Take Me

“The signora is beautiful when she sleeps, no?”

Travis narrowed his eyes at the driver, making it perfectly clear that the sleeping beauty was all his, staring him down until the driver stepped away from the door and went to the trunk to remove their luggage.

Travis slid close to Lily’s soft, sleeping form and he brushed a red curl away from her face, unable to keep from touching her.

“We’re here,” he said quietly, not wanting to startle her, not when she looked so peaceful, and yes, beautiful, too.

Sleepy blue eyes opened, and Travis couldn’t resist bending forward to steal a kiss. His lips touched hers, and something warm spread through him. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, and the pit of his belly hurt with lust and something else. Something he didn’t want to examine. Ever. More thrown off by this warm feeling than he wanted to admit, he pulled away just as Lily’s arms wrapped around his waist.

“Travis,” she whispered against his lips and reached for him, but he moved out of the way just in time, before she could weave her magic spell around him again, before he stopped being able to think clearly.

Before he did something stupid like beg her to make love to him again like only she could.

Scooting out the door, schooling his face into a mask of impartial politeness, he held out a hand for her.

Lily looked confused by his abrupt change of demeanor for a moment, but as she became fully awake her confusion was replaced by a swift burst of anger.

“I can get out of the limo all by myself, thanks,” she spat at him as she lowered one round leg, then the other, to the golden gravel outside the villa. Without waiting for him, she pushed open the heavy carved wood door and walked into the gleaming tiled entryway, her hips swaying provocatively.

“When did she learn to do that?” Travis was angry at everything and nothing at the same time. She wasn’t supposed to be so sexy.

Travis saw the driver admiring Lily again and shot a well-aimed scowl at him. He tipped the man an amount barely enough to be courteous after all of that ogling, then grabbed their bags himself, brushing past a whey faced bellboy. By the time he reached the counter, Lily was checking in.

“I believe you have a reservation for Lily Ellis,” she said, gracing the good looking older man behind the counter with a sexy smile.

” Buono,” he said, giving Lily a slow perusal, stopping at her br**sts for much too long.

She smiled back, all innocence. Travis snorted. She was so naive she didn’t even know that she was being hit on. These Italian men would have her on her back with her legs spread wide so fast she wouldn’t even see it coming. The image of her beneath some foreigner sent fire shooting through his gut.

She flicked her hair over her shoulder, and Travis watched as the Italian’s eyes refocused again on her incredible br**sts. One thing was clear: He had no choice but to protect Lily from these prowling, skirt-chasing Italians.

And the only way he could do that was if they thought that she belonged to him. Travis was mulling over how he was going to pull off the necessary protective measures without angering Lily even more when fate stepped in. Looking slightly embarrassed, the man behind the counter shook his head. “Signora Ellis, I am afraid I do not have any reservation under that name.”

Lily looked momentarily flustered and then shot an accusing glance at Travis. “You did have your secretary book two rooms, didn’t you?”

Travis leaned against the counter. He couldn’t have hidden his smug grin if he’d wanted to. He scratched his chin, as if giving it some deep thought. “You know,” he said finally, “I very well might have forgotten to mention that one small detail.”

Giving him a look that spoke volumes about how much she despised him, Lily turned back to the Italian.

“I’ll take any room you’ve got. No,” she said with increased venom, “I’ll take the most expensive room in the hotel. I’m sure my business associate would be happy to pay for it.”

Travis crossed his fingers and smiled as the man said the very words he hoped to hear. “I’m sorry, signora, but we are completely full. There are no available rooms.”

“No available rooms?” she repeated in a hollow voice.

The man bowed his head. “I’m sorry, but there is only the one room for Signor Carson.”

“With two double beds?” she asked, a final shred of hope lingering in her tone.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not, signora. One large bed, perfect for two lovers.”

Travis watched Lily clench and unclench her hands. He wouldn’t have been surprised if steam started coming out of her ears at any minute. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but admire her poise in the face of adversity. Who would have thought that Lily Ellis had an ounce of poise to her name?

“Fine,” she said as she snapped, looking like a glorious goddess in her anger. She grabbed her suitcase and dragged it behind her. “I’ll go stay somewhere else.”

“Signora,” the man called out after her, “you will not find another room for miles. The Festivale di Matrimonü) will be this weekend.”

Travis did a quick translation and felt the sucker punch in his gut again. The festival of weddings? This whole thing with Lily had turned into some kind of sick joke.

First, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. Then she wouldn’t sleep with him again. And now, they were going to be surrounded by dozens of happy couples who were pledging their undying love to each other.

Travis was certain that the man upstairs was having a good laugh right about then.

Making a clear effort to keep hold of her good manners, Lily turned back around, and calmly said,

“Excuse me, the town is hosting the festival of what?”

The man smiled placatingly, but Travis didn’t miss the wicked gleam in his eyes as he glanced at Lily, then Travis. “In your language, signora, it is the festival of weddings.”

Lily looked ill. “The festival of weddings?” She glared at Travis, who shrugged. Turning on the innocent man behind the counter, her poise clearly in shreds, she repeated in a hollow voice, “The festival of weddings. You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No, signora, it is for real. The festival of weddings takes place in Saturnia once every twenty-five years.

It is the most wonderful of all nights.” He placed one hand over his heart. “Love is everywhere during the festival. No one can resist it.”