Page 51 of Little Dove

His gaze darkens further. “Amara, you have no idea how much I’ve held myself back to keep from frightening or overwhelming you. So yes, I would call all of this tip-toeing.”

Before I can remind myself how stupid of a question it is, I blurt out, “And what does not tip-toeing look like?”

He stills as he stares at me, unblinking. Then, like a switch has been flipped, his hand comes up and wraps around the back of my neck in a possessive grip. It’s my turn to still, and my heart pounds wildly in my chest as he uses the other hand to press against my lower back, pulling me forward so that our faces are mere inches apart. My hands seek purchase in the fabric of his dress shirt, curling and holding myself steady.

“Possession, Amara. Complete and utter possession. The kind that reminds you all day, every day, that you’re mine. Where I mark you over and over again; a physical warning for them, but also a reminder for you in case you ever doubt or forget. The kind that will always know where you are, who youare with, and has no fucking problem reminding anyone and everyone that you’re taken. The kind where you’re in my bed every fucking night for the rest of our lives.

“A bed where I will give you every possible pleasure I can, to show you what you’ve missed out on. What you’ve been needing from me, and only me. No other man will ever enter your thoughts while you’re with me, Amara, because you’re going to be my sole priority. I will be the first and only man to hear your cries of pleasure, your pleas for more, and the one you beg to stop when you’re sure you can’t take any more. But I won’t stop,colombina. I won’t let you shy away from anything I give you. I will push you to your limits, I’ll hold you when you eventually fall over them, and then I’ll do it all over again. Because there is nothing that will stop me from having every single part of you, Amara Stanley.

“I will push you and push you until I know your every thought, your every fear, your every joy. I will be the one to remind you of your strength when you’re at your lowest. I will be the one you reach for when you need assistance or comfort. I will make sure that I’m so deep under your skin that you will never be able to get me out. There will be no more waiting until you’re ready for me, Amara. No more taking it slow and easy to help you trust me. I will demand your trust, I will demand your submission, and I will demand your passion. Because everything about you belongs to me, Amara.Everything. And no one keeps me from what’s mine. Not even you.” Then he tilts my head back so his mouth can come down on mine.

God, this man and the way he messes with my head. I need to push him away. Tell him this is not happening, that he can take his ideas and fuck off. But his tongue sweeps into my mouth, his grip tightens as he deepens the kiss, and all rational thought evaporates.

I’m swept away into a vortex of passion and desperation. I’m not sure which part of that is me and which is him, or if we’re both feeling the same things. All I know is I need more. I need it all. I need everything he’s offering me. I vaguely hear fabric ripping as I claw at his chest to get closer, desperation making me crazed.

Lazaro moans into my mouth, his grip firm enough to leave bruises as he kisses me harder, demanding more. Then I feel myself falling backward, his hand on my neck coming up to cup the back of my head, protecting it from smacking against the table. My hands move from his shirt into his hair, refusing to let him up or pull away. He gives me what I demand, then he nips at my lips, making me gasp at the sharp sting.

He takes that chance to pull his mouth away, letting my hands fall down from his head. He catches them, caging both my wrists in one hand and yanking them above my head. I gasp in surprise, but I’m too far gone to feel anything but the desire burning through me. I see lust in his dark eyes as he takes me in, pausing on my breasts before coming back to my face. “So fucking pretty,” he rasps. “And all mine, aren’t you,colombina? All of this, laid out for me, ready to let me do whatever the hell I want, because you know I’m the only one who can make you feel this way.”

I don’t know what he wants me to say to that. Or if he even wants me to say anything. I only want him to kiss me again.

He chuckles darkly, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking, and even though I’m embarrassed, I don’t have the capacity to care. Instead, he leans down again and whispers, “I can’t wait to take you in this exact position, naked and open for me. I bet you’re so wet right now, aren’t you, Amara? So needy that you don’t know what to do. But you know you want more, don’t you? You want my mouth, my hands, anything I can give you.”

“Lazaro,” I whisper, not sure what to ask for. I’m not innocent where sex is concerned, considering my history, but this is the first time I’ve ever actually wanted someone this way.

“What do you need,dolcezza? Tell me,” he coaxes, his other hand moving down my thigh, gripping it tightly and pulling it up around his waist, opening me. “Tell me what you need, Amara, and I’ll give it to you. Anything. All you have to do is tell me.” Then his mouth is back on mine, and I struggle against his hold on me, needing to get closer, needing to touch him.

I moan into his mouth when he once again sweeps his tongue inside of mine, trying to follow his lead. Suddenly, he releases my arms, and I swiftly lower them to wrap around his neck and cup the back of his head in one hand. God, this man can kiss, and I love it. Who knew that I’d ever like something like this? Maybe it’s just because it’s him. I don’t really care right now. All I want is more.

I wiggle my body, moving my legs so they can wrap around him, even as he moans and his hands come down to cup my ass. He lifts my hips up off the table and presses me tight to his body. I feel his hardness, setting off another shockwave of need inside me, and I moan into Lazaro’s mouth.

“Fuck I love that sound,” Lazaro grits out as he pulls his mouth from mine abruptly. “I need to hear it when I’m deep inside you, Amara.”

“Lazaro,” I whimper.

“I have you,colombina. I have you,” he assures me. Then he presses his mouth back to mine in a quick, hard kiss. His grip on my ass tightens, and I moan again when my center touches his; I can feel his erection pressed tight to parts of me that are starting to come alive. Parts I hadn’t realized existed until this moment. I want more of it. I want more of this sensation, more of this desire, and more of him. More of everything only he seems to be able to give me.

“As entertaining as this little show is, some of us still have to eat at that table,” a voice says loudly, full of amusement. “Lazaro, Papa and Pietro are looking to speak with you. You might want to wrap this up before they come snooping around, asking questions you might not want to answer.”

There is nothing like a cold dose of reality to remind you exactly where you are, what you’re doing, and with whom. I freeze, ripping my mouth from Lazaro’s and turning to find Urso standing with Zeno and Massimo, all three of them grinning wildly before they keep on walking and shut the door behind them.

I’m too shocked to really comprehend just how bad this is for a few long, tense seconds, but when I do, everything turns to ice inside me. What the fuck am I doing? What theever-loving fuckam I fucking doing?

Before I can even attempt to shove Lazaro away from me, he eases me away from him and back into a sitting position. Then he grips my chin between his thumb and forefinger, staring intently down into my eyes. “We’re not done, Amara. Not by a long shot. I meant every fucking word I said. We’ll finish talking about this later.”

Then, in a move that has me reeling, instead of leaning down to kiss me again like I’m sure he’s going to, he presses a tender kiss to my forehead before he eases away and turns to walk out the door, barking at Mario to stay with me at all times. Then he’s gone without another look back.

I stare through the open door, everything inside me screaming to run. I am clearly in danger of allowing yet another man to walk all over me, but something stops me. Some other part of me wants to know more. Wants to see just what he has in store, and if it will be as intoxicating as what just happened.

The most dangerous thing about it is that that part of me might just be winning out. I can’t let that happen. I hop off thetable, knowing what I need to do. Lazaro is going to be pissed, but I don’t care.

17

AMARA

“I’m almostafraid to ask what you’re doing,” Rori remarks as she follows me into Lazaro’s bedroom. I’m on a mission, and since I ran into her on my way here, I’m recruiting her. “But I’m too intrigued, and no way can I pass that up when I can see how pissed you are. So how about you fill me in on your little plan?”

“I’m moving,” I tell her simply as I head into the walk-in closet.

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