to describe it.”
Kate shook her head, her mind instantly comprehending all the ramifications of her predicament. “But why?” she asked, her eyes wide as she looked at his casual stance.
He pushed away from the doorjamb and walked closer to her, standing over her as he looked down into her worried eyes. “Because we’ve kissed twice and both times, you’ve run away from me afterwards. The feelings those kisses incited within you aren’t rational so I needed to come up with a way to get you in a place where you couldn’t run away from me again, or what I can make you feel. If a kiss can make you feel like that, just imagine what making love will be like.”
He let his words sink in for a moment before continuing. “I ran into my friend last night and he invited me for a cruise. I thought it would be a sure way to get you to face me the morning after we make love.”
“No!” she said and backed away from him. She wasn’t sure where she would go, but knew she had to stop his words and the images they conjured in her mind.
“Yes,” he contradicted, following her step for step. “And we will, you know. You’ve been running away, keeping your distance,” he said, his hand coming up to trace a finger down the sleeve of her sweater. “But we both know what happens anytime we start touching.”
Kate could feel her body giving in already, wanting to experience his touch. But she pulled back, her arm shaking. “Carlo, we can’t. This won’t work between us,” she begged. “We have to maintain our distance.”
“Why? Why won’t it work?”
“I’m just not the right person to….to do this kind of thing,” she said lamely, her hands waving between their two bodies as if that explained everything. .
“I’m not sure I understand but I’m willing to listen if you’ll explain,” he said and took a step back to give her some space. “What is the ‘right’ person in your mind and what kind of ‘thing’ are you referring to?”
“You know, this sex…we can’t do it. It isn’t….right. I’m not right,” she said but her words didn’t make sense even to herself. She wished she could explain her feelings but she was too embarrassed to talk to him about what her mother had gone through and how she’d almost repeated the same mistake. It was too humiliating to know that her father hadn’t wanted her, that she wasn’t good enough to make a man stay in her life.
Carlo smiled and her stomach flip flopped. “There’s more to this and eventually you’ll trust me to talk to me. I’m very understanding. And just for the record, when we kiss, it feels very right to me,” he said, his voice husky. “And I know you felt the same way because you melted in my arms. You felt everything I did and don’t try and deny it,” he said, stopping her retreat by pinning his arms on each side of her head.
“Carlo, please!” she pleaded.
His mouth was only inches from hers. “Please what?” he asked softly. “Please take you to that incredibly comfortable bed over there and make love to you until we can’t talk anymore? Please ease the sexual tension we’ve both been feeling for the past two months and explore your body with my hands and my mouth?”
Kate was lost. His words were exactly what her body wanted. He was right, she’d been feeling exactly those things and more. But her one sexual encounter kept her silent. She couldn’t endure that kind of humiliation and pain again. She didn’t think it would be the same with Carlo but she wasn’t willing to risk it either.
He pulled back suddenly. “I promised myself I wouldn’t make the first move this time. You’ve got to come to me. I’m a patient man,” he said and stepped back. The haze of sensuality snapped clear instantly and she had to reorient herself.
She watched as he strolled over to the doorway. “Your clothes are already in the closet.”
“My clothes?” she asked blankly.
He smiled at her confusion. He knew he’d affected her and it gave him hope. “Sure, I had a personal shopper pull together some outfits. It was easy. I just told her your size and what I liked. She did the rest. Even packed it all up in a suitcase for me. Thanks for the tip,” he said and winked as he stepped out of the room. “Dinner is at