I found myself meandering around the “parlor” level, which sounded too fancy for me, then made my way downstairs to check out the pool. My jaw dropped at the sight of a wet bar extending the length of the long, narrow pool with cozy-looking gray couches on the other side. “A waterfall?” I mumbled when spying the cascading water going into the pool, unsure why it was even running if he didn’t live there. And for that matter, why did such an unlived-in space look so clean?
I swiped my hand along the bar top as I passed by. No dust.
I circled the pool, and my heart stopped at the sight of a flash of red exposed beneath one of the couches. I snatched the material, and my shoulders fell at the realization it was a small pair of red bikini bottoms. Well, more like a string bikini.
Did he have women over when he visited home? With the bikini bottoms still dangling from my finger, I tried to remember the last time he’d been to New York, deciding I wanted to damage my heart a bit more at the fact it’d been this year after my split with Thomas.
So you chose to screw someone here instead of me?
“They’re not mine.” The deep voice had me flinching and letting go of the bottoms. Enzo rounded the pool, slowly walking my way.
“Obviously.” I had no right to be jealous, and yet, I was consumed by that feeling right now.
Enzo stopped before me, leaving only a touch of space between us. “You’re upset?”
I looked over at the pool, realizing he had me trapped there unless I managed to maneuver around him or swim to the other side. “Is this another reason you keep this place? So you can have women over when you visit?”
I will not cry. I will not cry. The mantra ran through my head, but along with it were images of a bunch of hot bikini-clad women in his pool all vying for his attention. Maybe they even swam in the nude? I’m a grown woman. A mother. I don’t get jealous.
“Maria.” Enzo reached for my chin, forcing my eyes on him. “You’re jealous?” His faint accent I rarely heard anymore was there that time.
“I’m not.”
“You know it’s pointless to lie to me, right?” He arched a brow, continuing to hold my face.
“It’s fine. You’re a man. You have needs, and I wasn’t meeting them.” I lifted a hand between us, attempting to shove at his forearm so he’d let go of me. I didn’t need him to see the wobble in my chin and the stupid jealousy as it leaked from my eyes, betraying my words.
Frustrated, more so with myself and my reaction to a pair of bikini bottoms, I did my best to turn and escape him. His hand left my chin but only to snatch my cheeks with both palms. “I do have needs, cara mia,” he rasped. “And I told you I’ve been jerking off like it’s my second job because of you.” And then he stepped forward and back we both went. Right into the pool.
I shot up from the water and whipped back my hair, gasping from the shock of what had happened. We were in the shallow end, so I could stand. And when my eyes landed on Enzo, he was shoving his hair back, nostrils flaring. His shirt clung to his frame, molding to every muscular, hard line of his body.
He patted the water at his side. “Alessandro uses this place when he doesn’t want a woman to know where he lives. Hell, he probably spends more time here than his own home, which must be why the waterfall is running. He was probably just here.”
Alessandro? I didn’t want my shoulders to fall with such obvious relief, but there they went. “So you don’t . . .”
He shook his head and stared into my eyes. “No,” he firmly said, “I don’t.” And then his lips slanted over mine, effortlessly guiding my legs around his hips so my ankles locked behind him. He deepened the kiss, his tongue finding mine.
I melded into him, but my soaked, clingy turtleneck felt like a barrier between us I wanted to be free of so I could feel his lips trail down my neck as he’d done in his bedroom earlier. “I need this off. Now,” I begged.
He let go of me only long enough to peel off the top, then flung it into the water.
My breasts heaved up and down as he studied me, and I reached behind my back and unclipped my bra. I slowly slid the straps down and tossed it next. The water may have been warm, but goose bumps covered my skin and had my nipples erect.
He cupped his jaw, meeting my eyes. “You really are a distraction,” he murmured. “I didn’t think anything or anyone could get me to . . .” He snatched my wrist and pulled me back to him, and in one fast movement, he had me sitting on the ledge of the pool. “You’re making me forget.”
“Forget why we’re here?” I panted, a pinch of guilt hitting me.
“Forget the pain,” he gruffly said, and before I could respond, he brought both hands alongside my body and leaned in, circling his tongue around my belly button. He slid his lips a little higher, then tipped his chin to locate my gaze. “I want you, Maria. So damn much,” he admitted, “but I do need to focus. There’s a lot at stake.”
I nodded in understanding, but then why wasn’t he moving? Why was he still staring at me with heat in his eyes as if I were his everything?
“I need to remember the pain. Live in it. Exist with it,” he went on. “Or I won’t be able to do what I need to.”
Ohhh. Now I understood the dark, conflicted look in his eyes. “So you can kill?” I whispered, and he quietly nodded. “But I’m here so I don’t lose you,” I reminded him, keeping my voice gentle, but the need between us was still so strong. It was like a vibration between our bodies. Pounding. Relentless. Determined.
When he unexpectedly dragged his hands down my body and unbuttoned my jeans, my heartbeat slipped all the way between my legs. “But just because I need to feel pain to press forward doesn’t mean I want you to be in any.”
What are you saying?
He palmed my sex over my jeans, freeing a trapped moan from my lips. “You need relief, and I want to give it to you before we go.”
“No.” I shook my head. “You don’t need to worry about me. Not like that.”
I wanted to keep him from going dark, but I also didn’t want to stop him from finding Bianca’s killer. He’d never forgive himself if her killer got away, and if I’d been to blame, I’d never forgive myself.
So no, he didn’t need to get me off right now. Because he was right. There was a lot at stake.
“I’ll always worry about you.” He effortlessly hoisted himself up from the pool next to me, then bent down and reached for my hands, guiding me to my feet. “And I don’t want you hurting for any reason.”
“No, really.” My face was on fire. Probably every inch of me when he pulled me tight to his body, and I felt his dick twitch against the fabric of his wet pants.
He ignored my words and snatched my forearms, resting them over his shoulders as if we were about to slow dance, but then he lifted me, tossing my legs over his arms as he held me tight like I was his to keep.
Without ever losing hold of me, he slipped off his wet shoes and carried me around the pool and to the stairs.
“Where are we going?”
“My room.” He paused on the first step and peered into my eyes. “Alessandro wouldn’t have used it, don’t worry.”
“I, um, wasn’t thinking about him. Trust me,” I said as he swallowed my last word with a soft kiss, and then he finished the climb. Two more levels after that, never letting go of me. And I was certain he could carry me up a hundred flights of stairs without losing his breath.
He nudged the door to his room open with his shoulder, and I looked around the space. All cold, clean lines. No pops of color. Well, unless gray counted.
The blinds were only partially drawn closed, allowing the space to be dimly lit. Walking me over to a bed that could easily fit five, he sat me down and knelt before me.
My hands went to his shoulders as he removed each ankle boot. Socks next. Then he looked up at me, his wet lashes only making his eyes appear even sexier as he stared at me. “It’s time I get you off with my mouth.”
Was this happening? Here? Now? And why was I so freaking nervous?
His gaze roamed over my breasts and up to my lips, which were now a match to my nipples again, since he’d surely kissed the lipstick free.
“You know enough of the truth now, so if you don’t want me to . . .”