Page 38 of The Mafia's Surprise Gift

“Wow,” I breathed out, letting the information answer all my rising questions. “You’re a pretty good bodyguard if no one even knows you’re there.”

“I try.” Jian’s smile was shy, awkward, like he was expecting me to blow up at him.

Truthfully, knowing he was connected to Rocco and Dino just made him a little more sexier. Maybe it was the danger aspect, or the ease with which he could slot into my fantasies now.

“I understand you’ve asked Rocco and Dino to leave you alone, and that same rule will extend to me.”

“Damn right, it does,” I snapped, then I sighed and slumped a little against the door. “You’re from a different world. All of you. All I care about is keeping my son safe, and you three are in the” —I lowered my voice— “Mafia. I can’t have that kind of danger around my son. I’m not part of any of that. I’m just…”

The disappointment was building as reality settled heavily across my shoulders. My sexy store man who was supposed to help me get over Rocco and Dino was now part of the same puzzle, and I was back to square one. We were fated to be kept apart.

And yet, with my earlier fantasy still on my mind and my pussy aching each time I shifted my thighs, my resolve was crumbling. Would it be so bad if I just gave in?

“I understand.” Jian stepped forward, drawing up to his full height. His eyes darted back and forth between my own, and then he raised one hand. His soft, warm palm cupped my cheek and tucked hair behind my ear, then he ran the pad of his thumb over the swell of my cheek. My breath caught in my throat, and I gripped the door so tightly that the edge imprinted a groove into my palm.

“Jian—”

His lips pressed against mine, and for a moment, he tasted as sweet as the caramelized sugar scent that rolled off him. His lips slotted perfectly against mine, and the kiss was light, a brief passing of contact. Only Jian didn’t pull away like I expected. As I kissed him back, he suddenly leaned into the moment and deepened the kiss. His hand caressed from my cheek to my hair, where he grabbed a fistful and held me in place. As he pressed forward, my head tilted back slightly, forcing my body to bow into his. My heart rate increased, fluttering so loudly that I was certain Jian must be able to hear it.

His tongue swiped across my lower lip, and then he pulled away. Jian stepped back, curling his lower lip into his mouth as if savoring my taste. I did the same, chasing the phantom press of his lips against mine.

“I had to do that,” Jian said quietly. “Just once.”

I couldn’t speak. I could barely think.

Jian turned and headed back down the path toward the silver car parked in front of my house, and I slowly closed the door. A rush of tingles swept down my entire body, and I groaned, slumping back against the door.

If I gave in… what was the worst that could happen?

16

MAE

“Fuck them,” Denise remarked rather emphatically. “You need to go out on the town, let your hair down, and find some random, nameless schmuck to fuck you. That’ll get it all out of your system.”

“You were the one who told me to fuck Jian,” I pointed out, smiling as I held up the only sexy dress I’d brought with me. It was light green with a cinched waist and a sexy slit up one leg that would let anyone glimpse too much of me from the right angle.

“How was I supposed to know he was connected to the man you want to avoid?” Denise scoffed and vanished from the Facetime call for a few seconds. She then returned with a glass of wine in hand. “Look, all I’m saying is that you spent this long telling me all the reasons you need to stay away from Rocco, including a few that you’re not telling me, and that’s fine. If you need a distraction, then find someone boring and normal whose name you won’t remember in the morning.”

“I don’t know if I’d find anyone like that out here.”

“That’s why you should wear that sexy little black dress.”

“I didn’t bring it.” Lowering my arms, I turned away from the mirror and shot her a sad smile. “I didn’t think I’d be coming here looking to get laid.”

“Rookie mistake,” Denise replied. Her deep red lipstick left a half-crescent moon on her glass and she pursed her lips together. “I mean, you look fantastic in the green. It just looks a little more summer date night than late-night fuck.”

“I’m nervous. Is that weird?” I’d booked myself a night alone at a restaurant, set on wining and dining myself—alone—for the first time since Zack had been born. The night was being encouraged by my mother who, in her words, was tired of me moping around the house and wanted me to go out and have some fun.

The way she’d spoken, you’d think there were a bunch of nightclubs littered around town that I could go to.

“I don’t think it’s weird,” Denise replied. “When was the last time you spent some time with yourself?”

I sighed and set the dress on the bed, then dragged both hands through my long hair and scooped it on top of my head. “Uhm… too long to think about,” I said, turning back to the mirror. “I don’t know if I’m more nervous to get attention from someone or more nervous to not get attention. Does that make any sense?”

“Perfect sense.” Denise leaned closer to the camera. “Speaking from experience, the perfect man for you will find his way into your life when you least expect it. And what better way to tempt fate than to go to dinner, treat yourself to a good night as a gorgeous, single woman, and see what fate drops into your lap?”

“You’re only saying that because you're engaged.”

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