Page 55 of Broken Bonds

“Wait until you see what we’re going to have for dinner,” he replies. He looks gorgeous. This new Lionel with messy, clean hair, without a drop of gel, and a trace of a beard does things to my lady bits. “Then you can hang a gold medal around my neck.”

A giggle bubbles up in my throat.

“Frozen lasagna,” I reply, looking again at what is in front of us. “I suppose you didn’t have much free time with all the stuff you did.”

He smiles, making the butterflies flutter again. “I’m a resourceful man. I should remind you, Mrs. Kral. You can’t build an empire without learning a trick or two.”

A smile is drawn on my face without being able to help it. “Don’t tell me you cooked for me, I feel special.”

“Good, you’re special,” he says full of conviction. “And speaking of food, everything is burned to perfection and ready to serve.”

My eyes are still glued to the front. Lionel has set up a white screen he must use for his presentations on one side of the pool. On the opposite side, there’s a pedestal with a projector. A blanket is spread out on the ground with some cushions. The patio lights are off, so the space is only gently filled with the gold ambient lighting coming from the house.

The atmosphere is romantic, seductive. I should walk away, go to seek refuge in a closet or under the bed, maybe even run away to Carrollton, but I’m staying. With him.

I take his hand and stand on the balls of my feet to kiss Lionel on the corner of his mouth.

“Thank you,” I mumble as I try to walk away, but his right arm is already around my waist holding us chest to chest.

The entire planet has disappeared. I can’t hear anything other than the beat of my heart.

His hand goes down my back, something deep inside me vibrates to feel his need, his desire. Oh God, soon one of us will end up crossing the Mississippi and I’m afraid it’s going to be me.

“Stella,” Lionel has only said my name, but it feels like he has said something more seductive, let’s take this party upstairs. “Hvezda, there is so much I want to tell you, so much I want to do to you.”

His fingers tighten on my behind, while he brushes his nose down my face, then down to my neck.

“What are you waiting for, Big Bad Wolf?”

“This savage is trying to be a gentleman,” he replies, his lips on my skin, marking my skin with his heat. “Dinner and wine, remember?”

“Did this toad really become my charming prince?”

A laugh echoes in his chest, vibrating mine as well. “No—a lion, the king of the jungle. But keep in mind, Stella, however tame he is, the lion will always be wild.”

Now I’m the one who laughs. “Ooh, I’m so scared.”

Of course not, what I want is for dinner to end soon so we can move this party upstairs.

“We should eat, I’m hungry.” And the tone of his voice makes it clear to me he isn’t precisely talking about the food, whatever it is he made.

God have mercy on me.

“Feed me then.”

“As the lady wishes.”

“You didn’t lie, dinner in a box,” I tell him when I see what’s sitting on the blanket, the cardboard square in front of us that holds our meal. Lionel is standing behind me, his arms around my waist. I drop my head onto his shoulder, delighted to smell the scent of his cologne. I want to give in to the mystery and him. My favorite combination.

Dreaming is free… yeah, I know the hustle is sold separately. And it’s becoming harder to fight as my feelings get deeper for him.

His fingers entwine with mine as we walk close together, our shoulders brushing. A soft cool breeze is blowing, but I don’t feel it. It’s warm and cozy in between his arms.

“One of my talents is skillfully pressing numbers on the phone and ordering takeout,” he whispers in my ear. “And movie night is not complete without pizza and beer.”

Netflix and chill, right? That means sex in the middle of the movie, without worrying about the ending.

I already want him to do the other things his fingers are skillfully good at. His hands are on my belly, and even though there are layers of clothing separating us, my skin is crying out for his touch.

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