Page 65 of Italy Can Bite Me

“Confess it—you want me to make you lose control.”

“I want it.” She’s breathless but sure.

“Ti porterò all’estasi.”

“What does that mean?”

I grip her hips, guiding her backward until she’s pressed against the barrel. “I will take you to ecstasy.”

“Matteo—”

I crash my mouth to hers before she can respond. There’s nothing gentle about this kiss—it’s all teeth and tongue and days of pent-up need. She tastes like wine and something so goddamn sweet I know I’ll chase it until there’s nothing left. Her fingers fist in my shirt, pulling me closer, and I’m lost.

I deepen the kiss, angling her head to get better access. My tongue slides past her lips, claiming every inch she offers. When I pull backto let her breathe, her lips are swollen, her eyes glazed with want.

“Have you ever been kissed like this?” I drag my mouth down her throat. “Made to tremble like this?”

“N-no.”

My pride and possessiveness surge.

I shouldn’t be this smug. I shouldn’tcarethis much. But I want her to leave this cellar stricken with desire—obsessing about my hands on her body and my mouth on her skin.

Sliding my palms up her thighs, I push the hem of her dress higher, higher, until I feel her shiver beneath me. My knuckles graze the damp outline of her panties, and I groan, resting my forehead against hers.

“Already so wet for me,” I whisper, my voice tight. “Aren’t you?”

Her lashes flutter as she presses her lips tight together. I nudge her with my fingers, teasing the fabric until she breaks.

“Yes,” she whispers.

“Dio mio.”

I rip my shirt off, spreading it across the barrel before lifting her onto it. Her thighs part instinctively, making room for me to step between them. The sight of her spread out for me, trusting me to give her what she needs, makes my chest ache.

“What if someone—”

“No one’s coming down here,” I counter, smirking. “Except you. And when you do,everyoneup there will hear it.”

I brush my hands up the soft skin of her thighs, stopping just shy of where we both want me to go. “I wonder what kind of noises you’ll make when you come.Are you going to scream my name? Beg me for more? Or will you feverishly moan when I break you?”

“You’re so cocky. Maybe that Sadie girl is right, and you’re not as impressive as you think.”

I grin darkly, brushing my lips against hers in a teasing almost kiss. “Do you want the pleasure or not?”

Her answer comes as a shaky, breathless exhale. “Yes.”

I hold her gaze as my fingers slide beneath the waistband of her panties. “Can I slip these off, bella?”

Katie nods and bites her lip as I drag the fabric down her legs, slowly, like I’m peeling back the curtain on a masterpiece that deserves to be savored, every inch a revelation. The second she’s bare to me, I spread her thighs wider, and the air punches out of my lungs in one harsh exhale.

If this isn’t heaven, then I don’t know what is.

“Dio mio,” I rasp, my voice so raw it doesn’t sound like me. I drag my gaze over her. “Your pussy… so fucking gorgeous.”

Her blush deepens, her thighs twitching like she’s about to close them, but I grip her knees, holding her exactly where I want her. “Don’t hide from me, Katie.”

I kiss the inside of her knee sensually—slowly—deliberately. Her breath catches, causing my mouth to trail higher, dragging my lips up her thigh. I feel her quiver.

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