Page 11 of Blackmailed Marriage

Aria didn’t know why that mattered to her. It hadn’t concerned her before. Every time he stayed home, he’d go to his own bedroom where he was probably sleeping. This time, he was asleep in her room and she couldn’t help but glance over at him. His eyes were still closed and without anyone to bear witness, she couldn’t help but take this opportunity to look at her husband.

Dante looked so … sexy.

He wore a pair of pajama bottoms, no shirt, showcasing his fully inked upper body. She hadn’t looked at him for any length of time. She often tried to avoid anything that would bring them too close. He was muscular. The ink couldn’t hidethat, but she could imagine he didn’t have much of a choice. He would have to be strong to gain the reputation he’d gotten over the years.

He was a handsome man. She knew there were a lot of women who would be very happy to share his name. Who would love to be close to him. Even if it was for one day a month.

“You’re awake,” Dante said.

She gasped.

She’d been so distracted by his chest, leading down toward his pelvis, that she’d failed to see him wake up.

“You’re in my room,” she said, wanting to distract him from the fact she might have been caught ogling him.

He didn’t move.

His gaze was on hers and where she would normally try to avoid looking at him, she felt in a trance, unable to look away.

“What happened?” Aria asked.

She needed to talk.

“I heard,” Dante said.

“Heard what?” Had there been an attack? A threat of an attack?

“Your conversation with your sister.”

“Oh,” Aria said. She tried to think of what she talked to Isabella about, and then it all came flooding back.

Was he talking about the sex? She felt her cheeks start to heat. She hadn’t exactly been complimentary, far from it.

“I, ugh, I…” She didn’t have a clue what to say. Was it wrong to tell the truth? “It’s like that for a lot of women,” she said.

“I know,” Dante said.

She licked her dry lips. This was not a conversation she ever intended to have with her husband. She didn’t like sex. She didn’t get the hype and what drove people crazy about it.

“Can I use the bathroom?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She was a little taken aback that her request was granted, but she pushed her blankets off and tried to make her escape quickly while walking at a normal pace. Her heart raced as she entered the bathroom. She pushed the door closed and went to the toilet. Once she was finished, she washed her hands, and then couldn’t help but glance at her reflection.

Her face was red. She couldn’t help but wonder if her lips were a little swollen from the kisses she and Dante had shared last night.

Kisses.

She had completely forgotten about that first true kiss. There was no way the kiss on her wedding day could even compare. This had been a real kiss—hot, sexy, and one she couldn’t deny felt amazing. Yet, it had been a kiss.

She brushed her teeth, then took care of her hair. She splashed cold water on her face to gain control of herself.

Dante was in her bedroom. Maybe this was all a silly dream she was going to wake up from. She pinched herself, expecting to wake up.

Only, she still stood in her bathroom, holding a towel, with her fingers tight around her flesh. This wasn’t a dream.

Dantewasin her bedroom.

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