Gambler's Folly (Bookstrand Publishing Romance) (23 page)

Luggage gathered, they took their private lift down to the garage while she tried to pry their destination from Damiano. Laughing at her wheedling, he waited until she was in the limo before he folded himself into the seat beside her. Their chauffeur merged confidently into traffic as their journey began. Karianna decided they must be travelling to a neighboring city. Any closer and Damiano would have driven. Any further and they would have flown.

“Topolina, you will just have to wait. I won’t tell you. But if my wee mouse doesn’t stop annoying me, I may decide on a game of cat and mouse to keep you entertained.”

“This may be a limo, but there’s not enough room for a game of anything, let alone cat and mouse.”

“Well, there is more than one way to play,” he teased.

“You wouldn’t dare, Damiano Leone,” she said bluntly.

“You’ll find I dare quite a lot of things, Topolina.”

Moving quickly, he captured her in one corner of the lush, cushioned seat. His mouth on hers, smothering her protests, his hand found the hem of her skirt and slowly slid up her inner thigh. By the time they’d arrived at their destination, Karianna didn’t care where they were. How they made it up to their suite and through the door she’d never know. But it was quite some time before she actually got a look at her surroundings.

The view from the third-floor President’s Suite was breathtaking. Situated on the outskirts of the city, the suite looked out to the western mountains, now in the mysterious purples and charcoal grays of the late afternoon light. Wildflowers played peek-a-boo in the afternoon breeze, where the sunlight shone on the grass between the hotel and the mountains.

The windows to the south looked out over the private gardens of the hotel, empty of guests at this time of day. Later in the evening it would probably be quite popular, with its naturalized gardens of native species all neatly labeled. From the balcony of their suite, Karianna marveled at the palette of sage greens, blue-greens, and that odd lavender-gray-green of so many species here. Among the different greens, flowers of violet, blue, yellow, and orange accented the grassy mounds like sparkling jewels in the sun.

“It is beautiful, no?” Damiano said quietly, as he came out to join her.

“That’s an understatement. I can’t begin to find words to describe the effect. The colors on Gambler’s Folly are quite different from those on Earth. The different hues of green in particular.”

“Later, when it’s cooler, we’ll go for a walk so you can get a better look.”

It was a little warm outside, even with the breeze. Stepping back through the glass doors into their room, she once again chuckled at Damiano’s idea of vacationing.

“What is it, cara?”

“Do you ever go anywhere without all the conveniences of home?” she asked.

“Why would I do that?” he asked, completely confused.

“Well, you know, most people go away on vacation, or for a weekend trip and have to make do with accommodations barely big enough to fit into. Everywhere you go, you have a suite the size of a manor house.”

“No, cara. The manor house is much bigger. My mother complains about it constantly. Domestic help is so expensive.”

“You have a manor house?”

“No, cara, I do not.
My parents do. On the family estate.”

“You never cease to amaze me, Damiano.”

“Of course, Gattina! That’s why you love me, for my ability to amaze. Of course my bedside manner might have something to do with it,” he added.

“Bedside my ass,” she countered. “The only time you’re at my bedside is two seconds before you’re in my bed.”

“No, no, no, cara. It is you who is in my bed. I have every right to get into my own bed. And since you’re my wife, I have the right to get into yours also.”

“We’ll see about that,” she said, pretending to pout as he came over and kissed the back of her neck.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right. You can so seldom wait until we get into bed, we may as well sleep on the living room floor.”

In some quirky corner of her mind, it seemed like a good idea to practice her martial arts just then. One hand reached up behind his neck as she dropped to her knee, throwing him onto the floor in front of her.

Rolling smoothly to his feet, his whole body relaxed ever so slightly. “So, you want to play rough tonight, cara,” he purred, eyes quickly flashing to green and back again.

“I don’t know where that came from, Dam,” she answered, truly shocked. “I swear, it just happened. Honest.”

She heard him chuckle a split second before he launched at her, bringing her down to the floor with him. That’s how the fight began.

It ended several minutes and a few bits of broken furniture later, with Karianna pinned neatly under her mate, whose eyes were still green and catty.

