Then he was kissing her until she was breathless, arms wrapped tight around her back. When he released her, she giggled.
“I take it you’re impressed with the exhibition, Mrs. Emerson?”
“Yes.” Her face grew grave. “But I’d like you to take the photograph down. It’s a magnificent gesture, but I don’t want to be on display.”
“You aren’t.”
Julia looked from Gabriel to the photograph and back again.
“I’m hanging there for all to see.”
“Vitali wished to give us a gift to thank us, but I refused. When I asked if I could do something—ah—unusual for you, he agreed.” Gabriel gestured to the room. “Vitali is an old romantic and it pleased him to be able to do something special for us. He agreed to display the picture and give us an hour on this floor, all to ourselves.”
Julia’s eyes widened. “We have the Botticelli room all to ourselves?”
“Not just that.” His blue eyes danced with amusement as he brought his lips to her ear. “We also have the corridor.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. This floor is off limits until”—he glanced at his Rolex—“forty-five minutes from now, when we have to go downstairs for the reception and dinner.”
With one quick movement, she grasped his lapels with both hands and pulled him to her, pressing a long, hard kiss against his lips.
“I take it you’re pleased?” he said, when she finally released him.
“Let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and began tugging him toward the door.
“Where?”
“Makeup sex, museum sex, corridor sex. I don’t care what you call it, but now is our chance.”
Gabriel found himself chuckling and trotting after a very determined, very fast-moving Julianne, who was tottering on high heels.
“You surprise me, Mrs. Emerson.”
“How so?” She lifted her voice slightly so it could be heard above the tapping of her stilettos.
“You’re supposed to be shy. You’re supposed to be the seduced, not the seducer.”
She turned around, her eyes glittering.
“I want a heart-stopping, mind-blowing orgasm against a Florentine wall, Professor. You’ve just told me we have what I never thought we’d have—privacy in a public space. Screw shyness.”
Now Gabriel laughed, tipping his head back.
He marched her swiftly down the corridor and around the corner to the opposite side, where he positioned her in a dark corner between two high marble statues perched atop plinths.
“This time, I won’t stop,” he whispered, his large hand pulling up her dress in order to rest on her thigh.
“Good.”
“There’s no air conditioning in here, so things might get a little . . . hot.” He stroked the skin of her thigh with the back of his hand.
“I would expect nothing less, Professor.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.
He lifted her and her legs surrounded his waist, pressing their lower bodies together. Her back came into contact with the glass of the museum windows and she shivered a little at the cool sensation.
“Now tell me who is handsome.” He spoke against her lips.
“You are.” Julia captured his mouth just as a groan escaped him.
She kissed him determinedly, her tongue tracing the seam of his lips. He opened to her, and her tongue eagerly entered his mouth.
They kissed as if they’d been separated for years, lips eager and wanting.
He slid his hand up and down her thigh before pulling the skirt of her dress higher. The taffeta sighed its approval.
As he pressed against her more tightly, his fingers moved to the flare of her hip, where he caressed back and forth and back and forth. When he came to rest on her hip bone, he pulled back.
“Where are your panties?”
“I like my body when it is with your body, remember? Panties just get in the way.”
Gabriel groaned, the sound traveling down the empty corridor. “You’ve been walking around like this all evening?”
She winked at him provocatively.
“No wonder that man was staring at you.”
“Stop talking about other men.” She tugged at his bow tie.
He leaned forward to taste her lips again, stroking her tongue with his own.
Julia shifted in his arms, the heels of her shoes catching on his tuxedo jacket. She undid his bow tie, tossing it to the floor, and hastily unbuttoned his shirt. She began kissing his neck and chest, her lips whispering across the surface of his skin, before sliding a hand down to his waistband.
But Gabriel would not be rushed. He moved her hand back to his shoulder, then reached between her legs, touching her gently. He was barely able to contain his joy at her reaction to him.
Julia moved and writhed, moaning in his ear.
“Don’t make me wait,” she begged, trying in vain to pull him closer.
Gabriel rummaged in his pockets.
“It’s a good thing I brought this.” He held up a square foil packet triumphantly.
She opened her eyes, fixing on the item. “Where did that come from?”
Gabriel chuckled.
“I thought you’d be uncomfortable all evening otherwise.”
She blinked. “Did you plan this?”
“Absolutely.” His left hand squeezed her backside for effect.
She moved to take it from him, but he shook his head.
“Allow me, Mrs. Emerson.” He held the packet in his teeth while he unzipped his trousers. Then he ripped the foil before swiftly rolling it over himself.
Gabriel teased her, sliding back and forth before easing inside. She exhaled in satisfaction, tightening around him.
There were no words. Indeed, they were beyond speech. Gabriel knew his wife’s body as she knew his, and the two of them moved and responded to one another with an increasing pace.
Muffled groans and grunts of satisfaction echoed down the corridor, so much so that a group of statues covered their ears. Julia’s back thumped against the window as they moved in concert.
“I’m close,” she managed, the last word cut off as her orgasm overtook her.
Gabriel quickened his thrusts, filling her deeply until he, too, was overcome.
Julia clung to him as if she were dying, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her face buried in his neck.
They were motionless for some time. Gabriel’s breath left his body in a long, relaxed exhalation.
“Okay?” he asked, kissing her cheek.
“Fantastic.”