Page 26 of Promise Maker

I splay my hands, becoming hysterical. “I have tobury my dad. I need to sort out his affairs. The service. I have to make surethey place him next to my mom.”

“Listen to me!” Domenico grips my arms. “You’renot going back. It’s not safe.”

“But Dad’s memorial—”

“My father is taking care of it. He’ll arrangeeverything. You’re not going back. I won’t let you.” His gaze hardens, and sodoes his voice as he declares, “I’ll never let you go. Never again.”

His words stun me.

“Never again?” I repeat. “What does that mean?”

Slowly, Domenico releases his hold and looks away.

“You know my favorite meal, how I dress, themakeup and perfume I use, and that I like photography. Francesca says you’vebeen stalking my IG.”

Domenico combs his hand through his hair andcurses in Italian.

“If the promise you made in the garden was sosilly, why were you doing that all these years? Why didn’t you forget aboutme?”

“Because I can’t,” he growls, looking at me again.

I gulp at the way he clenches and releases hisfists repeatedly, heaving like an animal eager to ambush its prey.

There is unmistakable lust shrouding his body.

Holy shit.

Domenico wants me.

The organ behind my ribcage starts to sprint as hecreeps closer.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think about you,”he grates, desire dripping from his voice. “Solari…” His tone is different.It’s as if he’s unmasked.

I shudder as he carries his hand up my bare arm ina slow and deliberate motion, waking carnal heat between my thighs.

“I’ve thought about doing things to you,” he adds,and that raw confession makes my pussy throb.

A gasp slips out when he clutches my throat, histhumb pressing in, but not enough to hurt me.

“What sort of things?” I murmur unexpectedly.

“Filthy things,” he rumbles near my mouth.

I moisten my lips. “You would’ve gotten theconsent to do those filthy things to me had you showed up two years ago aspromised.”

Something flicks within his gaze.

Domenico releases me and backs away.

My flesh longs for his touch. I fight forcomposure and ask, “Why didn’t you come back as planned?”

Jaw tightening, he swallows hard and slants fromme. “I did return.”

“What?” The shock from hearing that widens myeyes. “When? Why didn’t—”

“My father and I met with your father,” heconfesses. “I told him about my promise to you. I asked for his blessing.”Regret falls over his face. “Mr. Brigham refused. He said we didn’t know eachother enough.”

“But…we could have spent time together. I wantedto know you, Domenico. I was waiting.”

---