Some Like It Hotter (Sweet Life in Seattle #3) (30 page)

Lindsay’s eyes travel the length of him and when they reach his face, she sees something’s wrong. She doesn’t say anything for a long moment. “My God, you were going to leave again, weren’t you? That’s why you’re dressed.”

He doesn’t reply. His eyes touch on hers, but then he looks down at his hands.

She sits up straight, bringing the sheet with her. Any anger she felt a moment ago is long gone. She doesn’t even feel angry about the way he abandoned her in the past. All she feels is despair for him because whatever it is he’s struggling with has to be bad.

“Somebody really did a number on you, didn’t they?” she says quietly.

His eyes flash back to her. He’s wearing his usual tense expression. “Something like that.”

“Who? This woman who died?”

He nods and looks across the room toward the open bedroom door like he’s ready to flee.

“Who was she? I already know you were in love with her.”

But Giovanni only shakes his head. “I can’t talk about it. It’s not something I can discuss.” He takes a breath. “Do you want to go out for breakfast, or should we order in?”

“Why can’t you discuss it?”

“Because I can’t.” He gives her a look. “And don’t press me on it.”

Lindsay recognizes that tone, the finality. But she’s never been good at taking orders from anybody, including him. “What happened? You were in love with her, and she died? Is that it?”

He shakes his head, his voice hard when he speaks. “No, that’s
not
it. And I just told you I’m not discussing it.”

“I see.” She nods. “So you have your secrets too.”

“In a word, yes. I didn’t push you last night, so don’t push me now.”

“Why did you stay then? Why didn’t you just leave like you normally do?”

He closes his eyes and rubs his forehead, but doesn’t say anything.

“Whatever it is that happened to you, don’t you think I’d understand? After everything I’ve told you?”

His eyes open and something flickers on his face, but then it’s gone. “This is different.”

“Did you whore yourself to somebody?”

“No.”

She snorts. “Then how bad could it be?”

“Lindsay, I know you don’t want to hear this, but from everything you’ve told me you were a victim.” He sits up, then leans closer toward her. “You’re blaming yourself, but that’s classic behavior.”

“A victim?” She laughs without humor.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’m nobody’s victim.”

He only looks at her with sympathy.

“Do you want to know why I called Natalie in hysterics afterward? It wasn’t just because I’d whored myself. It’s because despite how disgusting the whole thing was, I was terrified I’d do it again.”

He listens but doesn’t say anything.

“If I were desperate enough,” she lowers her voice. “If I had no options left, I was scared it might
become
an option.”

There’s compassion on his face. “It doesn’t change anything about what I said. We both know that scumbag took advantage of you.”

She wants to believe him but knows it’s only partly true. She scoots further down on the bed, closer to where he’s sitting. “Tell me what happened to you,” she presses. “Please, just tell me.”

His expression turns to stone. He looks away, but not before she catches a glimpse of what’s beneath it, how something ugly has sunk its teeth into him and doesn’t want to let go. It’s damaged him, and it hurts her to see it.

She pulls the sheets off. He looks up at her with surprise when she goes to him, his eyes dropping lower to her naked body. He makes room for her to sit on his lap and her arms wrap around his neck, drawing him close.

Neither of them says anything for a long moment as they hold each other. She can feel his heart beating through his chest. She finally pulls back and strokes his cheek. “Tell me,” she whispers.

“I can’t.” He licks his lips. “But I can tell you why I stayed.”

“Why?”

He looks into her eyes. “For you.”

She smiles softly. “I guess that’s a start.”

Giovanni closes his eyes again, still holding Lindsay in his arms. She’s relentless, and he’s certain this won’t be the last of it. She wants to know everything, but there are some things better left alone.

When he woke up early this morning, he had every intention of leaving. It was the same old impulse, the same compulsion to hit the open road, free and unencumbered. He got dressed, but he never made it to the door. He just couldn’t do it. Instead, he sat there for a long time as she slept. He thought about his recent assignment, how he’s still coming off the adrenaline. Then he thought about the last time he saw Paul, the two of them having a drink together after a long day of work. He sat questioning himself, his life and the choices he’s made.

Until finally he heard her wake up with a loud curse. Right away, he knew he’d made the right decision.

So damn glad I stayed
.

He’s never believed in miracles, but he’s starting to wonder if Lindsay coming into his life is exactly that. Because today, for the first time in a long time, he broke the mold and saw the open road for the lie it really was.

She’s still sitting on his lap, stroking his cheek. “If you’re not going to tell me your secrets then come back to bed. Let’s have a nice
long
morning romp.”

The huskiness in her voice is going straight to his dick. He was already half-hard by the time she sat down, so it doesn’t take much to get him there. He caresses the small of her back then glides over to her hip. The cobra within him coils and his first instinct is to fight it, but then he realizes he doesn’t have to. Lindsay isn’t some one-night stand he has to feel guilty about later. Arrangement or not, she’s his wife, and to his surprise the thought brings a sense of peace.

“When are we flying to Seattle?” she asks. “It’s not today, is it?”

“Tomorrow.”

She smiles. “Good.” She reaches down for his hand and brings it to her breast, pressing it into her flesh.

His pulse quickens as he touches her, running his thumb over her dusky rose nipple until it pebbles.

She sighs, and it goes straight to his dick too.

“Listen, we need to have a talk first,” Giovanni says, trying not to let this beautiful soft woman in his lap turn his brain to mush.

“About what?” She shifts position. Putting her mouth to his neck, she starts kissing him, then licking where she’s kissed. His eyes close involuntarily, giving in to the sensation.

“Protection,” he mutters.

“Protection from what?”

“Pregnancy . . . for starters.”

She stops kissing his neck and looks at him.

