His scent was so familiar, yet in this moment, it took on new notes. The heat from the sensitive skin at the base of his neck was tantalising on her lips, and she was about to drop a kiss on it, but Marco pulled away.
With Stella still across his lap, he carefully manoeuvred to pull off his own top layers, the result of which caused Stella to gasp, clasping her hands over her mouth.
There on his chest, tattooed across his heart, was a large full moon.
‘Oh my God,’ she said, catching her breath. She traced the perfectly shaped outline with a finger.
‘My little secret.’
‘When did you get that?’
‘The day before Papà and I moved to Roma.’ His eyes glistened in the low light, and Stella noted how his lips were moist and flushed from their kissing. ‘A reminder to follow my heart.’ He took her left wrist – the wrist that bore her own shooting star tattoo – in his hand and placed it across his heart. ‘As if I needed another sign. If you believe in that kind of thing . . .’ He gave Stella a playful wink as he struggled to contain his sarcastic smile.
She laughed. ‘You know I do.’ Dropping a sweet kiss to his lips, Stella whispered, ‘I’m sorry it took me so long to get here, Marco.’ She scoured his eyes for any sign of disappointment or agreement, but there was none.
With a gentle shake of the head, he said, ‘Destinowaits for everyone.’
Looking at Marco, gorgeous and half-naked just inches from her, Stella came to the realisation that the devastation of her past would always be present in her life. It was, after all, that traumatic and life-changing journey that brought them together. Without the pain, there would be no Marco. But now, with him by her side, her past seemed suppressed. It was as if Marco could appease her fears of being vulnerable and allow her to leave her heart unguarded. And she was ready for change.
Stella drew him in for a passionate kiss only to then lure him back onto the bed. Now standing, she kicked off her shoes and socks and shimmied her jeans down her legs. ‘You once told me you wrote the book ondestino,’ she said.
Following suit, casting his clothes to the floor, he nodded. ‘I did.’
‘Well, Marco Luna, I think we’re about to write the next instalment. Together.’
‘I hope so.’
Stella accepted the invitation that Marco’s outreached hands offered, and she joined him on the bed. He manoeuvred his arm underneath and around her, and Stella immediately felt at ease in his assured embrace.
Marco’s face made its way to her neck. The combination of the warmth of his lips and the way his breathing seemed to echo the desire which guided his right hand across her naked skin pulled delicious thrums between her legs.
Stella knew he could sense this change in her, as she could feel his hold on her petite frame assertively tighten.
‘Can I guess?’ His words, muttered just millimetres from her ears, caught in her chestnut waves.
She tried to turn her head to meet his lips, but he wouldn’t let her, awaiting an answer. ‘Guess what?’ she asked as her hands steadied themselves against his chest.
Between delicate nibbles behind her ear, he whispered, ‘What you like.’
Stella’s heart seemed to flip. ‘Be my guest.’
Marco gently pulled away, and Stella lay flat against the bed. He dipped low and their noses met, and Stella found herself caught in his intent gaze.
‘A te piace così?’ he whispered as the back of his right hand made its way from her collarbone to her breast, delicately encircling her nipple for a moment. His touch was long and tantalising enough to draw her eyes closed, and she pulled her lip behind her teeth.
Marco noted this and smiled to himself.
Stella nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘E così?’
The same hand trailed the invisible line from her breast to her belly button, and she felt her middle quiver under his touch. She nodded again. ‘How do you—?’
‘Shhh,’ he said, his stare darkening. ‘E così ti piace.’ It was a statement, not a question.
Stella watched as Marco’s eyes scanned hers. The sensation of his fingers trickling their way further down her middle caused her pelvis to buckle, but he held her tighter; protective, secure. Safe.
Feeling her skin grow warm, and the light headiness of her yearning start to take command, Stella was ready to surrender all control as she felt his leg lock around her thigh.
