‘Dio!’
Valentino groaned into her neck, and she squeezed the length of him just so he’d make that sound again. ‘You feel so good,’ she panted as she palmed him from root to tip.
‘So do you,’ he muttered, his mouth closing over her nipple again as his fingers found the slippery folds of her sex.
Peyton cried out, clutching one of his shoulders hard as every erogenous zone in her body quivered in delicious union. Unfortunately, it was also the precise moment a phone rang from somewhere very close by.
They both stopped at the intrusion, the ragged edge of their breathing the only other sound in the room. Peyton cursed the phone silently; Valentino cursed it out loud.
In Italian.
How could this be happening now? Why hadn’t they switched their phones off? Because Peyton never switched her phone off – not with McKenzie to look out for.
A prickle of alarm sparked to life. Was something up with McKenzie? But it wasn’t for her.
Valentino frowned. ‘That’s my sister’s ring tone.’ He checked his watch, his brows furrowing deeply as he said, ‘It’s three in the morning back home.’
Peyton knew that nobody rang at three in the morning for something trivial.
‘I’m sorry. I have to get that.’
‘Of course.’ She didn’t hesitate. ‘Of course.’
And she meant it, but her bodycravedhis the second he rolled away from her, adjusting his clothes and fishing in his back pocket for his mobile. Even more so when he turned his back on her and paced away as he answered with a ‘Ciao.’
Peyton listened absently to the conversation in Italian she didn’t understand as she pulled her shirt down, adjusted her skirt and swung her feet to the floor. When he turned back it was obvious something was very wrong.
‘That was my sister, Carmella.’ He raked a hand through his hair. ‘My mother has been in a car accident not far from where we live.’
Peyton sucked in a sharp breath as she stood. ‘Is she alright?’
He shut his eyes briefly, the weight of the world suddenly upon his shoulders, and Peyton itched to go to him but she hesitated. She’d spent so long keeping him at arm’s length physically and emotionally, she didn’t know what he needed right now.
His dark eyes opened, capturing her in their beam. ‘I don’t know… No-one knows much at the moment. My sister was very upset. They’re flying her to Rome for exploratory surgery.’
‘Okay.’Thatcould mean anything.
‘I… have to go. I know it’s awful timing, but?—’
‘Of course.’ Peyton took a step forward. ‘You must. Don’t worry about this. Just go.’
He nodded but he looked absolutely torn. ‘Come with me.’
Peyton blinked at the leftfield request. Was he serious? Had the haze of unsatiated lust fried his brain cells? In another world maybe but… not this one.
‘I… can’t, Valentino. I can’t just up and leave. I have McKenzie and work and?—’
‘It’ll just be a few days, maybe a week, until I know. Your parents wouldn’t mind. I can pay them to?—’
‘No.’ Peyton shook her head, knowing he wasn’t thinking straight now but she was dismayed nonetheless. This was the reality of her life and her parents were not paid babysitters. They were loving grandparents who she’d never take advantage of like that. ‘I’m not leaving McKenzie.’
He tensed, raking a hand through his hair, blowing out a breath. ‘Sorry, of course.’ He waved his hand dismissively. ‘Fine.’
Fine…
Did he think she was being dramatic? ‘Valentino.’ She stepped towards him, reaching for him. How had they gone from the heights of sexual dizziness to this? ‘You know this isn’t possible.’
A nerve jumped in his jaw and he flinched as she touched him. ‘Anything’s possible.’
