“No,” I said, sucking in a trembling breath, releasing it slowly. “Now that I’ve found you, I can’t fly away. I’m attracted to blue—all shades. It’s my favorite color. It seems to heal me, not hurt me.”
His hands caressed above my breasts, circling the cups, until he removed them. With a touch so soft that it made me want to moan, he caressed my nipples.
I melted into his back and he seemed to absorb me. “I—” I barely got out. “I need to shower.”
He nodded once and then kissed me on the side of my neck, his lips against my pulse. He stepped away and slipped on his sleep pants.
“Wait,” I breathed when he went to leave. I felt lightheaded. “Where are you going?”
“There are no windows in here, Mariposa. You’re safe.”
With that, he left me alone.
18
Mariposa
He was asleep when I walked into the bedroom, propped against the massive headboard, his laptop on his lap. I tiptoed toward him, still rubbing the sweet-smelling cream on my arms. I tried to be even quieter the closer I got to him. He was a light sleeper. In fact, I couldn’t remember a time when he fell asleep first. I was usually the first one out, and each time I woke up during the night, he’d still be up.
In Italy, though, I slept all night. I still didn’t think he did.
His hair was still damp from the shower, he smelled like the ocean, and I had to stop myself from reaching out and touching his face. It wasn’t softer in sleep, but more relaxed. Except for the frown. It was only noticeable when he rested, as if he had to fight to keep it off of his face when he had control. I had once told him that he was going to get premature wrinkles if he kept it up, and he only shook his head and said, “Scars don’t bother me. They only mean I’ve earned my place in this world.”
I took another step closer and reached out for the computer, a hand on each side to slide it toward me and away from him. “Some watch wolf,” I whispered.
When I went to move the computer, he grabbed my hands. “I’m not sleeping. I’m resting my eyes.”
If anyone else would’ve said it, I would have laughed and said,yeah, right, but I believed him. He was always on guard.
His eyes slowly opened to mine. Then they took in the red silk on my body.
“I’m ready,” I whispered. Even though my voice was firm, every part of me trembled as if I was cold, which made me feel almost…achy. My insides were hot.
The shower had done me no favors. After he had walked out, he left me on fire, and not even the cool water could put it out. Every defense of mine had been consumed, leaving me empty. The emptiness demanded that his touch take the place of the fear that had stopped me from doing this with him before. It didn’t matter if we were married or not, whether it happened a week ago, on our wedding night, or the next day. I knew when the time was right.
Now.
He looked me in the eye for a moment or two and then flung the computer onto a bag beside the bed. Then he was off the bed, his body colliding with mine. I thought he’d be gentle with me, but he was the exact opposite. Rough. His mouth started another war with mine while his hands fisted in my hair, keeping me as close as skin. Maybe my lip had busted. Or his.
My hands groped for skin to touch, to claw, returning what he gave. When I raked my nails down his bare back, he hissed, and his touch became even rougher.
My back slammed against the wall and the kiss broke, but his mouth kept working. The scruff on his face burned my skin as it scraped against me. His teeth nipped. His tongue licked. He pushed my breasts up, making them pop out of the silk, and when he took my nipple between his teeth and bit down, my knees almost gave out. The shock of it went directly between my legs.
“You came to me inrosso,” he said, his mouth greedy on my skin, his hands cupping my ass. His fingers dug into my flesh, keeping me pinned against him. His erection was hard against my soft. I wondered howitwas going to feel between my legs. Howhewas going to feel, over me, in me, all around me. Consuming me. If I thought on it too long, it made me nervous, but caught in the moment, I craved nothing but him.
“You wanted a fire,” I barely got out. He moved my neck to the side, and I hissed when he bit and sucked at the skin there. “Sono tuo, Capo.”I’m yours, Boss.
“Put your arms around my neck and wrap your legs around me.”
I did, and he lifted me up, his arms under my behind. We kissed as he moved us toward the bed. Once there, he sat me down, his eyes as greedy as his mouth and fingers.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” He raked his teeth over his bottom lip. “MiaMariposa.”
I set one foot on each side of him, right above his hips, and once I had a good grip, I shoved his pants down. The length of him sprang free, and I’d never seen anything so erotic—this man standing in front of me naked.
When he started to creep up the bed, I pushed back some, making room for him. His lips came for mine again, while his two strong arms were like bars on either side of my head. He nipped and licked and teased. Then his mouth moved down, his tongue making routes along my skin. He pushed the red silk down, and my body, my breasts, was his for the taking. I pushed against his mouth, wanting more.
The ache between my legs begged to be eased. And I didn’t realize that I was whimpering, moving my hips up, until his hand reached down and touched methere. He whispered something about me being ready,wet and hot, in Italian. A noise that I had no control over trembled from my lips. I didn’t care. I had no shame.
