Page 56 of Power
When he finished, she sat on his lap, wrapped herself around him, and kissed him. One soft kiss turned into another while the passion swirled around them, their connection an undeniable magnet. The build was slow, luxurious, and all-consuming.
“You zhuzhed me upagain,”she murmured. “I’m out of control around you.”
His smile—his perfectly evil, breathtakingly beautiful smile—sent her rocketing into the night sky. Hurtling through space, she felt like she would get sucked into the black hole that was forever Luciano Santini.
Look away.
But she could not.
Get out of bed.
She didn’t move.
I can’t keep doing this with him.
Yet, she couldn’t think of a single reason to stop.
Confidence rolled off him in tsunami-style waves. His gaze never left hers… and hers stayed anchored on him. Nothing else mattered but the way she felt in his strong embrace, the way his fingers combed through her hair, then sent electricity whizzing through her when his fingers brushed over her heated skin. The air sizzled with untamed energy, their eager bodies and their minds hooked on the rush of endorphins.
Everyone woman deserves to have sex with an Adonis. Even if it’s only once. Mine just happens to be Luciano Santini.
“You’ve turned me into a beast,” he said.
She inhaled another deep breath, hoping to calm her palpitating heart, but it was pounding out a maddening rhythm in her chest. She placed two fingers on his carotid.
“Your heart rate is slow and steady. Mine’s gotta be over a hundred.”
“Let’s slow you down, belleza.” He captured her face in his hand, kissed her, softly. She melted at the gentle way he pressed his lips to hers. Tender touches and soft kisses while she floated on a silver cloud.
His phone rang, piercing their intimate moment. He disentangled himself from her, retrieved it from his pants pocket, looked at the screen, and silenced it. Then, he returned and kissed her forehead. “I have to go.”
Her heart fell. Their fairytale moment was over.
She wasn’t going to ask him to stay. She wasn’t going to bring up the foot job. That would make her sound needy. If nothing else, she had her dignity.
Into her bathroom she walked, him close on her heels. She wasn’t hurt. She wasn’t angry either. She was a realist and, despite the couture gown delivery, this was a booty call.
And she’d been the booty.
Truth was, his speedy exit stung a little. Rather than attempt to make small talk or to stand there like a lost puppy, she turned on the shower. Steeling her spine, she said, “Lock the front door on your way out.”
Surprise flashed in his eyes. Had she not been full-on staring at him, she would have missed it.
“Of course,” he replied.
She pulled her hair up, secured it with a giant clip, then stepped under the hot spray. Time to move on. As she was lathering up, he pulled open the shower door. “Dinner sometime?”
The obligatory question.
She didn’t want to reject his offer, but she didn’t want to pin him for a date and time. Better to play this one chill. “Sure.”
Rather than lean in to kiss her, he took one of her hands, kissed it. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks for the gowns.”
Again, less was more.
He left the bathroom and her guts knotted. Maybe hooking up again with him wasn’t a brilliant idea, but she didn’t have to do it again.
