Untamed Italians: Innocent in the Italian's Possession / Italian Tycoon, Secret Son / Italian Marriage: In Name Only. Kathryn Ross

and for his child. For her own agreement with Stefano. What would the future hold for them?

      She pushed past the man she’d loved to distraction last night and came face-to-face with an older woman. Even if the family resemblance hadn’t been unmistakable, Gemma knew this was Cesare’s sister.

      “E’ questa la donna?” the woman asked Stefano, her dark eyes as censoring as her nephew’s.

      “Sì,” he said, leaving Gemma to wonder what he’d told his aunt about her.

      Nothing good she was sure, given he bore no resemblance to the gentle, sensual man she’d made love with last night. And could that have been his goal all along? Had he set out to break down her defenses with the love she craved so she’d reveal his father’s secrets?

      Had he tried to seduce her into trusting him?

      If so then he’d misjudged her loyalty to Cesare.

      From what she’d learned of him, he disliked being wrong or bested. Right now hard, unyielding Stefano ruled in the light of day, and it was obvious he was furious with her for escaping his yacht and coming here.

      So she hurried down the hall with his hand pressed to the small of her back. Thankfully nobody could hear her knees knock with worry.

      Nobody but her felt her heart aching with indecision. That small, dominating hold on her was creating havoc within her, reminding her of the passion they’d shared. Of the heat that still flared between them.

      Was that all it was? Sex?

      It must be. But even as she settled on that reason, she feared that another emotion had begun to take root last night. Love.

      Last night he’d made love to her so thoroughly and so deeply that her heart had beat in tandem with his. She’d seen a tenderness in him that he kept hidden, a vulnerability that she’d glimpsed once before when he’d mentioned his sister-in-law’s deceit.

      She’d sensed his raw need tinged with fear and her heart had melted then and there. She’d ached to comfort him. To hold him into the night. To love him now and forever.

      She’d melded with the soul of the man and knew he was capable of intense compassion as well as passion. She wanted to believe he’d embrace the role of Rachel’s brother. She wanted to trust that Stefano Marinetti would finally put family above business and himself. She wanted to believe all would be right.

      And now? Now in the harsh light of day the ruthless, arrogant Stefano was back in control. She slipped into the alcove and whirled on him, breaking the contact that muddled her mind so.

      When it came to business, Stefano was brutal.

      When it came to family, he’d walked away before without a care. She couldn’t let that happen to Rachel. She couldn’t let him hurt her, either.

      He pressed Gemma against the wall and stood over her, his hard, lean body centimeters from hers. It was a pose she’d seen countless times between couples on the street when they wanted a private moment to share a few words.

      Or to share a kiss.

      A delicious shiver ran through her and she damned her body’s eager response to his. Here and gone, leaving an intense ache of want. Leaving her trembling.

      “You were to wait on the ship for me,” he said in a furious whisper that raised bumps on her skin.

      She’d not allow him to heap guilt on her. “I was worried about your papa, and you.”

      The pulse in his temple beat madly, belying the cocky smile he affected. “He is unconscious, bella. The doctors don’t know when he’ll awaken or what condition he’ll be in when and if he does.”

      Just what she’d feared. “I’m so sorry, Stefano. If there is anything I can do—”

      “You can obey a direct order from now on, okay?”

      “Of course,” she said and hoped he couldn’t hear the lie in her voice.

      He shifted closer, his mouth quirking just so while desire softened the hard glint in his eyes. “What is going through your mind right now?”

      Unbidden came the memory of them locked together in passion, writhing as one. She quivered at each deep rasp of his breath, of his spicy scent that teased her senses and clung to her skin yesterday morning. That seemed a lifetime away now.

      He’d been dominant yet gentle, not this domineering man who had the ability to shift from intractable to sensual in the blink of an eye. Right now it was all she could do to keep her spine pressed to the wall when she wanted to bow into his body.

      “I’m concerned about Cesare,” she said. “And we have unsettled business between us.”

      “You are worried about our personal contract?”

      She nodded, for though she wanted to trust him at his word, she knew she’d be a fool to do so. Especially since she was sure to displease him when she suddenly disappeared later today.

      He lightly grazed her cheek with a bent knuckle. Tendrils of energy flowed from his touch to set her insides spiraling out of control.

      “It will be drafted by tomorrow and ready for your signature,” he breathed near her ear.

      She gave in to a shiver. “Good. I can sign it when I return from visiting my nonna.”

      “When did you decide to do this?” he asked, trailing that finger down her throat.

      “After that episode with my brother,” she breathed, fighting the urge to tip her head back and sigh her pleasure.

      “I’ll go with you.”

      “No. I need to do this alone and you need to stay here with Cesare,” she said, and when his eyes narrowed she added, “Please. She wouldn’t understand me bringing my boss home.”

      “Very well. We will sign the papers upon your return, then celebrate tomorrow night, hmm?”

      “Yes,” she said, her breath quickening at the thought of lying in his arms again.