Page 107 of Isabella

“Great,” Teo says, and for the first time during this meeting, the corners of his mouth turn up and his lips part into a smile. “I look forward to it.”

61

NICCOLÒ

Isabella and I leave her brother’s office, and without a word, she takes off down the hall, so I follow her, watching her hips sway in those tight-ass jeans of hers.

Once we’ve made it clear across the house, she pushes a door open to what I recognize as her room. While she sets her phone on her nightstand, I shut the door behind us, and by the time I turn back around, Isabella is pushing me up against it. She takes me so off guard that my head thumps against the hard wood.

Letting out a chuckle, I say, “Ooh, looking to get a little rough tonight?”

The fire behind Isabella’s eyes tells me she doesn’t have me backed up against the door to tear my clothes off and have her way with me, but my comment still does something to her because a trickle of desire seeps into her eyes.

“You lied to me.”

“I didn’ttechnicallylie to you.”

Irritation flashes through her brown irises, and I realize technicalities aren’t something she wants to hear right now when I did, in fact, keep the truth from her.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she says, “You went behind my back.”

I do my best to keep my eyes firmly placed on hers, but the fact she raised her tits by the sheer act of crossing her arms over her chest has me consumed with the thought of them. This is what not having Isabella every fucking day does to me.

She narrows her gaze on me and quirks an eyebrow, which has me thinking she can read my mind. Or maybe it’s the sheer desire that takes over my face when I’m around this woman.

“Don’t even think about it, Nicco,” she says, which has the corner of my mouth drawing up into a smirk.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say.

“Lying to me again?”

Giving Isabella an exasperated look, I say, “I didn’t lie to you, but yes, I did omit the truth from you. I know you would’ve preferred I told you about the meeting with your brother, but I had to do this on my own. I had to come to him man to man, don to don. You have to understand that.”

She narrows her gaze once more before letting out a sigh. The warm air fans my neck. “Fine, I guess I understand that.”

Now it’s my turn to let out a sigh of relief, which causes Isabella to backhand my chest. “But you still should’ve told me. I just want to be in the loop on things. I could’ve hung back while you had your meeting.”

“As if you would’vehung back. I know you well enough to know that’s not how you operate,” I say with a laugh. “But that was one of the last things I’ll ever hide from you.”

“What do you mean,one of?” Her annoyed tone makes me want to laugh again, but I subdue it.

“Oh, I fully plan on keeping things that I deem necessary a secret from you.” Her brows shoot up to her hairline, but before she can interject, I continue. “Like, for example, your engagement ring.”

The mouth she had just opened to argue with me snaps shut, and her eyes widen. “Engagement ring?”

“In every other way, you’re already my wife, but I’ll have to make it official with an engagement ring and wedding band at some point, andthat, my sweet Isabella, I fully plan on keeping a secret from you.”

Her pretty, pouty lips curve up into a smile, and a twinkle shines in her eyes. “You really do have a way with your words, don’t you, Nicco? I have a feeling it’s going to get you out of a lot of arguments.”

I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into me. The sudden movement surprises her, causing her to uncross her arms and rest her hands on my chest.

“Do you see many arguments happening in our future?” I ask.

“Not necessarily, but I know you’ll use that mouth of yours to get out of the ones we do have. It’s something you seem to be very good at.”

“Oh yeah?” I say, cocking a mischievous brow at her. “How about we see just how far my mouth can get me out of trouble?” I slide my hands into the back pockets of her jeans and give her a tight squeeze, which has her involuntarily shifting her hips into mine. Her eyes widen, and I know it’s because she can feel just how fucking hard I am for her right now.

“Or,” she says with a sly smile, “I can show you just how good mine is too.”

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