Page 68 of Temptation and Tyranny

Alarm bells went off in my head at her phrasing, but instead of panicking, I looked down at her, exploring every inch of her with my eyes.

“Of course, angel,” I said, notching myself at her opening. I waited for her to tense, but she stayed relaxed. I slipped inside slowly, waiting for a panicked reaction that never came.

Instead, I was met with nothing but the wetness of her willing flesh. I groaned, my eyes damn near rolling back into my head when I felt how tight she was. She was basically a virgin, mine for the taking. She’d never been with a man like me before, so in my twisted mind, I was her first.

That thought alone made me harden even more.

“Cooper…” she moaned, closing her eyes. “Oh, god, Cooper!”

I moved a bit faster, shocked at how well she was taking me. She was perfect, the best thing in the world to happen to me. I never wanted this moment to end. I never wanted to leave her bed. I wanted…I wanted…forever.

“I love you.” The words slipped out, but I didn’t care. It was the truth. Damn it, it was the fucking truth.

She didn’t seem surprised or upset. Instead, she opened up her gorgeous eyes and looked right into my soul.

“I love you too, Cooper.”

Afterwards, we lay tangled together, Allegra’s head resting on my chest, my fingers tracing lazy patterns on her back. The room was quiet save for the sound of our gradually slowing breaths, the quiet purring of her cat sleeping at the foot of the bed, and the distant hum of traffic outside.

“You okay?” I murmured, pressing a kiss to thetop of her head.

Allegra nodded, snuggling closer. “More than okay. That was...wow.”

I chuckled, feeling a surge of masculine pride. “Glad I could impress you.”

She propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at me with a mixture of amusement and affection. “Always so cocky. But you know, this doesn’t solve anything. We still have a lot to figure out. Even if…even if we are…”

“In love?” I finished for her. “I know. But can we just...enjoy this moment? Before we have to face the real world again?”

Allegra smiled softly, leaning down to kiss me. “Okay. Just for a little while.”

We lay there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, just basking in each other’s presence. But I could practically hear the gears turning in Allegra’s head, and I knew we couldn’t avoid the difficult conversations forever.

“What are you thinking?” I asked, running my fingers through her silky hair.

She was quiet for a moment, her fingers tracing abstract patterns on my chest. “I’m thinking about how complicated this is going to make everything. My job, your...business. How are we going to make this work, Cooper?”

I pulled her closer, wishing I had all the answers. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I know I want to try. We’ll figure it out together, okay?”

Allegra nodded against my chest, but I could feel the tension in her body. “What about your enemies? The people who are after you? I can’t help but worry...”

I tilted her chin up, meeting her gaze. “Hey. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. No one is going to hurt you, Allegra. Not while I’m around.”

She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “That’s sweet, Cooper. But you can’t promise that. Your world...it’s dangerous. And now I’m a part of it, whether I want to be or not.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. She was right, of course. By getting involved with me, Allegra had put herself in the crosshairs of some very dangerous people. The thought of her getting hurt because of me made me feel physically ill.

“Maybe...” I started, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. “Maybe this was a mistake. If being with me puts you in danger...”

Allegra sat up abruptly, her eyes flashing in warning. “Don’t you dare, Cooper Moreau! Don’t you dare try to push me away now, not after everything we’ve shared.”

I sat up too, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “I’m just trying to protect you, Allegra. If anything happened to you because of me, I’d never forgive myself.”

She cupped my face in her hands, forcing me to look at her. “I can make up my own mind, Cooper. I know the risks. And I’m choosing to be here, with you, despite them. So don’t you think for one second that you get to make that choice for me.”

I stared at her, marveling at the fire in her eyes, the determination in her voice. How had I gotten so lucky? And how the hell was I going to keep her safe in the treacherous world I inhabited?

“Okay,” I said finally, pulling her into my arms. “Okay. We’ll face it together, whatever comes. But promise me something?”

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