TONY: Slow Burn (Raging Fire Book 1) by Kallypso Masters (the false prince TXT) 📕

but quickly retreated in a playful way. When she didn’t resist, he entered again and began his slow and thorough exploration. His other hand at her lower back pressed her against the entire length of his body, letting her know unequivocally that he desired her.

Oh yes!

Tony’s hot and cold signals had been driving her nuts even before he showed up at the villa. At the moment, he was definitely running hot—and so was she. Perhaps this week, they would take this tepid relationship to the torrid level it should be at, because Carm had never found any man as exciting as she did Tony.

Carm played with the hair at the back of his head, in part to be ready to pull him closer if he decided to break off the kiss, but also because she’d been dying to touch him for so long. Her nipples peaked at the thought of making love with him. Would that happen later tonight? Contemplating what he might do with his mouth, his hands, his cock aroused her even more. Would they start out rough and fast to expel the pent-up frustrations they both must be feeling, then later switch to a slower pace to thoroughly explore each other’s bodies and learn what each enjoyed?

A moan escaped her at the vivid images in her mind, and Tony deepened the kiss, making her wonder what it would be like to take his cock into her mouth. She stroked his left shoulder and down his arm until she reached the hem of his shirt and slipped her hand underneath, trailing her fingers lightly over his taut abs to his nipple. He moved his hands to her butt and his hips ground against hers, confirming his excitement and causing a quiver of raw energy to radiate through her body.

As quickly as they’d come together, however, Tony’s grip moved to her upper arms, and he shifted her away, breaking the kiss and all contact. Both of them stared at each other as they fought to catch their breath. Tony spoke first.

“Are you sure about this, Carm?” The distress on his face made her wonder what could possibly be wrong. What had doused the fires they’d both been feeling?

“I’d say we both are—or at least we both were a few seconds ago.”

He visibly fought back a grin, which was better than the expression he’d worn seconds before. “You know I’m interested in pursuing something more with you, Carm, even though we’ve only seen each other a few times since the wedding and were at loggerheads a few of those times. You’re someone I care a lot about; I just don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t.”

“You know I wouldn’t do anything on purpose, but…”

He left the rest of the thought unspoken, leaving Carm with no clue why he thought he could or would do her any harm.

Maybe he was worried about continuing the relationship beyond this island. “If you think I won’t be able to handle it if this—whatever this is—doesn’t work out, then don’t worry about me, T.G. I’ve had my share of break-ups, and I’ve survived.” She was making her experience in the dating department sound much busier than it actually had been, but she’d been on the giving and receiving end of breakups before. However, what if Tony wasn’t capable of commitment? Was that what kept holding him back from pursuing a romantic relationship with her?

Even men who couldn’t commit sometimes found that one woman they couldn’t live without. Could she be that woman for Tony?

“Don’t overthink it. Live in the moment. We have a week together. No strings attached. Just you, me, and paradise.” Her arm swept toward the beach and strip of shops and restaurants ahead of them. She needed to have a physical relationship with him, even if it went no further. “Don’t take things too seriously at this stage.” Although deep down, she did think he might become that special man in her life. She cared about him a lot and had fun whenever she was with him.

“Tony, I find you ridiculously sexy and all I’m asking is that we explore the attraction we obviously feel for each other.” He couldn’t deny that his body had been turned on by her just a few moments ago. “If we burn up in flames after a week, then that’ll be the end of it.” She hoped she’d survive if that happened, because everything with Tony was so much more intense than she’d experienced with any other man. “But the only regrets I’d have after this week would be if we didn’t explore what’s happening between us to see if it’s worth kindling.” Not to mention going home with extreme sexual frustration.

He searched her eyes a long moment, then sighed. Carm couldn’t read what that meant and almost expected him to tell her a bald-faced lie—that he didn’t desire her as much as she did him—but his smoldering gaze made her breath catch in her throat.

“Carmella, I’ve fought this attraction for you since—hell, maybe since that first night I met you at the café when I came to get Angelina after she and Marc had a falling out.”

Seriously? The sparks that flew between them that night had nothing to do with sexual attraction. She’d been so pissed at him for assuming Marc was the one at fault that she’d held no similar interest in him. And they’d seemed to rub each other the wrong way every encounter up to and including the wedding reception.

“That’s why I tried to keep you at a distance. That is, until that damned DJ threw us together for the garter reversal and…”

Yeah, that had been a game changer for me too.

“Carm, I’ve lain awake so many nights thinking about how my cheek brushed against your calf as I slowly slid the garter up your leg. You smelled of lavender, but as I got closer to your knee, the fragrance was all you, and I knew you were as turned on as I