Page 142 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 5-8

And he felt it now.

That need forwarmth.

Emma’s warmth.

Shock hardened him. His every muscle. His forearms strained not to hold her too tightly. The muscles in his chest held him back, restraining his every urge to push against her.

He’d needed no one. Never risked being emotionally involved to the point when someone could leave him. Abandon him. Emma had done all of those things. And yet, kissing Emma after so long...

Had he become emotionally attached to his wife? So attached that she was part of his survival?

The realisation was too much.

He did not want her warmth.

He wanted her heat.

Her sex.

He kissed her harder.Deeper.He thrust his fingers into her hair, tilted her neck to gain deeper access and he punished her mouth with his own. With his tongue. His teeth.

‘Dante...’ she panted, and he drank from her mouth. He kissed her with everything pulsing inside him. His wants. His needs.

But there was something else inside him. Something he didn’t want.

Regret.

Regret his lips hadn’t kissed hers for too long. That he’d abandoned his duty to maintain this fire. Worked,maybetoo much,when he should have been kissing her. Keeping her hot, ready and wanting.

Was that why she’d left?

It didn’t matter.

She was here.

In his arms.

His thumbs found her pebbled nipples beneath her blouse and stroked. Brushed them with the pads of his thumbs. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted them in his mouth. He wanted to suck. Tease. Until the hardened peaks pulsed between his lips.

He moved his fingers to the pearl buttons of her shirt and began to undo them. He did not release her mouth. He suckled her tongue. And she mewed for him.

He needed to know her again. Feel the suppleness of small breasts in his palms. He needed to taste her. Her skin.

His hands moved, unclipped their belts and then went to her hips, pulling her closer. Into his embrace.

Her breasts pushed against the white lace that held them in place, pushed into his palms. And he needed to be naked. He needed Emma naked. Skin on skin. He needed to be inside her.

He wrenched fabric between his fingers until he was scrunching it, pulling up her skirt—

‘Stop!’ She pushed at his chest. Tore her mouth from his. Firm fingers on his chest held him at bay. But her pupils flared into black disks. They told him the truth. She didn’t want to stop.

She wanted him. So why?

Panting, they stared at each other.

Something unfamiliar wound itself around his shoulders and pushed down. Why was she not smiling? Sliding over to him with open arms so he could pull her onto his lap? Undo his zip and release himself for her pleasure? For his? One kiss was all it had taken before...

‘I want to...’ She looked at her hands on his chest, and her mouth twisted. She pulled her hands away. ‘Talk,’ she announced, her breath coming in short, sharp rasps.

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