“Bellissima,” I groan, relishing in her physical response to me. I lift my eyes to her face, and seeing her parted lips, I growl, “Kissing you.”
My hand shoots up, and gripping Laurie’s jaw, I crush my mouth to hers. The satisfaction is instant and so fucking overpowering as I claim her lips and tongue with brutal desire and filthy intentions.
My restraint slips, and covering her body with mine, I grow delirious, sinking into a dark fucking madness from the way she feels beneath me, my cock turning rock fucking hard.
Time falls away, and our surroundings become non-existent.
But what consumes me most is the fact that she’s returning the kiss. Our lips play tug-of-war while our tongues dance to a primative tune.
When some of my sanity returns, I slow it down until our mouths still. We’re both breathless, and opening our eyes, something sacred passes between us.
This isn’t some love at first sight shit. It’s two halves of a soul finally coming together after being separated for an eternity.
My voice is hoarse as I ask, “Does that answer your question?”
“Uh-huh.”
Moving onto my side, I prop my head on my palm. She folds her hands over her stomach, and unable to stop touching her, I trail my fingers up and down her forearm, making the goosebumps appear again.
I study Laurie as silence settles between us.
Most women would either be hysterical after the kind of day she’s had or blinded by the lifestyle attached to my name. But Laurie looks scared and confused, like she still hasn’t caught up to the reality of what has happened and who I am.
I married her after knowing her for only a handful of days, killed a man in front of her, then I brought her home and exposed the brutal reality of the Cosa Nostra to her.
Laurie swallows hard then whispers, “This is insane.”
Chuckling, I agree, “That it is.”
Turning her head, her gaze searches mine. “You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
“That’s the thing.” A frown appears on her forehead. “How?” She lets out a shaky breath before wrapping her arms around herself. “You watched me for one day, and know me what… three, four days?”
“You were born and raised in Findlay, Ohio, and came to New York after you graduated. You don’t have much contact with your family.” Her eyes grow wider and wider. “You worked for Mitchell’s Construction, which we will talk about at a later stage, and you dated an ungrateful asshole who didn’t know what he had.” I raise my eyebrow. “Anything I missed?”
“Jesus. You know it’s creepy that you stalked me, right?”
“Don’t care.”
“Just because you know all of that doesn’t mean you know me.” Giving me an incredulous look, she adds, “People don’t just decide to marry someone after a few days.”
“I do.” I lift my hand to her face and notice how she tenses before forcing herself to relax.
I hate it. I want her to need my touch more than the air she breathes.
“You’re trying to understand this logically when there’s nothing logical about what I feel for you.”
“That’s the problem,” she admits softly while her eyes cautiously search mine. “What if you wake up one morning and realize I’m not what you want?” A shaky breath leaves her. “What happens when you become bored after getting to knowwho I really am?” A nervous chuckle escapes her as she glances away to stare up at the ceiling. “Jesus, I’d hate to see what you’re like when you turn cold toward someone. I’m probably going to end up floating in the Hudson.”
Something cold settles in my chest because she sounds certain I’ll eventually stop wanting her.
This goddess can’t fathom why I would be interested in her.
Wanting to get to the bottom of this, I ask, “Are you struggling because this happened fast, or because you can’t understand why I would choose you?”
She swallows hard and her features tense even more, making a strange feeling twist in my chest.
