A Shocking Proposal In Sicily

She gasped into his mouth, her eyes wide, and again that aura of innocence briefly shone through. A woman playing with fire. The fire of desire. Desire he could no longer control. She closed her eyes, long lashes sweeping down over her cheeks as she began to kiss him back. As hard and demanding as his kiss, sweeping away any doubts.

This woman was far from innocent. This was a woman in control of her sexuality. A woman who knew exactly what she wanted. And right now he was in no doubt. She wanted him.

Her tongue entwined with his and her arms wound round his neck, her fingers sliding into his hair, long nails scratching his scalp. He delved his tongue deeper into her mouth, tasting champagne. Tasting her.

He had to get them out of here. He was in danger of ripping her sexy tight blouse and skirt from her body right here in the bar.

He lifted his lips away from hers reluctantly, dragging in a deep breath of sanity.

‘Your suite,’ she whispered, opening her eyes and looking up at him. Already she looked deliciously tousled.

Lust pounded through him. He barely had any control left. Virtually no restraint. His need for this woman, this moment, was so intense. He wanted to revel in her power. Be tamed by her. It either stopped here and now or...

‘This is what you want?’ He tried to steady his voice, needing to calm the heated desire thundering through him like a sudden eruption from Mount Etna. Despite this desire, despite the way her body begged him for more than just a kiss, he needed to hear her say it.

Did he really have to ask?

‘It is,’ Kaliana said softly, her voice husky, her breathing rapid and uneven. He was giving her the chance to back out, proving he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Giving her the power. Power which made her feel alive.

She brushed her lips over his lightly, wanting to kiss away the control he’d suddenly found. She wanted him at her mercy. Her at his. She breathed against his lips, driven by a need too powerful to resist. ‘It is. Take me to your suite.’

He held her gaze, looking deep into her eyes, as if satisfying himself she spoke the truth and for a moment she wondered if he knew. If he’d guessed she was a virgin. As if he’d guessed her act of bold bravado was exactly that. Was this man of undeniable experience about to turn her down? Leaving her aching for him, for satisfaction? Leaving her not knowing what it would be like to be sexually fulfilled?

She wanted this night of pleasure, this night of unknown desires. She needed it. To prove she was alive. Locked within her was the woman Alif had gently coaxed into the first flush of womanhood with his love.

She held her breath.

Pain rushed through her at the thought of Alif and the love they’d shared. The passion they should have known together. Was it wrong she felt such desire with another man?

She looked up at Rafe, felt the pull of attraction, the spark of desire, the heat of passion. It wasn’t wrong. Something this powerful couldn’t be. Unexpected, but not wrong.

‘I want you,’ she whispered, drawing again on the elation of being free to indulge in this desire. Free to be a woman who knew what she wanted and took it.

And she wanted this night and this man. Nobody except Rafe could stop it now. Tonight, she would finally bloom into the woman she could be.

‘And I want you.’ His accent suddenly deepened, the intensity in those dark eyes mirroring every need and emotion inside her.

‘I want you to make love to me.’ Her breath was ragged, her words slipping out, firm and decisive. Elation at her freedom, her power of abandonment to be exactly what she wanted, rose ever higher. She wanted to feel his kisses all over her body. His strong hands caressing her, pleasuring her in ways she could only imagine. For too long she’d locked herself behind a barrier of grief, but she couldn’t do it any more. Not if she had to give up on everything she’d ever dared to hope for and sacrifice her secret dreams of one day finding the kind of love she’d shared with Alif. If love a second time even existed. ‘I want you to make love to me. Tonight.’

‘Tonight?’ The hoarseness of his voice left her in no doubt he was fighting a losing battle as much as she was.

‘Tonight,’ she teased. ‘All night.’

He inhaled deeply, his eyes piercing into hers. Taking her hand, he silently led her through the serene calmness of the hotel bar, some guests casting them curious but knowing glances.

