Page 19 of Dangerous Kiss
“Okay.” But there was an icy tone to Stella’s voice—she didn’t believe Biba’s claims of simple friendship with Cosimo. Biba shrugged and left the trailer.
At the manor, she asked the receptionist where Cosimo was. “I think Mr. DeLuca is in his suite,” the young man said with a smile. “Want me to call up?”
“Yes, please.”
Biba waited patiently as he called Cosimo. A second later, he smiled at her. “He says to go up.”
Heart pounding, she took the stairs to the second floor, needing the exercise to shed some nervous energy. Tapping lightly at Cosimo’s door, she still jumped slightly when he opened it almost immediately.
For a long moment, they gazed at each other, then he smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself.”
“Come on in.”
He stood back to let her in, and as she passed, she smelled soap and shampoo, saw his dark curls were damp, his sweater freshly on. Her senses reeled, and she wobbled.
“Hey, are you alright?” Cosimo caught her before she fell. Biba, mortified, nodded. “Sorry, I forgot to eat today.”
He rolled his eyes and grinned at her. “Now, I already know that’s not like you.”
God, why did his smile make her stomach hurt? Cosimo called down and ordered room service for them both. “Little impromptu dinner party.”
Biba chuckled. “Can it really be a party with just two?”
Cosimo considered. “Okay, a suite picnic.”
“Nice.”
Cosimo laughed. “Burgers okay with you? I ordered all the fixings.”
“Perfect. I just forgot to eat today.”
Cosimo sat down next to her, and she leaned against him. He put his arm around her. “Biba…”
“I know what you’re going to say. I’m too young; I’m still a virgin; I’m damaged from my past; You can’t take on someone with so much baggage.”
Cosimo gave her a sad smile. “The first three are true. The last, not so much. Except…I can’t take advantage of you. I would never be able to forgive myself if I caused you more pain.”
Biba nodded, misery seeping through every cell in her body. “I know. It’s the responsible thing to do.”
He pressed his lips to her temple. “It’s not that I don’t want you, Biba, because, Lord knows, I do. But I have a responsibility towards you, the movie, and my son, of course.”
Biba looked up at him—he was so Goddamn beautiful she could cry. “I know. Nicco comes first. And hey, on the bright side, if we stop this before it begins, we have a good shot at being friends.”
She saw him visibly relax. “I think so, too. There’s nothing I’d like more…well, there’s one thing, but that’s not an option.”
“Yet…” Biba said, her voice was almost a whisper, willing him to agree. He met her gaze steadily.
“Yet.”
Their eyes locked, and then his lips were against hers. “God damn it,” he said as they paused for air.
Biba chuckled. “Look, let’s do this. When room service arrives, that’s the holy line of demarcation. That’s when we cross from whatever this is to just friends. Until then…”
He groaned and took her face in his hands, his lips hungry against hers. “I hope they forget our order.”
“Me, too.”
