Page 28 of Fierce Protector

“It would be hard to disappoint me, Stefano. Especially with cooking like this. How did I not know you were this talented?” she asks between large, twirled forkfuls of pasta.

I place my cutlery down and reach over, wiping the splash of sauce on her chin with my thumb. That sexy little blush flourishes back to life when I hold it in front of her. I give her a moment for her to decide what she’ll do, and I groan when she wraps her plump lips around my thumb and sucks the sauce right off before releasing it with a satisfying pop.

That simple little interaction shouldn’t have turned me on as much as it did, but my cock has ideas of his own. The zipper of these pants does nothing to suppress my now-growing erection. The only thing that’s keeping it in check is the pasta bowl in my lap.

It doesn’t take long for us to devour the rest of the pasta, so I decide to make a discreet getaway to adjust myself and clear away the dinner. I grab a bottle of wine and some glasses and bring them back through, placing them down on the coffee table.

The rest of the evening passes in a sort of haze of relaxed domesticity. She moves me to the pillow mountain in the corner and curls up into my side, laying her head on my chest and trailing her fingers up and down the buttons of my shirt in a never-ending pattern. Like I’m her personal fidget toy. I have no complaints but every time the pads of her fingers veer too close to mybelt buckle, my cock twitches in anticipation, desperate to recreate the night before.

I have no idea how much longer I can hold out for before I pull her on to my lap and make her grind and ride me till we both come in our pants like horny teenagers.

Fuck it.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

KATERINA

Ilet out an undignified squeal as Stefano hauls me on to his lap without warning. Any confusion I might have evaporates when he grips my hips firmly and pulls me down against his rigid cock. I let out a feral whimper when his hard length grinds against me from clit to cunt.

I lay my hands on his shoulders, steadying myself against his broad chest. I claw at the fabric, irritated to have anything separating me from him. His dimple appears when he finally comprehends how much his clothes are frustrating me and he releases my hips to unbutton his shirt. His shirt parts wider and I take the opportunity to slide my fingers under the fabric, dusting my touch across his chest as I snake my hips, rubbing my pussy against his impossibly hard cock.

When he reaches the last button, he pulls out the shirt from his waistband and lets it fall wide open. He’s aglorious blend of lean muscle adorned with soft accents of hair that only make his physique more enticing. I don’t even try to hide how much the sight of him bared to me turns me on. I lick my bottom lip before pulling myself closer, running gentle kisses down the slope of his neck and nuzzling under his collar to nip and bite at his collarbone.

There’s something about his scent that drives me wild. It’s so rich and warm and welcoming. He smells like home. Safe, secure, and somehow sinful along with it. I let out a moan as I exhale, scraping my nails hard against the muscle across his shoulders.

“Be a good girl and take what you need from me,micetta. Careful of those claws,” he says with a wicked grin. “Unless, of course, you enjoy marking what’s yours.” His hands glide along my outer thighs, stopping when they reach the curve of my ass. He massages my cheeks before suddenly pulling one hand back and spanking me with just enough force to leave a delicious sting heating my skin. “I know I do.”

“Do that again,” I whisper so quietly that I’m not sure he’s heard me. I gasp in surprise when I hear the next strike a fraction of a second before the same warmth blooms on the other side. My eyelids drift shut as I sink into the sensation, revelling in the heat that radiates up my spine and through my core. My body takes control, seeking more sensation and rocking against him.

This hunger for Stefano Tiero feels urgent, like there’s no time and I’m so far gone for him that I’ve lost all reason. I don’t care that I’m still fully clothed. I just need to feel his hard body beneath me, giving meeverything I need to fall apart. Every grind of my hips brings me closer to detonating. My breaths become ragged, laced with desperate pants and wanton moans.

That wicked dimple pops on his cheek as I brush the head of his cock against my clit. “I can feel your hot little pussy teasing my dick. Keep this up and you’ll make me come so hard, sweetheart.” There’s a smile on his lips and a sweet agony in his tone. He’s almost as lost to this as I am.

“That sounds like a challenge,” I purr, my hips never stopping their unrelenting pace against him. Every motion brings me closer to the edge of orgasm, and from the pleasure etched on his face it’s obvious the same is true for him.

I don’t know how we got here, but clothes-on-rutting is turning out to be one of the most erotic things I’ve experienced and doesn’t hold a candle to the desperate fumbles I had as a teenager. Perhaps you need the experience of age to know exactly how you can torture your partner with understated intimacies.

The moment the first groan passes his lips, I’m done for. There’s nothing hotter than hearing how much your man is enjoying you. The low growls and husky grunts as he attempts to stave off his orgasm and hold himself still are my undoing. As I increase the tempo against his cock, his jaw clenches and neck strains, and I know I’ve succeeded in making him come first. It’s the last piece of the puzzle and exactly what I need to tumble over the edge of my climax. My body seizes in ecstasy and a flourish of stars dance behind my eyelids as I collapse against Stefano’s heaving chest.

His arms wrap around me in a tight embrace, and I nuzzle into his neck, resting my cheek against the rhythmic drumming of his pulse.

I’m unaware as I drift off to sleep, but I wake a little while later in my bed, wrapped around his warm, freshly showered body—the scent of his shower gel, heady and soothing. He’s naked underneath me and I revel in the heat of his skin as it warms my cheek. I have no idea how he carried me without waking me, but I close my eyes and drift back to sleep, happy in the embrace of someone who makes me feel more treasured than anyone on this earth ever has.

My last thought before I lose my battle with contentedness is as reassuring as it is unsettling.How did we deny ourselves this connection for so long? It’s more right than anything I’ve ever known. And how the fuck will I survive if it doesn’t work out?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

STEFANO

TWO WEEKS LATER…

While I’d rather have her safe in my home, I can’t deny how much I’m enjoying staying with Katerina. I’ve never had a desire to live with anyone before, but the little habits and routines we’ve started engaging together make it impossible to deny how much I enjoy it. We’ve fallen into a myriad of domestic routines—ones I’ve never been particularly interested in experiencing with any partner before.

Her shifts make it difficult, but no matter what time she starts, I get up while she’s showering and make her breakfast to make sure she’s starting her day properly. When she’ll let me, I’ve even been known to pack her a lunch on days when I know I won’t be able to meet her.

There’s been no more little gifts sent, which onlysupports her original argument that I’m overreacting. She may be right, but I’m not about to admit that to her. I can’t describe how protective of her I am. It’s like a thread that runs through the centre of me, constantly pulling me towards her, demanding to know that she’s safe.

It’s not just the author of the creepy notes that has me worried. Since Enzo was discharged, tensions are only increasing between the Bianchis and the De Lucas. It’s only a matter of time before it escalates and in the meantime, knowing I can protect her myself is the only thing keeping me sane.

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