Her head thrashed back and forth. His hands kept her still, but she had lost all ability to think. She could only feel. Deep inside, that tension wound even tighter. A gathering. A coiling. He had to stop. She didn’t want him to ever stop. Secure in his ropes, she was completely at his mercy, and he wasn’t feeling very compassionate. His mouth devoured her and his hands were lethal, fingers, by turns, kneading her buttocks and then dancing up her inner thighs to penetrate deep.

She knew she was chanting his name, but she couldn’t stop, desperate for release. Her hips bucked against his mouth, grinding, trying to force him to take her where she needed to go.

His finger pushed deep, driving through silken folds. “So tight, amore, I have to get you ready.”

Ready? She was already losing her mind. She was totally ready. “Please.” She managed to get that one word out.

He didn’t hesitate; once more his mouth was there, decisive, invasive, so perfect, sending streaks of flames racing through her, so the firestorm exploded, radiating scorching heat through her body. Her mind seemed to break free, taking her somewhere she’d never been, so that for a few moments there was only pleasure surrounding her. She floated in it, that fiery, star-laden place she’d never been but wanted to stay in – with him. Ricco.

She blinked, became aware that his hands were rubbing her bottom gently, smoothing down her thighs, and he was once again on his feet, holding her, surrounding her with his arms. She found herself smiling at him. “That was – extraordinary.”

“The beginning,” he corrected. “Dio, amore, you taste delicious. I could eat you up.”

“I want to touch you,” she admitted. “I need to touch you.”

He leaned in to kiss her. She tasted herself on his tongue and it was more erotic than she thought possible.

“I want your hands on me,” he said. He reached for a pair of scissors he had on a side table. “Lean into me.”

She didn’t have any real choice. Her legs were suddenly rubber. She was melting into him. His skin was hot and he was strong and protective. His arms went around her once more and he cut the ropes and began to massage her arms and hands. Mariko tried to stand, alarmed that he was taking her full weight.

“Just lie against me, farfallina mia. I’ve got you.”

She wanted him to always have her. She felt safer with him, even tied, than she’d ever felt with any other human being. Her bare breasts pressed into his chest. Already she felt a million little sparks leaping from his skin to hers. Now it was even more so. Her nipples brushed over his heavy muscles, and ripples of fire spread straight to her sex.

Her entire body shuddered as his hands gently massaged her arms and hands. There were no pins and needles, nothing to say she’d been tied for a little while. He was that careful where he’d laid the ropes. Still, she groaned when he gently pulled first one arm and then the other from behind her to wrap around him.

“I’m going to pick you up.”

Immediately alarm spread through her. She’d been feeling beautiful and sexy until she heard Osamu’s voice in her head. You’re big and ugly. You should bind your big feet and breasts so you don’t knock into things. You’re clumsy and a complete embarrassment. Stay in your room when we have company.

One arm slid around her back, the other her knees. He lifted her easily, without seeming effort, cradling her almost tenderly against his chest. “Look at me, Mariko.”

She curled into him, both for strength and to hide her body just a little from his dark, piercing gaze. He could see through shadows. Into them. Beyond them. He could see into her mind. She lifted her gaze to his and instantly desire poured into her again. It was there in his eyes. So much she was drowning in it.

“Stay with me, Mariko. Don’t go there. Not ever again. She has no place here. Not in this room and not in this house. I want you to throw her out of your head and hear and see only me. Look at yourself the way I see you, not her. Do you need me to show you the images in the camera? When you see them, you’ll see only beauty.”

She allowed her gaze to drift over his face. Her fingertips went to the scar, tracing it from his eye, following the curve to the corner of his mouth. He’d gotten that scar saving her life. The ones on his chest had been put there for the same reason. She slid her hands around his neck and locked them there. For whatever reason, Ricco Ferraro wanted her, and she was going to have him. Again, she knew it was her choice. Having him for one night, or a few nights, and walking away brokenhearted was better than never having him at all. He was her choice.

Using her hands, she brought his head down to her uplifted one and took his mouth. The man could kiss. The moment her lips touched his, featherlight, teasing, tracing his lips with her tongue, his hand slid up her back to bunch her hair in his fingers. How he could hold her so close, so steady, without so much as a tremble she didn’t know – or care – because she had her mouth on his and it was… perfection.

He took over the kiss, deepening it. She followed his lead, tasting his hot, masculine flavor, savoring it, wanting to devour him. He kissed her over and over and she found herself drowning, every nerve ending on fire for him, so aware of him, of the muscles rippling against her bare skin as she floated through the air like some princess in a fairy tale.

He carried her through the house straight to the master bedroom. His territory, where he’d said no woman had ever been. She literally felt as if she were floating, his mouth on hers, kissing her senseless, as he took her through the spacious halls straight to his bed.

He stripped the comforter off while holding her with one arm, still cradled in tight against his chest. That ability was enough to take her breath away. Then she was on the cool, silk sheets, sprawled out on his bed, eyes on his, because there was no looking away from him. Even if she did, it wouldn’t have mattered. He was all she could see. Everything she could want.

Ricco stood at the bottom of the bed, his hands on his drawstring pants, but his gaze on her. “You’re so beautiful.”

She smiled at him. She couldn’t help it. He made her feel beautiful. “You did suffer a major blow to the head. Sooner or later you’re going to come to your senses.” That much was true, but in the meantime, she was going to enjoy every single second with him. “You have too many clothes on.”

He did. He so did. She had dreamt of his naked body entwined with hers, and that had been long before she met him – when she was doing research on him. She’d seen photographs taken of him in a hot tub with the Lacey twins, his bare chest showing. She’d been a little disappointed that he wasn’t standing. To her, he was physically gorgeous. She was grateful to realize that everything she’d learned about his character matched his body. He was a good man, a really good man.

“I don’t want to scare you off,” he teased, his thumbs in the waistband of his trousers. They sat low on his hips and he looked delicious standing there with that confident smile that bordered on arrogant.