Some Like It Hotter (Sweet Life in Seattle #3) (34 page)

It’s a sunny Sunday, and the realtor is already inside waiting for them. After walking them through the house and having Giovanni sign some papers, she leaves him with a set of keys.

“I’m afraid to ask what you paid for this place,” Lindsay says, wandering over to look out the window at the backyard. She can’t explain it, but for some reason, the house is having a powerful, visceral effect on her. It feels like she’s been here before, even though she’s certain she hasn’t.

He shrugs. “I have money saved, and I figured it was time to finally use some of it. Plus, I’ve never bought a home before.”

It’s a nice Tudor-style older brick house in a swanky neighborhood and is exactly how Giovanni described it—close to the hospital where he’ll be working while still being close to the university for her.

“What about your apartment in Rome?”

“I inherited that from my grandfather when he passed away.”

“I didn’t know that.” She studies the backyard, which is fenced in and mostly just dried grass with a tangle of neglected trees in one corner. “I’ve never bought a home either.”

“You should pick out which room you want as your bedroom. Did you see one that appealed to you?”

She thinks about it. The house has four bedrooms—three upstairs, including the master, and then one more on the first floor. “Probably the one downstairs.”

“Really?” Giovanni comes over and stands behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. “You can have the master bedroom if you want,” he says softly into her ear. “I don’t mind.”

“You’re just saying that because you want an excuse to sleep with me.”

He chuckles.

“You should take the master,” she insists. “You’re going to want to make that your own space. In fact, I’m not sure why you included my needs in any of this.”

“What do you mean?”

She leans back against him and slides her hand over his. “It was nice of you to choose a house that also happens to be close to the university, but it wasn’t necessary.”

His only reply is to brush her hair aside and kiss the back of her neck. Lindsay’s breath goes shaky. She’s been trying not to let herself get turned on by him so much, but if anything, it’s getting worse.

“Are you complaining?” he asks.

“No.”

“Good.” He kisses her neck again then nibbles her ear. Her eyes drift shut. Giovanni’s been very affectionate with her since the phone call with his mom last night. She’s not sure why, since she’s certain his mother wasn’t pleased with a single thing Lindsay said during their short conversation.

She turns around so they’re facing each other. “You’re the nicest arrogant prick I’ve ever met.”

He grins and reaches down for her hand. “I want you to treat this like your home.”

“But it’s not really.”

“It
is
,” he insists. “Neither of us knows how long this whole thing will go on. I want you to be comfortable.”

She considers this, glancing around at the bare white walls. “The first thing I’d do is add some color.”

“And the first thing I’d like to do is christen this room.” He pulls her in and brings his mouth down, kissing her in that slow, luscious way he’s so good at. Lindsay wraps her arms around his neck, already wanting him, already knowing she’d let him take her right here on the hardwood.

“You feel incredible,” he says, his hands kneading her ass.

“Of course I do.”

He chuckles then pulls away. She watches as he goes to the front window to yank the curtains shut.

“Doctor Novello, I believe you have something dirty in mind.”

Giovanni comes back toward her, his blue eyes aroused. And she sees he does indeed have something dirty in mind. He takes her hand and pulls her over next to the fireplace, so her back is against the wall.

“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he whispers, moving in close. “I’m obsessed.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Are you?” He looks at her, and she can tell he’s serious. “Are you glad?”

She doesn’t say anything for a long moment, but then nods. “Yes.”

He sucks in his breath, and it’s shaky when he exhales. He doesn’t say anything more, only brings his mouth to hers again, kissing her with real desire. A warmth spreads through her as he pushes her against the wall. The need coming off him reminds her of their first night in Berlin, that erotic perfume. Except this time, it’s mixed with her own because there’s a stirring deep within her, like the first notes of an instrument when it’s played, vibrating all through her body and down her spine. She lets her eyes fall shut, lets herself enjoy it.

She wants him so much. It isn’t even smart to want a man this much, and she knows it. A crazy memory flashes through her mind of her mother, and the way she used to go after her father’s girlfriends. She remembers her mom once slapping a waitress during a poker tournament, knocking drinks to the floor, and then yanking Lindsay up from the chair where she’d been sipping her Shirley Temple. She and Natalie both thought their mom loved their dad too much.

