A Weekend of Misbehaving by Carmen Falcone

you want it to.”
    Huh? Mr. B, Lorenzo Baldi being cute? Better not give it much thought. Rays of sunlight shone through the small underwater cavity they had just slid passed, casting a brilliant blue reflection that illuminated the entire cavern.
    “Gorgeous,” she managed to push past her lips.
    The guide said a few things in Italian, to which Lorenzo only nodded.
    “Touch the water.”
    Leaning over the boat, she dunked her hand in the cold water, and when she removed it, a shade of blue glowed on her fingers. Entranced, she moved and flexed her fingers. “Wow.”
    He immersed his hand and lifted it so it was a couple inches from hers. The slight tremble of his fingers didn’t go unnoticed, and she doubted it had anything to do with the temperature. She parted her lips, and when her eyes found his, a jade light flickered.
    The inside shudder would have made her lose her balance if she weren’t already sitting. She moved on the wood bench and, restless, closed the gap between their hands and felt his hot palm plastered against her flesh.
    Move your hand. She wished she could speak her mind, but as she raised her eyes to his, she wasn’t sure if that would be a message for her or for him.
    He clamped his lips shut, closed his eyes, and threw his head back as if he were wrestling an invisible demon. A tingle shot up her arm, prickling her skin. Her stomach was like a hot-air balloon. If she knew better, she’d edge away from him. Slowly. Yank her hand away and say something superfluous to erase the air stolen from her lungs. Yes, that was her plan.
    She motioned to move her fingers, but he outsmarted her and intertwined his fingers with hers, his grip firm, his skin hot. He snatched her to him and captured her lips with his.
    She granted him full access, and his tongue slipped inside her mouth, sweeping through hers in relentless pursuit, exploring her dark recesses as his grip on her tightened and threatened to burst the balloon in her stomach. A current of electricity coursed through her, charging her from scalp to toes. The kiss intensified, his mouth searching, claiming hers. Never in her whole life had she experienced a kiss so…thrilling. Addictive. Perfect.
    He cupped her neck, rubbing his thumb on her sensitive skin. A trail of goose bumps rose on her flesh, and she pressed her legs together, the pulse of her damp sex growing faster. Stronger.
    Even in her most creative fantasies involving Lorenzo, he hadn’t been such an amazing kisser. Reality beat anything she’d imagined. Reality was—
    “ Signore.” The voice from the tour guide was like a whisper from faraway elevator music. Their kiss slowed, and the young man produced a sound that blended an intended cough with a chuckle. “ Signore ,” he repeated, and went on to say a couple things in Italian.
    Lorenzo slid his hand off her neck, and a draft of cold claimed her. Or maybe it was just her embarrassment speaking. The end of the kiss hit her hard, her lips still tender and searching for his. He gave her a glance before sighing.
    Wow. What was she thinking? Having a planet-size crush on him was one thing, but acting on it was insane. Casual flings suited her because they provided a temporary sense of freedom and control, with a break from having to babysit not just Cara, but her family members, too. The affairs also ended quickly and, besides the one involving Joshua, where she got too involved and tried to break the mold, most of them were problem free.
    If she answered to the urges her sex was shamelessly darting at her…all would change. How would she be able to pretend none of this ever happened? God. She lifted her hand and covered her mouth, trying to keep from voicing her fears. If they addressed that sexual tension, their relationship would shift for sure. Never mind the fact that there was no way she would be able to act normally around him; she didn’t think she could keep a sexual relationship with him casual.
    She would be