Pretend Engagement – 23

She had never enjoyed a meal as she did the two-course lunch Mario served. It wasn’t a matter of taste, although every spoonful was delicious.

He cooked, and for her, and that was what made it special and enjoyable, Callista thought, looking at him. He wasn’t the most handsome of men, but right now, he was the most desirable. She was trembling with a desire she was finding harder to control as the minute passed. She yearned for him to take her in his arms, and do things just as special and delicious as the food they’d eaten to her.

“When you’re looking at me like that, what are you thinking?”

She took a sip of the wine he’d insisted they had despite her protests. “What do you think I’m thinking?”

The coy response amused Mario. “Your eyes smouldering with uninhibited lust, I can only hope you’re thinking of me. Are you?”

“I am,” she said boldly. “What do you intend to do about it?”

A wicked smile spread around his mouth. “What would you have me do about it?”

“Anything.” Eyes locked on his, she finished her wine. “Everything.”

“Everything.” His throat was dry enough to cause him to toss back the last drops of wine. “Come here.”

The soft command sent a thrill through her. It was so unlike Mario to be calmly authoritative.

She rose, and Callista wasn’t surprised to find her legs shaky. Setting down the glass, she covered the short distance between them in four steps.

“Let me take care of this.” She slipped out of his hand the empty glass, bent to set it on a stool and straightened up. “Tell me, what will you have me do now?”

“Only feel. Only enjoy. Only,” he slid a hand underneath her dress, trailed his fingers along her thighs, his wicked smile widening at her involuntary gasp. “Be you.”

When his fingers felt the edges of her underwear, he swept his hand around to cover her backside. “The way I want you, I’ve never before wanted another woman. Believe me.”

“It is the same for me.” For a moment she was confused what to do with her own hands. Then she followed the leading of her body, circling one around him, and taking his free hand with the other to lay it on her breast. “It’s likely not the size you’re used to, but it’s desperate for your touch.”

“What we knew before have ceased to matter. We will create new memories. Memories of only you and me.” He twisted his hand around to find her zipper, tackled her bra locks and circled back to her breast.

His fingers found her nipple even as he lowered his head to take her lips.

Liquid fire poured into Callista at the tender, yet urgent strokes. She moaned and arched back against the hand that had crept into her underwear and was kneading her buttocks. Thank goodness she had a rounded curve enough for him to hold onto.

Thank goodness, he didn’t plan on staying just there, she thought as stroking fingers curved lower and caressed the tail ends of her quivering centre.

“No one’s ever touched me there,” she croaked, pressing against the light strokes. “I’ve always wanted him to, but he wouldn’t.” Then she caught herself, went still as her eyes flew open and filled with contrition. “Oh, I’m sorry. Very sorry. I shouldn’t talk about him.”

“You weren’t talking about him. You were telling me what you want. And you need never apologise for expressing yourself, not with me.” Her dress was now an obstacle, and so he shoved it down with one hand. “Come with me to the bedroom. We will finish this there.”

“Yes.” She practically plastered her almost-naked body to his as he backed into his bedroom.

The second they were inside, he switched their positions, and still with his mouth clamped on hers, nudged her backward, and into the bed.

Imprisoned underneath him, she had only free rein with her hands, and she used them to her heart’s content, acquainting herself with his stomach and back as she dragged up his shirt, untroubled when she heard a button snap.

Oh good gracious heavens, what amazing body he had. Warm, lean, taut with muscles that were a pleasure underneath her curious fingers. And the way he made hissing groans when her strokes trailed down the long line of his back.

“Take off your clothes. All of it,” Callista ordered, desperate to touch him everywhere. “I don’t want you to keep clothes on like he used to.”

“I had no intention to do so. Not this first time.”

“Not anytime,” Callista stated.

He chuckled, kissed her long and hard before lifting up to his feet. “Gosh, but you have the tightest body I ever saw.”

“And you have seen plenty?”

