Page 87 of Empire of Seduction

“What?” she asked, staring at my expression.

“Nothing.” I kissed her briefly, but it was hard and deep. “Let’s shower.”

“Okaaaaaay.” She sounded hesitant, confused.

I crawled off her and stood by the bed, then reached my hand out to help her stand. As we walked into the bathroom, she whistled behind me. “God, your ass. It is—” she made a kissing sound “—a masterpiece.”

I glanced over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

“You even have those divots right here.” She touched my lower back. “Do you work out?”

“I have a gym at home.” I reached into the shower and started the water.

“I bet you never skip leg day.”

I went to take a piss, not commenting. There was too much swirling around in my head and I wasn’t thinking clearly. She started brushing her teeth with the toothbrush I’d unwrapped for her yesterday and silence fell.

After I flushed, I went into the shower and let the hot water pound on my shoulders. As always, I shoved aside the personal and focused on work. There was a lot to do. I needed to contact a security company about working on the winery. Then there were the emails I’d avoided the past few days. And I had to ring Benetti and fill him in?—

Soft hands slid up my back after the shower door opened. She pressed against me and kissed the nape of my nape. “Has anyone ever told you that you can be moody sometimes?”

I could still hear my father’s snide comments about me.

“Stop overthinking everything.”

“D’Agostinos are not weak. Get out of your own head and shoot him, Vito.”

Enzo had protected me, though, telling our father to fuck off and leave me alone.

“Yes,” I said simply.

When I didn’t expound on it, Maggie pursed her lips and moved under the spray. From under the curtain of water, she said, “I have so much to do today. I need to catch up on a thousand things.” She reached for the shampoo. “What about you?”

“Yes.” I lathered up some body wash in my palms and started washing myself. “But I’ll see you tonight. Come here for dinner.”

“Maybe.” She lathered up her hair. “I’ll see how the day goes.”

Wrong answer.

I rinsed, then angled her against the tile. Bending, I sucked on the skin of her neck, biting and licking her wet soft flesh, until she started moaning. Her arms held me close, her head angled to give me the access I needed. “That feels so good,” she said with a sigh.

I didn’t stop.

I scraped my teeth on her collarbone, I bit her ear lobe. I used my lips and tongue to leave marks on her skin. When I shoved my thigh between her legs to press against her pussy, I could feel her slick flesh on mine. She was already getting turned on again. My cock began responding, thickening, as blood pooled in my groin. I squeezed the tips of her breasts, rolling her nipple between my thumb and middle finger.

When she was panting, clinging to me, soft sounds escaping her throat, I held her jaw and stared down at her. “You will be here tonight no later than six o’clock. I’ll have dinner waiting.”

“Vito.” Irritation laced her voice. “I have a lot to do.”

“Six o’clock, diavoletta mia. And if I have to come looking for you, there will be hell to pay.”

Releasing her, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, not even caring that I was dripping water everywhere as I left.

Maggie

Relaxed and re-energized, I set out for the vineyards. Such was the power of orgasms, I supposed as I took a sip from the travel mug in my hand. Vito made me a double cappuccino to go when I said I didn’t have time for coffee today. Why was he so considerate? It was annoying.

I’d assumed we were back on the same “it’s just sex” page, but now I wasn’t so sure. Sleeping over every night? That was too couple-y. The dirty talk was one thing. Spending so much time together was another. I needed distance, not sharing our thoughts and feelings each evening.

---