Page 105 of Empire of Temptation

Now I was grinning. “You liked it when I called youdaddy.”

He winced. “Why did you say it to me?”

“I suspected you might like it. After all, you were calling melittle girl.”

His hand reached for me. “Come here. I want to make sure you are okay.”

I scooted closer. “I’m fine.”

“I will see for myself.” He rose up on one elbow and leaned over me. His fingers skimmed my right nipple, then the left. “Sore?”

“A little. A good sore, though.”

Humming, he bent and pressed a soft kiss to each taut bud. “And here?” Moving lower, he inspected my clit. “Did I hurt you?”

“No. Maybe don’t do that every day, but it was like fire when you let go.”

He gave my clit a kiss, as well, then kept kissing my labia. “Fiore mio,sei bella e dolce.” Then he straightened and ran his fingertips over my cheekbones, along my nose. “Nothing could compare to how beautiful you are right now. You make the moon weep with jealousy, the stars cower in shame. It’s like you were born to be fucked outside.”

Grabbing his tie, I yanked him down for a soft kiss. His lips moved over mine sweetly, reverently, and neither of us tried to deepen it, content to breathe each other in. Something had shifted between us tonight. This wasn’t a casual fling—I felt so much more for this man than I’d intended—and I sensed that he may feel the same.

“Luca,” I whispered against his mouth. “Is this crazy?”

Silent, he dragged his thumb across my bottom lip, a gentle sweep back and forth. Warm, adoring eyes stared down at me, a dark fathomless gaze that sucked me in and held me captive. I never wanted to look away.

Without warning, he pushed up and held out his hand. “Come. I want to fuck you again at home.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Luca

Iwoke slowly, my head struggling to free itself from the grip of a nightmare. In the dream I was with Valentina at my beach house, playing with her in the blue ocean water. Then the water around her turned red, her eyes becoming dull and lifeless, her body limp in my arms.

Cristo santo. I didn’t have nightmares often, thankfully, but when I did they were never about the woman in my life. What in god’s name had brought this on?

Opening my eyes, I stretched my arms. Last night was fun. After the cemetery, Val had been insatiable until around two o’clock, when we both fell into an exhausted sleep. I came twice, her five. My dick was worn out today, not even showing signs of morning wood.

I peeked over at her. She was on her side with her arms wrapped around a pillow. Tangled brown hair was thrown every which way, her naked back smooth and perfect. I had a strong urge to move over there and hold her tightly until she woke up. It wasn’t sexual, either. It was an emotional need.

Luca, is this crazy?

It was clear what she had been asking. Were we crazy for indulging in each other, for developing feelings for someone we barely knew? Valentina was young, inexperienced. It stood to reason that she might grow attached to me.

But I knew better. There had been plenty of women—singles, doubles. A number of triples. We’d fuck for hours then fall asleep in an orgy of limbs. And I never had the urge to cuddle with any of them, not once.

But something about this girl brought out a different, gentler side of me and I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

I grabbed my watch. Cazzo, it was already ten o’clock. I needed to get up. Deciding to let her sleep, I edged out of bed and found my mobile on the nightstand. I had to shower before I went downstairs, so I crept to the bathroom, not making a sound. I closed the bathroom door softly and turned on the water to let it heat up. Then I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and blinked.

My upper body was covered in scratch marks and . . . Were those hickeys on my neck? I chuckled as I stepped under the hot spray. My woman was aggressive in bed and I liked it.

Bracing my hands on the tile, I let the steam and heat work on my sore muscles as the water poured down on me. I needed a cappuccino, then I had to check in with my brothers about the search for Segreto. But all I could manage at the moment was to close my eyes and stand still.

The glass door opened. A soft pair of breasts met my back and arms wrapped around my waist. “Hey, baby,” she mumbled sleepily into my skin.

“Amore mio. Buongiorno.” I turned and brought her close to my chest, my face buried in her hair. “I was going to let you sleep.”

“It’s okay. I’m a light sleeper. I heard you get up.”

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