Love in the City, an erotic romance novel (10 page)

He opened his eyes again, but only half-lidded this time as he regarded at her, his eyes dropping to her chest once more. “You got me,” he said.
“I surrender.” He focused on the feeling of her hand against his leg for a moment as she continued to stroke it, then suddenly felt slightly conspicuous and realized he needed to slow things down before his body reacted too strongly. He looked around.

They had talked so long and spent so much time lingering and flirting at the table that they had ended up closing the restaurant down without realizing it.

“Uh oh,” he said. “We’re the last ones here.”

Anabelle had hardly noticed anyone coming or going all evening, but he was right. “Oops!”

“We’d better clear out before they kick us out,” Giorgio said.

“And ask us to get a room,” she quipped.

He laughed. She had again surprised him with her response. He smiled, then exhaled slowly. “I’d better not stay in public view much longer at this rate.”

Anabelle giggled.

He looked over and nodded to their waiter, who promptly brought the check by.

Giorgio paid the bill, while Anabelle looked out the windows. “It’s dark,” she said. “Wow, I didn’t realize it was so late.”

Giorgio smiled. “Me neither. Time flies when you’re having fun.”

“It sure does,” she said. “But about that walk in Central Park…”

“Yeah, I know, it’s a bit late for that.” He looked disappointed.

“Thank
you for a wonderful dinner, though. It was…delicious,” she said, giving him a sexy smile. Inside, she was wishing their evening didn’t have to end.

“Oh, my pleasure, beautiful girl,” he s
aid, “my pleasure indeed. I’m just glad you were willing to give me a chance and join me.” He took a moment, adjusted his pants, then got up and held out his hand to help her out of her chair.

“Thanks,” she said, loving his chivalry.

He again put his hand on her waist as they left the restaurant. He thanked the staff as they headed out into the warm New York evening.

He put an arm around her as they walked to the car.

Anabelle was still taken with his size compared to hers. She had never dated a man so tall and with such a strong physique. She felt protected. Aaron had only been a couple of inches taller than her with a much slimmer build.

They got to the car and G
iorgio opened the door for her.

She was about to get in, when she abruptly turned around. She looked up his chest, then to his lips, to finally gaze into his eyes. He towered over her. “I just wanted to
express my appreciation again,” she said, “for a magical evening.” Her hands went to either side of his waist and she leaned into him.

He grinned and bent his head down. “As I said, my pleasure, m’lady,” he said as his lips pressed against hers in a soft searching kiss.

She moaned softly and pressed her body against him, her hands gripping the sides of his belt.

He took her cue and kissed her more passionately as his hands caressed her back and shoulders.

Her heart pounded in her chest as his lips, slightly wet, felt incredibly sensual against hers. She was powerfully attracted to him. She fought the urge to move her hands elsewhere on his body, desiring to get closer to him. She pulled away, breathing heavy, staring into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her and just held her for a moment. “It was very nice to kiss you finally, beautiful girl,” he whispered in her ear.

She hugged him back. “I’ve wanted to do that for awhile,” she admitted. After a few moments she let go. She smiled at him as she got into the car.

He closed her door and got in the other side. He started the car, but then paused for a moment before driving away.

She waited, not sure of what would happen next.

“I’m not usually…I mean, I’ve had a great time tonight…” He was looking down at the steering wheel. “Really great…”

“Me too,” she said.

He glanced up at her with a shy smile. “I don’t want you to think…I…” he shook his head. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry the evening is already almost over.”

“So am I,” she answered softly.

He touched her hand, reflecting on how she had been responding to him throughout the night. He desired her, he knew that much was obvious, but he wasn’t sure what she wanted from him right now. He needed to know. “If you didn’t want it to end yet, you could…come over to my place for a drink…if you wanted.” He looked over at her to gauge her reaction.

