Page 48 of His UnBearable Touch

He couldn’t deny her. Not then. Not ever.

Stripping off his clothes, Valerio moved under the steady fall of water until he took her hand and pressed it over his wildly beating heart.

“They told me they had been contacted with an opportunity to play in France. Paris, to be exact. Now,” she managed the hint of a smile, “if you had asked me before that day, I would have said Italy would be my choice of perfect destinations.”

His bear nearly purred at the thought of taking her home to Italy, rolling about inside of him like a cat full of milk.

“But the chance to play concerts in Paris?” He heard the dreamy quality in her voice and smiled. “I couldn’t wait.”

He felt the shift in the room, as if the water had suddenly turned cold.

“Lance was thrilled, he was already talking about what sights we would see before our concerts, when they told him that the invitation was for me. Just me.

“He laughed it off. Gave me a hug. Took me back to the apartment. When he took me into the bedroom,” she blushed, her cheeks turning a ruddy red, “I thought we were going to celebrate.

“The first time he hit me, I stumbled back, knocked the lamp off my nightstand, broke my wrist on the frame of the door. He kept yelling at me. How ungrateful I was. He was the one that made our duets sound good. How I was trying to leave him behind. How I didn’t love him enough.

“I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to make him stop. I begged him to stop.”

She lifted her hand, bringing it closer to her forehead where a strand of hair and fallen forward, heavy with water. Valerio brushed the lock back from her face and took her hand in his, adding it beside the first on his chest.

“I tried to remind him that he could still go with me. His parents had already promised to send it to Europe after he’d finished his studies at Julliard.” Her voice was giddy, almost gleeful but he felt the tension in her hands and arms. “I talked about how we’d planned to see Europe together.”

The world seemed to slow down, the warm fall of rain slowing until individual drops sparkled like jewels in the air. The beauty of the moment left him cold when she spoke again.

“So, he told me that I would never get to see Europe.” She drew in a breath, slow and thready. “He took a hold of my hair. Twisted it in his fist. And he threw me into the window.”

He tried to move closer, to take her in his arms, but she held him back for a moment.

“I have a vague memory of his face, reflected in the window, the fury on his face the moment before the impact.

“Right before I felt the pain and heard the window shatter, I had one regret. That I would never see the face of my husband… or my children.” Tears rolled her down her face. “And then I felt the pain and then all I could worry about was living through the nightmare.”

“And you did.” Valerio could only feel thankful in that moment. His mate had gone through hell and had lived through it. That she’d survived all of that pain and still had the ability to love with an open heart. “Now, let me help you to live the life you deserve, my love.”

She shook her head, remaining silent for a moment. “I’ll still never see your face… or our children,” she added, before she found a smile to share with him, “but I’ll still have hugs and kisses enough for all of you.”

“All of us?” He loved hearing the joy returning to her voice. “How many is all?”

“Four?” She shrugged. “Six?” Her laughter was like a caress, stroking all over his skin, turning his hardening erection to heated steel. “Too many?”

“I told you that I would give you whatever you want, Stellina.” He took hold of her hands again, drew them down over his stomach, watching her bite into her lower lip as her fingers bumped down over his abs, tracing through the thickening trail of hair until her fingers touched his rock-hard length. “I’m ready to start when you are.”

She opened her mouth and instead of words, he saw the pink tip of her tongue sweep over her lower lip.

“It’s up to you, my love.” Valerio meant every word. If she wanted to wait for years before he touched her again, he would do what she asked. Having her in his life was enough, more than enough to make him happy. “I just want to make you happy.”

“Well, if that’s that case," she smiled and he could see a little mischievous twist at the corner of her lips, “then love me, Valerio. I want you to touch me… everywhere. Ever since I read his card, I’ve felt like he was touching me. I don’t want to feel him on me anymore. I want to feel you… all over me.”

He couldn’t find the words to tell her how she made him feel, but his bear pushed a growl up through his throat and they saw her smile.

Backing her up against the wall he felt her hands stroke his cock, one following the other from the base to the head, over and over. His hips flexed, the muscles in his backside tightening as he struggled not to thrust into her hands. Her hand swept over his head and he groaned. “I want to be inside of you, Allegra.” She wrapped one hand around the base and the other slipped below to cup him gently in her grasp. “I need to be inside you.”

“Not as much as I need you.”

He took a steadying breath but couldn’t bring himself completely under control. “I will try to be gentle.” He could hear the rough tones in his voice. His bear was just under the surface, pushing hard, demanding they fill her… give her a child… make her happy. He just didn’t want to hurt her. No one would ever hurt her again. “I will try.”

She laughed, her voice a counter-melody to the rhythm of the water falling over them. “If there’s anything I’ve learned from what happened to me, Valerio. I’m not made of glass. You don’t have to be gentle.” She sighed and leaned forward, brushing the tips of her breasts against his chest. Allegra moaned when his next breath brushed his skin against hers. “In fact, I was really hoping you wouldn’t do that at all. Hard. Fast. Until you’re so deep inside me we’ll never be apart.”

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