Free Ten Days in Tuscany by Annie Seaton Page A

It was time to come in for the kill.
    “It won’t be a great expense. I know people, sponsors. The cost would be minimal.” Not technically a lie, as he was the sponsor and a minimal cost was all relative to him. He reached out for her hands and held them. “Come on, Gia. This would make my holiday great fun. And I’d love to spend some more time getting to know you as we plan. What do you say?”
    “But I’d be taking up your time. That wouldn’t be fair.” Gia’s eyes were wide and a frown wrinkled her brow. “What would you get out of it? I don’t know if I’m ready for anyone else to see what I do. Those little landscapes were an experiment. They’ve been in the restaurant for months, and no one has ever wanted to buy them before you.”
    Ah. That explains why her father didn’t want to sell them. Nic wondered how many others had inquired who the artist was. Gia was too talented to have remained undiscovered.
    “How badly do you want to make enough money to move to Florence?” Although he couldn’t see how moving to Florence would improve Gia’s work. It was perfection as it was. He was only dangling the carrot to get her to agree.
    “Very much.” She lifted her chin. “But I was going to do it by myself.”
    “And you shall. I’m just willing to help you.”
    “Okay. I’ll think about it. I must admit it has got some…possibilities.”
    Unexpectedly she leaned into him and touched her lips to his in a light kiss. A kiss as light as the brush of a butterfly’s wing. The storm that raced through Nic’s body was even more unexpected than the kiss. Oh, he’d wanted her from the start; there was no doubt about that. But he’d not expected such an innocent gesture to move him so deeply.
    “You are very kind, and I promise I will think about it.” Her breath stirred against his lips as she pulled back and he reluctantly let go of her. His arms had gone around her as she had leaned into him.
    “My pleasure.” Since she’d kissed him, his body was trying to kick into an entirely different type of pleasure. The touch of her soft lips on his had been everything he’d expected and more. He had to fight against crushing Gia to him and deepening the kiss. “It’s time I went home.”
    She looked up, and the expression in her eyes rocked him. His blood pulsed hot and fast through his veins.
    “Thank you for sharing your work with me… For trusting me,” he said, freezing as she took a step back and put one hand onto his cheek. With her other hand, she reached up, and he waited for her to push those spectacles up, but she slowly pulled them off and threw them onto the sofa beside them.
    “You have touched me with your kindness.” She stretched up to her toes and her lips touched his…again, a whisper of a kiss.
    His control slipped and he pulled her close so that her body was pressed hard against his. That damn strawberry fragrance was everywhere. Need whipped through him.
    He moved his hand to her waist and his thumb brushed the bare inch of skin between her T-shirt and her skirt. Her kiss had been sweet, but he knew there was passion that simmered beneath; the feeling in her paintings was a part of her. Sweet was not the right word for this woman. Running his hand around her waist and up her spine, Nic cupped his fingers around the back of Gia’s slender neck, her skin smooth beneath his fingers. He held her head still and captured her lips, and this time there was no sweetness in her response. Her mouth opened beneath his as he increased the pressure and held her close. Her soft breasts were crushed against his chest as she wrapped her hands around his neck. Fire raced along Nic’s veins, and he deepened the kiss, meeting her tongue with his. She lifted her foot and wound her leg around his calf as he drank her in. He loved the way she clung to him as though she wanted to touch him with every part of her body. The fire continued to his groin and reluctantly he pulled back a little.