"Why not? It's true, isn't it? You want me but you won't touch me. So I found someone who would."
Something dark and possessive surges through my chest. I lift my hand and press it flat against the wall behind her, caging her in. "That guy wasn't touching you. He was using you. There's a difference."
"And what are you doing, Marco?" Her voice drops. Goes breathy. "Because this feels an awful lot like touching."
She's right. My body is inches from hers. I can feel the heat between us. See the way her chest rises and falls with each breath.
"Move," she says. But there's no conviction in it.
I lean in closer. My voice comes out low. Dangerous. "Make me."
She exhales through her nose. I watch her reaction to my proximity. Her breathing turns ragged. She shifts her stance, pressing her thighs together. I know exactly what she's doing. Trying to ease the ache between her legs.
She wants this. Wants me to lose control.
"You don't scare me, Marco."
"Good." My eyes drop to her lips. "Because that's not what this is."
The silence between us crackles like a live wire. Her vanilla and jasmine scent wraps around me. I can feel every inch of space between our bodies like a physical thing.
Her fingers twitch at her sides. Her breathing picks up even more. I glance down at her parted lips again, my own breathing growing heavy.
I should step back. Should maintain the distance Vito warned me about.
But I can't seem to move.
And that's when it happens.
Elena lifts onto her toes and kisses me.
The moment her lips press against mine, everything else falls away. For just a heartbeat I let myself have this. Let myself taste her. Feel the softness of her mouth against mine.
Then reality crashes back.
I pull away. Put my hands on her shoulders and gently but firmly push her back.
"No." My voice comes out rougher than I intend. "We can't."
She blinks up at me. Confusion and hurt flashing across her face. "What?"
"This can't happen, Elena." I step back. Put distance between us even though every instinct screams at me to pull her close again. "I shouldn't have... we can't do this."
"Why not?" Her voice cracks slightly. "Don't give me that 'just a job' bullshit again. I felt how you kissed me back?—"
"For two seconds. Before I remembered—" I run a hand through my hair. Try to get my breathing under control. "You're Rina's cousin. You're family. And you're under my protection."
"So?"
"So Vito trusted me with this. With you." I can still feel the ghost of her lips on mine. Still smell her perfume. It's making it impossible to think straight. "He specifically told me to keep things professional. To keep you safe. Not to?—"
"Not to what? Not to feel anything?" She laughs but there's no humor in it. "God forbid Marco Conti actually wants something for himself instead of just following orders."
The jab lands. "That's not fair."
"No, you know what's not fair? You looking at me the way you do. Touching me the way you do. Getting jealous when other men come near me. And then pushing me away because of some outdated sense of duty."
"It's not outdated?—"
