Page 83 of Empire of Seduction

A knot pulled in my chest, a ball of hurt I hadn’t expected. “Wow, you make me sound so appealing.”

I tried to shift away, but his grip held me in place. “Bella, we all have ways we process information, how we handle stress. Do you think your attitude and snarls bother me?”

“I don’t know. Do they?”

“No, they get my dick fucking hard. Now, tell me why you ran off today.”

No way was I confessing my deepest, darkest insecurities to this man. I needed to go on offense. “How do you process information and handle stress?”

“I think. I get quiet and go into my own head.”

Now his attitude after Maz left made more sense. “Is that why you were quiet during dinner? What did your brother say that bothered you?”

“I don’t like him flirting with you. I was jealous.”

I hadn’t expected a straight answer. I’d expected a deflection or a question, like usual. My mouth fell open slightly. “That’sridiculous. I would never . . . ” A strangled noise left my throat. “You think I’d just hop from one brother to another?”

“No, of course not. But I can’t explain it. You’re?—”

He clamped his lips shut and stared off into the distance.

“I’m, what?”

Just when I thought he wasn’t going to answer, he shifted me to straddle him, positioning my legs on either side of his hips. Bubbles brushed over my bare skin like a caress, especially between my legs. Big hands cupped my ass as he settled me on his stomach.

He brought our foreheads together. “You’remine,” he said quietly, the steel in his voice unmistakable. “I want to tie you to my bed, keep you naked and waiting for me.”

The declaration sent blood rushing to my clit. I didn’t know why, but his possessiveness caused my arousal to spike every time. My orgasm earlier today in the kitchen, when he told me to say I belonged to him? Off the fucking charts.

This isn’t real. I couldn’t forget it.

I dragged my nails through his scalp and his eyelids fluttered closed. I liked seeing how much I affected him. “Did you smell me all day today?”

The edge of his mouth kicked up, though his eyes remained shut. “For a long time. It reminded me of how sweet you were this morning.”

I nibbled his jaw, enjoying the rough feel of his late-day whiskers against every brush of my lips. “You’re very good at giving head.”

“I can’t get enough of your pussy. You drive me crazy, diavoletta mia.”

“Back at you, bello.” I rubbed my cold nose against his, our lips almost touching. Steam from the water and the soft lights enveloped us, his hot breath warming my cheek. It felt like our own tiny slice of heaven, and everything about him, about themoment, turned me on. Anticipation began humming like an electric charge under my skin, every cell straining, buzzing, to get closer to him. Maybe I wasn’t too exhausted and sore after all.

His hands cradled the back of my head and he angled my face to kiss me. He was gentle, unhurried, giving me light, soothing swipes of his mouth. It went on and on, and I grew increasingly impatient. Was he trying to frustrate me? I pressed in, trying to slip my tongue in his mouth, but he eased back every time. Heat built between my thighs and I rocked my hips, sliding my center over his skin, desperate for friction. I tried to reach behind me and grab his cock, to move things along, but he held my arm to prevent me.

“What are you doing?” he murmured against my mouth.

“Trying to see if you’re hard so we can have sex.”

“You’re naked on my lap. Of course I’m hard. But I won’t fuck you.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re sore.”

“I’m feeling much better.” Not a lie. The warm water felt amazing, loosening all my muscles and easing all the tension I’d carried around today. I moved again, grinding my clit into his hard body. “Let me feel you.”

“Is that how you ask me?”

“Please, Vito. Let me feel you.”

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