Page 27 of His Passerotta

I turn to him with narrowed eyes, and he returns it with a wink and a smile. Then he stands.

“Come on.” He holds out his hand. “It’s late. Time for bed.”

After staring at his palm for a few seconds, I gingerly take it and let him help me up. He leads me to a bedroom that looks way too big and way too Anthony to be the guest room. It reminds me of La Divina, with its low lighting and red accents. Did he use the same designer? Or did he do it himself?

“Would you like something more comfortable to sleep in?” he asks, his breath kissing my ear and making me shiver.

I look down at my clothes. Jeans and a hoodie aren’t exactly comfortable, but I don’t know what he has in mind, and I don’t really want to find out. If I take my bra off, I’m certain he’ll see how hard my nipples are right now, and I’ll die before he knows the effect he has on me. I’m already picking up on his enjoyment for teasing me.

“No,” I say at last. “I’m good.”

“Suit yourself.” He walks around me, his gait so confident it’s intoxicating. He disappears into a closet while I shuffle over to the bed.

Is he going to sleep in here with me? In the bed?

Or is he going to make me sleep on the floor?

So many possibilities.

I pull my hoodie over my head and toss it to the floor before straightening my tank top. I’m taking off my shoes when he struts from the closet in nothing but a pair of boxers, scratching at a day’s worth of stubble as he comes to the bed.

He isn’t looking at me, seemingly lost in thought again, but when I catch his eye, he lowers his hand from his face, his stare aimed at my chest. My flesh heats immediately, and I cover myself before he has a chance to see it turning red.

He blinks and looks away, clearing his throat before throwing back the comforter.

“There’s a pair of cuffs in the nightstand drawer.” He points at my side. “Get them.”

“What?” I move several steps away from it, as if I’ll be cuffed just by standing too close.

Handcuffs?

No.

Fuck no.

Suddenly, I’m aware of one more scenario, one I can’t believe I didn’t already think of.

He could be like Finn. He could… Oh fuck, he could rape me.

“I said I didn’t think you were a spy. I never said I trusted you.” He motions to the nightstand. “Hurry up. I’m cranky when I don’t get my beauty sleep.”

He sits on the mattress and pulls his legs beneath the sheets before looking at me expectantly. I don’t budge.

“Seriously?” he asks. “You’re gonna make me force you?”

“I’m not letting you cuff me.”

“And I’m not letting you stab me while I sleep, so one of us has to concede. I happen to be a lot stronger than you, so…” He pats the space next to him, his lips twitching with another smile. My fear is amusing to him. Great.

“Why do you want to sleep with me?” I eye the spot beside him. “Why not put me in a guest room or something?”

“Does it seem like I have a lot of relatives crashing at my place while in town? I don’t have a guest room, sweetheart. The other bedroom is a home gym.”

“The couch then.”

He considers this for a second, eyeing me up, then his lips stretch into a devilish grin. “Are you afraid of me, passerotta?”

“I don’t even know you.”

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