Page 278 of The Havenport Collection

Recognition dawned in his eyes. I knew he was probably thinking about those moments, the ones that I could never forget. When the world seemed to fall away and it was just the two of us, looking into one another’s eyes.

He squeezed my hand. “I’ve wondered too.”

“And this may be my last chance for a hot summer fling. I want to have fun, I want to feel sexy and desired, and I want to do it with you.”

He stared at our joined hands, not meeting my eyes. Had I made a terrible mistake? Had I completely misread everything and ruined a lifetime of friendship?

Needing the upper hand, I blurted out, “It’s just casual sex. We’d still be friends. Nothing can change that. And we just hang out and then have sex. Only if you want to, of course.”

His facial expression cooled and turned stony. I knew instantly that I had said the wrong thing.

“No,” he replied, his eyes steely. “I don’t want no-strings-attached, casual sex.”

Why couldn’t he just listen? God, men were so infuriating. In the blink of an eye I had gone from ready to ride off into the sunset with him to wanting to punch him in his handsome face. “Don’t all men want that?” I asked, annoyed with him. “Sex with no strings?”

“No.” His voice was firm and his tone serious.

I stared at him while trying to calculate how I could escape this house.

My house. But right now it didn’t matter.

I wanted to run to my car, drive away, and never step foot in this town again.

My face was crimson with mortification, and all the drinks I enjoyed at the Whale were threatening to come back up.

He tipped my chin up and gazed into my eyes. “I don’t think you get it. I don’t do friends with benefits. I don’t waste my time on things that aren’t real. If you want to explore things between us, by all means, let’s explore. But I don’t want limits and rules and ‘casual.’ Not with you, Sam.”

All of a sudden, my entire body felt like it was on fire, my face was flushed, and I wasn’t sure how to react. What was he saying? Why was he making this difficult?

I tried to laugh it off. “Come on, Gio, it’s us…we are friends first always. I’m just proposing a little fling until my chemo starts. Casual, no expectations.”

He stared at me for a moment, studying my face before speaking.

“A fling, a real fling, the ones you remember when you’re old and gray and looking back on the good times, is more than just sex.

It’s an experience with someone else. It’s fun and romantic and wraps you up in one another so that you can’t see anything but each other for a short moment in time.

It’s when attraction and experience and chemistry bend time and space to create this perfect moment of sexy fun that you will remember forever. ”

I felt nervous. Having his passion and intensity focused entirely on me was unnerving.

“So what are you saying?” I wished fervently to drop the subject and never speak of it again.

Clearly I had misread him, and this had been a mistake.

I wanted to go back in time and not kiss him on the boardwalk.

Actually, I should have never gone out tonight.

I should have stayed home and watched murder documentaries on Netflix. You know—a nice, relaxing evening.

Because now I was in the middle of an emotional minefield and totally unequipped to deal with the chaotic thoughts flying around in my brain.

“I’ve never half assed anything in my life. And I don’t intend to start here. You want a fling?” He gently took my hand. "Oh baby, I will give you the fling. You will get the full Gio Rossi experience, and it will knock your fucking socks off.”

He raised my hand to his mouth, paused, then kissed it, never once taking his eyes off mine. I shivered. Actually shivered. My stupid body was betraying me at the worst possible moment, effortlessly falling for his charms.

I extracted my hand from his, trying to catch my breath.

My heart felt like it was about to explode.

What was he saying? And was I even ready for this?

I thought maybe we could have sex a few times, and I’d have some fun—because I knew Gio knew how to take care of a lady—before losing all the things that made me me.

But no, this sounded far more seductive, and thus more dangerous.

He stood up, dusting himself off. “I should get going. I leave for Italy tomorrow night. I’ll be back next Wednesday.”

I nodded, unsure of what to say next. My heart was pounding and my lady parts were throbbing.

I wanted him, and I wasn’t sure I cared about the specific label, circumstances, or agreed-upon conditions.

Decades of want and need were pooling in my belly, and I was ready.

This was likely going to be a catastrophic mistake, but apparently it was one I was willing to make.

“Do you want to stay over?” I asked coyly, hoping to regain some confidence. He clearly wanted me, and I wanted him. Couldn’t we just go upstairs and make some mutually gratifying mistakes together? Why was he making this more complicated?

He reached down and pulled me up to my feet, crushing me against his chest. His lips met mine in a brutal, claiming kiss. I threw my arms around his neck, holding on while he ravaged my mouth, taking exactly what he wanted.

His hand skirted down my body, teasing at the sides of my breasts and settling on my hips. The feel of his hands on my body awakened something inside me, a need for him that I didn’t even know I possessed.

He pulled away, smiling at me as I gasped for breath and steadied myself against his firm chest.

He tipped my chin up to look at him. And the fire in his eyes almost melted my panties right off my body.

“When I get back from my trip. We are doing this and doing it right. I’ve been waiting too many years to rush things. I am going to take my time with you. And you are going to wait for me.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a command. I nodded, barely able to stand. He was so dominant and bossy, I found myself willing to do anything he asked.

He kissed me again, softly this time. “Good. Because when I get back, this,”—he gestured between us— “is happening, and I will take whatever you want to give me, Sam. But just know, I have waited a long time for you, and you are going to have a hard time keeping anything with me just casual.”

And with that, he kissed my head and headed to the door, leaving me exhilarated, horny, and terrified. What had I just agreed to?

I wanted a casual summer fling. But the desire in his eyes told me that there would be nothing casual about this.