Page 59 of Code Name: Dante

“Tell me, Lark. How do you want me?” I asked as I lowered her, reaching around to remove the denim from her body.

“I want us to be one, Alessandro. Like we’re meant to be.” She reached behind her and removed her bra, then stepped out of the jeans and panties I’d pulled down.

Lark, standing in front of me naked, was a dream I’d once doubted would ever come true. Yet, here we were. Not in a frenzy of untamed desire, but with the very intentional understanding that joining our bodies together was meant to be.

Her fingers gently unbuttoned my shirt while I unfastened my belt and zipper, then pushed my pants down like I had hers. Lark’s palms rested on my chest as I shrugged the sleeves off, leaving me as naked as she was.

Claiming her lips in a long, deep kiss drove all thoughts of uncertainty from my mind. Her breathless whimpers, how she reached up with one hand, weaving her fingers in my hair, holding me close to her, had blood surging to my already engorged shaft.

I gathered her in my arms and, for the second time, rested her body on the bed. She reached for me, but I didn’t lie beside her. Instead, I grasped each of her ankles and spread her legs apart before kneeling between them. Then I kissed her again, starting with her lips, then trailing down to her neck where I could feel her pulse pounding.

Going lower still, I lavished attention on both her breasts, and when her back arched and she mewled, I cupped her mound. Her wetness on my hand was evidence that her need matched mine, and when I parted her folds, thrusting one finger inside her pussy while the pad of my thumb pressed against her clit, she bucked, circling my wrist with her hand, but not to push it away. To keep it where it was, bringing her pleasure.

Unable to resist, I continued the trail of kisses down the center of her body, using my tongue rather than hand to continue my onslaught of sexual ravishment. When her body spasmed, her pussy drenched my mouth, and her fingernails dug into the flesh of my shoulders, I raised my body, aligning my cock with her opening. God, how I wanted to thrust inside her and feel the walls of her pussy clench my bare cock. Instead, I leaned up and kissed her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, pulling away.

“I did not prepare in advance for this,” I said with a grin.

Her eyes scrunched. “Oh.” She reached her hand to the side, motioning to the drawer of the bedside table.

“You’ll need to either let me up or open it yourself.” She grinned like I had.

“Really?” I asked with wide eyes, feeling like a kid who’d just been given the keys to a candy store. When I pulled it open and saw the foil packets inside, I nearly wept with joy. Raising my body, I tore one packet open, keeping my eyes riveted to Lark’s as I rolled the condom onto my hardness.

“I’d say you should thank Alice later, but I’m sure she doesn’t expect or want us to.” She winked.

I positioned myself between her legs for the second time, used my fingers to make sure she was ready for me, then eased my body into hers.

“I need more,” she whispered when I stilled.

“And I need a minute.”

She smiled and reached behind me, putting her hands on my ass. “Please, Alessandro.”

As tempted as I was to thrust hard, I didn’t. I wanted this to last, for both our sakes.

Reaching up with one hand, I rested my palm against her cheek and kept my gaze riveted to hers.

“Nothing in my life has ever felt this right,” she said, turning her head to kiss my hand. “Everything between us has been that way. You and I were meant to be together, Alessandro. I hope you believe that as much as I do.”

My blood surged, and I let go of my restraint, pushing in as far as I could go, then pulling out only to do it again.

I froze when I heard her say, “Wait.”

My eyes widened, and fear that I’d hurt her clenched my chest. “What’s wrong?”

“The position we’re in…”

I pulled out. “God, I’m so sorry.”

Amusement coupled with desire danced in her eyes. “You won’t be,” she said, pushing me to my back before straddling me, then sinking herself down until I was deeper than I had been before.

With our eyes still riveted, she gradually increased her tempo, steadying herself with her hands on my chest while mine held her waist.

We came together in an explosion of ecstasy and love like none I’d ever dreamed of. No matter what happened with our families, we’d sealed our mutual fate tonight. As Lark said, everything between us was right. We were meant to be together, and we would be.

I hadn’t been certain about much in my life, living in a way where every day was a crap shoot of whether I lived or died.

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