Together they stepped into the lift. The air crackled with tension. Neither moved. Towards each other or away. The only contact was her hand in his. Silence enveloped them as the lift moved swiftly upwards. She didn’t dare look at him. Something wild was about to explode between them and if they even so much as looked at one another it would happen before they reached the privacy of his suite.

She drew in a deep breath, his scent stirring her desire ever higher, and she willed the lift to stop. Willed the doors to open. Beside her, he was rigid, his body motionless with control as he stared straight ahead. She didn’t need to look at him to know it. She sensed it. Sensed the power of his control.

At last the lift doors swished almost silently open, directly into his suite, so vast she was sure it must occupy the entire floor. So, he was immensely wealthy. Not the waiter she’d mistaken him to be.

She smiled at the memory of his reaction to her question as she walked into the suite, past the sprawling pale grey sofa, covered with cushions. Past the vast desk where papers and a closed laptop confirmed he was a businessman. Towards the wall of windows which looked out over London, now twinkling with many lights, competing with the moon.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Here, tonight, she could be a different woman than the one who’d handed over her future to the family duty she’d always secretly hoped to be free of, wishing instead for love and happiness. Here, tonight, none of that mattered.

Awareness prickled over her skin as he came to stand behind her, his hands gently holding her upper arms, subtly caressing them, pulling her slowly closer to him.

She looked at the window, their reflection, just as erotic as it had been in the bar. She watched him lower his head to kiss her neck, anticipating his lips on her skin seconds before it happened. She closed her eyes to the pleasure, her pulse racing wildly.

She sighed softly as his lips trailed over her skin, burning it. Setting her alight. But it wasn’t enough. Nowhere near enough.

Kaliana angled her head, inviting more, needing more. She leant her head back against him as he drew her closer. Rafe’s fingertips joined the torture his lips were inflicting on her skin. She shuddered with pleasure as the warmth of his fingers traced downwards, inside her blouse. Inside her bra.

She pressed her eyes tightly shut, desire wildly uncoiling deep inside her. Deep in the hidden femininity she’d locked away after losing Alif.

Rafe murmured against her neck, his fingers grazing over her increasingly hard nipples. It was exquisite. She trembled with need as he continued his torture, heated desire burning between her legs. She sighed softly as she turned her head to face him. He moved closer, the torture on her nipple continuing as he slicked his tongue over her lips. He moved slowly back and she licked her lips, tasting champagne and whisky along with something stronger. Desire.

He slid his hand away from her breast, trailing a blaze of heat up her neck. Every part of her was on high alert. Every part of her wanted him. Needed him.

She turned in his arms, clutched at his shirt and pulled, wanting to feel his body, needing to see it. Buttons popped to the floor as she dragged the shirt out from his black trousers, pushing it aside, pressing her lips to his bare chest. Tasting him. Inhaling his powerful masculinity.

She had no idea where the wanton woman she’d become had come from, but he tasted so good. His skin felt delicious on her tongue. He held the tops of her arms tightly as he spoke in another language and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was Italian. Then the carnal heat of desire took over, consuming her as it exploded into life.

‘See what you do to me.’ He spoke English with a harsh whisper. Had she imagined his words in Italian?

‘No,’ she said, spreading her palms on his chest. Pushing them through the silky soft hair that covered his well-defined chest muscles, smiling at the game she was playing once more with him. ‘No, I don’t see. Not at all.’

He laughed, a soft sexy laugh, unwinding the coil of desire inside her even more. ‘Maybe I should remove my clothes?’

She smiled, heat and power rampaging through her, making her bolder and braver than ever. There was no way she could stop now. ‘Maybe you should.’

‘In that case, my sweet, sexy nymph...’ He took his arms from around her, pulling off his shirt and stepping back a pace. He tossed the ruined shirt aside, his eyes never leaving hers, the hungry sparks of passion in them making her breathless. She looked at his chest, his shoulders, his strong arms, her attention lingering on a tattoo on his upper right arm.