Lindsay’s eyes open.

That will never be me.

Giovanni’s hands slip under her shirt, under her bra—soothing hands that lull all her fears. She moans when he lightly pinches her nipples, a bolt of pleasure running straight between her thighs. His large hands are all over her now, but then he’s moving lower, his mouth on her stomach, sliding down so he’s on his knees. She knows what he’s planning and is already squirming in anticipation.

She watches him unfasten the leather belt she’s wearing, and then her jeans. He tugs them off her, lifting each foot to help her step out of them.

He leaves her black lace thong on and snakes his fingers inside the scrap of fabric, her hands gripping his wide shoulders to steady herself.

“No dirty talk from you?” he asks, his voice rumbling through the empty room, echoing.

He’s looking up at her, touching her gently, gauging her reaction. He slides through to her center, where she’s already wet and moving her hips in a mindless way.

She swallows, tries to catch her breath. She’s so turned on she can barely think, much less string words together. “Make me come,” she whispers. “Please.” It’s all she can manage, and she sees understanding on his face. His eyes are soulful as he takes in how exposed she’s grown with him.

Instead of shying away from the emotional intimacy, he seems to welcome it, and she has a revelation about Giovanni. For him, it has to be all or nothing. There’s no in between. And she suspects it’s been nothing for a very long time.

“I want you,” he says, his voice rough. “In every way.”

Lindsay’s only response is a soft moan, gripping his shoulders harder.

He glides his fingers from one hand down her thigh then up to her waist. With the other, he pushes her thong aside and brings his mouth to the place she needs it most.

Immediately, she whimpers, pulling on his hair. So perfect. As always, he’s thorough and patient. Lindsay watches him the whole time through slitted eyes. Perceptive too. He’s figured her out, what she likes and doesn’t. Her own rhythm.

His head moves, first nodding, then back and forth. She tries to hold back for a while, lingering on the edge of bliss. When ecstasy arrives, it floods her mind and body, her knees nearly giving out, but his hand on her waist steadies her. He keeps going because he knows she’ll come again, and she does, crying out as she grabs his head with both hands. She’s breathing hard and feels invigorated, pulling him up to her.

“
Now
, I need you to fuck me,” Lindsay says with a grin, resting her arms on his shoulders.

Giovanni isn’t smiling though, and she sees he’s far past it. His cheeks are flushed, his expression hot with need. He fumbles with his pants, shoving them down, and then his hands are on her ass, pulling her in tight. “Hold onto me.”

She does as she’s told and he lifts her up, pinning her against the wall. They both groan when he slides home. She watches his face—his mouth open, teeth bared. Giovanni at his most primitive self. She loves seeing him like this. All the trappings of civility stripped away.

She bites his neck, digs her nails into him. In the same way he’s figured out her rhythm, she’s figured out his, and he likes a sting of pain with his pleasure. She pulls his mouth onto hers, and he kisses her in a reckless way, tongues and teeth clashing, then biting her chin.

When he breaks the kiss, his movements grow hard, fierce, reaching for it. He’s close to climaxing, and when it’s almost on him, she puts her mouth to his ear, and gasps the truth. “I want you all the way too.”

“Lindsay,” he growls, gripping her ass, his muscles tense as he fills her, pushing deep.

Afterward, they stay joined for a long while. He hugs her tight while she keeps her legs wrapped around his waist. His heart pounds through the hard wall of his chest, and she’s awash with tenderness.

Finally, she releases her legs, and he lowers her to the ground. The two of them remain close as they come down from the sexual high.

Giovanni kisses her again and smiles. The smile she loves, the one that somehow checkmarks every box in her heart. “I don’t think I could ever get tired of doing that with you,” he murmurs.

She strokes his face. “Me either.”

They gaze at each other.

She continues to stroke his face. “I should tell you though, I’m expecting some action soon.”

