She leans back against me, overwhelmed. I can feel the slight tremor in her body as she processes it all. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispers.
“You don’t need to say anything,” I murmur, my lips finding the sensitive spot below her ear. “Just enjoy it. Enjoy being mine. Being a Russo.”
She tilts her head, giving me better access to the column of her throat. My hands slide beneath her t-shirt, palms flat against the soft skin of her stomach.
“I’ve been waiting to get you here,” I confess against her skin, teeth grazing her pulse point. “Somewhere private. Somewhere we won’t be interrupted.”
She shivers, her body melting back against mine. “What did you have in mind, husband?”
The word sends a surge of possessive heat through my veins. I turn her in my arms, backing her slowly toward the king-sized bed visible through the closet doorway.
“Two weeks,” I tell her, my voice dropping to a growl. “Two full weeks of fucking you in every room of this villa. Of teaching you everything your body is capable of feeling. Of making you come so many times that you forget your own name.”
Her pupils dilate, breath catching as her back hits the edge of the bed. “Is that a promise, Raffaele?”
I capture her mouth in a kiss that contains all the darkness, all the hunger I’ve been holding back. When I pull away, her lips are swollen, eyes glazed with desire.
“It’s a guarantee, Mogliettina,” I tell her, pushing her gently onto the mattress. “Welcome to La Dolce Vita. Your sweet life begins now.”
Chapter 36
Alina
The turquoise water stretches endlessly before me, meeting the blue sky in a perfect line on the horizon. If I had an ounce of artistic ability, I’d love to paint this moment. Or maybe photograph it. Anything to make it last forever.
Since I’m not an artist and don’t have a camera, I commit it all to memory. Soaking up every detail, every nuanced change like a sponge.
The warm Caribbean breeze tangles through my hair as I take in the view for what must be the hundredth time since we arrived four days ago. It still doesn’t seem real.
This private paradise, this luxury that surrounds me like a dream I’m afraid to wake from. Raffaele’s island. Our honeymoon retreat. My new life as Alina Brewer-Russo.
Four days of extravagance have left me feeling slightly dizzy, like I’ve been spinning in circles and haven’t quite found my balance.
Yesterday, Raffaele arranged a private helicopter tour of neighboring islands, followed by lunch at an exclusive restaurant where the chef came to our table personally to discuss each course.
Who even does that?
Everything is the best, the most expensive, the most exclusive. The clothes in my closet don’t need price tags for me to know they’re expensive.
And I’m grateful. Of course I am.
But there’s a part of me that feels like I’m playing dress-up in someone else’s life. The Alina who baked cookies at four in the morning seems like a different person entirely. And sometimes, I miss her simplicity.
She didn’t need designer stuff or fancy restaurants to be happy. She… well, all she needed was her mom, Onyx, and the bakery. Yes, okay, I can admit that version of me wasn’t happy, but more… content.
Yet, now it feels like the same compromise. I didn’t need a honeymoon. Honestly, all I wanted was to get to know my husband better and earn my freedom so I can return to the bakery and…
The sound of water dripping onto the sand alerts me to Raffaele’s presence before his wet hands slide around my waist. He presses against my back, his chin resting on top of my head as he joins me in looking out at the water.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs, though I can feel his eyes on me rather than the view.
I lean back against him, drawing comfort from his solid presence. “It’s incredible.”
His lips brush against my ear, sending shivers down my spine despite the warm air. “I’ve made reservations for tonight. There’s this place on the mainland I’d love to take you. The chef trained in Paris under—”
“Actually,” I interrupt, then immediately bite my lip, surprised by my own boldness. I turn in his arms, gathering courage as I look up into his sage green eyes. “I was thinking maybe we could stay in tonight?”
His eyebrow arches, curiosity evident on his face. “Stay in?”