The Italian words, Vivi con passione, inked on his skin fired through her, making this moment more intense. Live with passion—that was exactly what she intended to do. Tonight. With this man.

‘I still don’t see,’ she teased him further, determined not to be side-tracked by the bold dark words inked against his beautiful olive skin.

With a wicked smile he slowly, deliberately and very tantalisingly removed the remainder of his clothes. His body toned and perfect. His erection large and proud. ‘Now do you see?’

She should be shocked, embarrassed even. But she wasn’t. How could she be when this was precisely what she wanted? To see him in all his masculine glory. To revel in the power she had over his body—over him.

She didn’t answer his question but began to roughly pull at her blouse, desperate to take off every last barrier between them. To be as free as he was. Liberated from her lifelong prison as Princess of the ancient kingdom of Ardu Safra. Even if it was only for one night.

‘Allow me, cara.’ He moved back towards her, reaching out with steady hands to unfasten her blouse, button by button. Then he pushed the silk off her shoulders and it slithered to the floor as he unfastened the belt of her skirt before reaching behind her to the zip fastening. The action brought him close, so very close. She was painfully aware of his naked, aroused body, but he didn’t touch her—only her clothes.

He pulled the zip of the skirt lower until the pale gold fabric slithered down over her hips, watching her as she stepped out of it and towards him. His gaze raked down over her skimpy bra and panties, down her legs to her gold heels. She wanted to be as naked as him. Be his equal.

Without taking her eyes from him she slipped off first one sandal, kicking it aside. Then the other. The thud it made on the floor almost as loud as her pounding heart. Reaching behind her, she unclasped her bra, acutely aware of his eyes devouring her, waiting. She let the bra fall to the floor.

She lowered her hands to her panties, her gaze still fixed on his, unable to believe the wild desire she saw burning in them.

‘No,’ he said, his hand covering hers. He was so close she could feel the heat coming off him. Feel the need in his body for her.

‘No?’ she questioned.

‘No.’ Rafe looked into Ana’s eyes, the thud of desire so loud in his veins, surely the whole of London must hear it. ‘Not yet.’

She moved closer, reaching up, pressing her lips against his, her breasts brushing his chest. His control snapped and in one swift move he wrapped her in his embrace, claiming her lips in a hungry kiss. Her hungry need matching his. Demand for demand. Passion for passion. Their breathing hard and loud as desire threatened to totally consume them.

He needed to slow things down. Needed to take this night of unexpected pleasure more slowly. It would be the last he ever had because, even though his bride would be one brokered in a boardroom, he would remain faithful. He would never know a night like this again. Never know this carnal need for a woman after he was married.

He pushed those dark thoughts from his mind. They were for tomorrow. This almost naked, sexy vision of desire was tonight.

Her hand slid down his chest as she moved her body slightly away from his. Instinctively he tensed as her touch slid over his abs, then lower. Her palm pressed against him, then her fingers wrapped around him, exploring him.

The thought excited him more. Making him harder.

‘So beautiful,’ she whispered, looking down, as if she’d never seen a naked man before. She moved her hand upwards, then down and he bit back a groan of passionate despair. He had to stop her. Had to regain control. He wanted to pleasure her before she literally brought him to his knees at the altar of desire.

‘Now you have seen—and felt,’ he said, taking her hand in his. ‘It’s my turn.’

Her eyes widened a little and a faint blush spread over her cheeks, but desire pushed him on and, lowering his head, he took one hardened nipple in his mouth.

She gasped, her fingers delving into his hair as he slicked his tongue around her nipple, enjoying the shudder of pleasure which ran over her again and again. Then he stood up, pressing himself to her, feeling the heat of her body, her naked pert breasts against his chest. He kissed her—until she clung to him, her body begging his for release.

The loss of control threatened him again and he lowered his head, smiling as her fingers pushed into his hair, gently guiding him to where she wanted to be kissed next. He obliged, lavishing the same attention on her other breast.

