Educating Gina (9 page)

Shyly she touched her tongue to his. Heat shot to his groin. What the hell was he doing? He couldn’t…not with Gina…and not in a place like this…

She found his tongue again, something so sweet about her tentative exploration that his resolve weakened. One more kiss wouldn’t hurt a damn thing.

He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her so thoroughly he left no doubt as to how much he wanted her. It was agonizing to finally pull back. The effort was almost too much. “Now,” he said, trying to regain his breathing, “we can go.”

She slowly opened her eyes, and then blinked. “But Michael—”

He put a finger to her lips, took the foil packet out of her hand and tossed it back on the nightstand. He wasn’t even sure he hit his target. He didn’t look back. He got them outside to the hall and down the stairs before he did something really stupid.

They’d barely made it to the first floor when Darin appeared. He held out two champagne flutes to them. “I hope everything is satisfactory.”

“No, thanks.” Mike declined the champagne and was surprised to see Gina accept hers.

She sniffed it but didn’t take a sip.

“May I get you anything else?” He signaled the waitress. “We have a very fine twelve-year-old scotch if you prefer, or perhaps a cognac.”

Mike took the flute from Gina’s hand and looked around for someplace to set it. The waitress came and he placed the glass on her tray. “Actually, we were on our way out, but thanks, anyway.”

Darin drew his head back in surprise. “Leaving so soon? The action won’t start for another hour.”

“What action?” Gina asked, her eyes wide and curious.

Mike took her arm. “I think we’ve seen enough action for one day.”

“Pity you’re in such a hurry.” Darin smiled and clasped his hands in front of him. “But there is one small matter we have to address.”

“Which is?”

“Your bill.”

The champagne Gina took, of course. Well, here went the twenty-dollar drink. No problem. Mike would pay fifty for it just to get out of here. He withdrew his wallet and pulled out a couple of bills. “How much?”

“Let’s see. Since you were here for less than an hour—” Darin thought for a moment “—I’ll give you a break. Three hundred should cover it.”

Mike’s jaw slackened. “Dollars?”

Darin nodded, his smile still intact.

“For one drink?”

The man frowned. “That was complimentary.”

Shit! He didn’t have that kind of money on him. A hundred and twenty or forty maybe, but that was it. “What the hell is the three hundred dollars for?”

Darin gestured toward a small plaque at the entrance with a patience that annoyed the hell out of Mike. “Like the sign says, anything upstairs goes for two hundred on up. Go look at the price list if you like. You’ll see that I’m really giving you quite a deal.”

“But we didn’t do anything. We only looked.”

Darin shrugged, his pleasant smile beginning to fade. “I only enforce the club policy.”

It wasn’t worth arguing. Mike pulled out his American Express card. “Here.”

“Sorry, we don’t take credit cards.” Darin pointed to the obscure sign again.

Mike muttered a curse. “I don’t have enough cash on me.”

“Then we have a problem.”

“I have some money.” Gina dug into her tiny black bag and produced three twenty-dollar bills.

Darin looked at Mike. “I guess we still have a problem.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. You won’t accept almost two hundred dollars for basically nothing?”

The man’s shrug was far from apologetic. “I don’t make club policy.”

Mike’s temper started to flare. “Looks like you’ll have to make an executive decision, pal. Because that’s all the money we’ve got.”

Darin looked from Mike to Gina, his brow furrowed in thought. “You have no other solution, huh?”

“Nope.”

The big man turned toward the bartender. “Larry, call the police.”

She frowned, obviously unfamiliar with the term.

“How about I bring the rest of the money back within an hour?” Damn, now he wished he had an ATM card. He’d always shunned the idea, figuring he’d never keep his checkbook straight.

“And I’m supposed to believe you’ll do that?”

Gina gasped. “You think we would lie?”

Darin laughed. “Imagine.”

The bartender called out to him. “What do you want me to do, boss?”

“It’s up to these good people.” Darin’s smile was really pissing Mike off.

“We don’t have a lot of options,” Mike began. “Either you let us bring back the money or you call the police.”

“No.” Gina took the cash from Mike’s hand and shoved it into Darin’s, along with two of her twenties. She held back the third. “This we need for cab fare. You will take this money and this ring.” She pulled off a small diamond ring from her pinkie finger.

“Gina, no.”

She put it in Darin’s meaty hand. “When we bring back the money, you return my ring. It is done.”

Mike touched her arm and looked at her meaningfully. “I’m not going to let you do this.”

“Michael, I said, it is done.” The anger and determination in her face gave him pause.

Darin studied the ring, looking for the gold stamp inside the band. He held it up to the light. “Okay, you have a deal. But you only get one hour.”

“I would like a receipt, please.”

He glanced at Gina with amusement. “You’ll get your ring back, lady. All I want is the 120 bucks.”

