Page 57 of Whispers in the Dark
Every nerve in my body tingles to life with an unbearable amount of need coursing through me.
One inch is all it would take for my lips to meet his.
For my body to melt beneath his touch.
But just as I begin to move, I immediately stop.
The rules.
The rules we put into place so things don’t get messy.
Rules, so that when all is said and done between us, I don’t walk away with a broken heart.
As if a bucket of ice water drops above me, I take a step to the side, out of his touch. Away from his figurative hold over me.
Clearing my throat, I stare off to the side as I smooth out my hair. “Thank you, Mauro. For all of this.” I return my gaze to him and do my best to show a smile, one I don’t feel. He stands to his full height, his brows furrowed in either confusion or disappointment. I’m not quite sure which, and to be honest, I don’t want to know. “We should probably join the others before they come looking for us.”
I sidestep him and open the door, the music once again wafting around us. And before I lose my courage, I grip the railing and descend the stairs, holding back tears that shouldn’t be here.
Because this is only temporary.
Chapter fourteen
Mauro
“You look like you need a drink, big guy.” Vin flags down a server, and a moment later, a glass of amber liquid lands in front of me.
I curl my fingers around the crystal and knock it back in one hard swallow, hoping the burn will be enough to wash away the illicit images of Alina floating around my head, but it does little to make it stop.
It’s been weeks since we said our vows, and all that time, she’s yet to come anywhere near crossing the damn line between us. The one I wish I could destroy, especially at night when she’s sleeping soundly beside me, appearing unaffected by our proximity as I suffer in silence.
But tonight…
Tonight she had been playing with fire upstairs.
A fire that I would have willingly let burn me if it meant a chance at having her in a way I’ve only ever imagined.
She is temptation on a silver platter.
Soft. Curvy. Sexy.
And I would have given anything for a taste of something so perfect.
But I kept my distance. Not just because I wasn’t worthy of her, but because I could see the truth beneath her invitation. She was offering more than she was ready to give, and taking it would have been the real sin. Proven when she withdrew from me like a warning bell was chiming in her ear.
Did it hurt, watching her pull away so easily?
I rub at my sternum, where an ache remains deep in my chest. Then I set my glass down a little harder than necessary.
“Looks like you pulled it off.” Leo slides onto the seat beside me. His gaze drifts to the dance floor, where Alina, Scarlett, and Madeleine move to the music. Everyone around them seems to know better than to invade their space. I tug at my collar as I note the amount of people swarming the area.I really hate crowds.But for Alina… “Alina looks happy.”
My eyes find Alina. It’s impossible to miss the way her face lights up as she sways to the music.
Does she have an ounce of rhythm?
Absolutely not.
But something about the sight of her tugs at me anyway. The corners of my mouth lift before I can stop them, warmth threading through my veins.
