"Last one," he says.

Smack!

"Ten! Oh, ten! Ooh!"

"Would you like your reward now, Francesca?"

"My...?"

"You endured ten. Would you like to come?"

My sex is throbbing so hard I can’t even think. "I… I…?"

He smirks. "I think I will be sad if you say no."

"Oh. Oh, yes. Yes. Please."

He turns me to my side, then sticks out his tongue and takes a long, slow lick, ploughing through my wet folds. Wasting no time he plunges two fingersinto my pussy. I arch my back andslam into his thrusts. In the mirror it looks like I am bouncing on his lap, my breasts jiggling hard.

"Oh. "Oh. Oh. Oh, my... Oohhhh! Oh God...!” And just like that, I climax.

I never... I never knew I could come so hard. Or so fast!

Valentino gathers me into his arms and deposits me on the bed. I curl up like a peacefully sleeping cat. In the mirror, I can see my ass is bright pink. Valentino is taking his clothes off.

“What stage are we at?” I ask.

“We’re at the stage where I fuck you from behind. It’ll hurt, but don’t worry, you’ll like it.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

FRANCESCA

Iwake up the following morning smelling of the cocoa butter lotion that Valentino rubbed on my burning skin. My bottom is still sore, but I feel more relaxed than I have in days.

I’m reminded of the reason by the heavy arm draped around my waist. Even asleep, Valentino’s hold on me is tight, like he’s scared I will disappear. A few days back, the fear may have been valid, but right now, it’s not. The thought of leaving him burns a hole through my heart. I tell myself I’m crazy to give myself so completely to him, but somehow, I want this marriage to work. There is something here. Something special. I may be inexperienced, but even I know, this is not normal.

No one I know has this.

An image of Thomas flits through my mind’s eye, and I remember the way he scurried away. A little furry animal saving itself. All I feel is a strange sense of detachment. When Nonno told me I’d be marrying Valentino Barone, I was heartbroken. I promised Thomas I’d end the marriage in two years, and he said he would wait for me. But now that seems so far away, so strange. What man allows his love to marry another man for twofreaking years while he waits patiently in the background. The answer is clear. A man that is not in love.

“Hey.”

I turn my head to meet Valentino’s translucent gray eyes. In the morning, they take on a smoky appearance, like rolling fog over a meadow. These are the little things that feed my attraction to this unknowable man.

“Hey,” I smile at him.

“How’s the bottom?” he asks.

“I’ll live.”

He pulls me closer and kisses my lips softly before pressing a chaste one to my forehead. “What were you thinking about?”

There’s no way I’m telling him I was thinking about Thomas, so I waive his question with a joke. “Are you going to give me a penny for my thoughts?”

Valentino sighs heavily. “Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am, but there are no pennies in my wallet.”

I gasp. “A poor Barone? I never thought I’d see this day.”