“And I am supposed to believe you?”

In spite of everything, Mike chuckled at the look on Darin’s face. “She’s got you there, pal.”

“Don’t push it,” Darin warned, and motioned to the bartender.

The young man gave him a piece of paper, and Mike watched Gina watch Darin write out the receipt. She constantly surprised him. The ease with which she had just taken charge blew his mind. No way she’d be happy being a housewife. As worthwhile a position as it was, Gina wasn’t cut out for the job. Nor would she be content being some man’s trophy. She was an innocent when it came to sex, but not about life in general.

It occurred to him this was the second time she’d jumped in and helped out. Man, his ego was taking a beating.

“Here.” Darin passed her the piece of paper. “One hour.”

She took her time studying his messy scrawl. Finally she nodded and grasped Mike’s arm. They walked out and he immediately hailed a cab. They didn’t have time to waste. If traffic was bad, an hour might cut it close.

Gina slid in, stopping halfway across the seat. When Mike got in, she didn’t budge even though their thighs pressed against each other. She didn’t seem to notice. Her distracted gaze wandered out the window, but he noticed her hand shook slightly.

“Hey.” He sandwiched it between his palms. “We’ll get your ring back. I promise.”

“I know. But he made me so mad.” She let out a sound of exasperation and then lapsed into Italian, not even stopping to take a breath.

The cabdriver’s head came up and he stared at her in the rearview mirror. Great. All they needed was for the guy to think she was a nutcase and kick them out of his cab.

“Calm down.” He squeezed her hand, but she kept rattling off. “Come on, Gina.”

The driver pulled over to the curb.

Mike cursed under his breath. They were going to get thrown out. “What are you doing? We’re in a hurry.”

The man ignored him. He turned around in the seat and directed his dark gaze at Gina. And then he said something in Italian.

She answered, her voice rising, her hands waving excitedly.

Mike squinted at the man’s license posted near the meter. Luigi Caliguri. Great. Just great. “Gina, we’re in a hurry, remember?”

Luigi gave him a curious glance, then went back to talking with Gina. In Italian. And so fast Mike couldn’t understand a word of it. All he knew was that Luigi looked pretty steamed. At whom, Mike had no idea.

When the guy jammed the cab into drive and made a perilous U-turn and headed back toward the club, Mike had a clue.

They both ignored him.

So did most of the customers who’d wandered into the club. Two couples barely spared them a glance as they headed directly upstairs. A group milled around the buffet table. The bearded guy sitting alone at the bar seemed to be the only interested spectator.

“Gentlemen, please…” Mike started again.

Gina tried to pull him out of harm’s way. “I did not mean for this to happen. I was only talking. I did not know Luigi would do this. I am so sorry, Michael.”

“You taka this poor girl’s ring,” Luigi growled. “What kinda pussy boy are you?”

Darin clenched his fist. “The kind that’s going to smash your face into the wall.”

“Come on.” Luigi started to dance around like a boxer while he made hand signs for Darin to come get him. “It will please me to breaka your nose.”

Gina grabbed the cabbie’s sleeve and said something in Italian. Distracted for the moment, he didn’t see Darin’s fist before it crashed into his face. He stumbled backward. Darin was about to take another jab at him, but Mike stepped in to break it up.

The blow landed on the side of his jaw. His head whipped to the side. The punch hurt like a son of a bitch. He saw Darin draw back for another swing at him, but Gina swung her purse into Darin’s face. The bag was too small to do any damage, but it momentarily stunned him. Long enough for Mike to grab his arm and yank it up behind his back.

Luigi lunged forward to take advantage of Darin’s immobility. Mike pulled him back in time but lost hold of his arm. Dammit. Mike had not wanted to do this…

Darin aimed for his face and Mike had no choice. He flipped him over so that he lay prone, and then put his knee on the bigger man’s back.

“What the hell did you just do?”

A uniformed policeman frowned at the dazed and incapacitated Darin, who had at least fifty pounds on Mike. Two more officers carrying nightsticks came in behind the first cop and eyed Mike with malice.

“Was that karate?” the shorter one asked as he got out handcuffs.

“Whoa!” Mike got off Darin. “This isn’t how it looks.”

All three officers chuckled. “Gee, I never heard that one before. What about you fellows?” the first one said.

“Let me explain.” Gina stepped in between Mike and the cop with cuffs. “Please.”

“I want these deadbeats arrested.” Darin got up off the floor and tugged down his tuxedo jacket sleeves. “I’m the manager here and they tried to skip out on their tab.”

“Bull!” Mike started to get in his face, but then thought better of it. “You gouged us and you know it.”

“Everybody shut up.” The officer with the potbelly turned to Gina. “Except you, little lady. What do you have to say?”