‘Don’t stop,’ she gasped, and satisfaction rushed through him. The little spitfire who’d walked into the bar demanding champagne had been tamed by desire. But he wasn’t done with her yet. Nowhere near it. He wanted her to cry out with passion.

He murmured soft words of Italian as he kissed down her stomach, pressing his lips against the lacy cream panties, feeling her body arch towards him.

In one effortless move he pulled the lace down to her ankles, returning to the intimate dark hair. Holding her buttocks, he knelt before her, kissing into the silky soft hair. She placed her hands on his head, parting her legs slightly. He looked up at her and moved one hand to caress the soft skin inside her thigh, before trailing his finger intimately over her.

He stifled a groan of pleasure as he felt her eagerness, lust firing through him. Lust he had to ignore. He wanted to pleasure her, make this moment last.

‘I never knew,’ she gasped as he leaned forward and tasted her.

Never knew what? His question came and went, obliterated by a need to really taste her. To totally and completely possess her.

‘Oh,’ she cried out as waves of ecstasy racked her body, leaving her gasping, clinging to him as he continued his torment.

Instead of calming his need, giving him more control, hearing her cries of pleasure with such abandon only increased it. He wanted to be inside her. Deep inside her.

Kaliana shuddered as the intense pleasure of her first orgasm subsided. She’d been so lost in it, so swept away in delirium that only now was she aware he’d stood up, taken her hand and was drawing her towards the sofa.

He sat down, and she watched in fascination as he rolled on the condom he must have had in readiness for this moment.

The moment she gave herself to him.

Should she tell him she’d never had sex before? That he was the first man who had brought her to such a shuddering orgasm? Would he even know after what he’d just done to her?

He leant forward, taking her hand, drawing her closer. ‘Come here.’

Before she had time to wonder where she should go, how she should sit with him, he pulled her onto his lap, her legs astride his. She was completely out of her depth, but it was wild and reckless and right now exactly what she needed. What she wanted.

‘You are so beautiful,’ he said softly, his eyes swirling with desire as his hand slid between her legs, touching her where, after her orgasm, she felt sensitive, so in need of more. He leant forward, taking her nipple in his mouth while his fingers slid into her.

It was too much. Too nice. Surely, he couldn’t take her to that dizzy place of oblivion again? So soon?

She lifted herself up, his torturous touch stopping as his hands moved to grasp her buttocks, his mouth leaving her nipple as he looked up at her.

‘Cara mia.’ He spoke quietly, his tone firm and commanding, the Italian words so enticing, so sexy. Confidence filled her, pushing her on in her quest to find herself, to discover just who she really was.

She dragged in a shuddering breath as his expert touch took her higher. It was so much more than she’d ever anticipated. So powerful. So... Words failed her. She was close to the edge again. Close to being lost in pleasure. She closed her eyes, her head falling forwards, her hair cascading around her, shielding her from the scrutiny of those dark eyes as she enjoyed the moment.

‘Look at me, cara,’ he demanded, more firmly this time.

Fighting the waves of passion and lifting her head, she looked at him. His eyes were dark and glittering like diamonds. Had he guessed she was a virgin? Did the ease with which he could push her to another orgasm give away her inexperience? Her innocence?

‘I want to see you.’ His voice was husky and incredibly sexy. ‘I want to watch your face as you take me inside you.’

She drew in a breath at his boldness, shocked by how wild and wanton it made her. She wanted to feel him inside her. Deep inside her. It all seemed so right. How could she not want this man to possess her in the most intimate way?

Her gaze locked with his. She lifted her hips, lifted herself over him, hoping her boldness, her attempt to control, to dominate, would hide the nerves she couldn’t help but feel. No matter how much she wanted this.

His fingers bit into her buttocks as he encouraged her to move lower. The tip of his heated hardness forced instinct to take over and she moved slowly. With her arms around him, she moved her body up then lowered herself back to him, controlling the moment. Teasing him. Tormenting herself. Each movement making her bolder.

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