Page 143 of Secrets of the Brother
He grabbed my shoulders and spun me around, so my back was to the mirror. “Your entire back and the top of your ass are naked!”
It was true, the gown did have a rather daring cut-out back. “You didn’t say anything about the back of the dress, darling,” I responded, smiling sweetly.
It was how Aunt Gabriella had cheekily gotten around what she called Enzo’s Mother Superior restrictions on my wardrobe choices.
Enzo stood before me, cupping his chin as he rubbed his lower lip with his finger.
The silence stretched.
Just when I was about to crack and offer to put on a different dress, Enzo let out a long breath.
He reached past me to pick up my bracelet. He then lifted my wrist and secured the diamond cuff around it. The whole time he had a rather sinister smile on his lips.
Uh oh.I didn’t trust his easy acquiescence.
My gaze narrowed. “Why are you smiling like that?”
He checked his watch. “We’re going to be late.”
He strolled out of the bathroom’s dressing area.
I followed him. “Enzo?”
He was shrugging into his black wool coat. He then held up my own coat for me to slip my arms into.
I turned and slipped in the left then the right.
He closed the coat and wrapped his arms around me tightly. As he did so he leaned in to whisper in my ear, “With your pretty little pert ass on display, I’m never leaving your side. Which is going to give meall night long… to think of countless creative ways to punish that same cute ass later.”
I gasped as my cheeks warmed. I swallowed. “On second thought, maybe I should change….”
Enzo chuckled. “You can’t. As you said, we don’t want to be late to Papà and Amara’s Christmas party.” With that he gave me a playful spank through my coat.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I had a feeling we’d be leaving the party early.
As he offered his arm to escort me out, I held up my hand. “Wait, my purse. I left it on the kitchen counter.”
I walked down the hall into the kitchen and picked up the small black silk clutch. Just as I turned to leave, my eye caught the plates in the sink. I called out, “Enzo?”
He followed me into the kitchen. “Yes?”
“You didn’t wash the plates from dinner?”
He raised his palms. “You said we were going to be late, and I had to get a shower.”
“You were the one who said you didn’t want any staff here helping with the chores. That you wanted the place to ourselves.”
“And you said you were fine with that.”
I pointed to my chest. “I am fine with that, as long as I’m not the only one doing all the work!”
He pointed to the sink. “You’re not. I promise. It’s just a couple of dirty dishes. I’ll wash them when we get home.”
“I don’t want to go to a nice party and come home to dirty dishes.”
“Do you want me to wash them now?”
I threw my hands up in frustration. “Of course not! We’re late!”
