Page 16 of Mafia Men Need Love Too
“Yes.”
A fiery hot blush stole across her cheeks, making him very interested to know what kind of thoughts were bouncing around that big, beautiful brain of hers. If he didn’t know better, he’d say they weren’t of the clean and pure variety.
But eventually, she cleared her throat and asked, “What else will you force me to do?”
“Are you asking me about sex, fiorellino?”
She shifted nervously in her seat. “Yes.”
He let his gaze drop to her lush mouth for a second or two longer than what would be deemed socially acceptable. “You asked me at the club if I wanted to have sex with you. My answer was yes then, and that hasn’t changed. I’ll take you anytime, anywhere, any way you’d like. You need only ask. But I’m a patient man, fiorellino. I can wait until you’re ready. I’d never force you.”
There was that blush again. He was ashamed to admit how much he liked that color on her. “What if…I’m never ready for…that?”
One corner of his mouth quirked up involuntarily. By God, she did entertain him. “You will be. One day, you’ll beg me to fuck you. And I’ll oblige.”
Her breathing quickened, and for a split second, he thought she might ask another serious question. Instead, she blurted, “Did you know alligators have permanently erect penises?”
His brow furrowed. “Truly?”
“Yes. It lurks inside their bodies and then bursts out suddenly when the time of mating comes, almost like the alien burst out of that guy’s chest in, well, Alien.”
“Interesting,” he murmured.
“Um hmm. And there’s a mouse-like marsupial in Australia that copulates to the death. They just keep going until the male is so depleted in vital proteins that it dismantles his immune system. The males just drop dead after that.”
He shrugged. “I can think of worse ways to go.”
She swallowed hard. “Female ducks can keep the muscles in their vaginas so tight that penises can’t even get in.”
“That’s not very hospitable.”
“It’s not. Meanwhile, female kangaroos have three vaginas.”
“Seems gratuitous.” He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Ask me more questions if that helps soothe your nerves.”
After a long pause, she said, “The Russians told me you’re a killer. Are you?”
He sighed. The truth probably wasn’t going to win him any points this time. “I have killed, yes. No one who didn’t deserve it, but I’ll kill again if it means protecting what’s mine. I’ll happily destroy anyone who is a threat to you without suffering so much as a twinge of conscience, fiorellino. But I’ll never hurt you. You have my word.”
An emotion he couldn’t identify flashed across her features. Had he scared her? Was she disgusted by his willingness to take human life? He couldn’t tell. God, what he wouldn’t give to be able to read her beautiful mind.
A convulsive swallow rippled down her throat. “Would you…have sex with other women after the wedding?”
Well, that was an unexpected change of subject, but one he wholeheartedly welcomed. He waved the question off. “I have no interest in an open marriage. For either of us. I expect loyalty. And you can expect loyalty from me as well.”
Her eyes lifted to his, searching. He had no idea what she was searching for. She’d find no logical reason to trust him in his gaze. There wasn’t one. But he meant every word. When she was his wife, he’d remain loyal to her. Even if it meant he’d die with blue balls.
At least he’d be entertained with fun, weird facts he’d otherwise never know in the meantime.
She snorted. “Loyalty shouldn’t be a problem. I haven’t had sex in five years, and I’ve only been divorced for two, so I’ll just let you do the math on that one.”
Now that was maybe the most interesting thing she’d said yet. “Really?” Was her husband blind as well as dumb?
“It’s not a big deal. Jeremy was terrible in bed anyway. Not because of the micro penis. But just selfish, you know?”
So, he was blind, dumb, selfish, and had a tiny cock. Wow. Who had River wronged in a past life to be stuck with that? “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged and bit her thumbnail. “After a while you kind of forget what an orgasm is like and you don’t really miss them all that much.”
