“You’ll give me a family,” I say finally, trying to put her mind at ease. “Lots of babies—a whole house full of them.”
But the reassurance only makes her cry harder.
“Hey, none of that.” I brush my thumb over her cheek, wiping the tears away. “Everything will be alright.”
She shakes her head, trying to smile. “You really think so?”
“I do. And until it happens, I can promise you this—” I lean in, lowering my voice. “We’ll give making babies all we’ve got.”
Her eyes widen, and for a second, she just stares at me, like she’s trying to figure out if I’m joking or not. Then she lets out a tiny, surprised laugh.
It’s the first sound of hers that doesn’t hurt to hear tonight, and my aching chest relaxes slightly when she gives a small, watery smile, brushing at her eyes.
“I didn’t realize you had a sense of humor,” she teases softly, and I give a dark chuckle.
“I don’t. It was a sloppy first attempt.” I brush my thumb across the curve of her full lower lip, my pulse kicking up a notch. “But at least it made you smile.”
Her eyes warm, her expression a heart-shattering combination of tender and vulnerable, but her smile widens. “You’re sweet,” she says softly.
I huff skeptically. “Don’t let that get around. I’ve got a reputation to protect.”
Evi giggles, the sound a symphony to my ears. “Your secret’s safe with me,” she promises, and as my fingers linger on her jaw, our eyes locked in an intimate gaze, I feel the energy shift.
The air between us changes—subtle but electric. She’s still leaning against the counter, peering up at me through her impossibly thick, long lashes, but she’s looking at me as if seeing something for the first time. Something she’s not quite sure what to do with.
And damn if that look doesn’t undo me.
I lean closer. “You okay?”
She nods, but her breath catches when I brush my knuckles along her jaw.
“Better,” she whispers.
Relief floods me, and I tilt her chin up, pressing my mouth to hers. It starts slow—soft, reassuring—but the taste of her, the sound she makes when I pull her closer, the way her fingers clutch at my shirt… it all spins into something deeper. Something hungry.
I guide her up away from the counter, and she comes willingly, lips parting under mine, hands trembling against my chest. Her heart’s pounding so hard I can feel it as my hands roam over the gorgeous curve of her ass. And I gather the fabric of her dress, drawing it up her thighs and hips to slowly drag it up her body.
But rather than lift her arms to allow me to undress her, Evi pulls back, her cheeks flushed, eyes darting away. “Wait,” she says breathlessly. “I—Sandro, I can’t.”
“I told you, I’m not backing down until I’ve put a baby inside you,” I growl, my eyes burning into hers with an intensity that will show her I was entirely serious.
She releases a breathy, almost nervous laugh. “But… I’m on my period.”
“So?” I murmur, tracing my thumb over her bottom lip.
She blinks. “So… I don’t think that’s how it works. Besides, won’t that gross you out?”
I grin faintly, leaning in until my breath warms her skin.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t practice,” I whisper, voice rough and certain. “And a little blood never bothered me.”
Then I claim her lips once more.
22
EVI
I never, in my wildest dreams, thought a man could make sex while I’m bleeding sound so appealing. I never knew I needed to hear those words so badly, to feel wanted, even when I’m at my least desirable. And as Sandro kisses me with a searing intensity, I feel the desperate ache of need building in my core.
