Our lips touch, lighting a spark that fires between us. My heart leaps and my body slumps as I give into the pleasure this brings. His hand circles around the back of my head as he leans into the kiss, his tongue finding mine, playing with it, in no hurry to vacate the premises.
I’m more surprised to find that I’m kissing him back. I apparently know how to do this by instinct because I will never admit this to him, but this is the first time I have ever kissed anyone.
I’m in a state of shock as I go with it. Matching him, learning from him and attempting not to crash and burn at the first hurdle. If anything, I should be embarrassed because it’s as if we are in a show ring being observed by the crowd watching us.
A delightful ripple of excitement lights me from inside, and my body bends to the man commanding it so expertly. My mind explodes as I respond to his attention and if anything, he pulls me in deeper, his hand dropping to my waist, curling around it and pulling me in closer, my body touching his in an intimacy I never appreciated the benefits of before.
It’s as if he is holding the entire world out, trapping us both inside. Altering my future, reshaping my ambition and pulling me into a world I have no directions for. One kiss can alter destiny, and this one is doing a very good job of that.
Before this kiss, I was indifferent toward Simeon Ravera. He was a cross to bear if I’m honest, but how quickly that has changed with just one press of his lips against mine. It has lit a fuse that is burning out of control, and I forget where we are as I kiss him with purpose, pleasure even. His intoxicating scent fills my nostrils, his touch searing my flesh from the inside out.
I never want this to stop. If I could, I would hold his head in place and kiss him forever. With him, I am safe to a point and drowning in new experiences. I am alight with purpose and giddy on life. He has supercharged my existence with one powerful kiss and a reassuring presence that I could sure use right now. He is my knight dressed in danger, and Stefan was forgotten many hours ago. It’s as if I am exactly where I was always meant to be, and I’m more surprised to discover it’s exactly where I want to be.
CHAPTER 19
SIMEON
Kissing Alice for the first time is surprisingly emotional. Kissing any woman is surprising. It’s not something I do very often, but knowing she is my wife has detonated my soul in a way I wasn’t expecting.
She almost swerved the kiss, but I had an overwhelming desire to discover what she tasted like. It crept up on me like a thief in the night, and now I’m here, I can’t pull away.
I want more—then again, I always do, but the thought she is now my wife has unleashed a more powerful beast inside me I never realized was sleeping. His claws are out and wrapping her in protection, and this kiss is my promise to always keep her safe.
I’m telling myself it’s because I’ve won. I completed the first part of my deal, and this is my victory dance. However, I’m only lying to myself because I’ve been wanting to kiss this woman for quite some time.
When she stood up to me with defiance and quiet bravery, even though she was so deeply in trouble and on unfamiliar territory. I love her spark, her passion and her innocence, and it’s more attractive to me than her billions.
So, I deepen the kiss, not in any hurry to finish it, and as I kiss her with passion, my thoughts are already turning to the second part of the deal. Our wedding night.
The journeyto the bank is spent in silence. Alice is a bundle of nerves, and I do little to reassure her. If anything, it’s more awkward between us because she is wearing my ring—literally. It prompts me to knock on the partition between us and the driver and request him to stop at the nearest jewelers.
Alice says nothing, and I respect that. She has a lot on her mind, and I’m not a man who enjoys explaining his movements.
When we pull up outside, my guards secure the area and I take Alice’s hand.
“Come, you are liable to lose my ring and I want it back. We’ll purchase one of your own.”
She offers me the ring with an awkward shrug.
“That’s fine by me, but don’t break the bank. The cheapest one will do.”
I ignore her words and stride into the shop, expecting her to follow me – always to follow me.
“Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?”
The assistant almost trips over his words as he stares greedily at the Rolex on my wrist.
“A wedding ring, two of them.”
He nods and scurries off to fetch the trays, and I point to a seat at a nearby desk.
“Sit.”
“I’m not your dog.”
Alice glares at me, and I shrug.
“Then stand; it’s of no consequence to me.”