“If you’re too small to play with the big cats, you should stay in the bedroom,” he mused in a softly seductive tone. “So let me help you find it.”

With those leopard muscles of his, he rolled straight up onto his feet, pulling Karianna up with him. With a deft little move, he spun her around so her back was against him, her arms crossed and captured at the wrist, as if in a straightjacket. Propelling her smoothly across the room and into the hallway, he sidled through the bedroom door with her still in tow.

Shoving her across the room, he closed and locked the door and turned to sweep his eyes up and down her body. “Now, this is a pretty little mouse hole, don’t you think?”

“Damiano, you are mad,” she told him in some exasperation.

“Who started it, cara? But I believe I can finish it for you.” Taking his time, just a hint of danger in the air, he began to unbutton everything that was still intact. Shirt discarded, he unbuckled the ornate silver belt buckle and then, ever so seductively, drew the belt from the belt loops, his eyes never leaving hers.

Holding her eyes in a nearly hypnotic state, he stalked slowly and quietly across the floor, as she watched in absolute silence. Stroking her chin with the back of his finger, he then reached around to unfasten her torn dress, which fell in a heap at her feet.

The contrast between their loud and frantic tussle in the living room and the exaggerated, slow, silent movements in the bedroom was for some reason extremely erotic. Something about his scent both aroused her and commanded her to stillness. Slowly and cautiously reaching forward, her hands gently unfastened his trousers, slowly unzipping them and allowing them crumple to the floor.

As her fingers traced patterns on his chest, one of his hands cradled the back of her head, bringing her mouth to his, while the other one, in the small of her back, pressed her body gently to his. His kiss was tender and sensual, subtly provocative, and prolonged until she thought she’d never breathe properly again.

Drawing apart, the hand in her hair slid enticingly down to just below her shoulder blades as the other slipped beneath her panties. Expecting a continuation of his current mood, she was ready for anything but the sudden explosion of motion, which ripped her panties from her body and hurled them into the corner of the room.

With a predatory growl he snatched her off her feet, swung around, and threw her onto the beautifully made bed. As his briefs joined her panties in the corner, he sprang onto the bed over her, eyes slit, fangs bared, scent overwhelming. Completely off guard, the wild cat known as Karianna screamed in defiance as fangs grasped her throat and her were-leopard husband claimed her, once again, as his bond mate.

Much later in the evening, after scratches and bruises had been treated, Karianna gazed at her mate over a cup of coffee. Stretched out on the sofa, completely relaxed, he quite resembled a great cat resting on a ledge in the sun.

“Yes, Gattina? Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I’m back to being Gattina, huh?” she responded.

“All curled up in the comfy chair, feet tucked up underneath you, you look like a little kitten getting cozy to nap.”

“So what was that about, earlier?” she asked. “I thought we were finished with all the bonding stuff.”

“I don’t know. But for whatever reason, you launched an attack against me. I know, Gattina,” he said as she opened her mouth to protest. “You didn’t mean to start it all again. But somewhere in your genetics, psyche or something, it needed to happen.”

“But why, Damiano? I don’t understand.”

“No more do I, cara.
Mama did say there could be recurrences, but I thought it had been long enough by now.”

“Did we not take enough time before? We were kind of interrupted those last few days.”

“Maybe. Or perhaps it’s just part of the process. Are you complaining, cara? Tired of me already?” His face pulled into a big pout, those sad kitten eyes gazing at her mournfully.

“Tired of you? No. How could I be tired of a lover as versatile as you, Tiger? I’m just tired after this afternoon. And hungry.”

“We just ate about an hour ago,” he pointed out. “How can you be hungry?”

“It’s your fault. If we hadn’t spent half the afternoon and all evening screwing around…”

“You’re tired and hungry? I did all the work,” he pretended to complain. “Alright, alright, cara. If I’m to get no peace until you eat, what would you like? Shall I call room service?”

Stretching as far as she could reach in bed, Karianna opened her eyes to find Damiano still in dreamland, which was unusual. It must have been all the exertion the afternoon and evening before. She was still puzzled by her attack which provoked the whole evening. Not that she was complaining. Far from it. And she would have been quite happy about it, if her attack hadn’t been the instigating factor.

