Page 83 of Arturo's Temptation

Fuck, she’d never looked more beautiful.

With my heart in my throat, I stalked forward and pulled the door the shower open. The moment I stepped inside, instinct took over and I wrapped my hands around her waist, pulling her dampened body against mine.

“Arturo—” she gasped, her body shuddering

“Tell me to go and I’ll go,” I whispered, burying my face into her neck. Fear and panic thundered through my veins as I hugged her to me, allowing the water to soak into my hair and shirt.

There was a long pause before she turned to face me. Her eyes were wide and water clung to her lashes. She wet her lips and then said in a small voice. “I can’t… I don’t want you to go.”

Thank fuck.

“Bella,” I cupped both sides of her face, “forgive me.” Her eyebrows drew together.

“For what?” Her voice was hard. I deserved this. And I was prepared to get on my knees if I had to.

“For making you think I wasn’t crazy about you,” I replied, wiping water from her cheeks with my thumbs. She glanced down away from me and took a shuddery breath. I waited as sheprocessed what I’d said and just when I was about to make a hasty exit, she pulled my head to hers and pressed her soft, wet mouth against mine.

Fire licked up my skin, sending my heart into overdrive. With a groan, I sank my fingers into her hair and pulled her head back making her gasp. After weeks of craving and torment, I lost myself in the taste of her. Our tongues tangled and our teeth clashed in our need for each other. And fuck me did she give as good as she got. The more I pushed the more she did too. Her back collided with the wall as I scooped her into my arms and wrapped her legs around my waist. Sucking her lower lip into my mouth, I bit down and grinned at how it made her squirm. The feel of her body against mine made my cock throb. The way we fit together was like she had been crafted for me. Where I was hard, she was soft. Where I craved control, she craved release.

This was everything. Underneath the warm, furious spray of Isabella’s shower, I felt my demons, fucked up memories, and painful doubts slowly wash away down the drain.

She was mine. But before I could fully make that happen in every way possible, I had to be honest. If I was going to tell her everything, it was now or never.

“Bella,” I groaned, barely managing to pull back, “there are things I need to tell you, things you need to know.”

“Then tell me,” she breathed, clinging to me as if scared to let go and lose the moment.

“There are things I’m not proud of… and if you decide you can’t forgive me, you should also know I won’t give up.” Her eyes softened as her fingers stroked my cheek.

“Do you think you frighten me, Arturo?” I frowned as she smiled. “I’m well aware of who and what you are. If you’re ready to talk to me, then I’m not going anywhere.”

I heaved a sigh of relief and whispered against her lips, “I’m ready.” She was here and she was prepared to listen. She wasn’t running.

Oh, she’ll run.

You’re broken.

Fucked up.

Why would she ever love you?

I shook the voices out of my head, and as if she could hear them, Bella wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and pulled me in close..

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m right here.”

I know you were.

Right where you belonged.

Bella satcross legged on her bed in nothing but an old t-shirt and some shorts while I sat next to her, wrapped in a towel.

“So…” she started, her wide blue eyes seeing straight through me to my rotten core. “What happened? Why did you push me away?”

“I didn’t want to, but there were… reasons. Things that I had no control over.” I hung my head and gripped the back of my neck, struggling with what to say next.

“What reasons?” Her voice was soft and gentle as she took my hand in hers.

“The night you stayed with me was the first night I had no nightmares. It felt like for the first time in my shitty existence I had somethin’ good. ” I glanced to the side, looking for her reaction. What I saw wasn’t confusion, but the expression of a woman who understood pain. Something told me Isabella mayjust be fighting her own demons. “That morning I woke up with you in my arms Bella, was the best day of my life… until it wasn’t.”

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