Page 64 of Controlled

I leaned over, biting my lower lip. “Don’t tell anyone but I snuck into her room one day when I was maybe fourteen or so, finding it hidden underneath a jewelry box. It was a beautiful picture taken at a little table in front of what appeared to be the most gorgeous turquoise ocean I’d ever seen. The sand was pearlescent white, the sky bright blue. They looked so happy and I could see why she’d thought him very handsome. All dark and foreboding looking. Kinda like you.”

He laughed but I could sense he was more curious than ever. “And you don’t know his name.”

“Why are you so interested?” I took another sip, feeling another wave of heat between us. My nipples hadn’t stopped aching, the electricity something famous romance authors wrote about in their books. Besides, the kind of connection we shared didn’t occur for girls like me.

“Perhaps because of your comment hoping for a knight in shining armor.”

“Well, from what little she said, he wasn’t one of them. He told her he loved her then disappeared.”

“She said that?”

“The vanishing into thin air part, yes, but the love came from what was written on the back of the photograph.”

“Which was?”

“Mi hai rubato il cuore, bel fiore. Un giorno ci incontreremo di nuovo e sarà per sempre.” I whispered the words in Italian, which surprised me as much as opening up around him.

“You’ve stolen my heart, lovely flower. One day, we will meet again and it will be forever.” He translated the words from Italian easily, including faking a slight accent.

Another surprise.

“Yes. How did you know?”

He grinned and took the flute from my hand, the crackle between us intensifying when our fingers touched. With a seductive smile on his face, he plucked the strawberry from the glass, slowly easing his arm over the table. He didn’t need to command me to open my mouth. I found myself leaning over the table, opening my lips into a small but perfectly rounded O.

The smile on his face was more devilish as he rubbed the juicy fruit around my lips three times before tenderly pushing it into my mouth.

I took a nibble then another, noticing how aroused he seemed, his chest heaving all over again. The moment and his actions were entirely too intimate but pulled me further into the magic I’d mentioned.

“Because, my perfect dancer, I was required to learn several languages as a child.”

As I chewed, I thought about what he was saying. “Your father?”

“Yes. He was a harsh taskmaster among other things, including being a gifted yet tortured man.”

“What other talents do you have?” My instinct told me he had no desire to relive his childhood. And I wasn’t certain I was ready to hear what horrors he and his brothers had obviously suffered.

“Mmm… Let’s see. Paddle boarding.”

“Athletic.”

“Boxing.”

“Oh, lots of aggression.”

“Sky diving.”

“Far too dangerous,” I huffed, returning to my champagne.

“But what is living without experiencing danger?” He slowly lowered his gaze to his drink and we both watched as he swirled the glass back and forth ever so slowly. When he lifted his chin, his eyes piercing mine, I felt as if I’d been pulled into a delirious vacuum. “And I do play a mean piano concerto.”

“My. You are very talented. Aren’t you?”

As he threw back his drink, I realized my pulse was racing. He pushed back his chair, tossing his napkin on the table and standing with purpose. When he extended his arm, as if he was a gentleman instead of the devil, my pussy reacted first. The deep, intense throb made me lightheaded, my entire body swaying and I’d yet to stand.

“I’m also an accomplished dancer. Ballroom. Jazz. Salsa. You might be surprised. While you’re my perfect dancer and will dance for me alone, not tonight. Tonight is about us. Come join me.”

Us.

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