Page 75 of Bittersweet

Romy

Asleepy moan escapes me,and I slide my hand across the top of the sheet, snuggling closer to the warm body beside me. “Goodmorning.”

“Morning, Womy,” a small, giggly voice replies. A tiny arm tightens around my waist and that’s when I realize that I’m not cuddled up to Elio at all. Instead, I’m snuggling his four-year-olddaughter.

“Coco!” I sit bolt upright and remember too late that I’m naked. “Oh myGod.”

“You have big boobies,” shesays.

I laugh in exasperation and pull the sheet toward me, unseating her from her place on top of it. Coco giggles again as her tiny body bounces all over thebed.

“Did you have a sweep-ober wift my daddy the wholenight?”

“Er . . . yes, but he sleptdownstairs.”

“But he was in bed wift you when I came in at darktime.”

All the color drains from my face. I am so not ready for this conversation. Not before coffee. I adore this little girl, and I meant what I told Elio—I’m all in—but we haven’t discussed telling Coco. We didn’t discuss anything past“Don’tstop!”

“Did you have sweep-overs wift Uncie Marc too?” Her big earnest eyes stare up at me as if it’s the most innocent question in theworld.

“Oh God.” Heat floods my cheeks, and I bury my head in myhands.

“Coco, that’s enough.” Elio stands in the doorway. His smile is barely there, but his eyes tell me he finds his daughter’s question somewhatamusing.

Nothing about this is remotelyfunny.

“Daddy!” Coco sits up. Her dark chocolate curls have formed a bird’s nest in the middle of the night. It bobs, taking on a life of its own as she shakes her head. “Womy and me were hawving big-girl talks. You’reinterwupting.”

“Oh, really?” Elio says, shooting me a questioning look. I shake my head emphatically. “Well, don’t let me stop you. I just came to tell you that your pancakes and babycino areready.”

“Ooh, cino,” she crows, and her words are flecked by the most adorable Italian accent the way her Aunt Bianca and Sophia speak. Coco jumps off the bed and runs through the door. “Later,Womy.”

A startled laugh escapes me as I watch her go and then turn my attention back to her father. He’s doing some watching of his own, his dark eyes hooded with lust. A thrill runs through me, and my insidestighten.

“And you, young lady, I have coffee for you,” he says, crossing the room and climbing on thebed.

“Really?”

“Mmhmm.” Elio crawls up the length of my body and lowers his hips, wedging himself into the space between my thighs. “Andsausage.”

“Sausage?”

“Mmm, big, thick, hot sausage.” His throaty whisper brushes the shell of myear.

“Oh,” I moan. “Sausage is myfavorite.”

“Is it now?” He pivots his hips, eliciting another moan from me as his scratchy beard brushes my neck and his teeth nibble my earlobe. My head falls back against the headboard and I bite my lip. Elio’s cock is hard as he pushes against me, the fabric of his sleep pants offering little protection against hisheat.

“Yes, oh God. I lovesausage.”

He chuckles, low and deep, and his hips do another full revolution. The ache in my core intensifies. The pressure of his crown against my clit turns my insides to jelly and I rock against him, seeking more, wanting more, desperate for him to slide into me. He’d meet no resistance because I’m wetter and hotter than I’ve ever been for anyman.

“Are you two coming or not? You’re slower than the hare,Daddy.”

Coco’s words douse us in ice water. A second before she cried out, I was flame. I was heat, and passion, and I’m really going to have to get used to not letting this man touch me when his gorgeous daughter isawake.

“Slow and steady.” Elio sighs as he collapses against me and then presses a kiss to myneck.

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