He placed me on his feet, and I unzipped my tunic and stepped out of it to stand naked on the sand. Anyone could see, but I didn’t care.

“You need my cock,” he growled and grabbed my waist, crushed my lips, and lifted me again, backing us against a stone pillar. I pushed into him, moving my clit up and down on his bulge.

My eyes fluttered, and I moaned loudly. “I do, please fuck me.”

“Christ, Adelina,” he cursed and grunted, squeezing my ass.

He unfastened his shorts and moved us down on the sand, grabbed my legs to move behind him, and shoved inside of me in a powerful thrust. I screamed as I gave into the thick push and pull, sensuous drags of his cock. The roughness sent my pleasure soaring to ecstasy.

We sweated and heated, pressing chaotic kisses as we breathed.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he moaned. He lifted a thigh, angling his thrust against that spot that made me lose control.

I dug my nails into his shoulders. “Ohh, Rocco,” I yelled as I writhed. He thrust into me harder, slamming with all his strength. The sound of the waves and my screams of pleasure filled the night air. It was so intense that I didn’t hold back, coming and tightening around him.

“I can’t. Oh, Bella.” He jerked hard, and I held him tight, my head on his shoulder as he came, enjoying the feel of him throbbing inside of me. “Mia Bella. I’m okay. I’ve got you. We’re okay.”

If this is love, it’s both terrifying and exhilarating.

But I know one thing for certain—Rocco Marini is mine.

Rocco lifted me off the sand and carried me back into the house. I snuggled against his neck and closed my eyes. Was being in love like being a newborn? I felt a need to be held and soothed. He lowered me onto the floor near the sunken bathtub when I opened them again. The dark wood panels beneath me were heated and kept me warm while he ran the water. The smell of lavender and herbs filtered over, and I turned my head to watch him add mousses that brought foam to the surface.

I let out a staggered breath, and his head lifted, his blue eyes piercing in and capturing me. The rush to my pulse and the tumbling of my heart into the unknown should have frightened me, but it didn’t.

His stare was absorbed and knowing as if he understood me in a way I didn’t. And to my surprise, no desire to escape came.Have I surrendered?

Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” came on, and her ethereal voice filled the room. He came over and lifted me and carried me down into the tub, setting me between his muscular thighs. A warm wand moved over my hair, massaging it wet, and Rocco followed it with a cooling shampoo that his large hands rubbed into my long hair. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Who’d have thought a powerful man of an empire would want to do something so mundane? Glancing back over my shoulder, I peered at him. His happiness radiated, his gaze was soft, and a seductive smile appeared on his lips.

“I love this,” he said, as if he had plucked the thought from my head.

My heart skipped a beat. “What? Washing my hair?”

“You let me have you, Bella. That’s all I want.”

I shivered at his words and warmed in his pleasure. It was another submission, another surrender.

He rinsed my hair, lathered a sponge, and washed my back and arms. He moved his arms around me to my breasts and stomach, then dragged his lips down the back of my neck.

“Mmm, my sweet Adelina,” he purred and cuddled me and cupped me between my legs, opening me wider to stroke my clit.

“Ahhhh.” I moaned. It wasn’t only the pleasure from his intimate touches but his possessive claim of me.

“Mmm, I like that. Make that sound again,” he whispered deeply, kissing the back of my neck. I lifted my palm to rub the stubble on his jaw, humming at the feel of his hard body behind me, the soft hairs on his chest, and the erection growing between his thighs. I turned around and took the sponge, and he watched me intensely as I washed over him. I was still in awe that he was with me and my husband. It seemed like a dream, and I didn’t want to wake up.

Rocco took the sponge and finished up, then we both climbed out. He handed me a towel and wrapped another around my hairbefore drying himself off. I suddenly felt so weary and I was sure the adrenaline rush was subsiding.He’s fine. But danger had been near.

I touched my churning stomach and lowered my head.Did he think of me as he dove into that boat?But then I realized how selfish that thought was and felt annoyed at myself.

“Hey…what’s wrong?” He clasped my face, using his other hand to trail his fingers tenderly down the side. It fascinated me how attentive he was to my every emotion. It had me dropping my guard, telling him how much I worried.

“You scared me when you left. What if you were hurt—”

“I wasn’t going to get hurt—”

“You could have.”

He lifted my chin, his eyes glittering. “But I didn’t. I don’t live in fear of what-ifs. I’m sorry I worried you, Adelina. It wasn’t my intent.” I could see that he was being genuine, so I wrapped my arms around him and hugged his waist.This is my happy place.He kissed my lips and forehead—my favorite kiss.