The Bride's Awakening - By Kate Hewitt Page 0,59

he felt. His wife was wearing his shirt and he was half-naked in his own bed; their marriage was still unconsummated nearly a week after the wedding. Why the hell were they talking about wine production?

‘It matters to me,’ Ana said, a smile still curving that amazingly generous mouth. Vittorio wondered if she knew how she was teasing him. Seducing him. He’d thought she was insecure, unaware of her own charms, but at the moment his wife looked completely sexy, sensual and as if she knew it. Vittorio felt as if he’d received a very hard blow to the head.

Or to the heart.

Either way, he was reeling.

‘It’s a beautiful day—’ he started again, meaning to end the sentence with to spend in bed.

Ana’s smile widened. ‘Exactly. And I wanted you to show me the Cazlevara vineyards, or at least some of them. It’s too nice to be inside.’

Enough, Vittorio thought. Enough talking. He smiled, a sleepy, sensual smile that left no room for Ana to misunderstand. ‘Oh, I think we could be inside for a little longer.’ Her eyes widened and she hesitated, clearly uncertain. Vittorio extended a hand. ‘Come here, Ana.’

‘What—’ she began and nibbled her lower lip, which was just about the most seductive thing Vittorio had ever seen. He groaned aloud.

‘Come here.’

She came slowly, hesitantly, perching on the edge of the bed so her shirt rode even higher on her thighs. God give him patience, Vittorio thought, averting his eyes. ‘What is it?’ she asked, and he heard the uncertainty and even fear in her voice. His wife, Vittorio realized, didn’t think he desired her.

He smiled and reached out to brush a strand of silky hair away from her eyes, his fingers skimming the curve of her ear. ‘Don’t you think,’ he murmured, ‘we’ve waited long enough to truly become man and wife?’

Ana’s breath hitched. ‘Yes, but—’

‘But what?’

Again she nibbled her lip. ‘You seemed content to wait.’

‘Only because I didn’t want to hurt you.’ Vittorio paused, the moment turning emotional, scaring him. Even now he shied away from the truth of his own feelings. ‘I wanted to give you time.’

A smile lurked in Ana’s eyes, in the generous curve of her mouth. ‘And now you feel you’ve given me enough time?’

‘Oh, yes.’ He reached out to stroke her leg; he couldn’t help himself, her skin looked so silky. And it felt silky, too. Vittorio suppressed a shudder. ‘Do you feel you’ve had enough time?’

‘Oh, yes,’ Ana said, and he chuckled at her fervent reply.

‘Good.’

Ana sat there in shock, unable to believe Vittorio was saying these things, touching her this way, his fingers skimming and stroking her thigh, sending little shocks of pleasure through her body. His other hand tangled in her hair and he drew her to him, his lips fastening on hers with hungry need; as he kissed her he let out a low groan of relief and satisfaction, and Ana felt another deeper shock: that he seemed so attracted to her, wanted her so, that he couldn’t help but touch her, right here in the middle of the morning, in the sunshine, without her having done anything at all. She’d meant to seduce him, to wear a sexy nightdress and have champagne—but this was so much better. So much more real.

‘Ana…’ Vittorio murmured, his lips now on her ear, her jaw, her neck, ‘Ana, you’re going on about grapes and vineyards and all I can think about is…this…’

And then it was all Ana could think about too, for Vittorio claimed her lips in a kiss so consuming, so fulfilling, she felt replete and satisfied—as if this kiss could actually be enough—instead of the endless craving she normally felt when they touched.

Vittorio pulled away, just a little bit, but it was enough to make Ana realize that actually she wasn’t satisfied at all. She wanted more…and more…and oh, please, a little more than that.

She must have made her need and frustration known, for he chuckled and traced a circle on her tummy with his tongue, making Ana moan aloud, the sound utterly foreign to her. She could hardly believe she was making these sounds, feeling these things.

So much.

Vittorio’s mouth hovered over her skin. ‘I’m going to take my time,’ he promised her, and then did just that, while Ana closed her eyes in both surprise and pleasure.

Yet Ana wasn’t willing to be a passive recipient, as wonderful as it was. As Vittorio teased her with his mouth and hands, she finally could take no more and