Page 104 of The Boss

I grinned and bit in the sugary masterpiece, purposely making yummy noises. He couldn’t seem to help himself, advancing in two steps. When he wrapped his fingers around my wrist, I didn’t fight him from bringing the sweet treat to his mouth. Even the way he munched on food was sexy as hell.

Dimitrios took his time chewing, licking his lips afterwards. But he wasn’t finished yet, bending his head and capturing my mouth.

I leaned into him, ignoring the tenderness in my side. Why was it that this kiss felt so much like a goodbye? He swept his tongue inside, his moves gentler than I was used to. When he backed away, he offered a mischievous grin. “You really should get some rest. With the funeral being tomorrow, I have a feeling it’s going to be a trying day.”

“What about the engagement announcement?”

His sigh was heavier than I was used to as well. The incident with my uncle had taken a toll. “Tomorrow as well at the party afterwards. My mother gave her blessing. She said if we were celebrating life, Leandro would want to be included.”

“Sounds… tragic.”

“Romantic. I thought you enjoyed romance. Beach walks. Flowers. Dinners.”

“You read my poetry.”

The corners of his mouth slowly turned up in a grin. “You can’t blame a guy for longing to know what his girl thinks about him.”

His girl.

It wasn’t quite a possessive, but I still sensed he wasn’t capable of letting me go.

At least for now.

“Come on. Let’s head back.”

“Before we go,” I said, stopping him. “Why the padlock on the gate? Is it so that your enemies don’t get through, attacking in the middle of the night?”

He glanced toward the break in the stone wall. “There used to be stairs. We took those out as well.”

“An attack?”

“A long time ago. Two men were lost in the fray, my mother and father threatened at gunpoint. To this day she still has nightmares. All four brothers got together, ripping the stairs apart with our hands.”

“I’m so sorry.”

His smile was waning. “It’s to be expected.”

“A sad state of living.”

“Not if you know how to handle each situation.”

Which he truly believed he did. While I’d experienced his grief and anger, two sides of the same coin, his determination had ruled. The man truly believed he could fight all odds no matter the danger.

Or the consequences.

“I hope to be your friend, Dimitrios. Maybe that’s too much to ask, but I think we could both use one.”

He rubbed his knuckles across my face. “I tell you what. We have a house full of people. How about I grab a bottle of wine, we enjoy a nice drive then take a walk on a secluded beach?”

“Sure. Why?” I sensed his suggestion wasn’t about romance.

“First of all. Because I’m the boss.”

Every word dripped of sensual innuendos, but also of a harsh reality that had consumed his life and was about to do the same with mine.

He moved beside me, shoving one hand into his pocket. “Also, because there are some things I need to tell you about my life.”

CHAPTER 27

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