Page 183 of My Italian Love Affair

I set the phone down and cover my face with both hands.

My heart races as the seconds tick by. I swear I can feel the tension through the screen.

I'd like to see you try. Though I doubt you could focus long enough. You tend to get distracted around me.

A shaky laugh escapes me, equal parts irritation and thrill.Distracted?He has to be joking, surely.

I seem to remember you being the one unable to stop talking during our last encounter.

The dots appear, pause, then continue.

I was motivating you.

Clearly, it worked.

My cheeks burn.

I can still hear his voice in my ear, the low growl of his encouragement as he pounded into me from behind.

So is this your game plan? Flirt shamelessly until I cave?

His response comes through thick and fast.

I don’t need a game plan. You're already thinking about me.

I let out a groan, toss my phone onto the cushion beside meand stare at it like it might spontaneously combust.

And then I give in and reach for it again.

I should block you.

I bite down on my lip to try and physically fight my smile as those three dots appear again.

But you won’t.

Smug bastard. Always so overconfident.

How are you so sure?

My heart races with the thrill of the game, but the longer this goes on, the more I realise he’s playing me like a violin.

Because we both know you want me.

Again.

Oh, thenerveof this man.

I grip the phone tightly and stare at the message for what feels like an eternity before I type out a quick response.

You're awfully confident.

There’s no hesitation as he quickly replies.

I am.

And I'm right.

So - dinner, tomorrow night?

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