Page 346 of Reign

“Trust me, mi vida.”

As if that is still a question.

I hold still as he tips the bottle.

The first cool drop of whiskey touches the hollow of my throat. It pools there for half a second before his mouth closes over it.

His tongue is hot against the chilled liquid, unhurried and claiming. He licks it from my skin like he’s been waiting all night for this exact taste.

He doesn’t speak. He tilts the bottle again.

A thin stream traces my collarbone before slipping into the valley between my breasts. The dress darkens as it absorbs the whiskey, clinging more tightly to my skin.

Luciano watches the stain spread with an expression that borders on offended, as though the fabric has taken something meant for him.

Then he lowers his head and follows the trail with his tongue.

My breath catches.

He collects every drop he can reach before dragging his tongue through the damp fabric. His mouth closes over the top of my breast, sucking hard enough to send the sensation down my spine.

My hands grip his shoulders.

The material between us should soften what he’s doing.

It doesn’t.

The wet fabric drags rough against my nipple beneath his mouth. He moves to my other breast, catches the hardened peak between his teeth, and pulls a broken sound from me before releasing it.

Only then does he lift his head.

“This is in my way.”

He sets the bottle aside and pulls me to my feet.

The zipper is already partially lowered. He draws it the rest of the way down before slipping both straps from my shoulders. The damp fabric peels away from my breasts, exposing my skin to the cool air.

I barely have time to shiver.

His mouth is on me again.

Bare this time.

He kisses and sucks each nipple until both ache and my legs begin to feel unreliable beneath me. By the time he straightens, I’m clutching his shoulders for reasons that have nothing to do with affection.

His hands continue downward, easing the dress over my hips until it falls around my ankles.

I step out of it.

The only things left are my heels and a strip of black lace that was never meant to survive him.

Luciano’s eyes travel over me.

He has looked at me like this before, but tonight it feels different.

He knows I love him.

I gave him the words, and somehow that makes standing naked in front of him feel more intimate than anything we’ve already done. Before, he looked at me like he wanted to possess every inch.