Page 32 of The Roman's Woman (A Singular Obsession)

She drummed her fingers on the table. “So, since it has come up, I have to speak to you about the money. I need to know that whatever happens between us, it won’t affect the lab’s funding.”

Gio perked up. “Does that mean you’re considering going out with me again?”

“No—I mean I don’t know.” She bit her lip. “God, just answer the question, please.”

He sat up straighter. “Do you honestly believe I would jeopardize your livelihood or that of the people you work with for any reason?”

He sounded angry. Slightly ashamed, she shook her head.

Gio’s shoulders drooped. “You earned that grant. You deserve it, and I’m not going to take it away because you don’t want to be with me anymore.”

He sounded heartbroken.

“I didn’t say that.”

He leaned forward. “So…dinner tomorrow night?”

“We’re having dinner now,” she reminded him.

“And tomorrow night, too?” he asked in a hopeful voice.

His boyish grin was completely disarming. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath. Despite what he’d done and her petty desire to continue punishing him, she did miss him. What if she gave him another chance?

He would be on probation, of course, and this time she would be vigilant. She wouldn’t take anything at face value. If he lied to her again, she’d take Kelly’s advice and kick him in the balls. And she could kickreallyhard.

“If we do this, we start over. You get one, and I meanone, more chance,” she said, holding up her index finger.

Gio put both hands on the table, his shoulders dropping in relief. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. When I said start over I meant from the beginning.” She took a surreptitious look at their fellow diners and leaned in. “That means no sex. As of now, we are strangers who are on their first date.”

He was unfazed, an irrepressible grin lighting up his whole face.

“I’m serious,” she whispered. “No sex.”

That lasted about a week.

Chapter 12

Damn Italian must’ve drugged me.

Sophia gripped the counter she was sitting on with one hand. The other was busy pulling the hair on Gio’s head, which was currently buried between her legs.

“Oh, God!” she cried, as his tongue circled her clit before biting down on it gently.

One of his hands was stroking her pussy lips, two fingers buried deep in her sheath. She shuddered and moaned as they stroked a sensitive spot.

She didn’t know how this had happened. They had been arguing just a minute ago in the car. Richard had been calling about her father’s Chevette again, instigating yet another argument between her and Gio when all of a sudden they had been kissing—a heated clinch with tongues and teeth that had them climbing all over each other in the backseat of his town car.

Thank God it had tinted windows.

Getting to Gio’s place was a blur. She barely recalled being ushered out of the car. His hands had been busy under her skirt, and she had come close to being fucked in an elevator.

It had been a long ride to the penthouse.

She remembered him opening the door to the place, but for the life of her couldn’t remember how she’d ended up sitting on the marble countertop in the kitchen getting oral from a billionaire.

Gio had been lent the glorious apartment by a friend of his from university so he could stay in town to “court” her. The place was ridiculously large with a dozen rooms, including a private gym and a home theater. Last night she had watched a blockbuster new release in there snuggled in Gio’s arms.

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