Page 52 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

This time, a full grin stretched across Gio’s tantalizing, kissable lips. “You want to learn poker?” Amusement twinkled in his eyes.

I narrowed my own. “Are you laughing at me?”

“No.” His smile widened, and then he shrugged unapologetically. “Maybe.”

I huffed indignantly, and then Gio did something that utterly shocked me—helaughed.

The sound was deep and rich, reverberating through my entire body. My mouth fell open, and butterflies erupted in my stomach. I clenched my thighs together, suddenlyveryaware of the heat pooling between them.

The mountainous man’s shoulders shook with mirth until he contained himself, grinning that earth-shattering grin at me.

“What? Why is that so funny?” I had to purse my lips to keep from smiling.

Reaching out, he smoothed the thick pad of his thumb a whisper below my bottom lip. “You don’t have much of a poker face, Dolcezza,” he teased.

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on. “Is that a challenge?”

Gio’s eyebrow quirked up, and he leaned in closer, his scent enveloping me. “If you want it to be.”

My breath hitched as he reached for the deck, quickly shuffled it, and doled them out. His fingers brushed against mine as he passed me my cards. The simple touch sent sparks skittering across my skin, and I struggled to focus on the hand he’d dealt me.

“Alright, sweetness,” Gio’s voice dropped low, sending warmth blooming in unmentionable places. “Let’s see what you can do.”

GIOVANNI

I sat back, watching Kitania with rapt fascination as she studied her cards. Her delicate brow furrowed in concentration, those plump lips of hers pursing ever so slightly. Fuckin’ adorable. Every few seconds, her gaze flicked up to meet mine before darting away, like she couldn’t resist sneaking a peek.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. This woman was amusing the hell out of me without even trying. Just by sitting here, existing in my space. I watched her, studying every facet of her expressions as her fingers hovered over the cards in her hand, wondering which move she wanted to make next. The harder Kitania worked to school her features into a neutral expression, the worse her poker face became.

Chuckling under my breath, I reached out and tapped the tip of her tongue, which had poked out from between those full, luscious lips as she focused. Quick as a whip, without even a thought, she snapped her teeth at my finger like a feral littlekitten. The move was so startling, a boom of a laugh resonated from deep within my chest.

Instantly, she rolled her lips between her teeth, her shoulders hunching sheepishly.

“It’s nice to know you have some bite in you,” I rumbled in approval, drinking in the way her cheeks flushed that pretty shade of pink.

She sighed and shrugged slightly. “I’m often underestimated.”

“I have no doubt of that.” My gaze roamed over her petite frame, from the top of her dark hair down to the tips of her wiggling toes that peeked out from beneath the soft, fluffy blanket she’d curled up in. “Just means your super powers are a secret weapon.”

A shy smile curved her mouth as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t have superpowers.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Lowering my voice to a murmur, I let my words caress her. “You’re pretty damn magical to me.”

The flush on her cheeks deepened to a rosy hue that made me want to lean across the table and nip at that soft, warm skin. Kitania dropped her eyes, but not before I glimpsed the way they’d darkened—heated.

Fuck.She was too adorable for her own good.

We kept playing, the cards almost an afterthought, as I let her win hand after hand. I was too busy getting drunk on the happy little wiggles she did when she bested me, the bright sparkle in those sky-blue eyes. Hell, I was pretty sure I was winning—just at anentirelydifferent game.

An idea struck me then. One that would allow me to delve deeper into those fascinating layers that made up my mate while giving her a chance to do the same with me.

“How about we raise the stakes?” I suggested, watching the way her shoulders tensed, her cards drawing closer to her chest in a protective gesture.

An unsure little furrow appeared between her brows. “I’m not sure. What were you thinking?”

“Each hand we win grants the winner a question they can ask the other person. Anything they want to know.” A thrill of anticipation hummed through me at the hint of interest that flickered in her gaze.

She worried at her plump bottom lip with her teeth again while she considered it. Faster than I’d expected, she agreed, “Okay. I like the idea of getting to know each other better.”

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