He pecks my lips before releasing my face and grabbing my ass, pulling me in closer. “I have big plans for you tonight, Mrs. Greco.” I yelp as he squeezes my butt hard. “I had some things delivered for you from Harvey Nichols earlier. They’re in the closet in our room. I need to make a couple of phone calls before I get changed.” He kisses me again, like he just can’t help himself, and I melt against him like it’s my singular mission in life. “Get ready, and I’ll join you shortly. I thought we could have cocktails on the terrace before we leave for the restaurant.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Wrapping my arms carefully around him, I hug him close. “Thank you for always being so thoughtful.” Honestly, he’s incredible. We were fleeing Berlin with minimal time to spare, and he still somehow found an opening to organize dinner and an outfit for me. “I still don’t feel worthy of you.”
“No woman has ever been more worthy. Trust me.”
I run my fingers through the scruff on his face, smiling and feeling giddy, like a teenager in the first flush of love. “Do you need more pain meds?” I ask, as I extract myself from his arms and notice him wincing a little.
He shakes his head. “I’m fine. The pain is manageable, but I’ll take some with me if that makes you happier.”
“It does. I don’t like the thought of you in pain.”
“I have a strong pain threshold.”
“As do I.” Unspoken words hover in the space between us, but I won’t let them ruin tonight. “I’m going to get ready.” I stretch up on tiptoes and kiss him before dragging myself away to the master suite.
* * *
“You look ravishing in gold.” Massimo tells me when I step out of the bathroom an hour later wearing the stunning designer dress he bought me. It clings to my curves in all the right places, and it’s the perfect length, billowing softly around my ankles. “Like a true queen,” he adds, handing me a box.
“You are spoiling me too much.” I gasp as I remove the gorgeous diamond pendant necklace and lift my hair for him to put it on.
“There is no such thing, and get used to it, Mrs. Greco, because I haven’t even begun.”
“You look rather dashing,” I say in a mock upper-crust English accent, letting my hands roam over his hard body encased in a sharply cut black suit. His shirt is black, and his tie is the same gold as my dress. “I’d do you,” I add, making a slow perusal over the length of him.
“You’ll definitely be doing me later,” he purrs, biting my earlobe as he kneads my ass through my dress. “I’m already so fucking hard just looking at you in that dress.” Taking my hand, he places it on his crotch. “Feel what you do to me?”
“I’m drenched,” I say, rubbing my fingers up and down his shaft through his dress pants. “My pussy is swollen with need for your cock.” He curses under his breath, and I inwardly high-five myself as I step back. “But it will only heighten the anticipation.” I offer him my hand. “I believe my husband promised to show me London. I’m ready for him to make good on that promise.”
“I will never go back on my word.” He laces his fingers in mine. “Andthat’sa promise.”
* * *
I have the most wonderful date with my husband, and he stays true to his word—wining and dining me at a Michelin-starred restaurant before taking me on an open-top bus to see the main sights under cover of darkness. Massimo bought out the entire tour bus so we are alone, and he arranged for champagne to be served while we drive around London. The bus stops at The London Eye, and we have a capsule to ourselves as we enjoy a thirty-minute ride over the River Thames, showcasing London from a different perspective. I’m overcome with emotion, and I readily drop to my knees to show Massimo my appreciation. It doesn’t hurt that he quickly returns the favor.
By the time we return to his house, I’m high on champagne and unending love for my husband. It encourages me to be brave.Heencourages me to be brave. With Massimo, I feel like I can overcome any obstacle. “Take a bath with me?” I ask as we climb the spiral staircase toward the master bedroom.
His eyes drill into mine, instantly seeing all he needs to see. “I would love nothing more.”
In the bathroom, he unzips me, and I help him out of his suit in silence as we strip naked while the water fills the giant tub. It’s built into the alcove under the window, offering a gorgeous view outside. Massimo lights a row of candles on the window ledge and dims the overhead lights while I pour some scented oils into the tub. I’m on edge as I stare at the softly dappled water, fighting bad memories while clinging to my strength. Carefully, Massimo comes up behind me, cradling me in his arms with my back pressed to his chest. “We don’t have to do this now. You have nothing to prove to me,mia amata.”
“I do to myself.” I angle my head back so I can look into his eyes. “I want to leave the past in the past, Massimo. I want to move forward with my life instead of always looking back. This is the start.”
“I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
His words bring tears to my eyes, and I’m beginning to believe fate has indeed led me to him.
ChapterThirty-Three
Catarina
“Are you okay?” Massimo asks from his position behind me in the tub.
“Yes,” I truthfully reply, leaning back against him, careful not to touch his injured arm. “This is nice.” I had a moment of profound horror getting into the tub, but the safety of my husband’s arms around me helped to overcome the terror. Now, the water laps gently over my skin in rolling motions, and warmth sinks bone-deep. Jasmine and lavender tickle my nostrils, and the flickering candles cast romantic shadows on the walls.
“It is.” Brushing my hair aside, he presses a lingering kiss to my neck. “I have never taken a bath with anyone before.”
“Neither have I.”
