Dante took a step back as well. “I’ll lay out a clean shirt on the bed for you to wear. When you’re ready to go back down, I’ll be waiting in the lounge.” He then left.
Removing her clothes, Nadia didn’t bother to make him close the door. If Dante said he would stay in the lounge, then that was where he would be. Dante Caruso didn’t need to stoop to being a Peeping Tom.
Sinking into the tub, she luxuriated in the silky feel. Letting her toes peek out of the water as she stretched out full-length in the clawfoot tub, Nadia felt the tension and arousal seep out into the calming water.
You almost made the worst decision of your life … yay. She didn’t know if her inner voice was congratulating herself or not. A little taste wouldn’t have hurt.
“Who are you lying to?” she grumbled out softly, only for the world to hear. “You would let that man chew you up and spit you out … and then thank him.”
Goddamn, that sounds nice, she let her mind wonder at the thought of not having her head screwed on so tightly for one second. Then she remembered his face, how unbothered he was when she had turned him down after winding him up. It had been gentlemanly and respectful, of course, but oh, how she wished it were at least a little difficult for him to walk away from her. Like it had been for her to walk away from him.
The water had turned cold. She was about to stand up when something had her eyes going to the side to peer out of the huge window first.
“Oh, my fucking God!”
* * *
Dante had sat in the lounge, staring up at the ceiling, trying to calm himself down. He had counted down from ten several times, only to start over because none of the pressure he felt building in his pants had eased.
Thank God she stopped us …
He adjusted himself, taking another breath. Yeah, right.
Dante had to start over again.
Ten …
Nine …
Eig—
What the fuck!
Her screaming had Dante barging into the bathroom.
* * *
“What’s wrong?”
“That is what’s wrong!” she screamed, pointing at a cruise liner starting to pass by with several cameras flashing.
She sunk lower into the water to cover her face. Her fucking ass would have already been back in Kansas if she didn’t have to show the state of Florida her birthday suit in order to get the towel.
“Shit.” Dante ran to grab the towel out of the warmer then stood in front of the window, giving it his back as he spread it out to block anyone from seeing her.
“Who’s going to see you?” She didn’t give it a thought that Dante’s cold gaze had been on her when she had escaped from the chilly water to the warmth of the towel now wrapped around her. “Just a thousand people!”
“How was I supposed to know a cruise ship was going to pass?” he said, easily lifting her from the water. Carrying her into the bedroom, he shut the bathroom door closed.
She couldn’t believe it when he stood her on her feet, and he was actually laughing now. “Oh, so that’s what you find funny?”
He started trying to dry her off but couldn’t help himself to laugh again. “Well … yea—OW!”
Nadia had picked up one of the black fluffy pillows from the chair and whacked him with it … gently, she was sure. “How does that feel?”
As she went for another one, Dante took a few steps back. “Now, wait a damn minu—”
Nadia had already sent the other outrageously plushy pillow through the air.
“Come on; I bet it just feels like a love pat compared to the ones you give Amo. Poor boy …”
“Woman, you’ve lost it,” he said, putting up a warning finger.
She waved the third pillow as if it were a missile in her hand. The flashing lights from all the cameras on the cruise ship that were taking pictures of her charged her need to launch it. “I suppose I’m just being a bit dramatic, huh?”
“That’s it.” Dante didn’t give her time to let the pillow soar as he came at her like a charging bull, making her wish she hadn’t put that extra zing into the last throw.
Oh no. She tried making a run for it, but her efforts were fruitless as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
Suddenly aware of the feeling of something poking into her back, she started squirming then stopped, tensing under him, realizing the towel had fallen to her feet. Oh no …
Dante, however, had been highly aware of her nakedness as he spun her around at her hips to finally face him.
Her breath hitched, making her glance downward. She saw her breasts plastered against his hard chest, each heavy breath she took causing them to press deeper into him. The material of his shirt was damp where her body touched his.