“I’ve never been this sexually careless,” he admits. “Ever.”

“And you being a doctor and all . . .”

“We haven’t discussed it, but I assume you’re using some type of birth control? The pill or an IUD?”

There’s a peculiar flicker on Lindsay’s face, but it’s gone so fast he figures he imagined it. “No worries, I’ve got it covered.”

“Covered how, exactly?”

She shrugs. “Do you really want to know the details?”

“Yes, I do actually.”

“Well, I haven’t been on the pill since my early twenties.” She slides her hand beneath his shirt. “So . . .”

He nods. “All right, so you have an IUD.”

“Are we done yet?” she murmurs. Her hand strokes his stomach then moves lower to where his erection is straining against his zipper. Her mouth goes to his ear, and she bites him lightly. “Because I want you to take me to bed.”

He tries to breathe. “We have to discuss this, Lindsay. I don’t even know your sexual history.”

“There’s not much to tell.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.” He reaches down and pulls her hand away from where she’s trying to unzip his pants. “Seriously, have you had a lot of lovers? And have you been safe about it?”

She looks up to meet his eyes. “I haven’t been with anybody since I broke up with my last boyfriend.”

“And when did this breakup occur?”

“A couple months before I went to Germany. We were together about nine months.”

Giovanni pulls back and looks at her with surprise. “You’re telling me you didn’t sleep with anyone while you were in Berlin?”

“Only you.”

“What about that guy I got into a fight with, the one who wanted to marry you?”

“Dieter? I never slept with him.” She shrugs. “I never slept with any of them.”

“He wanted to marry you and you never even slept together?”

“I kissed him once.” She rolls her eyes. “A mistake, obviously.”

He tries to decide if she’s making this up, but he can’t see any reason why she would. “What do you mean by ‘them’?”

“The other guys with their proposals.” Her hand slips beneath his shirt, pushing it up this time.

“
Marriage
proposals?”

Her fingers start to pluck and play with his left nipple. “Mmm . . . hmm,” she murmurs, and then gives him a sly smile. “I hope this conversation is almost over.”

The nipple thing is starting to make him sweat. He’s still trying to wrap his mind around what she’s telling him though. “You had other marriage proposals in Berlin. How many?”

“Three.”

“Three including mine?”

“No, four including yours.”

“Jesus.” Giovanni stares at her. Her long brown curls fall over her shoulder like an ethereal beauty from a renaissance painting. She’s certainly as lovely as a painting. Her brown eyes take him in with what appears to be growing understanding. He’s always had a weakness for brown-eyed brunettes, though Lindsay’s appeal goes far deeper than that.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who sees it
.

She puts her hand to his jaw. “Don’t worry about those other guys. It was nothing.”

He wonders what he’s gotten himself into here and how many men are currently in love with her. The truth is he’s half in love with her himself.

He closes his eyes for a moment, and his head swims.

I sure can pick them
.

“Seriously, don’t worry about my history either,” she tells him, moving around on his lap a little. “I get tested at every checkup. Plus, I haven’t been sexually careless in years.”

He nods, still in a daze.

Suddenly, there’s music coming from his phone.
Tosca
.

“Oh, shit,” he mutters.

“What’s that?”

“My mom calling.” He shifts position to try and reach his phone. “It’s in my pocket,” he tells her.

She lifts her body so he can reach it, and he can’t stop staring at her breasts. His hard-on hasn’t gone anywhere. Even the phone call from his mother isn’t managing to deflate it.

He pulls the phone out, but only studies the display.

“You’re not going to answer it?”

The spirited aria from
Tosca
plays a few more seconds then stops. Giovanni has a sick feeling in his gut. “She knows.”

“Knows what?”

“That we just got married.”

Lindsay shrugs. “Is that so terrible? You have to tell her sometime.”

Giovanni doesn’t say anything.

“You weren’t planning to tell her?”

“I was hoping to put it off for a while. Possibly forever.”

“Maybe she’s calling about something else. You don’t know for sure.”

He rubs his brow, trying not to get stressed. “Maybe.”

She grins. “No offense, but I have to admit having your mom as a mother-in-law is one thing I’ve never envied Natalie. Francesca is kind of a handful.”

He smirks. “Actually, she’s
your
mother-in-law now too.”

“What?” Her eyes grow wide as realization dawns on her. “Oh,
shit
!”

He laughs at her panicked expression. “At least it’s only temporary.” He rubs his forehead again. “Christ, neither of my parents are going to be onboard with any of this.”

“We got married for a good cause though. You don’t think they’ll understand?”

“A fake Vegas marriage? Are you kidding?” He takes a deep breath. “No, this is way too out of the box for them. They’re more inclined to hire lawyers and throw money at a problem.”

He notices there’s a message on his phone, but doesn’t listen to it. “How the hell did she figure it out? I don’t get it.” He thinks back to when he spoke with his mother a few days ago, and he’s certain he didn’t give anything away.

“I think it’s my fault.” Lindsay appears chagrined. “I told my sister and Anthony we were getting married last week. I didn’t know you wanted to keep it quiet. He probably told your mom.”

“No, I spoke to Anthony.” Giovanni was having lunch with some friends at one of his favorite restaurants in Rome when he got a phone call from his irate brother giving him the third degree. “I asked Anthony not to say anything, so it isn’t him.”

She’s watching him with his phone. “Aren’t you going to listen to the message she left?”

“Maybe later.”

She smiles. “Do you want me to call her for you and explain the situation?”

“No, that’s okay. I think I’m man enough to deal with my own mother.”

Lindsay raises an eyebrow, and Giovanni laughs.

She takes the phone from his hand and puts it down, and then she unfolds herself from his lap. She stands in front of him and stretches her arms overhead, arching her back.