Page 102 of Married with Mayhem

“I’m ready,” I whisper, eager to abandon Dragon Arcade.

Monte sets me unsteadily on my feet, but only long enough to stand and scoop me up. He’s so strong he can pick me up with one arm. My legs circle his waist and I hold onto his neck. He carries me through the living room and down the hall to the guest room as if I’m the weight of a pillow. This trip is far more pleasant than the time he slung me over his shoulder and sprinted up narrow tenement stairs at warp speed.

We’re kissing by the time we reach the bedroom. Monte Castelli’s kissing technique should be studied. Celebrated. Taught at prestigious institutions for a very high fee. Montekisses me and I forget which planet I’m on. This is powerful enough to be a weapon of war.

There’s a loud bang when he kicks the door closed. He breaks the kiss and sits me down on the edge of the bed but then backs up a step. He pulls his gold chain over his head and tosses it aside, along with the wet shirt that was balled up in his hand. Monte opens his pants slowly, watching my reaction.

I tell myself there’s no reason to be shy. We’ve spent a lot of time in this room over the past two weeks. We’ve slept in each other’s arms here. We’ve fooled around endlessly and we’ve both enjoyed an assortment of orgasms.

But never like this, with the cloudy grey daylight filtering through the blinds covering the room’s two windows. Odd as it may sound, I have yet to get completely naked with him.

Monte’s eyes remain on me as he removes the rest of his clothes. When he’s down to only his boxers, I know it’s time to quit sitting here and gaping in silence as if I’m watching a play.

I get to my feet, take a breath, and then pull my shirt over my head. Monte’s eyes drop immediately to my breasts. The white satin bra I’m wearing barely contains them and is actually less than comfortable.

He’s still staring. Waiting. His boxers are still on and I can see how hard he is, how much he wants me. This should make me feel less self-conscious. Maybe in another minute it will.

With my fingers unsteady, I undo the two buttons on my skirt. It takes a few tries but then the skirt falls to the floor. I’ve been embarrassed by my hips since puberty. They’re too obvious, too flared. Finding pants that fit right can be a challenge so I stick to skirts.

Monte’s gaze roams hungrily down to my light blue cotton panties. I wish I’d worn black panties. Or red. And this is far from my sexiest bra. Why wasn’t I better prepared?

Can’t be helped now. And Monte doesn’t appear to care about the color of my underwear. All signs point to the fact that he’s plenty interested in what he sees.

But wonder of wonders, my freaking bra is stuck. I fumble to unclasp it with both hands. I’m positive I look less seductive by the second. Watching me undress is probably like watching a slapstick sex comedy. For my next trick, maybe I’ll face plant.

“Come here, baby.” Monte slides one arm around my waist. With his other hand he tips my chin up. He kisses my forehead with gentle reverence. Then he kisses my lips with unrestrained passion.

I’m lost when I feel his tongue. Angst and insecurities melt away. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, not with him.

I can feel his fingers unhooking my bra. He slides the straps from my shoulders and I lower my arms to help it fall. He lifts me up and a second later he lays me down on the bed.

Then he decides to take his time. He stretches out beside me, leaning on one elbow, and he just stares, combing every inch of my body with his penetrating gaze. I’m far from the first naked girl he’s seen so there’s no reason why he should be so captivated but little strands of self-doubt begin to knot together. My arms cross over my chest, flimsy shields that don’t hide much while his smoldering eyes rake my skin.

Monte’s eyebrows pinch with displeasure. “Don’t do that,” he scolds, moving my arms away. “I’ve waited a long time to really look at you. Let me look.”

“Trust me, there’s nothing out of the ordinary.” I’m having trouble squashing the instinct to grab the nearest blanket and cover myself.

Monte’s expression turns downright severe. “There isnothingordinary about you.” He runs his hands over my thighs and a low moaning sound rumbles in his throat. “Brina, you’reso fucking exquisite it’s unreal. You’re an actual goddess. Be proud of your beauty.”

His hands explore my skin and suddenly stop on my lower right belly. I tend to forget about my surgical scar. It’s hardly visible.

“Appendicitis,” I say. “The day of Luca and Anni’s wedding.”

“I know that.” He starts tugging my panties down. “I’m the one who drove you to the hospital. Remember?”

“I remember,” I whisper.

The smile he flashes has the power to unlock my heavily guarded heart. My panties are gone now. So are his boxers. And holy hell, is he packing.

I mean, I already knew Monte was big. Obviously. His cock has been in my mouth. There are no surprises.

Monte takes note of my wide eyes. His brash smirk is resurrected and he pointedly raises his eyebrows. “Are you ready to play our game now?”

Fuck yes. I’ll play anything he wants to play.

“What are the rules?” I ask.

“This one requires an accessory,” he says. “Hold on.”

---