Page 64 of King of Sinners

I shiver in the warm water and that’s when the shower door opens.

Mason steps in, the rippling muscles of his body making my breath catch. “Hi.”

“’Lo,” he murmurs as he closes the door and then closes the distance between us. He’s got me crushed against him, his mouth covering mine before I’ve barely taken a breath.

I cling to him as he kisses me over and over, his strength under my hands calming my racing heart.

“Are you all right, sweetheart?”

“I’m fine…” I know my breath catches on the words. I was fine. I held it together. Cleaned up the mess. “Or at least I was until I stepped into the shower.”

He nods like that makes sense. “You were good as long as you were busy.”

That’s probably it. I slide my hands over the ridges of his biceps, the water making our skin slide in the most erotic way.

My worries start to fall away again, and when his mouth captures mine in a long kiss, I forget to be afraid.

Keep busy. Makes sense. Does Mason understand as he slides a hand from my waist down to my rear end, cupping it in his palm and pulling our hips tightly together? I can feel the strong press of his erection against my stomach as I use one of my legs to twist about his, binding us even tighter together.

My hands are in his hair, holding him as close as I can. I don’t even realize I’m crying until he swipes a thumb over my cheek. “Charlotte.”

“I’m all right. It’s just water.”

But his hands on my body ease, relaxing. “You have every right to cry, but I need you to know, I’m not letting anyone hurt you. Not now, not later, not ever.”

The words make my chest tight. If I close my eyes, and I do, I could almost believe that what’s been happening between us is real. Mason was so protective today because he cares.

I want to believe it so much because I know my feelings have definitely taken a turn. I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love.

My heart stutters at the realization and I pull back to look up at him, water from the rain head running down my face.

He reaches for my face, using his large palms to swipe the water away.

“Please don’t let the Italians or the Dukes…” My voice catches again. I feel nearly as raw as I did that first night.

He’s back to holding me tight. “You are mine, Charlotte. Mine to protect.”

I nod. I know that. We have an agreement. “They were so close today.”

Grabbing up the soap, he quickly washes me and then himself, shampooing the dust from his hair. My hands skim his body the entire time because touching him keeps me grounded, sane.

When he turns off the water, he opens the door, a rush of cool air filling the shower before he wraps me in a towel.

Then he lifts me in his arms, carrying me out of my room and into his. “Where are we going?”

“My bed,” he answers. “It’s larger and I think I’m moving you into my room anyway. We end up sleeping together every night regardless of where we both start.”

I blink down at him, trying not to read too much into those words. But they sound like he’s planning on me being here for a while. Hope replaces the fear.

“Why did you agree to have me pretend to be your fiancé? What do you get out of that arrangement?” I don’t even think about it before I ask.

He stops in the middle of the room. “Your virginity. You know that.”

His words are so plain that something in me unwinds, relaxes. “And after?”

“I told you in the shower. I’m not allowing anyone to hurt you ever, Charlotte.”

More plain words that have me melting into him. My arms around his neck, my hands in his hair, I kiss him again, our tongues tangling together as the kiss grows and builds.

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