He kicked off his trousers and stooped to kiss her pouting lips. “None matters now, but only yours. And yours is a delicious temptation.” Stretching over her, he ran his hand along the slender, firm muscles of her side, stopped at the curve on her hips. “I’ve been thinking of making love to you since we shared our first kiss.”

Her heart rocketed at the admission. “I’ve been thinking of it too. Imagining how it would be. Only I never imagined it would be anything like this.”

“You’re yet to know what it will be like as we’re only beginning.” He slipped one hand between their bodies to cup her breast. “I will touch you everywhere. I will kiss you in all the hidden places. And I will do everything, all that you can take and more, to you.”

Fire, borne out of desire and anticipation, inflamed her. “I hope you know what they say: talk is cheap,” she said with a sultry smile.

“And action speaks louder than words,” Mario murmured, catching her wickedly smiling mouth with his own.

When his lips switched their attention to her neck, and then to the curves of her arms and the firm lines along the side of her body, Callista sighed at his tantalizing kisses. Contemplating on giving him back same pleasure, she lifted up to brush a kiss into his throat. But a cry tore out of her and her body went completely still.

His fingers had gone between her thighs and were skimming their way into her underwear.

“Oh heavens!” she muttered, and could think of nothing else to say.

“It will be heaven,” Mario promised, stroking his fingers between the mounds of swollen, pulsing warm flesh.

Gosh, he was eager to be buried in that delicious warm wetness, but first he must give her pleasure. Unforgettable pleasure.

Nibbling one last time on her chin, he moved his mouth to the column between her breasts, and began a slow trail downwards, his lips curving at her alternating soft gasps and quiet whimpers.

“Oh, tell me, you’re going to bury your face in there,” Callista cried, eager and desperate as his mouth hovered over her sex.

“I am going to do more than bury my face in here.”

“Thank goodness!”

His laughter rolled out at her fervent exclamation. He loved how she was uninhibited and so responsive. Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes. They were feverish with desire. Wide, expectant, and burning hot. A reflection of his own, Mario was certain.

“Cally.” He waited until she steadied enough to hold his gaze. “You’re the only woman I want now. The only woman I want above all else.”

“Mario.”

It was a whisper, of shock, of awe, of utter desire. It was all he wanted.

He bent his head, sniffed in her womanly scent and then caught the hem of her underwear between his teeth. He tugged down, allowed his hand to finish the job, and sank his face into her, breathing in.

His tongue…in the name of all that was sweet and exquisite, his tongue was buried in her core. And it wasn’t just lying there. It was teasing, tasting, licking…Oh the way it licked, like he couldn’t get enough of delightful candy.

And the way she shook and screeched with pleasure. It should be shameful, the squeaky, uncontrolled noises that pitched out of her mouth. But she wasn’t ashamed. She felt anything–everything, but shame.

She didn’t quite know what orgasm was, other than what she’d read. But between the delicious assaults of his tongue and fingers, Callista knew for certain she experienced it–not once. Twice.

“Mario,” she whispered when finally his head came up again and their gazes locked.

It was all she said before he drew her up and crushed their mouths together.

Her scent and taste seduced her as much as his hungry, desperate lips did. Because she knew this much gave pleasure to a man, she shoved her hand down, tugged down his boxers and curled a firm grip around the base of his shaft, working her way up, and then down again with tantalizing slowness.

“Oh yes, I want that,” Mario groaned as manhood tightened and stretched. “But I want more to be inside you. I want to be one with you, our bodies merging to give each other pleasure.”

“Then come inside.” She halted her strokes, arched up her hip and guided his length slowly into her.

“Oh, Callista. How sweet.”

His lips found hers. His body started to move against hers. He touched her, guiding her to move along with him. Sounds of pleasure, never before experienced by either one, surrounded them. When she neared another orgasm, her first joined with a man in this way, and he raised his head to hold her eyes, Callista realised it.

It happened when she knew it not.

She had fallen in love with Mario.