Modern Romance Collection: December Books 5 - 8. Julia James

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СКАЧАТЬ one of the most beautiful countries in the world that her life back home was not like this? She settled for the truth. ‘I’m very lucky. I have the best of neighbours, a good job, and wonderful friends.’

      ‘So you live alone?’ he pressed as they danced on.

      It was hard to concentrate on anything while she was this close to Luca, but she shook her mind back to the facts. ‘I lived with my father until recently. He died a short time before I came to Italy.’

      ‘I’m very sorry.’

      ‘He was killed in a drunken brawl,’ she explained. Luca had sounded genuinely concerned, and she didn’t want to mislead him, but her eyes brimmed as she said this. It had been such a tragic waste of life. ‘The world keeps turning,’ she said, to deflect Luca’s interest from the confusion on her face. Guilt had always played such a large part in her thinking where her father was concerned. She had never had any influence over him, but had always wished she could have changed things for the better for him.

      ‘And now you’re spreading your wings,’ Luca guessed, bringing her back on track.

      ‘I’m trying different things,’ she confirmed, brightening as she thought about the short time she’d been in Italy. ‘I love it here. I love the warmth of the people, and the sunshine, the glamour of a party beneath the stars—who wouldn’t love being here on the Prince’s estate? I feel free for the first time in a long time,’ she admitted carelessly. ‘Sorry. My mouth runs away with me sometimes.’

      ‘No. Go on,’ Luca encouraged. ‘I’m interested. I want to hear more.’

      She was careful not to add the word adventure to her gush of information. He would definitely get the wrong idea. She told him a little more, and then his arms closed around her. His embrace was worryingly addictive and people were packed around them on the dance floor, making dancing close inevitable. Luca was easy to talk to and soon she was telling him things that perhaps she shouldn’t, like the camaraderie down the pub where she worked that could so easily erupt into violence when people had had too much to drink.

      ‘Dio, Callie, how could your father let you work there?’

      She frowned. ‘No one gave me permission, and it was a well-paid job. Good, honest work,’ she emphasised, and then she laughed. ‘They had to pay their staff well, in order to keep them in such a rough area.’

      ‘It sounds horrendous,’ Luca remarked, not seeing anything amusing in what she’d said.

      ‘We needed the money,’ she said honestly, ‘and there aren’t too many options where I come from.’

      Luca was a passionate Italian male, Callie reminded herself, and they could be very protective. He might look hard as rock, but he was no brute. And she was no saint, Callie thought as his hard thigh eased between hers. She tried using force of will to pretend nothing was happening, but that was the biggest fail yet. He was so big and she was so small that relaxing against him soon became snuggling into him, which felt ridiculously good, almost as if it was supposed to be. Music quickly restored her moral compass when the beat speeded up. She thought he’d let her go, lead her off the dance floor, but instead he caught her closer still.

      ‘You’re a good dancer.’

      ‘Only because you lift me off my feet.’ She laughed, then reviewed what was happening to her body while they were brushing, rubbing, nudging. It was both sensational and addictive. She wanted more. She wanted to toss her moral compass away.

      As if sensing the way her thoughts were turning, Luca whispered in her ear, ‘I’m sure you’ve had enough dancing for now.’

      She pulled back her head to stare into his eyes, which was dangerous, because now she discovered she was addicted to danger too. The camera drone chose that moment to intrude. ‘If the person behind those controls wants to take a better look at us, why don’t they just come down here and say so?’

      ‘I doubt we’re the sole object of the controller’s attention.’

      ‘You could have fooled me.’ She glared at the drone. ‘Do you think it’s so interested because the Prince is here?’

      ‘Possibly,’ Luca agreed.

      ‘I haven’t seen him yet. Have you? I mean, you’ve worked on the estate before, so you must know him.’

      ‘I’m offended,’ Luca said, half grinning, which suggested he wasn’t offended at all. ‘All you want to talk about is the Prince.’

      ‘It’s something to tell them about back home.’

      ‘What about me?’ he growled.

      ‘Don’t look for compliments. You won’t get them from me.’

      He laughed and swept her off her feet.

      ‘Put me down this instant,’ she exclaimed.

      ‘Not a chance,’ he said. Amusement coloured his voice. ‘Don’t you want to know where your adventures could take you?’

      ‘I’ve got a pretty good idea, which is why I hope your tongue is firmly planted in your cheek. Just for the record, I’ll be sleeping on my own tonight,’ she added as Luca strode on across the courtyard with her safely locked in his arms.

      ‘Brava,’ he said, showing no sign of slowing down.

      The crowd parted like the Red Sea, she noticed. She should put up some sort of token struggle, but it was a magical night, a magical moment, and not too many of them came along.

      Her senses rioted when Luca dipped his head to brush a kiss against her neck. She would see this adventure through, so long as it only took her from one side of the courtyard to the other. ‘I have to go,’ she insisted, when he lowered her to her feet to acknowledge some boisterous partygoers.

      ‘No. You have to stay,’ he argued when he was done, and so close to her ear that it tingled.

      ‘Are you determined to lead me astray?’

      ‘Would I?’ Sweeping her up before she had chance to protest, he strode on towards the palace gardens.

      She was dangerously aroused, but for one night, she was going to be Callie from the lemon groves, without fear or guilt, or any of the dutiful thoughts that had curbed her in the past.

      ‘Where are you taking me?’ she asked as Luca opened a gate leading to lemon groves.

      ‘Wait and see.’

      He didn’t stop until they reached the riverbank where he set her down. She had free will. She could do what she liked. She didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. Conscious he was watching her, she smiled, but Luca wasn’t fooled. ‘What’s worrying you?’ he said.

      ‘I’m not worried.’ Apart from the longing to have more nights like this, which she knew in her heart of hearts would not be possible. Moonlight lit the scene. Sparkling water rushed by. The bed of grass beneath her feet was soft and deep, and the midnight-blue sky overhead was littered with stars. It was the perfect setting on the perfect night, and Luca was the perfect man. Reaching out, she linked their hands.

      Luca soothed СКАЧАТЬ