Her heart jumped to her throat. Her body screamed
yes, yes, yes, oh my God, yes!
but at the same time she felt panicked. She wanted him. Badly. But she didn’t want this to be a one-night stand. She knew what guys thought of women like that. They lost interest fast. She liked him too much. She sighed and glanced down at his hand on hers, then at his strong-looking thighs. Oh, how she wanted to touch him, to be closer to him, but she was scared.

“It’s ok
ay,” he said, seeing her hesitation. “It was just a suggestion…” He went to pull his hand away.

She held onto it. “No, wait…it’s not that I don’t want to,” she said as her heart pounded. She swallowed hard. “I do want to, but…” she paused, knowing what she said next would determine the course of a lot of things. “I’m just not sure if I’m ready for that step…in spite of our flirtations. I mean…I’m very attracted to you, but…”

“You don’t have to explain,” he interjected. He touched her chin with his other hand, “we really could just have a drink.”

She gave him a knowing smile and fanned herself. “The way I feel about you right now, I don’t know that I could just have a drink, if you know what I mean.”

He brought her hand up to his lips. “I do,” he said, then kissed the top of it. “I’ll get you home.”

After she gave him directions, Giorgio drove Anabelle back to Brooklyn to drop her off after
their long dinner. Her head and heart were all over the place thanks to her body’s reactions to him. She didn’t want this night to end. She didn’t want to be away from him, but she knew she wasn’t ready to be invited into his bachelor pad. Her worst fear for this situation was that she would be his Monday night companion, while he had other women lined up to keep him company on the other nights of the week. She was lost in thought most of the way home.

Giorgio could tell
by how quiet she was that she was deep in thought. He figured it was because he scared her off by being so forward and inviting her to his place after their first date. It was a work night as well, not even a night where they could have slept in afterwards if she did stay the night. He wasn’t sure what to do, so they mostly just listened to music on the way to her place. Each wondering if the evening had been messed up and how they felt about one another after the intense connection of their first date.

When they finally arrived at her building, Anabelle had gotten herself worked up into a state. She needed to let him know she meant what she said earlier, that she was attracted to him, but she didn’t want to get too far ahead of herself. She was taking his silence as a worrisome sign, even though she’d been equally quiet.

He stopped the car, but kept it running.

She looked over at him. “Thanks so much,” she said, “I know this was a long ways from Manhattan and it’s late.”

“I was planning on giving you a ride home. I don’t mind at all.” He smiled warmly at her.

She smiled back at him. She leaned over to give him a kiss goodnight.

He was pleasantly surprised when she moved towards him. He had expected more of a chaste goodbye at this point. He kept one hand resting across the top of the steering wheel, then draped his other arm across the back of her seat. He was going to let her take the lead in how she wanted their goodnight kiss to go.

As she kissed him, she again felt
a strong attraction to him. It was his looks, his size, his personality, his cologne, the way his lips felt against hers, the way he kissed her, a ton of things that made up a nearly irresistible package. He was such a sensual being.

“Tonight has been amazing, Giorgio,” she said afterwards, touching his chest. “Kissing you is amazing.”

“For me, too,” he said.

“I hope you don’t think…”

He put a finger to her lips. “If you’re going to apologize for not coming over, please don’t.” He tilted his head and looked at her, warmth evident in his eyes. “I understand. It’s probably the better choice. I was letting myself get ahead of things.”

She smiled and looked down, still feeling uncertain.
“It was probably hard not to...”

“
Shhh…” he said, lifting her chin, “it’s my fault. My desire for you was kicking into high gear. As a guy, it’s kind of hard to think in practical terms in a situation like that.”

She giggled.

He smiled, happy that he’d made her feel better. “My body was just trying to take the lead. I don’t want this to be a one-night stand, you know, if that’s what’s worrying you.”

She nodded. “It was. I didn’t want things to end because I make a mistake and send the wrong message.” She paused for a moment, staring down at her lap. “But I also don’t wan
t you to lose interest in me.”

“Hey,” he said, touching her chin lightly. He leaned in to kiss to her,
a slow, lingering, sensual kiss. Afterwards, he looked directly in her eyes. “Does that seem like I’m losing interest in you?”

