Baby Mine (5 page)

Jada stared at her. “You
know about the baby?”

Zita laughed. “Like I said,
they were arguing half the night. I don’t know why any of them
bother, though. No one has ever been able to make Renzo do what he
doesn’t want to. No one except Dad maybe, but even then he came
with a good argument because I think my big brother was born knowing
exactly what he wanted, and nothing ever stopped him from getting
it.”

Jada at last came out of her
shocked daze and put her hands on her hips. “So as much as you
admire your brother, you don’t care if he marries a gold digger
as long as it doesn’t get in your way? Who the hell are you
people?”

Zita frowned. “It’s
not like that.”

“
No? Then how is it?”

The younger woman stomped over
toward the door but turned back to Jada. “I love Renzo, and
he’s brilliant. He’s excellent at judging character. So
either he thinks you’re a good person, or he has calculated the
risks of having you around and figures he can control you.”

“
What?” Jada’s
temper flew through the roof. “Nobody controls me.”

Zita eyed her up and down. “I
admit I don’t know any black people personally.”

Again, she took Jada’s
ability to speak.

“
You’re interesting.
I like the way you speak and the attitude. I think you can stand up
to him and my family, and I’d love to be able to do that and
get away with it. Even still, I’ve never seen anyone get the
better of Renzo, and I don’t think you will either. Don’t
run away. See where it goes and see how you can help your baby. Renzo
would make a great dad, just like ours was. I know it.”

With that announcement, the young
woman was gone, and Jada stood where she was, replaying everything
the spoiled little rich girl had said. Even if her motives were
selfish, some of what she’d shared made sense, and it got Jada
to think of other considerations. If Renzo was serious about being a
part of his baby’s life, then she’d do a lot better to
work with him rather than antagonize him. In the end, the man had
money and probably influence. If he decided to fight her, she could
lose, and that wasn’t acceptable under any circumstances. One
thing was for sure though—Jada Thompson was not going to be
controlled by any man, rich or poor.

* * * *

Jada tossed her towel aside and
approached the water. She marveled at how huge the Mariani pool was
and the fact that it was an indoor heated one. After dipping a toe in
to test the temperature, she scanned the room. At this hour everyone
must be in bed, so she took advantage of being alone. Not being used
to a house full of people, she tended to look for spots to disappear,
especially with Renzo’s family and their varying reactions to
her. Over the last couple of days, she’d not known how to react
to any of them. Ettore kept a friendly smile in place, but she had
the feeling he didn’t trust her. Renzo’s mother never
bothered to speak to her in English. Zita acted like they were
co-conspirators, and Renzo’s uncle showed open dislike whenever
she had the misfortune of running across him. Nicoletta had gone
home, thank goodness, after Renzo let her down about marrying her.

With all of their attitudes, the
one she found hardest to deal with was Renzo himself. The man never
let up in his pursuit of her, and she began to think Zita was right.
Renzo wanted more than just sex, but she didn’t know what.
Their talks so far had been him insisting she move to California and
her refusing. Renzo didn’t push too hard, nor did he back off.
The single fortunate incident in all of this was that she was able to
work on a project for her company that included a bit of research
here in California. Of course the work wouldn’t last long, so
she couldn’t put off returning to Charlotte forever or she’d
risk losing her employment. Renzo needed to give, or she would have
to do what she had to.

On impulse she dove into the deep
end of the pool and cut through the water with even strokes. Rolling
over to attempt a few backstrokes, she thought she heard another
splash but had to focus on swimming, as this technique wasn’t
her strong suit. When hands came up around her waist, she yelped and
would have sank beneath the surface if the same grip didn’t
keep her up and haul her against a hard body.

Jada glared above her head at the
big oaf who thought he could manhandle her whenever he wanted. “What
do you think you’re doing, Renzo?”

He grinned. “I think I am
enjoying a midnight swim, same as you.”

“
I thought everybody was
asleep.”

His gaze dropped to her breasts.
Why the hell had she worn the two-piece? Vanity had made her do it
before she could no longer get away with showing off her body. Soon
her belly would be so round it would disgust her, let alone everyone
else. She put a hand up to her cleavage, but Renzo tugged it down.

“
How about we skinny-dip
since no one else is around?” he suggested.

She wriggled out of his arms and
swam to the side of the pool. “How about no?”

As she hoisted herself up on the
side, his boxers landed beside her in a wet heap. All strength left
her arms, and she sank down into the water. Renzo moved up behind her
but not close enough to touch. Knowing his bare cock lay inches from
her ass did enough to her equilibrium. The string in her bikini top
loosened, and she shut her eyes. She knew just when the material fell
away because her nipples tightened as if they blossomed under his
scrutiny.

“
Renzo, I said no,”
she snapped.

“
Then push me away again.”
His fingers curled in the band of her bottoms, but then he let go. To
her annoyance, she had to bite off a cry of protest. His breath
warmed the skin behind her ear. “Take them off.”

Jada licked her lips. He had no
right, but she didn’t care about that. She wanted it as badly
as he did. Without a word, she pushed her bikini bottoms down her
legs, and Renzo helped remove them the rest of the way. He tossed
them over the side of the pool, out of her reach.

“
Now that we’re more
comfortable…” He cornered her, an arm on each side so
she had nowhere to go and would need to shrink to the hard, chilly
wall if she didn’t want his skin on hers. Renzo’s chest
brushed her nipples. She didn’t give her legs the command, yet
they parted and rose until they circled his waist. He settled in
against her so she felt his cock nudging her pussy. All he needed to
do was arch his hips a little, and he’d sink into her opening.
She raised her gaze to his.

“
I said we aren’t
doing this.”

