Page 23 of Whispers in the Dark
God, I wish he had a shirt on. One that covered every defined muscle on his body.
Lowering myself, I stop once my knees hit the floor, my ass inches from his body, not making direct contact with him. “Okay, and now what?”
His fingers press into my hips as he tugs me down until I’m fully seated, using his washboard abs as my personal chair.
My throat goes dry. I place my hands on my thighs, steadying myself, and pray he can’t feel the throbbing currently overtaking my core.
He leans up and wraps his fingers around my wrists, pulling me forward, and I go with him willingly. With ease, he positions my hands so that they wrap around his wrists, so that I’m in control, holding him down.
I view our positions, suddenly realizing what he’s doing. “I take it I’m the bad guy in this situation.”
He nods.
“And now you’re going to teach me how to get out of this?”
He nods again.
“But how—”
In a flurry of swift moves, he bends his knees, bringing his feet close to his hips before suddenly lifting his hips in the air, sending me forward. I catch myself, my palms landing flat on the floor, Mauro’s face only inches from my…Oh my God.
He grips his hand around my left bicep, pulling me forward as his right leg bands around my left one, his hips once again liftingme in the air, but this time, I squeal as he rolls me to my back and positions himself above me.
I’m breathless as he gazes down at me.
“That was…” I try to think of the right word. Thrilling? Exciting? Arousing? I decide to play it safe with the word, “Fun.”
He arches a brow at my word choice, and we both laugh.
“Is it my turn now?”
He maneuvers himself until he’s straddling me, the size difference between us quite noticeable, but instead of leaning forward to grip my forearms, he pauses, staring down at me.
My pulse beats wildly. “Did umm… Did I do something wrong?”
He shakes his head, reaching for his phone and quickly typing on it. He pauses before turning it to face me.
I want to help you with your problem.
I shake my head. “I appreciate it, really, I do. But, like I told you, I’m not accepting any money from you. I can’t.”
He shakes his head.
My brows furrow. “Then how?”
He tosses his phone to the side and leans forward until his lips brush over my ear. A shiver runs over my body from the tips of my fingers to the bottoms of my toes.
He breathes deeply, inhaling as his nose touches the spot beneath my ear. My eyes close, my fingers curling against the floor, wishing I had something to hold on to.
“Marry…me?”
His voice.Raspy. Deep. Strong. It cascades over me, pulling me in like a tidal wave. I haven’t heard it in so long that it momentarily takes me back in time.
My eyes open, finding him staring down at me as my heart hammers beneath my rib cage.
He’s waiting for an answer.
My lips part, but just as I’m about to respond, someone clears their throat beside us.
