No, she didn’t think she would. The threat was enough to get Pasquale bothered in ways she sort of wished they had time to explore. He was holding himself in check, but she wondered if he’d have shown her just how he was the only one who’d ever see her naked again if they’d been behind closed doors when she made the offhanded remark.
“Am I supposed to never have sex again?”
I mean, since we aren’t claiming each other.
This time, Pasquale didn’t hesitate to put his hands on her. His heated palms burned her forearms as he curled his fingers around her arm. A brand. A mark. He pulled her against his body until their breaths mingled between them and his lips were only an inch away from hers.
“Who ever said I don’t plan on meeting your every need? Pack business first, but my business later.”
Giuliana swallowed against the sudden aching need spreading through her. Okay, so she’d needed a bit of distraction after the heaviness inside of Lorenzo’s home, and sometimes laughter could really hit the spot. But she was finding desire burned so much hotter. She wanted to see, to have him take her, to feel what it meant to be claimed by her mate.
It was dangerous.
It could fuck them up.
But here, among his people, he wouldn’t have to risk anything if his Alpha power leaked out. If they pushed the boundaries and just didn’t let him mark her as his with the mating bite. If …
She wanted to see if they could.
“Can you hold off the bite?”
Pasquale’s eyes glittered. “The better question is, would you want me to?”
“Pasquale …”
“For you, I would. And for you, I’d give it when you asked.”
He’d let her control the fate. Give her the freedom of choice.
“But you have to understand, Giuliana. The way I’d love you may make you more afraid than ever to accept me.”
She wasn’t so sure. And no matter how many times he tried to warn her away—and she could appreciate him fighting for her—he gave her something she craved more than anything.
The freedom to choose.
“Pack business first,” she agreed.
His gazed stayed riveted on her for a heartbeat before he backed away and headed to his door. She took a steadying breath, smelling him everywhere. The snow. The deep earth. But under it, just barely, was that mark of fresh flowers, the feminine scent she’d picked up before.
Fabiana.
She was here enough to permeate the space with her smell.
You could mark it.
I’m not going to go around pissing on his things.
Why not?
Because that’s gross.
Would get her scent out of here. Just saying.
She ignored her wolf.
Red, thank you very much,
Fine. She ignored Red and followed Pasquale into the house. Fabiana, all willowy and dark hair, was standing at the bottom of the stairs as soon as they entered. She had on a pretty, white summer dress that fluttered in the breeze from outside. It should have been someone’s marketing photo; it was so perfect. She was perfect.
