I couldn’t help it. I pushed back. Nine hours of his kisses were enough to push me to the very edge. It had been six years since I had felt the pressure of a man’s hands on my body.
Six years of being so frustrated that—
“I can’t bring you to my home.” Flicking my ponytail out of the way, Matteo’s lips descended on my skin. “Not when I’ll beentertaining in the future…” He licked a long line up the side of my throat. “I need and want you here, Sophia, in this room, waiting for me. Just like I’ve been waiting for you.” Sucking my earlobe into his mouth, he nibbled. “I should have taken you on the plane.”
“Wait?” It was like my senses all came back all at once. “You’re keeping me in a separate home because you’re engaged.”
Matteo’s grip tightened on me, his lips kept sucking and nibbling until I didn’t know whether I was coming or going.
“Not yet. One day soon. I’m at the age where…”
His words dropped off when I tore my way out of his arms.
“Come on, Sophia. You know what this is.”
Hands clenching and unclenching at my sides, I stared at him. Of course, I knew what this was. I had just forgotten because his kisses on the plane had been so sweet.
“Yes, I do. Would I be able to have a shower before I have to do my womanly duty?” I couldn’t help it. I rolled my eyes.
“Off of the master bedroom.” He pointed down the hallway to the door at the end. “It’s attached to the dressing room. I’ll meet you in there.” Matteo’s eyes darkened. “Unless you want me to join you in the shower.”
Pursing my lips, I walked away. Matteo was an asshole. I didn’t know how I had forgotten. Even growing up, he had always been overbearing.
And then came the few months when he hadn’t been. Those months had been the best and happiest in my life, and I had loved him so much that no one could come close.
Barely looking at the bedroom or the dressing room with its rows upon rows of clothes and shoes, I stripped and stepped into the glass and marble shower. A bath would have been better, but I didn’t want to be naked any longer than I needed to be, just in case Matteo lost patience and came looking for me.
Or more specifically, in case he came looking for me and I melted into his arms like a thirsty bitch.
Ten minutes. Just enough time to rinse off and wash my hair with the expensive shampoo and conditioner in the shower. When Istepped out, my clothes were gone. In their place was a creamy satin robe.
Had he been in here and watched me shower? What kind of asshole did that?
But of course I knew the answer to that. Matteo did.
Tying the robe around my body, I found him in the dressing room. Right in the center, on a chair that hadn’t been in the room before.
“What…” Eyes darting around, I frowned. There was a bundle of clothes on his lap. Scraps of lace and silk.
“I see.”
He wanted me to put on a little show for him.
“So what should I try on first?” I pointedly looked from the pile of clothes on his lap to the racks of designer things surrounding us.
Not saying a word, he handed the first item over, and our fingertips touched over the silky teddy. Our eyes locked, and there was so much heat in them. Heat that I knew was mirrored in my eyes.
Degrading, that’s what this was. So why did I want to model every single scrap of material on his lap for him? I wanted to see how far I could push him before he grabbed for me again because I wanted to be grabbed.
As crazy as it sounded, I wanted him again.
And there was no shame in that. It was why I was here. I was his mistress.
I was doing this for my brother and my family, so I might as well enjoy it, right?
“You can…” His words stuttered to a stop as I let the robe fall off my shoulders and then slowly slip into a pool of satin around my feet.
“I’ll change here.” I slipped into the barely there underwear easily. There wasn’t much to slip into after all. And then I stepped back, cocking out a hip as he let his eyes wander up and down my body.