His eyes widened. “You
didn’t tell me no.”

“
I did tell you no, you
stubborn man.”

“
Did you mean it?”

Grinding her teeth, she pressed
her hands to his chest. Not to push him away but to touch him. If she
was honest with herself, she’d admit the addiction to Renzo,
his touch, his body, his words, his hot gaze always on her. Lashes
too heavy to keep open, she slitted her eyes and tilted her chin up.
Renzo’s lips brushed hers. She stuck out her tongue a little
ways, and he captured it, circled the tip with his tongue and warmed
her mouth with the heat of his breath.
I
love him so much. He makes me weak.

“
I want to make love to
you,” he said.

She gasped. “You never ask.
You take what you want.”

“
I always do. I would never
enter your body unless you gave me permission.” He captured her
chin and sent chills racing down her spine. She moaned when his thumb
brushed across her cheek. Another kiss undermined her resolve. He
grunted into her mouth while he explored its depths. When he drew
back, she had to clutch his shoulders to keep from losing her
balance.

“
Renzo.”

He turned a hair, as if he would
move away, and his cock head brushed her aching pussy. She dug her
nails into his shoulders. He didn’t even wince but held still
while she rested her forehead on his cheek, drawing in steadying
breaths. Sure he said he wouldn’t take her unless she gave
permission, but who the hell could withstand this? He’d always
maintained control in their brief affair. He’d tease her with
words, with a smile. A twirl around his finger with one lock of her
hair, then he would flex those impressive shoulders and act as if
none of it mattered, that he’d be okay with whatever she chose.
When did she ever have a choice?

Jada dropped her legs and twisted
around. With one fluid motion, she hoisted herself from the water and
strolled across to her bikini bottom. She picked the sodden material
up and scanned the area for the top. “Okay, where did you put
it, Renzo? I’m not up for the games. It’s late.”

He emerged from the water, but
she wasn’t in time to avert her eyes from seeing his cock,
thick and long, ready to give her hours of pleasure. She swore. He
approached, and to her shame, she rushed to where she’d left
her towel and picked it up to wrap around her. Renzo caught the end
before she could tuck it and did the honors for her. She stared up at
him in surprise.

“
I don’t want to
trick you into making love with me, Jada. We both need it, but if you
choose not to give in to your desires, I will respect that.”

She blinked. “Who are you?
You never would have given up in Venice. In fact you never did. You
pursued me nonstop until I was putty in your hands.”

Startling her again, he kissed
her temple. “I can have your body. I want your heart.”

“
What?”

She watched as he moved away and
picked up his boxers. After squeezing out the excess water, he bent
to put them on.

“
You’re not seriously
going to leave things there, are you?”

He paused. “
Cara
mia
, you rejected me
did you not?”

“
I…”

He waited in silence.

“
My interviews are going to
be over in two days tops. I’ll have no more reason to stay in
California.”

Still he said nothing.

She peered down at her breasts,
hidden safely behind the plush towel. They hung a tad bit heavier
now, and the nipples were more sensitive. She’d put on about
five pounds, and already her hunger had increased. None of those
changes dampened her sexual appetite. If she played her cards right,
she could have him for two more days. Two glorious days with her legs
wrapped around the most perfect of men in existence. Yes, her heart
would hurt in the end, but she could survive it. She
would
survive it.

The knot in the towel came undone
without much prodding. She let it fall to the floor, and Renzo’s
hot gaze followed all the way down, only to rise at his leisure up
her naked body. His big cock twitched as if eager to get physical.
Her breathing went shallow, and her heart pounded a staccato beat in
her chest.

She put her hands on her hips and
dipped her weight into one leg. “Well?”

“
Come here.” He held
out a hand, and she considered resisting him. The thought that
followed said the sooner she walked over there, the sooner she’d
feel his strong hands roaming her body.

Standing in front of him, so
close her nipples grazed his chest, she peered up at him and offered
her mouth. Renzo didn’t play games. He pressed a hand in the
small of her back to draw her nearer and covered her lips with his. A
moan escaped her as his fingers skimmed lower to caress the curve of
her ass. He thrust his tongue into her mouth while parting her cheeks
and teasing her anus. The man strummed her body like an instrument,
and she never failed to perform for him.

He raised his head and stared
into her eyes. He captured and held her there without a touch. “
Cara
mia
, do you know how
special you are?”

Her heart skipped a beat, but she
challenged him. “Am I?”

“
You are, and you know it.”
He ran palms over her arms. “Every time I look at you, and each
time I touch you, I can’t get enough.”

“
That’s lust. Any
woman—”

“
No other.”

Now her heart threatened to stop.
“What are you—”

“
Shh.” He kissed her.
“Let me love your body. We will talk later.”

Jada couldn’t complain when
he lifted her into his arms and carried her over to one of the lounge
chairs. The cushion chilled her skin, but Renzo heated it immediately
when he stretched his full length over her. He rested a knee and an
elbow on the chair itself to keep from crushing her with his full
weight. Jada found her hands trapped between them, palms flat on his
chest. She had just enough room to explore and came across his erect,
flat nipples. She loved how they felt beneath her fingertips and
squeezed them. Renzo’s dark eyes deepened even more in color,
and his moan sent vibrations through her hands.

“
Spread your legs,
cara
.
I want to be inside you now.”

She did as he asked, and the tip
of his cock pierced her softness. She gasped and shut her eyes. How
could it feel this good every time? He filled her, stretched her, and
sent her pleasure into the stratosphere with the smallest of
movements. Her juices flowed, allowing him easy access. His long,
sleek cock glided into her pussy, and she whimpered his name. Denying
herself this would have been insane. In fact, not having it over the
last couple of weeks had been torturous.