She shook her head. “No.” She felt a
big, welcome sense of relief wash over her.

“Good,” he replied, smiling.

She looked over at the passenger car door, then back at him out of the corner of her eye, feeling a bit frisky. “So then, if I kiss you again, I won’t be sending the wrong message this time?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Kiss me again, hey? Does that mean you like me and want to see me again?”

“Big time,” she said, leaning forward and placing her hand suggestively on his thigh. “I am going to kiss you again, Giorgio Tsarkopolis.”

“Oh,” he said, grinning. He then made a point of glancing down at where her hand was
resting on his leg. “And what else might you be doing while you’re kissing me?” he asked in a half-whispered voice. “I mean, I can’t promise you won’t get some kind of response if you plan on doing more than kiss me.”

She smiled seductively. “Tell you what, to make sure you behave yourself, you keep one hand resting on the steering wheel and the other on the back of my seat, like you had it before. Then, let
me
take things from there.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, getting a kick out of her ordering him around. He grinned as he did what she asked. He then opened his legs more, silently inviting her to touch his body however and wherev
er she wanted. “You can do whatever you want to do. I won’t protest.”

“Mmmm…excellent,” she said, taking note of his sexually inviting move. She flipped her hair and licked her lips. “I want to give you a proper, memorable goodnight k
iss for our first date. But your hands stay were they are, mister.” She gave him a playful wag of her finger.

“Yes, ma’am. I promise to be a good boy.”

“Oh, I like the sounds of that,” she whispered to him as she leaned in closer.

His lips parted and his eyes were half-lidded as he waited for her to make her move on him. “Do to me what you will, Ms. Parker,” he said in a low voice.

She smiled and pressed her lips to his. She started kissing him slowly and very tenderly.

As she pressed her lips to his, Giorgio
did as she asked and kept his hands where they were to let her guide the moment. He closed his eyes.

As she continued to kiss him, her hand brushed against his chest. She felt him inhale, surprised at the touch. She applied more pressure as she ran her hand all over his chest, feeling how big and strong and fit he was. She noticed his breathing slowed and deepened, but still he kept his hands in place.

Loving the feeling of being able to do what she wanted at her own speed without worrying about him making a move, she felt more brazen. She looked at his chest, at the open buttons at the top, and his dark chest hair peeking out. “Hmmm,” she said, “I kinda do want to touch you a little more as well as kiss you.”

H
e opened his eyes as his full lips curved into a grin. “I see,” he said, his voice hushed. “I was afraid of that.”

She grinned at him.
“Yes, I definitely want to touch you,” she said as she slipped her fingers under his shirt.

He
looked down at her hand as she undid a button.

She watched him watching her touch him. She slowly undid a second button, then a third. “That’s better,” she said, as she moved her hand to caress his chest underneath his open shirt.

He let out a long breath as he kept watch of her movements. He shuddered slightly as her fingers brushed over his nipples.

She kissed him again, more firmly this time, her hand still inside his shirt
feeling his skin, her fingers exploring his nipples.

His lips were wet, soft, and open.

Slowly, she slid her hand out and down the rest of the buttons on the front of his shirt, all the way down to his belt buckle.

He stopped breathing as her hand reached his waist. He glanced down at where it rested.

She caressed him just above his waistband, grinning mischievously.

He waited, breathlessly, wondering what she would do next.

She moved her hand to the far side of his waistband, then down the side of his hip.

His eyes were fixated on her movements. He pressed his lips together, trying to keep control of himself. He
tightened his grip on the steering wheel and seatback.

She noticed his reactions and smiled to herself. Her hand traced a line down his left hip, a few inches down the side of his thigh, then across to his right thigh.

Still he watched in silence, as his breathing quickened.

She loved being in control. She moved her hand to the inside of his right thigh, applying a bit more pressure, and then back again.

He licked his lips.

