Page 29 of Lethal Lover

Valentina

My breath hitches, my skin pebbled with goosebumps under the pads of his fingertips. I should tell him to stop, to get his hands off me. But my body melts against him, the primal scent of him—danger mixed with sin and seduction—makes me dizzy with a whole lot of things I don’t want to acknowledge.

Because I can’t.

This mission is too important for me to be distracted by my fake husband. And Quinn is the epitome of reckless abandon.

Gorgeous as he is.

But isn’t that just like the Devil? Tempting you with smoke and mirrors so that you take a bite of the forbidden fruit, only to realize later that it results in your total and complete undoing.

That’s what will happen if I let myself fall prey to him now.

So I swallow past the lump in my throat and push him away even though my body hums with a rush of desire from his rough touch.

Ugh, when did I becomethisgirl?

My heart thrums. His fingers are still pressed into my hips even though I’ve put space between us.

He refuses to let me go.

His smile fades, his eyes boring into me like lasers.

Can he see what he’s doing to me? What he’s already done?

“Hey, hey, how about you guys get a room, huh?”

I jump away, forcing his hands off me. A deep flush floods my face with heat and I look around for the owner of the voice. A stunning redhead walks over to us from a corner of the observation deck. She’s holding the hand of a young girl next to her with thick, wavy auburn hair and dark eyes.

“Uncle Q,” the girl shrieks. She drops the redhead’s hand and runs over to Quinn. He lifts her into his arms,Dirty Dancingstyle, when she makes a dive for him.

I watch the smile on his face stretch from ear to ear as he spins her around. Jesus, did my ovaries just jump?

The woman grins at me before pulling me in for a hug. Her perfume blankets the air around us in a light citrusy scent. “Val, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.”

The hug catches me off guard but I lean into it. It’s been so long since I’ve been hugged. It feels good. Motherly. And I miss that so much.

She pulls back and holds me by my arms. Her bright-green eyes scour the length of my body. Perfect white teeth sparkle against her creamy skin. “You are absolutely beautiful. That dress is incredible.”

I can’t help but return her smile. “Thank you.”

“I’m Quinn’s sister, Heaven Villani. And that little girl being flung into the air is my daughter, Aisling.”

I turn to look at Quinn and his niece. They look like best friends reunited. It makes my heart flutter.

Dammit.

Quinn puts Aisling down on the ground and reaches for Heaven. He pulls her into a huge bear hug, and for a hot second, I’m a tiny bit jealous because speaking of heaven, that’s what his arms felt like wrapped tight around me.

Shit, shit, shit!

How is it possible that I’ve let this guy creep under my skin so suddenly? Am I really that much of a simp that a sham marriage ceremony and a ride on the Big Shot made mesoft?

My heart melts a little in my chest. There’s nothing sexier than a guy who faces his fears and shows some shred of vulnerability even though he could probably fillet a guy with a stiletto knife without blinking an eye.

Tingles dance over my skin when his eyes slide over me. They glitter with intent, sparkle with promise. And my God, does my heart do a dance in my chest in response.

Aisling holds out her hand to me. “Mom says you’re my new aunt.”

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