She lay on her side for a few minutes to watch him sleep. He looked so peaceful for a change. Whatever this business deal was, it had him so tense she rarely saw his peaceful, playful side these days. At least last night had provided a diversion. And with that much activity, it was hard to stay tense.

Slipping quietly out of bed, she put on a filmy gown and went out to make some tea. Locating the kettle and teapot, the water was soon boiling and tea leaves steeping while she tried to stretch her sore muscles a little.

Once the tea had steeped long enough, she poured a cup, put the rest in a vacuum flask for later, and relaxed back onto the sofa to meditate for a few minutes while her tea cooled.

“Kari? Karianna?” she heard. Drawing her awareness back into the room, she answered back. “Yes, Tiger? I’m in the living room.”

“Why are you here?” he asked, still sleep-muddled.

“Well, I woke up and wanted some tea. I came out here so I wouldn’t wake you, honey.”

“What?”

“I came out here so I wouldn’t wake you up.”

“No, not that. After that.”

Karianna thought back to what she’d said previously. “Oh! Honey. I called you honey.”

“You’ve never called me that before,” he said, still muzzy with sleep. “Have you?”

“No, I don’t think so. Are you angry?”

“No. It’s just the first time you’ve ever said anything like that. Remember? I was upset because you didn’t, and so you started calling me Tiger. Which is fine.” He really wasn’t awake yet.

“I honestly don’t know why I said it just now. It just happened.”

“Like last night, cara?”

“Only not with such a drastic outcome.”

“Honey. I like it. I like that you said it. I know we’re bond mates, but this makes us closer somehow.”

“That’s funny, because for some reason, I feel differently toward you this morning. Closer, more confident, more alive or complete. I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Come back to bed, cara. It’s too early.”

“It’s nine o’clock in the morning, Dam.”

“Still too early. I haven’t been sleeping well. Come back to bed.”

Setting her tea aside, she followed her muzzy mate back to bed. Snuggled up with her back against his chest, enfolded in his arms, he was soon deeply asleep again. She wasn’t far behind. When they finally woke, it was almost too late for lunch.

“You don’t want to go down for lunch, cara?” he asked again.

“No. I just want to spend time with you. We’ve had so little alone time lately, with everything else that’s going on.”

“So, I’ll have you all to myself? Bene.”

“Honestly, Tiger. You’re impossible,” she said, shaking her head at his advances. “It’s not like I ration it out.”

“Now that is true. You’ve spoiled me, Gattina. You should learn how to say ‘no’ once in a while. It would be good for me.”

“And how does one actually say ‘no’ and make it stick, with you?” she demanded.

“That, I don’t know. It never happens,” he replied, his lips caressing her bare shoulders. “So I guess you should spoil me some more.”

“Our lunch should be here soon, Damiano. Do you want room service to find us
in flagrante delicto
?”

“In what, cara?” he asked in a distracted manner.

“
In flagrante delicto
,
you know, caught right in the act, going at it?”

“I don’t mind,” he returned. “I’ll be too busy enjoying my wife to be bothered with some little room service person. I’m sure they’ve seen it before.” Tugging the shoulders of her gown down a little further, he resumed showering her shoulder with tender kisses and the occasional nip.

“But they haven’t seen me before, and I’d prefer to keep it that way,” she told him, struggling to pull up her sleeve and derail his thoughts. Well, they were derailed from that track onto another, as he captured her in his arms and began an amorous assault on her neck.

Attempting to extricate herself from his embrace, she found she’d simply turned toward him, his fingers now entwined in her hair, keeping her neck and throat available for further advances.

“Damiano, please,” she implored. “Lunch will be here any minute.”

“You talk too much, cara,” he said, before he shifted his weight slightly, forced her head back even more and forestalled any further conversation with a passionate kiss.

Easing her backwards toward the sofa, he guided her until she was lying on her back, his arms still holding her firmly as he knelt on the floor beside her. Her dressing gown, which hid nothing anyway, had come unfastened and fallen open, exposing her completely. Her hair still in his grasp, his body on hers, his other hand was free to tease wherever it liked.