“This is a terrible, terrible mistake. We were on our way to get the money to get my ring back when Luigi turned the car around and—”

“Are you Luigi?” the officer asked Mike.

“No, Luigi’s the cabdriver,” Mike said, and turned to Luigi—except the man wasn’t there. He’d disappeared. Mike swore.

The cop narrowed his gaze. “Watch your mouth, young man.”

Gina gasped. “Luigi left?” She spun around looking for him. Flustered, she alternated between English and Italian until the officer finally told her he’d heard enough.

“Tell you what,” he said, flipping open the cuffs. “I’m gonna let you explain it all to the judge.”

She pressed her lips together. He had been in a bad mood ever since they’d left the police station. How many times did she have to say she was sorry? She had already explained she had not asked Luigi to go back to the club. He had surprised her, too.

“I’d better go before your uncle gets home.” He started to get up from the couch, but she clutched his arm.

“I know you are angry with me, but please do not leave yet.”

He sighed and settled back down. “I’m not angry. I just don’t want your uncle to see me with a bruised and swollen jaw. Nor do I want to explain why I’ve been sitting in jail for the past two hours.”

“We will not tell him.” She lightly trailed a finger across the bluish skin that stretched across his jawbone. And then she leaned over and kissed it.

“Hey.”

“What?” She pursed her lips in a fake pout. “I am trying to make you all better.”

“Yeah, well, I think you caused enough trouble for one night.” He tried to get up again, but she stopped him.

“I thought you did not blame me.”

“I don’t.” He shoved a hand through his hair. It was still messy from the fight. She liked the way it looked. “But from now on, we don’t go anywhere unless I’ve checked the place out first.”

She nodded and snuggled up to him. “I have never seen anything like that before. My friends will not believe it.”

“Oh, man. Don’t tell anybody about the place, or about us being there.”

She swallowed and looked down at her hands. “You are right. I am ashamed.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He forced her chin up. “The reason no charges were pressed against us was because the desk sergeant remembered that Darin had pulled the same thing on two tourists last year. Who knows how many other people he’s conned out of money? If we’d had the cash on us, we’d have paid him just to get out of there pronto.”

“Then he should be in jail.”

“You get no argument from me.”

“How did you know how to flip him in the air like that?”

Mike made a face as if he was not happy about what he had done. “I took karate and judo when I was a kid.”

“For a long time?”

He shrugged. “My mother worked two jobs and she didn’t want me hanging around the apartment after school by myself. It was karate or piano lessons.” He rolled his eyes. “I ended up getting a black belt.”

“That is good?”

He smiled. “Depends on who you ask.”

She liked him in this mood. “Tell me about when you were a child.”

“Nothing to tell. I went to school and then to karate. When I got older, I got a job after school. That’s it.”

“Did you have a girlfriend?”

“Only two, one in tenth grade, and then Stacy and I went together for half our senior year.”

“What happened?”

“I had to work to pay for college. That didn’t leave much time for a social life. Look, enough about the past. Your uncle is going to be home at any minute.”

She shook her head. “He comes home very late every night and I smell too much wine on his breath. I am worried he does not take care of himself.” Before she left, she would have a talk with him.

“I’m sure he’s okay.” Mike’s worried frown said something different. “He never gets to work late.”

“Perhaps I am like my mama.” The sudden thought terrified her. “I worry too much.”

“This is a vacation.” His lips stretched into a beautiful smile. “The only thing you need to worry about is staying out of trouble.”

She sighed. Michael did not understand. She did not look for trouble. Tonight had been a mistake. But now, she kept thinking about the blond man’s aroused body. She wondered what Michael’s nude body looked like. It frightened her to have so many obsessive thoughts about sex. The nuns had warned all the girls that such ideas would lead to trouble.

Gina touched his arm and used the tip of her finger to draw a swirly pattern in the light-brown hair. How much of him was covered with this fine hair? He had a little on his chest, she knew, and around the waistband of his shorts. Did the trail stop or go all the way down…

“I’m heading home now, and you go to bed. Tomorrow we’ll visit a nice safe museum.”

“You forgot something.”

He had a cute frown. “What?”

She cupped his face as he had done with her and kissed him on the mouth. He sank back against the couch cushions and she took advantage of his mouth opening in surprise. She forced herself to make the kiss more leisurely, using her tongue to explore inside his mouth.

She had made the mistake of being too feverish the other times she had kissed him. Slow was better. The way he kissed her. Slow. Deep. Thorough.

“Gina…” he moved his head back so that their lips barely touched “—your uncle…”

She liked the way his lids lowered to hood his eyes. “We will hear him unlock the door.”

He tried to straighten, but she sat on his lap and put her arms around his neck. His gaze touched her cleavage, but he quickly raised his eyes to meet hers. “You’re determined to get me fired, aren’t you?”

