Page 40 of Plus-Size Bratva Possession
“You didn't have to choke him,” I said finally.
Gastone growled, his eyes still dark with anger. “The nerve of that prick, talking to you like that.”
“It happens,” I shrugged, trying to play it off even as something inside me twisted painfully.
“It shouldn't,” Gastone said firmly. “And for the record, he's an idiot. Your weight isn't something to be picked on—you're beautiful. Stunning, actually, in that dress. And… otherwise.”
For some strange reason, I felt vulnerable. I knew I was beautiful, and I had never doubted that, but hearing it from Gastone with such protective force just hit me differently. For some reason, I liked hearing it from him. For some reason, I found myself wishing to know what else he thought of me.
And that scared the hell out of me. Whatever did it mean? Did I…like him?
“Thank you,” I said softly, as he still stared at me like I was the most beautiful woman in this room. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, we were back in that dressing room, that same electric tension sparking between us. I cleared my throat and looked away first.
To do something, anything, I started to move to the beat, determined to salvage my night, to prove I wasn't affected by that encounter or by Gastone's unexpected kindness.
I hadn't expected him to stay there, but suddenly he was dancing too. Out of habit, I was ready to tell him to back off, that I wanted to dance alone, but the words died in my throat when I saw his face.
He wasn't pushing, wasn't demanding. He was just... there. Dancing near me, giving me space but staying close enough that other men kept their distance.
His movements were good, surprisingly fluid, and despite my reservations, I found my body responding to his, my hips swaying in time with his.
For some reason, we just clicked.
The crowd forced us closer, until there was barely any space between us. I could see the sheen of sweat on his forehead, the crinkle around his eyes with that permanent, slow smile.
Just then, someone pushed into my back and I stumbled forward. My body went flush against Gastone’s as he gripped my shoulders to steady me. And that's when I felt it. His erection, hard and unmistakable against my hip. My eyes widened, my heart hammered in my chest, my skin suddenly too hot, too sensitive.
I stood frozen in his arms, breathless from a pulse of desire steaming through me.
What was happening to me? This was Gastone.
So why did part of me want to press closer, to see just how far this attraction could go?
The music swelled around us, and for a moment, we were suspended in time. Neither of us moved, and the world itself seemed to stop still.
Chapter 14 - Gastone
I stood there with Elena squashed against my body, my hands protectively keeping her from stumbling. The crowd scattered a little, and there was space for her to move back, for her to put some distance.
But she stood frozen in place, and her eyes widened. My heart hammered into my chest, and I realized what happened when her eyes flickered down below my waist for just a hesitant moment, before she pulled back up.
She knew exactly what she'd felt against her hip when the crowd pushed her into me. I winced internally, told myself I deserved it for when she slapped me. God, I had just taken a creep off her and now… I was the creep?
But my body had a mind of its own. She might have understood if she could have seen the way she was dancing, all seductive curves and slow moves. But she couldn’t get in my head, couldn’t understand how she looked through my eyes.
I let go of her shoulders, prepared to apologize, prepared for her onslaught of rage. But the rejection I expected never came.
Instead, time stretched between us like pulled mozzarella. Delicious and inviting.
She swallowed hard, her lips parting slightly as she looked up at me. For one excruciating moment, neither of us moved.
Then, to my utter shock, she took a tentative step forward.
“Elena,” I started, my voice hoarse and obviously not audible over the music. I didn't know if I would warn or beg her.
It seemed she read my lips, for she silenced me with the most unexpected, small, naughty little smile and placed one hand lightly on my chest, the other wrapped around my neck.
Her hand burned through my shirt, and I swear my heart rumbled like thunder.
