Page 52 of Burning Rivalry

A round of applause rose up as we began bringing out the platters and lining them up across the tables. “There’s plenty more in the kitchen,” Sebastian announced, taking the towel he’d slung over his shoulder and wiping sauce off the edge of a platter of braciole. He just couldn’t part with some dishes.

Nonna clapped her hands, beaming. “Such a feast! Oh, I’m glad I saved my appetite.” As usual, a plate of calamari was left in front of her, and her eyes gleamed as she snagged a piece.

“Try leaving some for the rest of us, Nonna,” Maddie teased before Sebastian tugged her hair in passing. “Knock it off!” she grunted.

“Knock it off with being such a smartass,” he retorted, lowering a bowl of fresh pasta onto the table.

Once everything was set up, I hesitated before taking my seat. It was all perfect—a beautiful, warm night made even more so by the presence of so much laughter. The candles flickered, and the lights strung overhead twinkled. It was the sort of camaraderie that could only exist around a table full of food and filled my soul in a way nothing else could. I was overcome with emotion, almost afraid to move. Like the perfection would be ruined if I did.

“You all right?” Sebastian found me, sliding his arm around my waist. We stood side by side, looking over the results of what we had built together.

“Absolutely perfect,” I replied with a smile, leaning against him, soaking in the moment before sitting to dig in. “Now don’t forget, everybody, we have a lot of dessert waiting too. Save some room.”

“Say less,” Maddie joked, leaving Sebastian to roll his eyes.

“I would say that was a success.”

Sebastian handed me a glass of wine before flopping onto the sofa in his office with a glass of scotch. I had insisted he expand his office during the renovations. It only made sense.

“I still can’t believe we got it all done in such a tight timeline,” I mused, gazing around the room, thinking back on the night. It was perfect. I ate until I was ready to burst, but it was the laughter and the love that left me smiling hours after everyone cleared out.

Now, it was just the two of us again, reflecting on the night before heading back to his home. Our home, where I had already practiced countless new recipes. It was another part of being in love with him—having an actual kitchen at home. The fringe benefits abounded.

Rather than sip the wine, I set it aside in favor of turning toward him. “Everyone seemed so happy tonight. Nonna was so proud of you. I loved looking over at her and seeing her smile when she watched you.”

“Did she do that?” A look of fondness washed over his face. “That means everything.”

“You mean everything,” I told him, leaning over, taking his glass and placing it on the table beside the sofa. I was more interested in crawling into his lap and straddling him, draping my arms around his neck. “You brought all those people together tonight. And you’re going to keep doing that every night for years to come. You’re such a natural out there, so warm and hospitable. I love you so much.”

“Having you next to me makes it all worthwhile,” he murmured, his hands sliding up my thighs under my soft, cotton dress. Tonight seemed like an occasion worthy of dressing up for. Now, I was glad it allowed him to touch so much of my skin.

He tasted like scotch and chocolate, which was not a bad combination. Or maybe it was the man himself who woke up my lips along with the rest of me. Maybe it was the taste of him I needed more of, going back for another kiss, then another, pouring all of my love and pride into it because I was proud to be his. I was proud of the life we were building together.

“Are you trying to seduce me, Granger?” he whispered between kisses, his hands moving more deliberately now, stroking my skin, pressing against my flesh. He took my hips and pulled down, pressing me against his growing bulge.

“Since when do I have to try?” I asked, giggling when he rolled his eyes. That didn’t stop him from using my body to satisfy his needs.

I invited it because he satisfied my needs, too, and I would never stop needing him.

“It seems like we do it a lot in this building. Have you noticed?” Slowly, I let my dress straps fall from my shoulders, then slid the bodice over my chest and let my breasts fall free. I’d never tire of his reaction—half-lidded eyes and a growl sounding in his throat.

“It makes sense when this is where we spend most of our time,” he reasoned, raining soft, tantalizing kisses over the swells of my breasts, lifting them to his lips, teasing my nipples with his tongue. How was it still so electric? So fresh, exciting? It took nothing to light me up to make me wet and needy.

“You are so good at that,” I whispered, running my fingers through his hair, pulling his head tight against me. He responded with a groan, using one hand to grab my ass and work me against him. I started moving on my own, grinding, letting the sensations guide me.

“Sweet. So sweet.” He kissed his way back up to my throat, lapping at my skin, grazing it with his teeth while I bore down on him when the ache in my pussy turned to demand. I knew what I needed, and I chased it, letting myself get carried away because I knew he would be with me all along the way. I had nothing to fear.

And it was that freedom that let me move faster, harder, humping him like an animal and almost laughing at myself. Joy. There was pure joy in this, in him—his musky, spicy scent, the sound of his groans, and the way his breath heated my skin before his tongue did the same.

“Make yourself come,” he growled, gripping my hips with both hands, working with me, his heavy breathing matching my own. Hearing his pleasure intensified mine until I finally felt the familiar tightening, the sense of standing on the edge of a cliff.

And I let myself fall over the edge, flying through space with no fear of hitting the ground.

“Oh, yes,” he whispered, holding me in the aftermath, still guiding me slowly against him. “Yes, that’s good. Hearing you do that. Watching it come over you. Fucking beautiful.”

“Make it happen again,” I urged, still hungry, still needy. “Please.”

“As if you have to ask.” I lifted myself from his lap, my hands shaking as I opened his belt, then his fly. His sharp gasp at the first touch of my hand turned to a deep, guttural moan once I began to stroke. I wanted him inside me, yes, but I wanted to savor this, too, having him completely under my control, his every breath depending on what I did next. I stared down at him, taking in every muscle twitch, every flare of his nostrils. Watching as he let himself go.