Page 13 of Protected By the Mafia

“I brought you here because you are special,” Cristiano said, his voice rough. “If your family’s too fucking stupid to see that, then I’ll be your family from now on.” He moved a hand to the inward curve of her hip, his fingers slipping beneath the hemline of her shirt.

She couldn’t help her moan at the brush of his calloused fingertips against her skin. Never mind that her body wasn’t nearly good enough to be touched by his. She was innocent, not naïve. She knew what the hard length pressing into her lower belly was. The excitement of which was only heightened by his words still rattling around in her brain.

Cristiano bent down and ran his nose up the length of her neck, inhaling deeply. She felt the vibration of his groan through every point of contact between them. “You’re so goddamn tempting.”

Wasn’t this exactly what she’d wanted ever since she’d escaped that house? Why was she resisting now? It certainly wasn’t their age difference. Half the time she couldn’t even see the lines around his eyes that indicated he’d lived a few more years than she had. Her arms lifted and she latched onto his bicep with one hand and slipped the other over his shoulder. No, she was done hesitating. She was done chickening out.

“Cristiano,” she whispered. “I believe you….” She swallowed, stomping on her nerves as he raised his head to meet her gaze. “I want you.” Her fingers dug into him as if she were afraid he’d recoil with her words, but all she saw was a blazing desire. So she forced out the rest of the words he needed to hear first. “But you should know that I, well I’ve never … been with anyone.”

His eyes widened and his nostrils flared with a sharp breath. “What?”

She rolled her lip between her teeth. “I’m a virgin.”

His hand tightened over her hip and he dropped his forehead to hers, his chest suddenly heaving. “Fuck. I had no idea.” He dragged in another breath. “Exactly what have you done before? How far have you gone?”

An awkward laugh escaped her and Felicity found herself playing with the collar of his shirt. “I mean, I made out a couple times, and a frat guy grabbed at my boobs once. It was awkward and kind of uncomfortable.”

He shifted his weight, his full palm settling on her skin beneath her shirt. “And you trust me to do better?”

She licked her lips. She hadn’t imagined telling him that, so she might as well tell him the other thing. It counted, kind of. “I’ve also masturbated.”

He let out a strained groan and dropped his forehead to her shoulder.

“In your tub, earlier today.”

“Fuck, baby,” he said without lifting his head. “It’s your first time. You don’t want me to hurt you.”

“No,” she agreed, “but I don’t want you to treat me like I’m fragile, either.” Her heart thundered in her chest with every word, but she refused to take them back. She was amazed at herself for saying all these things, and mostly without stammering. It was important he knew how she felt. It was important he believed her.

It was important they got naked and sweaty, very, very soon.

Cristiano shoved his arm around her waist and rolled them over again without warning, this time landing her in his lap. She let out an involuntary shriek, shock blending with excitement at the movement. Her pelvis ground down on his as they settled and both of them groaned. Then he threaded his hand into her hair and brought her face up to his. “Last chance to change your mind.”

This is definitely crazy. “I won’t.”

She thought he might have growled, but she ceased to care when he crashed his lips to hers.

five

His Virgin Lover

A fucking virgin. Cristiano hadn’t seen that revelation coming. How the hell was this beautiful, overly kind woman still untouched? And she wanted to give that gift to him. He should have stopped her—lifted her off his lap and put space between them. He knew damn well he didn’t deserve a woman like her.

But he wasn’t so good a man as to listen to that kind of reason, either.

Cristiano tilted his head and pushed his tongue into her mouth, soaking up her taste as he crushed her to him. He had one hand buried in her thick brown hair and let the other drop to take a firm hold of her ass. Her weight shifted over him a little and she moaned into the kiss, her body melting against his. It was good that she’d told him. He wouldn’t have had the self-control to be gentle the first time he touched her if he didn’t know how important it was. Even knowing, compared to the sweetness of her on his tongue and the softness of her body in his arms, it was a struggle.

Felicity whimpered when Cristiano broke the kiss, her eyelids fluttering. Her lips were parted and swollen, her cheeks flushed, and her chest heaved as she gasped for breath.

He moved his hand to the back of her throat and stroked his thumb over her skin. “I’m going to indulge in you,” he said in something like a reverent whisper. “I’m going to claim every inch of your perfect body. Inside and out. Do you understand?”

She licked her lips. “Yes.”

He pulled her in, rocking her hips over his to drag his straining erection against her center. Her breath caught in her throat and she held him tighter. With his mouth hovering above hers, Cristiano asked, “Are you on birth control?” It seemed unlikely, if she wasn’t sexually active, but he also knew there were other reasons a woman might use some form of regular contraceptive.

Felicity leaned closer, seeking his lips. “I am.” She sucked in a breath and sat back, just a little. “I mean, I’m supposed to be. I didn’t exactly take my pill this morning.”

Cristiano chuckled and swept a hand up, beneath her shirt. Her skin was still warm and smooth beneath his palm. “Easily remedied. I’ll pick up some more of your supplies next time I go out. Won’t kill me to wear a rubber the first time.” It surprised him how intensely he didn’t want to. Raw sex was fun—most men understood that—but it was the idea of finding release inside her, of watching his seed spill out of her, that captivated him. That, and the thought that he didn’t want even such a flimsy barrier between them.

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