When I pulled back, she blinked, her eyes glazed.
Faith’s voice was breathy when she said, “Mmm, we should check into our room ASAP.”
I smiled. “We should, and we will. But first things first. Close your eyes. The sooner you close them, the sooner we can get to our room.”
She gave me a cheeky look and waggled her brows. Finally, her eyelids shut. “Okay, I’m ready.” Her leg bounced in anticipation.
As I neared the parking area, I glanced at her to make sure she wasn’t cheating, ready to put my hand over her eyes to block her view. I wanted to film her reaction, so I could always remember this moment.
I parked the car and looked up at the house in front of us. The three-story home was rendered and painted yellow. It had the traditional terracotta roof tiles that many of the Tuscan buildings had. I took out my phone. “Stay there and keep your eyes closed. I’m coming around to get you.”
“Yes,boss.” She smirked. It was a joke of ours. Since both of us were the boss but not the boss of each other, Faith had excelled at helping me run DGMP. We both did a bit of CEO stuff and some marketing. It meant neither of us were ever bored, and we got to work closely with our employees, which were numbered at nineteen already, just over half of them taking a stake in the company.
I went around to her side, opened her door, and helped her out. Leading her to the end of the parking area and up a few steps, I placed her in front of our accommodation. “Wait for one moment. I’m going to get a video of you during the reveal.”
“Seriously? Why?”
“Because I want to. Now stop asking questions.”
“Argh, you’re killing me. I want to see it now!”
I laughed. “Patience, grasshopper.” I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.
She leaned from foot to foot, impatient. “Get on with it or I’m opening my eyes.”
I was pretty sure it was an empty threat, but you never knew, so I stepped back and trained my phone camera on her and pressed Record.
“Okay, my gorgeous lady, behold the place we’re staying at for the next week. Open your eyes.”
Her eyes popped open, and then her luscious mouth followed. She dragged in a noisy breath. “Oh. My. God. You didn’t!” After taking in the Villa Laura, the house in the movie version ofUnder the Tuscan Sun, she ran at me, jumped up so her legs were around my waist, and threw her arms around me. It was a feat not to drop my phone. Faith clung to me, peppering kisses on my neck, up my jaw, and finally my lips. After kissing me stupid, she slid down my body, leaving me aching for more. “I can’t believe this! Are you serious? We get to stay here for a whole week?”
“Yep. I’ve rented the whole place. We also get that renovated barn and thelimonaia, which translates to lemon house.” I gave a nod toward the two-story stone building on our left. All three buildings had a total of ten bedrooms, so plenty of room for the crowd of friends and family I’d invited. They’d all be showing up early this evening. Until then, we had the place to ourselves. “Let’s go check out our bedroom.”
Heat ignited in her eyes. “Yes, let’s.”
FAITH
After spending time with Curtis in “Frances’s” bed, I showeredin the master bathroom. I still couldn’t believe we were inthehouse. I knew the movie was fiction, but the centuries of history I felt leeching from the floorboards and ceiling beams was real, as was the tap in the entry foyer that had water flowing from it at the end of the movie. This was an incredible home, and it cemented the idea within me that no matter how much adversity you lived through, your dreams could come true—a message I’d clung to from the first time I’d ever seenUnder the Tuscan Sun.
And now I was living it. Because of Curtis.
I stepped out of the bathroom nude because we were here by ourselves, and I knew Curtis would appreciate it. He licked his lips when he saw me, the evidence of his arousal clear. He groaned. “I’m not coming anywhere near you. There’s a chef cooking us dinner, and we’re due in the garden in fifteen minutes.”
I pouted. I’d never been a pouter, until now. “Can’t we just have dinner up here? We’ve got time for another orgasm before getting dressed.”
“Argh, you’re going to kill me.” Curtis, clothed in peacock-blue trousers and a white button down with the sleeves rolled up to expose his mouth-watering forearms, came to me and put his arms around me. He squeezed one of my butt cheeks and kissed my neck. “We’ll get back here as quickly as possible. Promise.” His hardness pressed against my stomach. Too soon he pulled away and went to the garment bag on the bed. “This is for you. I’d love it if you’d wear it tonight.”
He pulled a strapless gown from the bag. It was the same color as his trousers in a smooth, shimmering fabric. It looked fitted to the waist, then looser and flowing to the floor. “It’s gorgeous.” I rubbed the fabric between my fingers. “But what have I told you about buying me things? I don’t want you wasting your money.”
He frowned. “My money is your money, and it’s not a waste if it makes you feel beautiful and treasured. My one greatest pleasure is to spoil you. You don’t want me to be unhappy, do you?”
Oh, boy, he wasn’t playing fair.
“Besides, Jack designed it. It’s from his new collection. You’d be helping him by wearing it. We can share a couple of pics on social media later.”
I took the dress. “You sure play dirty, mister.”
He smirked. “I make no apologies.” His lips met mine again in a kiss that was too brief. “Now, finish getting ready because dinner is going to be unforgettable.”
