business then tease me with your sex noises.”

She giggled and felt her face warm, only partially from the wine. “I didn’t mean to be a tease.” She patted her mouth with a cloth napkin and his eyes followed the movement. “What were you saying?”

“I said, ‘Let’s go back to my place for dessert,’ and you said, ‘Yes’.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think I’ve had that much wine, Antonio.”

He took her hand and rubbed circles on her palm, looking at her with those beautiful brown eyes. “It will be good, Valerie. We will be fabulous together. Say yes, baby, and I’ll have you moaning for hours.”

She was lost in his gaze, could barely draw a breath. Her core tingled with anticipation, her mind befuddled by the image of her lying under him. Moaning for hours.

She had to snap out of it. She raised an eyebrow. “Does that line really work?”

He released her hand. “None of my lines work on you, do they?”

She sighed. Did he honestly have no idea that his smoky glances and wicked suggestions turned every inch of her body into a tingling time bomb?

“Not really,” she lied and steered the conversation to the blackmailer.

They compared his and Betina’s lists of suspects and came up with possible scenarios. For the next hour, Valerie didn’t notice the waiter frequently refilling their wine glasses, until she started slurring her words. She was tipsy.

He must have realized she drank too much and moved their glasses to the edge of the table. The waiter walked by, and Antonio said, “Two cappuccinos, please.”

“Thank you.” She fanned herself with her napkin. “I didn’t realize how much I drank.”

“You’re a lot of fun when you loosen up.”

“Loosen up? Thanks. Makes me sound like an uptight bitch.”

“Whoa,
bella
, let’s keep this pleasant, okay?” His smile was teasing.

“I don’t usually drink this much.”

He stared at her.

She waited a few minutes, then couldn’t stand the silence. “What are you thinking?”

He rubbed his chin. “I’m going to use this scene in my next book. Two people, drawn to each other sexually, but kept apart by their suspicions of each other.”

She shook her head and regretted it when she felt the room spin. “Your books are not romantic at all. You should introduce a love interest for your cop-hero.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Everyone’s a critic. Okay, Doctor, how should I make my books more female friendly?”

She looked at his face, which seemed to float in and out of focus, just like in her dream. A lightbulb went on in her brain, and she leaned forward. “I have an idea.”

“I do too, but we’ll have to go back to my place—”

“Uh uh. About the book. You could make it more romantic by having the cop dream about one of his female co-workers. Then build a romance from there.”

“Might work. What would he dream?”

Her own dream replayed in her mind. “She’s in her office, and he barges in wearing riding leathers, sunglasses, boots…”

“Go on.”

This was dangerous, but she didn’t care. She smiled seductively.

“She watches him take off his sunglasses, his leather gloves and jacket. He’s wearing a white shirt, jeans, and leather chaps.”

His eyes held a serious look, and he shifted in his seat.

She leaned closer. “She gets up from her chair and saunters toward him, wearing nothing but a slinky black—”

“Stop.” His brows drew together. “For God’s sake, Valerie.” His hand fisted. “You push me too far.”

She sat back, sobered by his warning. She closed her eyes. What was wrong with her? He was intensely into her, and yet she deliberately enticed him.

With the wine spinning her brain, she’d allowed desire to launch her out of control.

She couldn’t meet his eyes. “I…I’m going to the ladies room.” She jumped up out of the booth—too quickly. The room shifted. She blinked to focus, walked hesitantly to the back of the restaurant, and found the dark hall leading to the restrooms. As her hand touched the women’s room door, an arm came around her and pulled her back against a solid wall of muscle.

“You are poison.” Antonio wrapped his arm beneath her breasts. He pulled her backward into an empty meeting room and closed the door behind them.

Chapter Seven

Antonio slid his hand in Valerie’s hair and turned her head, tipped it off to the side, and kissed her neck. His tongue teased her, his lips pressed on her sensitive flesh. He whispered in her ear, Italian love words.

“
La donna più bella che ho visto mai. Angelo mio
.”

She was holding her breath, and she inhaled deeply, smelling his intoxicating aftershave. Her body melted to his, her nipples hardened. The fabric of her dress rubbed against them as his arm tightened at her ribs. Her arms were pinned to her sides, and she grabbed his thighs. He jolted at her touch.