Anabelle felt the muscles of his thigh tense as she ran her hand up the top of his thigh, then
back out across his right hip. She moved in to kiss him again, deeply this time, her tongue touching his. She heard him moan softly as her hand now moved back down his thigh, dangerously close to the bulge between his legs, and up again in a long, slow stroke.

His legs parted even more, inviting her in.

She let out a soft sigh of desire. She craved the feel of his maleness. It was all she could do to not start caressing and rubbing him between his legs. She knew from his body language that he’d let her. She was pretty sure he’d let her do anything she wanted to him right now. Instead, she moved her hand across his waistband, her fingertips slipping just under it and then gripping his belt buckle. She gave it just a hint of a squeeze then looked at him.

His eyes
, framed by long dark lashes, were half-closed as he gazed at her lips, then down to where her hand was provocatively placed. “I’m in your hands, m’lady. Let me know what you need, what you want from me…from my body.” His voice was low and husky. “I’m still trying to behave, but I can’t promise all of me will be for much longer.”

“Oh,” she said, still holding into his belt buckle, “you intend not to follow orders?”

He exhaled heavily, his lips now looking rather red and swollen. “You’re making me teeter on the edge…I don’t know how much longer I can hold things back.”

“Teetering on the edge of what?” she asked, pretending not to know. She ran her fingers across his belt buckle, teasing him more.

He looked up at her. “Of exactly what you’d expect with the way you’ve been touching me.”

She let her fingers drop just below his belt buckle for a second, then she felt him flinch slightly. She knew what that meant. She looked down at his lap. His bulge
had grown larger and his hips pushed forward slightly. He was breathing heavier now. She looked back up as he squeezed his eyes closed for a moment. He opened them again. She gave him a sly smile as she noticed the unmistakable look of desire in his eyes.

He seemed to blush, then dropped his gaze. He pursed his li
ps and let out a soft moan. He had lost his hold and she knew it.

She reveled in his reactions to her teasing touch. She loved getting him aroused. He was the sexiest thing she had ever seen. She couldn’t keep her hands off of him. “I just wanted you to know how
attracted I am to you. And I want you to look forward to seeing me again. I was worried I’d never hear from you again, so I thought I’d give you some incentive to call again.”

“Well, you’ve succeeded,” he said, then cleared his throat, “though I was going to
anyway.” He didn’t take his eyes off of where she kept her hand, watching her fingers move suggestively across his belt buckle, threatening to undo it. His body tensed. He still didn’t know what she might do next. After what she said earlier, he didn’t want to scare her off by acting on his body’s impulses, but she was making it damn hard on him.

She desperately wanted to feel him, to get him more aroused, to get his body rock hard. But if she did that, she’d need to take things further. She just wasn’t ready. Reluctantly, she let go and pressed her palm against his body just above the belt buckle. “Good.” She let out a sigh and shook her head, gazing at him from bottom to top. “There’s just something about you that makes it difficult not to want to put my hands all over you. You’re very bad for my self-control.”

“Uh oh,” he said, his blue eyes swimming with desire, his legs still parted.

“Exactly,” she said. “Trouble. Big trouble.” She winked at him. “I’d watch out if I were you. I can’t promise not to misbehave a lot more around you.”

“Hmmm, I’ll have to be careful then,” he kidded her as he closed his legs.

She giggled.

“If you’re done running your hands over my body for the night, can I move my arms now?”

“Yes.”

He cleared his throat. “I…uh…need a minute,” he said as he leaned his head back and squeezed his eyes closed for a few moments as he tried to slow his breathing down and get his body’s reactions under control. He squirmed, tensing his thighs to fight off the erection she had caused him to have.

Anabelle just waited, she knew what she had done to him. She felt bad, but she couldn’t help herself. He was just too gorgeous and too sexual for his own good. For her own good.

Finally, he tilted his head to the side, his face still showing some strain. “You’re a little hard on me, you know.”

She grinned at the
very naughty double meaning of his words. “I know. I’m sorry.”

He cleared his throat again and shifted in his seat. “I’m going to have to be careful around you.”