Page 49 of Their One-Night Rio Reunion
Ana looped her arms around his neck and pressed close, revelling in the evidence of his desire for her. ‘No rush at all. Take me to bed, Caio.’
Caio scooped Ana into his arms and carried her through the villa to the bedroom. They made love and whispered vows and promises, told each other of all the things they’d keep secret for so long.
And finally, about a week later, when the food ran out, they called for the helicopter to come and get them.
A month later, Civil Register Office, Rio de Janeiro
Ana stood outside the main doors of the register office. She was nervous. Her brother Francisco, whom Caio had flown home for today, took her hands.
‘Ana,whyare you wearing that hideous dress again?’
Ana giggled and hiccupped at the same time, emotion high in her chest. ‘It’s a private thing.’
Her brother shook his head and put her arm in his. ‘Straight people are so weird,’ he muttered.
Ana was wearing her wedding dress again. On strict instructions from her fiancé, who had told her in forensic detail how he wanted to dispense with it later.
A flash of gold and yellow caught her eye and she looked down to see the new engagement ring he’d surprised her with when they’d eventually returned to Rio from the island. A square yellow diamond in a gold setting.
He had her gold wedding band, and she had his.
Her hair was up in a loose knot. She wore small diamond earrings. Minimal make-up. Carried a small posy of seasonal flowers.
In the seconds before the doors opened Ana had a flashback to her first wedding day, when she’d stood outside the church doors with her father. She’d never really admitted it to herself before now, but she’d felt an incredible sense of loss that day. The loss of a dream she’d harboured so deeply that she’d been too afraid to acknowledge it. A dream of walking down the aisle towards someone she loved. Who loved her. Towards a life that she’d never experienced but which she still hoped existed.
She hadn’t seen Caio in twenty-four hours, because he’d had a business meeting in Sao Paulo and they’d both wanted to observe the tradition of not seeing each other before the wedding.
Except last night Ana had been beset by doubts and fears. She knew how long twenty-four hours could be. After all, their lives had changed in twenty-four hours on that island. What if all it took for Caio to realise he was making a huge mistake was another twenty-four hours?
She hated herself for feeling so insecure.
The doors to the register office suddenly opened and Francisco squeezed her hand. The second Ana’s eyes met Caio’s all her doubts and fears melted into a pool of heat. Love swelled in her chest, making it tight.
His molten gaze held hers until she reached him, and then he took her hand, acknowledged Francisco briefly, before pulling Ana into his side. Oblivious to the registrar, he said, ‘I missed you... I was afraid—’
Ana felt tears prick her eyes. ‘I know...me too.’
Caio kissed Ana until an insistent coughing broke through the intense bubble they were in. They came up for air and the registrar began proceedings.
Afterwards, when the rabid press had got their fill of pictures of Caio and Ana’s remarriage, and after they’d danced and drunk wine and celebrated, Caio carried a deliciously dishevelled Ana into the bedroom in their apartment.
He put her down on her feet by the bed and stood back. Ana devoured him with her eyes. His white shirt, open at the top. Black trousers. Stubble lining his jaw.
His gaze devoured her right back. Travelling down over her breasts to her waist and hips. To her bare feet.
Ana squirmed slightly. She wanted to be out of the dress so they were skin on skin...but Caio had other ideas.
He came towards her and shook his head. ‘I’ve been waiting for a long time for this moment.’
He turned her around and started undoing the small buttons at the back of the dress. Ana shivered slightly as the cool air touched her skin, followed by Caio’s mouth and tongue.
Already breathless, she said plaintively, ‘I really don’t mind if you just want to rip it off...’
Caio put his hands on her waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. ‘Oh, no, meu amor, there will be no ripping...’
His hands came up to cup her breasts under the lacy material. Ana squirmed, pushing her bottom against him. But Caio showed more restraint than her and, as promised, it was a long and slow and deliciously torturous process.
When the dress was finally dispensed with, and lying in a pool of silk and lace on the floor, Ana was feverish with lust.
