Chapter26
Hunger Prevails
Meanwhile, back at Villa D’Avalos
The last vestiges of her orgasm leaving her drowsy, Armenia angled her head so she could regard the man who had passed out atop her, essentially trapping her beneath him.
This certainly wasn’t the afternoon she had imagined when she had awoken that morning.She had thought to discover Mr.McAdams’ true intentions—a quick tumble and a remark about seeing her sometime in the future—and lead him on until they were about to do the deed before unceremoniously ordering him out of her house and her life.
She’d had enough of entitled—and titled—men expecting her to be at their beck and call years ago.Expecting her to jump into bed and provide relief for arousals they claimed she had caused.
Conte Mancino had been the last.Their annual escape to Taormina had been a trip she looked forward to every spring.A couple of months in a villa perched on a hill overlooking the Bay of Giardini Naxos provided respite from dealing with her brother and his machinations.Their last liaison had ended badly, though, when she learned he had several lovers in Naples—all younger than her.
The experience had been both a startling reminder of her fading beauty and the fickleness of men.Coupled with the announcement that Nicoletta would be marrying the Marchese Montblanc instead of Donald Slater made something snap inside her.
She was done with men.Done with their schemes and done with their lies.
Then along came Patrick McAdams to reawaken something inside her she had long ago stuffed away.
Desire.
Not because he was handsome, or because he was at least as tall as she was, or because he seemed to listen to what she said when she spoke.
He was so damnedearnest.So open about his regard for her.If she wasn’t careful, he would break the shell around her hardened heart and have her agreeing with whatever he wanted to do.
She speared Patrick’s hair with her fingers, scraping his scalp.Feeling him shiver, she grinned.“You needn’t have been concerned about humiliating yourself,” she murmured.
He chuckled and lifted his head.Despite his stare, Armenia continued watching him from where she had angled her head on the pillow.“You as well,” he whispered, sighing with satisfaction as he moved his hands to the sides of breasts to lift them until they were pressed to the sides of his head.He barely had the strength to raise his head so that he could kiss each nipple.“What have you done to me, my Venus?”
She tittered, the response causing her entire body to vibrate beneath him.“I might ask the same of you.”Her legs gave up her hold on him, straightening so her feet rested on either side of his knees.
He chuckled in response, rolling off of her but winding an arm behind her shoulders so she ended up half atop him when he landed on his back at the edge of the bed.He turned his head and kissed the side of her face.“Grazie,” he whispered.
She grinned before glancing over at him.“Prego.”
“Are you hungry?”he asked.
“I am famished,” she said, reminded there was food out in the sitting room.
“Would you be amenable to eating in bed?”he asked.
“I do most mornings,” she replied.At seeing his curious expression, she added, “DeLuca brings me a cup of chocolate and toast, sometimes fruit.”
“I’ll be right back,” he said, stepping off the bed to make his way to the sitting room.
Armenia watched as he opened the door, inhaling softly at seeing his nakedness, the shape of his muscular legs and angular buttocks evident despite the gloom.Light from the sitting room briefly cast him in silhouette before he disappeared.
Tempted to pull on a dressing robe, she was about to rise from the bed when he returned with a tray.Two plates were piled with a variety of meats and cheeses, cut fruits, and two cups of coffee.
He joined her on the bed, balancing the tray so its sides straddled his thighs as he leaned against the headboard.“May I feed you?”
Armenia scoffed, but joined him at the head of the bed, pulling a blanket up to cover her chest.“Depends on what you’re offering,” she teased.
A huge grin split his face.“A better double entendre I’ve not heard,” he said, offering her a section of an orange.She took it between her lips, but before she could reach up to take hold of it, a drop of juice escaped and began running down her chin.
“I’ll get it,” he said, leaning over to lick it with his tongue.He managed to kiss her lips in the process, surprising her.
“The oranges here never disappoint,” he commented, before helping himself to a slice of rolled ham.He handed her one.“In fact, I have found nothing here about which to complain,” he remarked.
