Chapter 119

He buckles me into the passenger seat of his car, leaning in to kiss me tenderly once more, his green eyes alive and twinkling. Jake can’t seem to stop kissing me and it’s not like I can complain, after a year of being crazy for him, I don’t want him to stop. I’ve not seen him this happy and carefree for a long time, since before the first time he ever kissed me.

Had I really been torturing him all that time?

My heart lurches at the thought as he closes my door and comes around to slide into his sleek powerful car in an effortlessly graceful maneuver.

“Your place for a change of clothing, I guess.” He runs his fingers down the thigh of my satin dress, his pupils dilating. “I forgot to tell you how amazing you look in this by the way. I practically passed out when I saw you.”

“You’re so easy.” I giggle watching his lips part as he raises his eyebrow and winks at me

“Can’t help it, bambino … You’re sex on legs, and this dress only emphasized that fact.” He throws me his killer smile and starts the car. “Maybe we’ll get a replay of making out on the bonnet sometime soon.” He tilts his head toward me with a raised eyebrow and I shake mine in response with an added eye roll, a smile breaking across my face.

Is this real? Is this really happening?

We’ve been together all morning, showered for a second time and managed to get clean that time, ate pancakes and bacon in bed and teased each other mercilessly. It’s so easy and natural, it feels like we’ve always been this way, devoid of awkwardness. All heartache forgotten, all the tension, fights, and stupid behavior. All of it had faded away as though we were never just boss and PA, or even just friends. It’s well after noon and we were only now getting out of his building.

“We can’t just hop on a jet to the Caribbean.” I point out since he hasn’t dropped this subject yet.

“I’m pretty sure we can. I own a plane and a boat and the company who employs you.” He pulls into traffic, the hum of his powerful car sending excitement through me, something about this car gives me thrills. I guess because it’s so him … Powerful, sexy, expensive … A thrill of a ride in that almost trademark black and the thought of it makes me redden.

“I hope whatever’s making you blush is something I’ve done in the past twelve hours, miele?” His hand comes to my thigh and he squeezes gently, his focus going quickly back to the road.

“It’s the past twelve hours I’m blushing about.” I smile back, our eyes lock longingly, I’m overwhelmed by the strength in the electricity between us which has only grow stronger.

Will it always be this way? Is it like this for everyone?

“It will only get better, bella. Once I get to know what really turns you on … Just you wait and see.” I don’t respond, just let the heat ride up from my thighs into my face, and I’m biting my lip as the inner desires overtake me. I don’t think it’s possible for him to improve on anything he’s done to me in the last few hours.

“I love you, Jake.” It comes from somewhere inside of me, so impulsively it even surprises me. Like it had to be said in that second. He turns to focus on me, his face happy, his finger comes to stroke my cheek delicately.

“I’ll never tire of hearing that from you … Ti amo, bellezza.”

I love you, beautiful.

I am beginning to understand some of the things he says to me but too many times I have asked the question—What?

I love that Jake litters his affectionate terms with Italian words and he sometimes slips into fluent Italian sporadically, it’s sexy as hell, even if most of the time I can only guess at what the meaning is.

“We’re still not going to the Caribbean.” I point out stubbornly, “We both have jobs, and I’m sure my new boss won’t be happy about my sudden sabbatical.” I try for stern, PA Emma tone and get halfway there.

“I’m your new boss … Wilma will have no say.” that flicker of Jake dominance shining through but for once it doesn’t annoy me, it excites me. We always did play the power game with one another, even when we got on well.

Does Jake really want me back as his PA? How in the hell will that work?

“Do you think that’s wise? Me coming back?” I watch him maneuver the car confidently, my knees pressing together in anticipation of having those hands back on my skin. Impatient already.

“Do you think I would leave you down on Wilma’s floor and hire some other woman to fly around the world with me to share cozy hotel rooms now?” He flashes a knowing smile at me, and I get a severe jealousy twinge. He’s right! I wouldn’t like that at all, and I know Margo is only his temp stand in. He could hire anyone and have them by his side the way I had been. Someone small and blonde and sexy who wore tight ass skirts and stilettos while bending over her desk.

No, I do not like that at all.

“You wouldn’t find anyone as tolerant as me,” I mutter darkly, contemplating some other woman sharing his room, suddenly overwhelmed with hostility. He grins, knowing his hint has worked and pokes me gently in the cheek.

“I wouldn’t want any other woman, Emma … Not anymore … Not ever again, my little green-eyed seductress.” The seriousness in his tone sends a thousand butterflies through me and he pinches my cheek playfully to kill my mood. I never, ever, imagined I would hear words like those coming from Casanova Carrero’s mouth, let alone his willingness to be with one woman in a real relationship.

I guess hell could freeze over after all.

“You don’t think being together twenty-four seven will affect things?” I ask as doubt creeps in and a little tremor of anxiety hits.

“I was with you practically twenty-four seven before, and I felt like it wasn’t enough, Emma … I wanted you around all the time, I wanted you in my bed. Look, miele, we can try this and if it starts affecting our relationship, we’ll sort something else out.” He glances at me again; I can tell that he’s deadly serious and it kills further questioning; he’s right. I need to stop over thinking everything, all the time.

We don’t know until we try and coming back to work with him is more than I could ever ask for. I loved working with him every day, organizing his life. I missed all of it so badly.

Somehow, knowing there would be no more leggy dates and separate bedrooms makes it seem even more exciting.

I inhale deeply and grin at him widely, the urge to dive on him and kiss his mouth to death overtakes me but I steel it back inside. I guess this is what being in love is meant to feel like, a huge wave of euphoria and a severe lack of hormonal control or ability to keep my hands off him.

“I’m still saying no to the Caribbean.” I cock a brow at him; I at least need to pretend I have some say over things nowadays.

“We’ll see.” He’s still watching the road with quick glances at his mirrors. It’s his ‘I know I’ve made up my mind tone and I just need to make you see sense or bully you into it’. I sigh and wonder what I’ve let myself in for.

I mean, really! … I know him better than most, he can be stubborn and overbearing, dominant, and sometimes terrifying. But he can also be protective, attentive, gentle, and so extremely sweet.

“We shall.” I challenge masterfully. He narrows his brows and looks at me in a way I’ve never seen before, a cross between determination and lust and ‘challenge accepted’

“I’ve new ways in which to bend your will to mine, neonata … New ways to torture you now that sexy body is no longer out of bounds … I wouldn’t test my limits.” He grins wickedly, and I sense the veiled threat, catching my breath.

Well, this is new for us. I’ve never had the sexually competent Carrero make erotic promises of punishment and torture and actually mean it.

My pulse quickens and I squirm in my seat, he’s no idea how he can turn me on with a look and very few words. Or that his threat is more of a lure to behave badly.

“You don’t intimidate me, Carrero … Bring it on,” I whisper seductively. Turning with a satisfied lick of my lips followed with a bite of my lower one, I smooth my hands up my thighs in a bid to get a reaction, only it’s more extreme than I anticipate. He literally swerves into the side of the road, slams the brakes on, unclips my belt, and hauls me into his lap in a quick, effortless move, crushing our mouths together. I’m forced into the smallest space ever, a window at my back and a steering wheel in the ribs, but his hands all over me are drowning out the discomfort and my mind reels at his assault.