He exhaled and stepped back. “Fine, let’s do this. Let’s get this ugly part out of the way so we can get on with our life together. I don’t want anything festering.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Did you even consider that I wanted to wait to tell you about what had been going on with me after I got to know you better? And after I figured out that night in L.A. wasn’t just another one-night-stand?”
He crossed his arms, certain there was more. He felt it best to let her get it all out.
“Meanwhile,” she continued. “You climbed into my bed harboring your own secret. My health didn’t really have anything to do with it, did it? You were leaving me either way. When were you going to tell me you weren’t coming back to New York?”
“Oh, you were allowed to withhold information until after we had sex, but my doing it meant I was purposely keeping something from you?”
“That night in L.A. was a big deal to me, Andrew. Last year you disappeared, and I never heard from you again. How could you run off to Milan after leading me to believe the sex meant something to you this time?”
“You left my hotel room in New York last year without even giving me your name. How was I supposed to find you?”
“I thought you were resourceful.” She crossed her arms.
He sawed out a harsh breath. “I told you, I wasn’t ready last year, I’m sorry. Yes, I wanted you then, bad. I saw you and I had to have you. But I couldn’t give you anything else. Now I can. Now I’m ready.” He pulled her against his chest.
She sniffed and squirmed away.
“Please, don’t walk away from me, Gwen.” Andrew’s voice cracked as if a wall burst. “You’ve done that twice now, and I wasn’t strong enough to stop you.”
“What’s changed?” She touched his shaking arms.
“I was miserable without you. With you, every day I laughed and felt happy and excited. Do you know I hadn’t smiled, or at least it didn’t feel like I had since that night in New York?” When she drew a breath, he moved a lock of hair out of her eyes. “And without you, I couldn’t breathe.
Sometimes you don’t realize what a hole you have in your life until someone shows up and fills it.”
“That means so much. But...” She flicked away the loose tear skidding down her cheek. “I can’t promise you I’ll never get sick.”
“No matter what happens, I’m here for you.” He held her tight. “This can only work if we open up to each other.”
“I’m trying,” she said, putting her head down.
“We’re in this together. This was meant to be. It has to be. If you recall, you had a choice in L.A.
Salvatore clearly wanted you. But you left the show with me. I was the one who ended up in your bed.”
When her shameful eyes looked away, a burning sensation spread across his face.
“Wait a minute.” With a hand over his mouth, he asked, “Did you hook up with him while I was away?”
“He invited me to his apartment to watch the parade.” She threaded her hands together.
“Yeah, okay, I guess I don’t need to hear any more.” He leaned against the canopy pole.
Mentioning Salvatore flushed him with so much fury he could set the entire marquis on fire.
“Andrew! I didn’t go. I’m not seeing him. I’m not anything with him.”
He took a deep breath. “Why?”
“Because I want you, you jerk! And I couldn’t bear another man’s hands on me after what we had in L.A. I didn’t want it after New York, if we’re being honest. Even if I didn’t think I’d ever see you, or be with you again.” She swallowed.
He took hold of her face, and when the slightest hint of resistance from her body left, he lowered his head to steal a much-needed kiss. She met him more than halfway and kissed him. Hard. He tugged her by the waist, drawing her hips against him. Even through layers of cashmere and merino wool, she would feel his arousal.
Her kiss felt hot and tasted sweet. He finally became reacquainted with her tongue. Soft, yet powerful. Demanding, yet hesitant. The total and complete ease, yet raw anticipation from what her body had the capacity to do to him, was an enthralling paradox.
They stopped kissing, but he kept his head bent close to hers, his eyes fixed on the blue pools of light he missed. He decided he’d rather not be in that hotel tonight after all.
“Gwen, what do I have to do to get you to come back to my flat tonight?”
She let go of a cool exhale and smiled. “Ask me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
ndrew paused at the door to his flat. Once he got Gwen on the other side, he wasn’t sure if he Acould control himself. He collected his raging thoughts spilling over like a pot of boiled water.
The months he’d spent alone in Milan before finding Gwen again had flown by, days melting into each other. These two weeks apart, however, had scraped along like metal on concrete—smoking and clanging, leaving nothing but a piercing shrill.
Gwen grasped at him, clawed under his coat, her nails digging into his Prada dress shirt. He didn’t care if she tore right through the damn thing. The way her fingers repeatedly slipped inside his trousers made it hard to keep a clear head. He was crazed with hunger for her as well.
He opened the door and the look on Gwen’s face taking in the simple but authentic Italian flat warmed him. If things didn’t work out with Marcello, this place would be hers. Prada had flats all over the city. If she had to live in Milan, he wanted her here. The safe and secure building had many great neighbors. All hard-working, decent people.
And his new roommate would watch over her.
“Who is this?” she squealed, pointing to the cat sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room.
“That’s Casper.”
“That’s exactly what I would name a black cat.” She lifted the tiny bundle of fur into her arms.
Cradled like a baby, Casper patted her cheeks with white-tipped paws.
“Yeah, I thought the same thing.” He laughed, gently twisting a white foot around his fingers. “I think he likes you.”
“I love cats. Dan was allergic.” Gwen pressed her face against the small patch of white above Casper’s nose. “How old is he?”
“I don’t know. He belonged to a neighbor. But she died recently. Now he’s mine.” Andrew smiled. “Ours.”
Her eyes rose at his comment. That simple word held a wealth of meaning. He put his arms around her and kissed her to convey the fierce passion building for her. A gentle whine from between them interrupted the moment.
“Are you done with him?” he asked, sliding his hand under Casper’s back.
“For now.”
The cat’s long body stretched as Andrew released him to the floor. Casper pranced across the parquet squares and curled into a ball on a new bed filled with plush toys.
“He’s as happy that you’re here as I am,” Andrew said.
Gwen’s mouth crashed hard against his. To match her enthusiasm, he lifted her up. The way her legs immediately wrapped around his waist sent him into a fit of lust.
Andrew carried Gwen to the bed he had slept in alone for weeks wishing she were there.