“Now look who worries for nothing.” Again she kissed the spot where his jaw was bruised. His skin was a little rough from his beard and she wanted to feel it on her breasts.

She wriggled into a more comfortable position, and he groaned. She watched his eyes drift closed, and excitement bubbled in her stomach. Her already short dress had raised an indecent amount, and she silently willed him to put his hand on her bare thigh.

He did something better. He put his arms around her and she felt her zipper give. It glided down her back, the fabric parting in its wake. His fingertips touched her bare skin and he hesitated. She did not want him to stop. Please, no.

He leaned back his head and looked at her with bewilderment in his eyes. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

She shook her head, feeling shy again. Had she done something wrong? She had taped her nipples so they would not show— Oh, no! The tape. It would be horrible for him to find the two strips. Models used them all the time, but still…

“You’re so…” He reverently cupped each breast with his hands. “I couldn’t tell.”

She swallowed hard. Pride and shame went down slowly. “Would you kiss me there?”

He blinked, some unidentifiable emotion flaring in his eyes. She thought he might try to leave again and she slipped her dress off one shoulder. He hesitated and then lowered the other side.

She reached inside her neckline to grab the tape and heard his sharp intake of breath. At first she did not understand, and then she remembered how the woman on the pillows had fondled one of her own breasts.

The idea both scared and excited Gina. Could she do that in front of Michael? His glazed eyes watched her every move. The hunger she saw in his face chased away her shyness, and she pulled the neckline down to expose both breasts. Carefully she removed the narrow strip of tape from each nipple.

His obvious fascination encouraged her, and once the tape was gone, she touched one beaded nipple with the tip of her finger. His lips parted and she felt his chest expand. Sitting on his lap as she was, his mouth so close, she need only move a little for him to reach her breasts with his tongue. Could she be so bold?

Gina took a deep breath and moved at the same time she guided his head toward her. His breath was hot and ragged against her tender skin, and when his cool wet tongue touched her, she sighed with pleasure. He made a funny sound that sent little jolts of excitement down her spine as she watched her nipple disappear between his lips.

Strange sensations swept her and the more he suckled, the greedier she became. The feel of his mouth there in that private place was the most incredible sensation of all. When his gentle exploration turned to eagerness, she thought she would surely die from pleasure.

Michael brought his head up suddenly and laid it back against the couch as he caught his breath. “Ah, Gina, this was not supposed to happen.”

Startled, she nearly pulled her dress back up. But his heated gaze went to her glistening nipple and she knew it was not over. She cupped a hand beneath her neglected breast and offered it to him.

His throat worked as he swallowed, but his gaze stayed fixed on the ripe pink nipple. “I should go.”

“No, Michael, please.”

“God, Gina.” He groaned and took her in his mouth with far less gentleness this time. His hand slid up her leg and rested on her exposed thigh. Another three inches and he would find her panties, wet from the moisture pooling there.

His head came up again and just when she thought he would push her away, he found her mouth. His tongue dove between her lips and his hand inched a little higher on her thigh.

She no longer felt awkward. Michael did not care about her inexperience. He kissed her hard and made her want to do things that would have frightened her a month ago. There was so much more to sex than she had imagined. And she wanted it all. With Michael.

His kiss slowed and he nibbled at the corner of her mouth, then along her jaw. When he got to her ear, she almost jumped off his lap. Amazing how she could be so sensitive there.

When he withdrew she was going to protest, until he cupped a breast and sucked the nipple into his mouth. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. So many odd sensations were happening to her body and she wanted to feel them all. She wanted to feel Michael beneath her palms.

Slowly she rocked her bottom over his hardness and his breath caught. He stopped suckling and looked questioningly at her. She wished she knew what he wanted. She wished she dared ask.

His lips quirked slightly, making him look a little sad, and he dragged the back of his knuckle down her cheek. “What are you doing to me?” he asked in a low gravelly voice she almost did not recognize. “I swore I wouldn’t let this happen.”

Shame filled her. She was pushing him to do something he did not want to do. She tugged at her neckline to cover herself. He put his hands on hers, his fingers trailing over her nipples. His gaze lingered on her breasts, longing in his eyes, replaced with regret as he helped her pull up the neckline.

Without the tape, her nipples were well defined by the clingy dress. He touched them through the fabric, watching how they responded. Beneath her bottom she felt him stir.

He lowered his hands to her waist and guided her off his lap and onto the couch.

He confused her. Aroused her. Even with her limited social life she had met boys from time to time, at neighboring school dances or her friends’ brothers, and she knew when a man was interested. Michael was definitely interested. So why did he push her away?

Is that what made her want him so much? He was nothing like the other men she knew. None of them made her feel sexy and needy the way Michael did.

“I have to go,” he said. “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “Put ice on your jaw when you get home.”

He smiled and gave her a quick kiss.

And then he was gone.