Page 45 of Caesar DeLuca
“You put your lifestyle first.”
“You sound disappointed.”
I shake my head. “Who am I to judge when I chose my solitude over everything?”
“But you had a good reason. You needed the time away,” he says. “You’ve got me thinking maybe I need some time away.”
“The same man who was checking the roads earlier?”
“You don’t want to know why I was checking the roads.”
“Enlighten me. I’m dying to know what it could be if you’re not ready to leave?” A satisfied smirk comes to my face as I’m sure I’ve backed him into a corner.
Then I find out how wrong I am.
Caesar pins me with a fixed stare, his bowl of chili forgotten about. I’m captive as he does, going still in my seat. “Because I need to get away from you if I’m going to control myself. I’m not sure how much longer I can… and I won’t let myself take advantage.”
My jaw drops and my insides run cold. Then immediately hot as desire lights me up. I release a shaky breath and realize it’s time I confront what I want. It’s a realization I had come to last night, but was too drunk to do anything about.
“What if…” I swallow, gathering nerve to be honest. “What if I wanted you to take advantage? What if I wanted you to lose control?”
He scrubs his jaw and releases a lone chuckle. “Ariana, be careful what you’re saying.”
“No,” I snap. “Because I want it. I… I want you. If you really want me too, then… do it. Have me. Right now.”
The gauntlet’s thrown. The challenge has been issued. My words hang in the tense air, waiting for Caesar’s next move.
He takes his time.
His chair scrapes against the kitchen tile as he scoots back and stands up. The look in his eyes arrests me. It holds me captive, paralyzed by the intensity I find in the deep blue shade. The moment begins to feel like a precursor to something else.
Something that’s about to change everything.
“Get up,” Caesar says.
“Caesar—”
“Get up, Ariana.”
I rise to my feet, a beat of exhilaration thrumming inside me. I’ve stopped breathing, so keyed into the moment that I’ve forgotten how. Caesar grabs my hand to lead me out of the room.
From that point on, it feels like I’m dreaming. We can’t be about to…
“This is crazy,” I say. “I was kidding?—”
Caesar abruptly stops and pushes me back against the wall in the hallway. He comes in close ’til I’m sure he’s about to kiss me.
“I’ve held back, Ariana. But you’ve told me I don’t need to anymore.” He presses his mouth to mine in a hot kiss that has his tongue lashing at my own. He draws back just enough that his breath’s a warm tickle against my lips. “I intend on making every thought I’ve had about you come true.”
I’m speechless, lost by what he means. What thoughts has he had about me?!
I gasp a second later as he squeezes my hip and then drops kisses to my throat. I’m backed against the wall with nowhere else to go. No means of escape as Caesar grinds himself into me and I feel his hard appendage poke my lower belly.
…he’s erect. Very erect.
And we’ve barely touched each other yet.
“Tell me you want it,” he insists. “Tell me right now, Ariana. Tell me you want to feel me inside you.”
