And he chose me.
The tears flowing down my face now are pure joy, overwhelming relief mixed with love so intense it feels like it might actually kill me. Without thinking, I launch myself across the space between us, landing on the bed with enough force to make the mattress bounce. Paint-covered hands and all, I grab Carlo’s face and kiss him with everything I have.
He’s startled for just a moment, probably not expecting to suddenly have an emotional, paint-covered artist launching themselves at him. But then his arms come around me, and he’s kissing me back with equal intensity, his mouth moving against mine like he’s trying to pour years of unspoken feelings into this single moment.
“You stayed,” I whisper against his lips between kisses. “You could have left, but you stayed.”
“I stayed,” he agrees, his voice rough with emotion.
I’m probably getting paint all over both of us, but I don’t care. Nothing matters except this moment, this choice, this handsome man who just gave up his freedom to keep me safe. Who looked into the face of escape and chose love instead.
When we finally break apart, both of us breathing hard, I can see paint smudged across his cheek and probably in his hair. He looks thoroughly debauched and absolutely perfect.
“The painting,” I say suddenly, remembering my abandoned artwork.
“Can wait,” Carlo says firmly, pulling me back down for another kiss. “We have more important things to do.”
And as his hands tangle in my hair and his mouth claims mine again, I think that he’s absolutely right. The painting captured a moment, but this... this is creating a future.
A future where Carlo Benedetti chose love over logic, where he picked his personal menace over his autonomy, where two people found something worth fighting for in each other’s arms.
I couldn’t have painted anything more perfect than this.
Chapter twenty-eight
Ginni
The kiss grows deeper and deeper. It burns hotter and hotter. Carlo is pressing me close to him, so close it’s like he is trying to meld us together. Combined with how deeply he is kissing me, he’s clearly trying to reach my soul one way or another.
His hands run down my back, rubbing the silk of my very short robe against my skin. His hands reach my ass, slip under the thin material, and cover my bare ass. One cheek in each palm.
I gasp and arch into the touch.
Carlo pulls away from our kiss. “Want you.”
My heart and cock both swell. Love and lust. A perfect symphony. The best combination in the universe, nothing goes together better, nothing at all.
“I douched earlier,” I say.
Carlo’s eyes darken.
“But I haven’t opened or lubed.”
One of Carlo’s scorching hands leaves my ass cheek. He scrambles at the bedside table where I thoughtfully placed a bottle of lube.
I’m so glad I gave his chains so much slack. If this is what he does with his longer leash, then he definitely deserves it.
His other hand leaves my butt, and I whimper at the loss. My ass cheeks are cold now. Naked under the short robe in a way they weren’t before his touch.
Carlo smears two of his fingers with lube. I blink at the sight. Then I blink again, just to be sure. Why isn’t he handing me the lube and telling me to get on with it?
He drops the bottle of lube and yanks me towards him for another kiss. My startled squeak is muffled. But then I melt into Carlo’s kiss. He tastes divine. And the way he is taking control and plundering my mouth is exquisite. He is an exceptional kisser. I shouldn’t be surprised. Carlo excels at everything he does because he is perfect.
I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back thoroughly. I hope I’m doing it right. Learning how to kiss was the hardest subject to find tutorials on. Everyone seems to think it should come naturally, be instinctual. And actually, judging by the way I’m turning into a puddle of goo in Carlo’s arms and how hard his cock is, it seems they were right. Kissing my husband is as easy as breathing.
A lubed finger brushes over my hole. I whine into Carlo’s mouth. My hips buck.
Carlo rumbles a sound of appreciation. His touch turns light, teasing. He is choosing to prolong this.
