Chapter 8

• “The day is not over yet, bella,” he murmurs with his eyes closed.
• I stare at him for a moment. Why hasn’t he touched me?
• “Can I ask you something?”
• “Anything.”
• “Is there something wrong?”
• “No, why?”
• “You haven’t touched me today,” I whisper.
• His eyes come over to me, and he rolls on his side to face me. “Why do you think I’m lying here with my eyes closed?” He picks up my hand and kisses my fingertips. “I haven’t touched you today because I know that if I did, I may not be able to stop. My attraction to you, Olivia, is stronger than I am.”
• I smile softly.
• “I dragged myself from your side last night, and then when I got home…” His eyes darken and drop to my lips. “I jerked off for two hours trying to get my cock to go down. He wanted you so fucking bad.”
• My brows rise. “How did that go?” I whisper.
• “My hand definitely wasn’t you, and my cock definitely isn’t satisfied.”
• “Jesus, Rico,” I whisper. “Don’t mince your words, will you?”
• “Why would I?”
• I stare at him as the air swirls between us. I want him. I want every hard inch of this gorgeous man. To hell with being a good girl. I’ve never had a one-night stand, and damn it, I deserve one. This can be a hall pass from my annoying conscience. I know I’m never going to see him again, and that’s okay. I want him, and screw this, I’m having him. He can always be that beautiful man I met in Italy—the one from another world.
• I grab my sunscreen and hand Rico the bottle. “Can you put sunscreen on me, please?” I ask.
• He licks his lips. “You’re playing with fire.”
• Our eyes are locked.
• “When in Rome, right?” I raise my brow, and then I roll onto my stomach as excitement begins to tear through my system. I’m really doing this. I can almost hear my lady parts all cheering in a mosh pit somewhere from deep inside. After a beat, I hear the sunscreen bottle being squeezed, and I close my eyes. It’s an oil-based sunscreen. My heart is beating so hard. I hear his hands rub together, and then I feel him straddle my behind. The weight of his body on top of mine pushes me into the sand and wakes up a demon inside of me. He’s heavy, broad, and… oh, fuck…
• He unfastens my bikini top, and I scrunch my eyes shut against the towel. Shit!
• His hands slide up my back in a strong, slow motion, and my sex clenches with appreciation. His fingers drift up and over my shoulders, and then down my sides, skimming the sides of my breasts. Goosebumps scatter across my skin.
• I can’t breathe.
• He nudges forward and I feel his erection up against my behind. My heart freefalls from my chest. Oh, fuck yeah. God, he feels good.
• Calm down, calm down, calm down, I repeat over and over in my head.
• I can’t calm the fuck down, though, because a god has his hands on me and I’m about to have an oily orgasm in public.
• It’s been way too long.
• I close my eyes as his hands explore every inch of my back and legs.
• “Roll over, baby.”
• Baby! That sounds good.
• I hold my bikini top to my breasts and roll onto my back. His eyes are dark and filled with desire. He reapplies sunscreen to his hand and leans on his elbow beside me before he begins to run more oil into my body. I scrunch my eyes shut.
• Filled with nerves, I can’t watch his face as he studies me this way for the first time. He rubs his palms over my stomach, down over my hipbones, and my inner thighs.
• I have to concentrate hard on not spreading my legs like every instinct is screaming at me to do.
• “Olivia,” he whispers. “Creamy, white, perfect skin.” His voice is almost a purr and it does things to my insides. “These curves.” He hisses in approval, and his hand slides under my bikini top as he cups my breast, momentarily losing focus.
• “The sun doesn’t reach there.” I smile.
• “Ah.” He pulls his hand out. “That’s right, sorry. I got carried away.”
• I giggle, and I hear the oil being poured out again.
• “Don’t I have enough on?” I ask.
• “No, I’ll probably have to do this all day.” His hand falls back to my stomach, moving in circles.
• I laugh and feel myself begin to relax.…. oh, I really like him. I know I could go into this weekend being shy and mousy with a stranger—which is what I would normally do—but it always ends the same way with every guy. We meet, go along happily, but when push comes to shove, I block him out and push him away. I’ve had many opportunities over the years to sleep around. I’ve just never felt the need before. This time feels different, and perhaps I could go into this weekend pretending that I already know Rico better than I really do.
• I love sex. I love making love. I love everything about the beautiful male body. Damn, I’ve missed it. I may have only been with two men, but they spoilt me sexually.
• They were the best teachers a girl could have ever asked for. I was sexually compatible with both of them, and it broke my heart that neither of them could hold me mentally. I loved both for different reasons, but I never felt complete, not even when I was safely in their arms. Something has always been missing in my life; an invisible barrier, holding me back from moving forward. I don’t know if it’s my career, lack of travel or experience. Perhaps it’s what my best friend Natalie thinks, and I really do have a hang up I have from my childhood after living through a divorce.