Free Reckless Nights in Rome by C. C. MacKenzie Page B

desire. And
he didn’t care what he was doing. He kept his fingers on her face,
stroking that soft, soft skin.
    “You taste so
sweet, even better than I imagined.” His voice sounded harsh and he
cleared his throat to catch his breath. Those fabulous green eyes
were huge, dazed with confused arousal and God help him, they
almost brought him to his knees. She made him weak. The sensation
was a unique experience and Nico found he didn’t care for it.
    He took a step
back.
    Bronte’s nails dug into
the palms of her hands as she fought to control the deep ache of
brutal arousal pulsing through her body.
    Dizzy, she
tried not to be disappointed he’d pulled back.
    It was what she
wanted wasn’t it?
    “Nico? I
...”
    And she caught
her breath as he caught her fingers and brought them to his lips,
she realised the shutters had come down over his eyes, they were
cooler now.
    “As I told you
this afternoon, you are full of surprises. Do not look at me like
that, cara , or I will take you right here, right now on the
floor.” He pressed his pelvis into her soft belly in a purely
physical move that jerked her emotional antennae to high alert.
“See what you do to me?”
    He studied her
thoroughly as her face burned then the heat drained away.
    “Yes,” she
whispered appalled by what she’d nearly let him do to her. And
appalled that she did want him to take her right here and right
now. “But, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to let you ... I mean,
I don’t have sex with men I don’t know.”
    “I would say we
know each other very well.”
    “But, that’s
just a ... a physical reaction.”
    “Damn right it
is.” Again he kissed her, this time hard and hot and impatient.
    It made her
head spin.
    “I can’t think
straight.”
    “I must admit,
Bronte, I am having difficulty thinking myself.” He drew back.
Holding her hand as his thumb gently rubbed the sensitive skin of
her palm winding her body even tighter. “So, what are we going to
do about this? Wait until we are both half crazy with lust?”
    The Italian
lilt in his voice was more pronounced, but the tone whipped over
her heightened senses like a lash. Trying not to cringe at the hot
edge of frustration in his eyes and voice, she lifted her chin.
    “Why should I
apologise for not leaping into bed with you? If I prefer to think
about it then you should respect my feelings.”
    “Trust me, I
respect your feelings.” He rammed his hands in his pockets and
paced to the fire and back again. “Why can’t you yell at me or
throw something? We’d have a good healthy fight and end up on the
floor.”
    “I never yell
or throw things.”
    He gave a soft
laugh and she breathed a sigh of relief he wasn’t angry. But it did
nothing for her raging hormones. Part of her wished she could get
angry with him, be like Rosie and let it all out.
    “Come, I hope
you are hungry.
     
    ”

CHAPTER TEN
    Bronte was hungry all
right and it wasn’t for food.
    Her brain
refused to compute.
    She moved like
an automaton as he led her to the table, sat her in a chair and
poured her champagne.
    He sat opposite
and gazed as if fascinated into her eyes.
    “Tell me about
your life, your hopes and dreams, Bronte.”
    She simply
stared at him.
    Marshalling her
thoughts from a brain still buzzing with the toxic mix of arousal
and disappointment, she wondered how on earth she was going to
handle this man. What on earth had she been thinking? She hadn’t
been thinking that was the trouble. Her hormones and a complex,
attractive man had got the better of her.
    Those dark eyes
studied her over the rim of his glass and Bronte felt like an
insect pinned to a specimen board.
    The selection
of food; smoked salmon, tender loin of lamb and vegetables looked
wonderful and she was sure it must taste wonderful too. In her
mouth it tasted of sawdust. If only she was more experienced and a
woman of the world who could handle a man like Nico. If only she
was a little more street-wise instead of