His tongue touched her ear, tracing it slowly, his breath hot, whispering and promising. “
Bella
, I want you.” The heat of her blood pounded through her, pooled in her belly. His thumb moved up her breast, gently, slowly, maddeningly slow. When he touched her nipple through the fabric, she shuddered, let out a breathless moan.

“Antonio, oh please.”

He moved his hand from her hair to her stomach, pressing her back against his hard erection. Her body responded with primal abandon. Unable to stop herself, she moved her hips, circling slowly.

“
Anima mia,
you are outrageous.” His hand moved lower, lifted the hem of her sundress. He touched her bare stomach, ran his hand down her hip to her thigh, caressing gently. His hand at her breast teased her nipple. He sucked the skin below her ear, sucked her earlobe. His fingers tentatively touched her panties, and she abandoned herself to the extreme pleasure.

She spread her thighs apart slightly, tipped her hips to bring herself up to his hand.

He made a choking sound deep in his throat. “Yes, Valerie. Sweet. Perfect.” He dipped his fingers inside her panties, touching her there. She started to spiral just like in her dreams. Spreading her gently, his finger found her clit. He rubbed, circled once, twice, and then she screamed.

“Oh, God!” She left her body, left the world. The sun exploded, its heat centered between her legs. Her body shook with ecstasy. He bit her neck. The pleasure drove her higher. Her heart beat too fast, her breath panting through her open mouth. Then, slowly she descended, chills racing through her body; she shook as she collapsed against him.

Thank heavens he had his arms around her, or she would fall. He turned her to face him, held her tightly. She slid her hands around his waist and rested her head on his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat.

“
Bella
mia
.” His words brought her slowly, languidly back to reality.

She was in heaven, exactly where she wanted to be. Well, in his arms, yes, but not in a meeting room in a restaurant.

She laughed softly. “Wow.”

He groaned. “Yeah, wow is right. You are so damn sexy. Unbelievable.” He kissed the top of her head.

They’d never kissed, but he’d just played her body like an instrument. What a wild beginning to their relationship.

His hard cock pressed against her belly. She pulled back a fraction, looked up into his eyes, ran her hand under his shirt on his back, then around front to his stomach.

He stared at her, his eyes smoldering with desire, his breathing fast and hot.

She put her fingers into the waistband of his jeans, but he grabbed her wrist.

“Wait,” he said.

“No.” She dipped her fingers lower and touched him.

He jumped, pulled her wrist away.

“Not here. I am an animal to have you here. You deserve better.”

She smiled seductively. “I don’t mind.”

“
Cara mia
.” He kissed her hand. “We’re going to my place. Don’t say no.” He watched her closely.

She looked up at him. Her desire made her voice breathy. “Let’s go.” It was going to happen. The realization made her giddy.

“Valerie.” He touched her chin, tipped her head up, and kissed her gently on the lips then grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the room, back to their table. In her purse, her phone rang, but she ignored it. He opened his wallet and threw a hundred dollar bill on the table. She picked up her purse, and they sprinted out the door.

He opened her car door for her. “Follow me.”

Her phone rang again and she reached for it.

“No.” His eyebrow shot up.

“It could be a work emergency.” She pulled her phone out of her purse. “If it’s not, I’ll…” She checked the screen. “Oh, God.”

He grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the phone. “No. Don’t answer.”

Her stomach soured. “It’s Troy.” The man she’d promised herself she wouldn’t cheat on. And she had.

****

Antonio released Valerie’s hand. Her face grew pale, her eyes shining with tears.

“You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

“You are so wrong.” She gasped in a shaky breath. “I promised myself I wouldn’t do this to Troy. He’s a wonderful person. He deserves better than my slutty behavior.”

He stepped toward her, but she jumped back. He held out his hand. “Don’t make this thing between us sound dirty. What happened in there…” He tipped his head toward the restaurant. “It was good, Valerie. Amazing.”

She shook her head and got into her car. “It was wrong. It is wrong.” Her tears tracked down her face. She looked at him, her eyes stormy gray. “I don’t even know you.”