Page 27 of Forbidden Lord
“Darling?” He rinsed his hair, clean.
She said, “Well, love sounded a little strong.”
He quickly finished his shower, turned off the water, and stepped out.
Sheena drew lines under her lashes that made her blue eyes pop. Matteo dried off and said, “I see, though I wouldn’t mind being called love. It’s better than darling.”
She put the eyeliner down and stared at him, then laughed. “You’re easy to be with, Matteo. I didn’t expect that when I married you.”
She returned to the mirror, adding blue eyeshadow like she was drawing a feather. He said, “I didn’t expect you at all and when I asked you to be my wife, I thought you were going to be so rule-oriented, like one of our professors, that I wasn’t sure we’d ever get along.”
Her face wrinkled but she tried not to laugh as she continued to apply her makeup.
He glanced out the window. The lights were turning on in the garden which meant evening was about to commence. Sheena finished whatever she was doing to her eyes that made them sparkle in royal blue as he said, “It was more about me. I was in trouble a lot back in school.”
She took some lipstick from her makeup bag. “That was because you and your friends were always joking. Astorre must’ve joined you and Stefano after school ended. How did you meet him?”
Astorre. If he’d gone to school with him and Stefano, his grades would have gone from dismal to nonexistent. However, he’d lived next door in Paris and come to one of his parties. “When I moved to Paris after college.”
She quickly powdered her face. “When you did, I was worried we’d run into each other. But that never happened.”
He pulled on clean boxer briefs and pants though the image of unzipping her dress ran through his mind. “I would have made sure it did if I’d known you’d blossomed into such a beauty.”
She held the lipstick in her hand. “Matteo Korbel, I can’t believe Patrice let you go like that. I never would have.”
He tugged on his shirt and half-buttoned it when he said, “Glad you were there.”
She put her makeup away, then breezed past him into the bedroom. He followed. She picked up her tossed-around clothes and put them in one pile. “I’m excited to see Chelsea again.”
The way her body bent reminded him of this morning and he grew harder at the sight. He tried to ignore it as he found his socks. “How did you get started doing benefits? From what I remember about you, you always had a paint brush in your hand, creating art, not organizing events.”
She dropped a last scarf onto the pile. “I realized fast that many artists have amazing skills, but they lack the social know-how. I learned how to be a lady, when I wasn’t born into it, and by running benefits, auctions, and trade events, I put my training into action so I could help.”
Most girls he’d known weren’t as successful as Sheena, which was another reason he’d been surprised by her agreement to marry him. “And make money.”
She turned around with a satisfied grin. “Yes, though as Lady Golchin, I will only be part of the benefits and auctions, which means I’m giving up shows and trade events.”
Part of that job description meant she fit perfectly as his wife in a way no other woman would have. Sure, he made money to add to the Korbel coffers, but Sheena, she was clearly talented. He hoped what he offered was enough as he crossed the room and took her hand. “Will you miss that?”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t need to be so busy, and one day I want to learn every inch of this house—I keep getting new ideas to showcase art.”
He led them to the edge of the bed and sat. “The estate is yours to decorate and hang whatever you want, whenever you want.”
Once she sat too, Sheena glanced down his body and must have caught a glimpse of how hard he was because she said, “I hope we keep getting along like this—and tomorrow you keep your promise for another skateboard lesson.”
Matteo traced her leg and hoped she agreed to the distraction. “The pink one waits for you. But for now, let’s see how fast we can undress and then dress for a party.”
He kissed her and reached behind her for her zipper as she asked, “What? Now?”
“We’ll be fast.” He was certain they had the time.
Sheena was sweet, special and his. He needed to claim her, right here, right now. He wasn’t sure he’d ever have enough of her. And that was okay. She was his wife.
Chapter 11
Sheena’s feet were seriously pinched in her glass high heels while she stood with Matteo at the front door to greet their guests. This was her place as the countess now, but seriously whoever wrote the Cinderella story had clearly never spent a second in the actual shoes. Pain shot up her calves.
And this was only the beginning of the evening.
