Page 49 of His Temptation
“Wow,” Kylie exhales as we walk through my penthouse. “This place is bigger than my entire apartment building.”
The comment makes my stomach tighten in knots for a brief moment as I think about her and her brother living in an unsafe apartment in Harlem. At least she’s moving soon. We walk through the many rooms of my home, each one feeling more overdone than the last. Why am I just now noticing how snobby and condescending the decorations in my place are? I need to talk to my designer about it.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I ask as we settle in my family room.
“Sure. I’d love a glass of red wine if you have it.”
“Of course. Take a seat. Make yourself comfortable,” I tell her as I move to the wet bar in the room. “I have many reds. Any certain country that appeals to you?”
When there’s silence, I glance up at a face that looks like a deer in headlights.
“I usually go for whatever’s cheapest.”
I chuckle at how cute she looks, appearing embarrassed right now. “It’s fine. With a last name like Ricci, I’m going to go for an Italian. Actually, I have the perfect one.” I reach into the wine fridge and pull out the bottle to show her before I cork it. “De’Ricci—a lovely winery in Montepulciano.”
She bites the bottom of her lip. “You have a bottle of wine with my last name on it.”
“Well, let’s not make it sound creepy or anything. But this family has the oldest wine cellar in history, dating back to the fourth century BC. It’s incredible.”
I pop open the cork and pour each of us a glass, then take a seat next to her on the couch.
“You’ve been there?” she asks, then takes a small sip of the wine and closes her eyes. “Mmm … this is really good.”
I watch her closely, wondering what it is about every move she makes that is so entrancing to me. My dick is even a little hard at a subtle moan from her.
“I have been there. Montepulciano is a medieval town in Italy. It’s truly an incredible place to visit. This particular wine is Nobile di Montepulciano.”
“You’re so … cultured. You must think I’m so boring. I’ve only ever left the city once, and it was for work with you.”
Her eyes cast down into her glass, and she suddenly looks self-conscious.
I tilt my head to the side and study her face. The one I’ve come to think about nonstop. “Boringis not a word I would ever use to describe you.”
“Oh, come on. You are this rich bachelor who can jet off to any country in the world and drink fancy wines. I go home and get excited to put on my pajamas and have a five-dollar bottle of wine while I read my book, all alone, or play board games with my brother. We’re worlds apart.”
My body leans into her without my permission as I get drunk on her now-familiar floral scent. “You want to know what I think?”
She looks up at me, our faces inches apart, and whispers, “What do you think, Mr. Monroe?”
I groan at her use of my last name like that. “I think you, Miss Ricci, are real. You don’t pretend to be anyone else but who you are. In my world, that’s hard to come by, and I appreciate it. I respect the hell out of you for it.”
The air between us crackles with unspoken words. I lean forward and close the distance, laying a soft kiss on her lips. Something odd happens as we kiss. My brain starts to feel like it’s spinning. Like I’m lost on some kind of ride that is making it hard for me to think or move.
Instinct takes over, and I place both of our glasses on the table and hold out my hand for her. She looks up at me with innocent eyes.
“For once, I want to do this with you in a bed, where I can take my time and appreciate every inch of you.”
With that, she takes my hand, and I lead us to my bedroom, which is lit only by the lights of Manhattan and is made up of floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the Empire State Building. The ceiling is high, and in the center of it is a large chandelier. The king-size bed has a cream upholstered headboard with a white duvet and cream pillows. The floor is all dark hardwood, and the walls have crown moldings and panels that give extra texture all around the room.
I bring her over to the bed and stop at the edge. For once, I get to take my time with her and get my mouth on every part of her. My dick is begging to feel what it’s like to slide into her pussy, but I’m not the kind of guy who deserves that from her.
I’m lucky enough to get these moments with her.
I place a hand on her lower back and pull her body against mine for another kiss. She parts her lips and rises onto her toes to meet my kiss. My lips graze her earlobe, and then I slide my teeth along it with a little force. Her entire body quivers in my arms. Knowing that each experience between the two of us isnew to her—something she’s never felt before—does something to me. That has got to be what makes all of this feel so good.
There’s no other explanation.
My fingers graze the bottom of her top before pulling it over her head. I work quickly to get rid of her bra, then pants until she’s naked in front of me. I swallow down the dry lump in my throat as I take in just how damn perfect she looks, standing before me like this.
