But it was too late.
Unlike Taylor, Luca didn’t just catch hold of her hand.
Instead, he tugged her firmly towards him, catching her by surprise and causing her to fall.
“Aaah!”
She fell against him, and she gasped at the hard heat of his chest against her back.
“Did you seriously think I would allow you to go just like that, cara?” He turned her around to face him, his hands clasping her waist. “Do you know,” he murmured musingly, “I told myself I’d be patient with you. I told myself I’d be careful and gently rein you in—-”
“Rein me in?” she echoed in outrage even as she fought to ignore the way her heart was beating so fast and hard at the way their bodies were in contact. She tried to pull away from him, but his grip only tightened around her waist, Luca pulling her even closer to him.
Oh.
“I’m not a horse—-” Her words came out in a choking sound. It was so hard to concentrate, with her sensitive and suddenly swollen breasts flattened against his chest.
Luca’s lips curved in a devastatingly sexy smile. “Certainly not,” he agreed solemnly. His accent thickening, he murmured, “You’re more like a mare, gentle but untamed—-” His eyes suddenly cooled. “And unfortunately, some other ass also has his eyes on you.”
Her gaze narrowed. “If you’re saying I can only attract donkey-looking guys—-”
He cut her off, saying offhandedly, “Taylor Bainbridge does look like a donkey—-”
Her eyes widened in comprehension. “You were talking about Taylor earlier?”
“You’re on a first-name basis with him? Isn’t that against company policy?”
Fudge. It was. Only she had been too shocked to remember that. “We went to the same high school,” she mumbled defensively.
“Is that so?” His tone remained cool, but his gaze was anything but, and she could practically feel him bristling like a predator wanting to tear away from its leash. His barely contained aggression didn’t make sense. It was almost as if…as if—-
“Are you jealous?” The words were out before she could stop herself.
Luca’s lip curled. “Jealous of someone inconsequential?”
“He’s not,” she denied automatically.
“He is, compared to me.”
She would have refuted that, too, but she couldn’t, not with Luca suddenly pressing his lips to hers.
Oh.
Vivian stilled.
While she would never admit it, she had, numerous times, imagined how it would be if Gian – no, Luca – would be her first kiss. Merely imagining it had been enough to have her toes curl, but now that it was truly happening?
The kiss was scorching hot, unbelievably so considering neither of them was touching the other. His lips felt warm, firm and soft at the same time. And…kissable. She mentally gulped and swooned at the thought. They were really just so…she had the craziest urge to sink her teeth into his lower lip, maybe suck on it—-
Vivian, behave!
But even with the shocked words from her more sensible side ringing inside of her mind, Vivian couldn’t stop shivering, couldn’t stop her eyes from closing—-
His lips started to move.
The papers fell from Vivian’s fingers.
His tongue lined her lips, and a shudder went through her.
“Tell me the truth, Vivi.” It was a velvety command that Vivian knew she wouldn’t be able to disobey. “Did that boy ever kiss you like this?” This time, the words were rougher. This time, she also knew what she had thought impossible was true.
Luca Valencia was jealous.
Before she could answer him, she felt his hands moving between their bodies, one arm going around her waist to tighten while another scooped between the gaps of her uniform to cup her breast.
A gasp tore out of her and she instinctively tried to move away, but his hold on her tightened, one hand pushing her even closer towards him, and the large, hot hand on her cotton-covered breast palming her flesh before squeezing.
This time, she whimpered against his lips.
Luca stilled, surprised at how such a simple sound could be so erotic, to the point of making his entire body harden in desire.
Apparently, he and Vivi had amazing sexual chemistry between them.
Unexpected, Luca thought, but it was certainly not unwelcome.
“Did he touch you like this, Vivi?” He squeezed her breast harder. “Did he?” He lifted his head so he could gaze into her eyes as he waited for her answer.
Slowly, her head moved. No.
And in those pure green eyes, Luca could see that she was telling the truth.
Even so, it wasn’t enough.
With his gaze locked to hers, he released her breast. He watched her sigh in relief only to hold her breath again when she realized that he had done so to unbutton her blouse.
“What are you doing?”
“Claiming what is mine…” Her blouse fell open, and with his gaze still holding hers captive, he tugged her bra down.
When she felt her breast spring free, Vivian didn’t know where to look or what to do first. She couldn’t believe what Luca had just done – and worse, that she had let him!