Page 195 of Lovely Venom

“I wanted you to see it alone first.” I offer him a nervous shrug.

He drinks me in, all the way from my strappy white heels to the ivory tea-length dress. It’s simple, with a fitted satin bodice, a sweetheart neckline, and a full tulle skirt that falls below my knees. Of course, I added a few vintage touches—a bridal hair comb, a pair of sheer lace gloves, and an heirloom pearl bracelet from Nonna.

“Come here,” Cristian rasps.

I bite my lip and smile. “I think Nonna might murder you if I do.”

“It will be worth it,” he says.

My eyes move over him as I approach, a flutter stirring inside me as I take in the details of his suit. It’s a black three-piece with a crisp white shirt and polished black leather oxfords. He looks like the classic Italian gentleman—the kind who always gets his way.

I don’t even make it to him before he grabs me by the waist and pulls me close. His palm skims up the back of my thigh and disappears beneath my dress. He grabs my ass and squeezes before sliding his hand between my thighs and tugging my panties aside.

I bite back a moan as he slips two fingers inside me and starts to fuck me slowly.

“Cristian,” I protest weakly. “Nonna is really going to kill you. We’re supposed to be out there in like five minutes.”

“You started this, baby,” he murmurs against my throat. “I’m going to finish it.”

“How did I start it?” I tip my head back, giving him more access as he kisses his way down to my collarbone.

“You came in here like this.” He nips at my skin. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know exactly what you were doing.”

Okay, well, he has me there.

I blame it on the pregnancy hormones, but maybe it’s just because I have a hot almost-husband I can’t seem to get enough of.

When I reach down and stroke the rigid outline of his cock, he groans. Then he startles a yelp from me when he picks me up and hauls me into the bathroom, locking the door behind us.

“Are you hiding from your Nonna, Cristian Vitale?” I laugh.

“I’m not letting anyone interrupt this,” he growls.

A minute later, he has me up on the counter, layers of tulle bunched between us as he tugs my panties aside, and thrusts his cock inside me.

“Oh, god,” I whimper.

He grabs the back of my neck, dipping me into a kiss as he fucks me deep. It’s an intense, primal sort of claim that lights up my entire body and makes me throw all caution to the wind.

When we come up for air, I kiss my way along his jaw as he makes a sound I feel right between my thighs.

There’s something so beautiful about watching his control unravel, and knowing I’m the one to do that to him.

His rough praise heats my blood and gets me so high, it sends me over the edge too fast to stop it.

Shuddering waves of pleasure roll through me as he fucks me through the orgasm and empties himself inside me with a groan.

In the aftermath, he slows things down and kisses me like we have all the time in the world. But right on cue, Nonna calls out in search of us, and our gazes meet before we both laugh.

“I’ll be out in a minute, Nonna,” Cristian tells her through the door.

“And what about your bride?” she asks.

“She’ll be out in a minute too.”

She lets out a flurry of disgruntled Italian, and Cristian gives me a lazy smile as he pulls out. “Still worth it.”

He helps me get cleaned up quickly as Nonna bangs on the door, then he sets me on my feet as he walks over to open it. It’s only then I realize he has lipstick smeared all over his neck, which means it’s undoubtedly smeared on my face too.