Page 16 of Forbidden

He takes his time answering. “We shouldn’t do this.”

“Do what?” I’m the one closing the gap, inching toward him until he’s so close I could kiss him if I just stretched a little.

Just as I brace for him to toss me out, his big, rough hands slide up to my face. His touch is a paradox, hard yet tender, calluses grazing my skin as he cups my cheeks. My heart’s a wild thing, slamming against my ribs.

He strokes me, thumbs tracing my jaw, eyes drinking me in like he’s committing every curve to memory. Then he lets go, snagging my right hand instead, lifting it to his mouth. Slowly, he kisses each finger—one by one, and I’m melting, my legs trembling, a puddle forming beneath me.

I’m a wreck before he speaks.

“You touched yourself that night with these hands. These gorgeous fingers were deep in your pussy. I want to taste them. I want to taste you.”

“Oh…” It’s not what I expected, but fuck, it’s everything I’ve craved. This could be a dream, and if it is, I’d rather die than wake up.

He drops my hand, jabbing a finger toward the door. “Walk out now, Penelope, before I cross that line.”

I don’t budge. I stand there, rooted, staring up at him. Defiance sparks in my eyes and he sees it, because next he asks, “Have you been with an older man before?”

“Yes.” My voice is breathy but he’s been my god for too damn long. The thought of him finally seeing me is a drug, too potent to resist. “Yes, I have.”

He nods once like he’s closing a deal and his eyes shift, sizing me up anew. “Then you know they only want sex. Nothing more.”

It’s my warning to bolt. He’s tossing the choice at me, daring me to run. He’s twice my age, my boss, my dead best friend’s father. A line so jagged it could cut us both to ribbons. But I don’t care. I want the fall.

“You won’t hurt me, Mr. Vieri,” I say, cool as ice, though my insides are molten. If he wanted to break me, he could, and I’d still worship at his feet. That’s the hold he’s got.

“You willing to bet on that?”

“Yes.”

He swallows hard, the sound loud in the quiet, and his eyes rake down my body—slow, greedy, stripping me bare.

“Tell me,” I whisper. “You watched me. What else did you want yesterday? What do you want now?”

He drops my wrist. “To shove you on this desk, rip those panties off, and lick you till you’re screaming my name. Right here. Right fucking now.”

A shiver rips through me. “Then do it,” I say. “I dare you.”

I wait and then—

“Take off your heels and get on my desk.”

I bend to slip them off, but he stops me with a shake of his head. “No. Don’t look away from me. Understand?”

“Yes…” I catch myself, breath hitching. “Yes, Adriano.”

I kick off my heels, eyes locked on his, then hoist myself onto the mahogany desk. My breath is gone when he steps in and slots himself between my thighs.

“Push up,” he growls, and I obey, scooting back. He shoves my skirt higher, a hiss escaping him as he clocks my panties and suspenders. It’s black lace, daring, a gamble I took for him. “You’ve been dreaming of this, haven’t you?”

“Since forever,” I admit, voice breaking, raw with want.

His hand slips under my shirt. He finds my bra and pinches my already stiff nipples roughly through the fabric, and I throw my head back with a moan. It’s been ages since someone touched me, too damn long, and I’m unraveling fast.

“Jesus,” I gasp, not meaning to say it aloud, but he continues to viciously palm my breasts, kneading their fullness as hegrunts. “Fuck, you’re dangerously beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to fuck you?”

“I—I—” Words fail me, lost in the heat of his touch.

He shifts between my thighs and pulls his hand away, leaving me feeling bereft. But then he uses one finger to caress my folds through my panties, and I think I see sparks fly. Adriano leans down close enough for me to smell the freshness of his breath and the expensive cologne he wears.

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