Page 40 of Modern Romance March 2025 (5-8)

While his softly filthy words had pushed her to climax, the restlessness hadn’t quite left her. She’d still lain awake long into the night, wishing she could wrap herself around him. Wishing he would hold her.

Not that she’d admitted that part to him.

Now she could feel his gaze run down between her shoulders, following the deep cut of the gown. Her body, tired and socialized out, came alive with a thrumming buzz, as if he’d planted one of those erotic chips under her skin and activated it by remote.

Relief and anticipation were such strong currents running through her that she laughed a little too loudly at something her companion said. A snake charmer type if she’d ever seen one.

The handsy scoundrel grinned down at her, his extrawhite teeth making her retinas hurt. She sighed.

Her husband was more than an hour late, and for a few moments, she’d been worried that Adriano might not even show up. “Oh, you know how much Adriano hates this kind of fake schmoozing,” Fabi had said, in a throwaway comment upon arriving a couple of hours ago.

When Nyra had stared at her in shock, she had tangled her arm through hers. “But clearly, he let you throw this huge party for him, Nyra. It’s not like mother or father ever celebrated his birthday growing up.”

“They didn’t?” Nyra had asked, suddenly feeling as if she’d stepped in a minefield that was Adriano’s relationship with his parents. Blind, at that.

“Nope,” Fabi said, and drifted into the gathering.

All evening, doubts had crowded her mind. But she’d committed herself to this path and she would see it through.

Suddenly, the memory of her father throwing extravagant parties for big shots he was courting, with her mother playing happy hostess, came to her.

Adriano might not personally like parties—he was as much of an introvert as she was—but this kind of socializing and networking was necessary for his social standing. Wasn’t it? Especially since she’d called his loyalty, his dependability, his honor into question by mucking it through her own background.

Whatever harm she’d caused his standing, and it was a lot according to his mother, she was determined to do her part in smoothing it over.

“I think you’ve danced long enough with my wife,” a sudden voice said behind her, dislodging the snake charmer’s hand from around her waist.

Nyra blew out a sigh. Apparently, the fact that she was pregnant didn’t dissuade the man. But she hadn’t learned the sophistication of how to disentangle herself from him without causing a scene.

All evening, he’d flirted outrageously with her, even though Nigella said he was interested in Fabi and that she should encourage his pursuit of her sister-in-law. Not that she could see the spirited Fabi liking the smarmy fucker.

“You’re frowning,cara. Maybe you prefer your previous partner.”

The thin thread of irritation in those words made her head snap up. Adriano’s mouth was pursed in displeasure, that thick vein in his temple standing taut.

A slow, dizzying heat unspooled in her veins as she leaned back to better take in his thick brows, that blade of a nose and the sensuous mouth. The scent of him filled her lungs and it felt like the first free breath of her day.

Behind him, the lights from the lakes and cottages suddenly shimmered brighter. Everything around her felt more beautiful, more alive, now that he was here.

It took a few moments for his words to sink through the instant haze of desire he spun around her senses. “What? Of course not,” she said, laying a hand on his chest.

Unlike every other man here, he’d already discarded his jacket and tie and rolled the cuffs of his white shirt back. She clutched his wrist with her other hand, the contrast of thick muscle and hairy texture giving her the tactile pleasure she’d needed all day.

She wished he would pull her closer and let her feel the solid warmth from his body.

When he simply stared at her, she said, “The only reason I entertained that snake oil salesman is because Nigella said his family was important to yours.” She wisely left out the whole arrangement for Fabi thing, not wanting to start a mini family battle in the middle of her party.

His lips twitched, and the rigid tension with which he held himself broke. Although he didn’t fully smile. “That is an apt description of him.” His fingers tightened over her waist. “I thought you were taken in by him, the way you clung to his every word and laughed.”

“The only reason I laughed so much is to hide my shaking knees. I could sense you around, Adriano. And you still have the effect of making my knees quake just by landing your gaze on my flesh.”

The gray of his gaze shifted to a glorious dark green, like rain-washed leaves in the deep of autumn. Shock flickered there along with something else. Why did he always look so amazed when she admitted how his one glance could affect her? It was the one place where she’d always been honest with him.

Leaning in, not caring how tacky it might be to cling to her gorgeous husband in front of everyone, she kissed his cheek. His stubble met her lips and she had to rub her thighs compulsively. Remembering how he had inflamed her inner thighs with the same stubble. “Happy birthday, Adriano.”

“Grazie, Nyra.”

He held still when she went on her toes and wiped at the smudge she had left. “Just so you know, I’m leaving a little behind.”

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