Page 89 of Chasing Caine
“I have something more appropriate—” His tongue traced the shell of my ear, all hint of the joke gone. “—being delivered.”
“Hold up.” I pushed him back so I could see his face. “Being delivered?”
He leaned in and sucked my bottom lip between his. “Chiara has picked something out and it’s on its way.”
I shook my head. “No more stuff.”
“Oh, bella.” He played at a pout. “First you reject the flowers, then a dress you haven’t even seen yet?”
My gaze fell to the side, to the pretty bouquet. “I didn’t reject the flowers.”
He slid a hand around the back of my neck, into my hair, and urged my gaze back to his. “There’s a restaurant in town I wish to share with you. But you need something nicer than one of your sundresses or shorts.”
I ran a shaky hand over my mouth while he paused there above me. Hope in his eyes.Be honest with yourself, Sam.I always spent way more on my niece and nephew for birthdays and Christmas than my sister wanted me to. I’d bought Cass a ton of little trinkets and scrapbooking materials after she got sick.
If I had as much money as Antonio Ferraro did, I’d probably spend it just as freely on the people in my life.
I wrinkled my nose, more at myself than anything. “Is it a good restaurant?”
“It has a Michelin star, if you put stock in that.” A broad smile broke across his face. “And the view is spectacular.” He kissed me quickly on the nose. “And I booked a night at a hotel in town, so we don’t have to worry about the hour-and-a-half drive home.”
“Are you going to force me to use the crutches?”
“Do you still need them?”
I lifted my left leg on top of him, hooking it around his thighs. With only a hint of a grimace. “Let’s test it out.”
He leaned down, lips meeting mine, the hand in my hair traveling down my side. “Just don’t complain if I think you need to be carried somewhere.”
“I’ll always complain.”
He broke away from me, laughing. “And you say I’m the incorrigible one?”
“You’re rubbing off on me.”
“Not yet, Ms. Caine.” He shot up and scooped me into his arms. “Let’s head down to my room and pack for the hotel.”
Chapter 29
Samantha
He’dbookedanothergiantsuite, no less extravagant than the one in Capri. The purpose of such large rooms escaped me, since we saw little beyond the bedroom. Although the common room and couches were… also quite comfortable. The balcony overlooked the bay, close enough to the water and high up so nothing impeded the view.
The hotel was a short walk from the restaurant, so we strolled in the warm, dark night. It was a narrow street with a constant stream of compact cars, vans, and scooters. Buildings in white and pale pink stucco lined the north side, a well-graffitied low stone wall on the south. The tops of more buildings peeked over the wall, built further down the hill.
It was slow-going and I was tentative off the crutches, but Antonio kept an arm around my waist to help take some weight off the bad leg. A glass of red before we left the hotel room helped.
My chest swelled, full of a peace and ease I hadn’t felt in forever. Relaxed.
Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the ornate globe street lamps, the lights of the city edging the horseshoe-shaped bay, the stars twinkling high above. More likely the man next to me, his intoxicating scent and the soft fabric of his jacket sleeve against my bare back. His strength, the way he slowed to ensure I was as comfortable as possible. The growing intimacy from learning more about each other.
The way he’d accepted my desire to investigate the stolen wall painting in the end. And helped me.
“You sure we need to go for dinner?” I asked.
He glanced over at me, a knowing look. The corner of his mouth rose into that delicious smirk. “And waste that stunning dress?”
It was simple black silk jersey, falling to my knees. The thin straps were edged in sequins, with more scattered over the fabric. Understated. “More I want to keep your handsome self all to… myself.”