“Action?” His brows go up in amazement. “Christ, woman, you’re insatiable. What do you call
this
?”

Lindsay shakes her head slowly. “No, I’m talking about our bet in Las Vegas. You never seduced me in that horrible car, so now you have to answer all my questions.”

He puts his forehead to hers and lets out his breath. “You know how to pick your moments, don’t you?”

She doesn’t reply because, of course, it’s true.

“If you ask me, that bet is null and void,” he tells her.

“Oh?”

“I never had a chance to seduce you in that car. We were hardly ever in it.”

“There was the ride to the airport.”

He snorts. “The ride where we left a half hour late and nearly missed our flight to Seattle?”

“That’s the one, but it doesn’t matter because you would never have been able to seduce me.”

He chuckles. “Hey, I’ve got moves. Panty-dropping moves.”

“You sure do.” She smiles and meets his blue eyes. “I’ve told you more about me than I’ve ever told anyone.”

“I know you have.” He grows quiet as the tenor of the conversation changes. “And I’m glad you told me, but this is different.”

“How?”

“It’s far worse.”

“What could be worse than me whoring myself to some dirty old man?”

Giovanni’s eyes grow pained. He brings his hand up to her cheek then leans in and kisses her softly. “Don’t let that hurt you anymore, baby.”

She meets his gaze, and then nods. “I’m trying.”

“Good.”

“Tell me, though, what’s worse?” she whispers.

He lets out his breath. “Damn, you’re relentless.” She thinks he’s going to shut her down again, but surprisingly doesn’t. “Lying to all the people you love for years. Every day. Straight to their faces.” He looks at her. “That’s worse.”

“What did you have to lie about?”

He shakes his head and turns to the side. “An affair. One I never should have had.”

She tries to picture why he’d have to lie, and it isn’t difficult to guess the reason. “She was married. That’s it, isn’t it?”

He nods.

“But you weren’t, so who were
you
lying to?”

“Family, friends, everyone. Nobody knew.” There’s such a bleak expression on his face it makes her heart ache.

“Sometimes affairs happen in secret.” She tries to imagine it going on for years, and can see how that would be difficult. “Why didn’t she just leave her husband?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like?”

But Giovanni doesn’t answer. Instead, he steps back and pulls his jeans up, not looking at her. Lindsay does the same, refastening her belt. The moment between them is slipping away. She wants to bring it back but doesn’t know how.

Her phone chirps in her purse, and she goes over to check it, wondering if it’s from Natalie. Instead, there’s a text from Dagmar. She’s only spoken to her friend once since she left Berlin, but they’ve been texting regularly.

She gasps as she reads it.

“What is it?” He turns to her with concern. He’s standing by the window looking out at the backyard.

“Werner has been picked up by the police, and it turns out he had eight thousand euros on him!”

His brows slam together. “Do they know where it came from?”

“Dagmar says he told the police he won it playing poker, but she says she doesn’t believe him.” She shakes her head and glances up at him. “Well, no shit!”

“What else does she say?”

Lindsay reads the rest of it. “Apparently, Werner got caught cheating at Spielbank Europa, and Varik threw him out and banned him for life. When he snuck back in, they called the police.” She shakes her head. “Dagmar says she’s going to try and get what’s left of my money back to me. She says she’s sorry she didn’t believe me, and that she’s come to see now how wrong she was about Werner.” She puts her phone down. “Well, damn.”

Giovanni walks over to her. “I hope you do get your money back.”

“So do I. Even some of it would really help.”

“You could let
me
help you.”

She looks up into his face, so earnest. She knows he wants to be her hero. “I can’t take your money.”

He seems ready to argue but then stops himself. “All right.” He sighs in a resigned way. His eyes roam the space of his new home. “I need to buy some furniture as soon as possible. There’s not even a bed to sleep on here.”

“I have furniture.”

He looks at her with surprise. “You do?”

She laughs. “Of course I do. Unlike you, I haven’t spent the past four years roaming the Earth like a vagabond.”

“Do you have a bed?”

“Queen-sized.”

He nods, but then gives her a sly grin. “That’ll do.”