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She chuckled and shook her head in disbelief. “Are you kidding? If I want to say to goodbye I’ll say goodbye.”

He grunted and slapped his forehead with his hand. In fact he started to speak hurriedly in Italian. Mira frowned at the animated way he spoke with his hands. “Speak English. I don’t understand you.” she yelled over his rant.

“Why are you so damn confused?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“We discussed this last night. We’ll enjoy each other for as long as I choose.”

“You choose?”

“We choose, I misspoke,” he quickly added.

Mira turned to march away, and he grabbed her wrist dragging her back to him. “There is no stopwatch keeping time on us. Why must you?” he asked.

“Why are men like you so damn arrogant and controlling?” She yanked her hand free. She dropped hers to her hip and narrowed her eyes on him. “My goodness we’ve known each other for a little more than 48 hours and already I belong to you? Until when? You get bored?”

“What do you want Bella? Reassurance?” He sighed deeply. “What is it you need to stop inviting me in and then shoving me away?”

“It’s simple. You don’t decide how long we last, or anything we do. I do for me, and you do for you. I want your friendship. But no thank you on the sex.”

Giovanni laughed. She frowned, eyeing him. He dropped his head back and closed his eyes. A deep groan rumbled in his chest.

“No sex? What does that prove?” he asked.

“I think we can enjoy Bellagio without ripping each other’s clothes off. And the attraction is what we explored. It also makes it easier to understand what’s happening between us. I can keep a clear head when I’m around you. All those pretty words and seductive touches confuse me. Hard to make this light when you make me feel the way you do.”

“Because losing control is a bad thing right?”

She rolled her eyes. “So what! I like to be in control is that so damn horrible?”

He shook his head, smiling down at her like a parent would a child.“Ti penso sempre!”

“English!” Mira demanded.

“I’m always thinking of you. Now it’s worse for me, after touching you.” Giovanni seized her. He lifted her by her midriff and brought her up against him. Mira didn’t resist. She hooked her arms around his neck and held on with her body flush to his. Warm heat captured her mouth as his crashed over hers, and she tasted the bitterness from his cigar. He kissed her hard and strong. Caught up, she found his lips were more persuasive than she cared to admit. Breaking the passionate exchange, he stared directly into her eyes when he spoke. “You feel that?” he whispered to her. “It’s me, and you can’t control me, Bella. Do you understand?” He reclaimed her lips. Soft shivers shimmied up her spine. Mira smiled against his mouth as he spoke to her with his tongue delving. “And this.” He heaved her up higher, now his hands gripping both halves of her ass, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. “This isus,Bella. You won’t control us. I see it will take more convincing. I am the man for the job.”

Mira turned her face from his mouth and closed her eyes as kisses slipped down the curve of her neck. “You can’t be serious.” She held to him tighter.

“Look at me. Am I serious?”

She returned her gaze and stared deep into his eyes. She swallowed all doubt.

“I’m a man. Don’t treat me like a boy, or one of those that work for you. Deal with me. Do you understand?”

She nodded.

“Then you must give me room to be near you. To have you.”

Confused, breathless, she only nodded again.

He kissed her again. “Approvazione,that means you’re okay with this. Say it.”

“Approvazione.”

He lowered her, and she slid down his large frame to stand on her own two feet.

“Then we will honor this ‘no sex’ rule this evening. I have a condition,” he said.