Page 89 of Tainted Princess
He was absolutely mouth-watering, and I wanted a taste.
Taking one step, then another, I positioned myself between his spread knees, watching as those hooded eyes widened at my boldness. Someone had removed the jacket from my outfit while I was unconscious and I now wore only the blood red lace crop top and the tuxedo pants, with more skin on display than I’d ever really been comfortable showing in front of a man before, and I took great pride in the way Enzo’s gaze tracked my movements, his pupils dilating the closer I got.
When I was close enough that my hips were cradled in the warmth of his thighs I stopped, meeting his gaze. With the difference in our height, we were practically eye to eye.
“Francesca?” he asked with a question in his voice.
“Enzo,” I responded with determination in mine.
Placing my hands on his shoulders, I squeezed, feeling the defined muscles through his dress shirt. Running my hands up his neck, I tangled the fingers of one hand in the short hair at the back of his head, the other I used to trace the lines of the tree tattoo that were visible where they peeked out of his collar.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, watching the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed. “For looking after me.”
“You had me worried,” he said, and I was rewarded by his own hands coming up and landing on my hips. The heat of his palms felt so good against my body.
“I’m tougher than I look, Enzo.”
“I’m starting to realize that,” he replied, and his fingers dug into my flesh hard enough to bruise. I sucked in a quick breath, reveling in the sting of his touch. “I think you are a whole lot more than people would assume, Francesca.” One hand slid up my back, fingers probing under the hem of my top to dance along my spine. “And I think I like it.”
My heart delighted at those words, and I closed my eyes. To have someone know me—know the me that I had thought was forever buried under the weight of expectation—was a thrilling prospect. Enzo was a surprise, and I was not used to surprises in my life being pleasant.
It was something that would take some adjustment.
Opening my eyes again, I met his stare, full of darkness and heat, and I knew I needed a taste of both. Leaning in, I moved to press my mouth to his, wanting to experience his kiss again, knowing that this time, there would be no interruptions, but Enzo froze my movement with increased pressure on my hips.
“Francesca, wait,” he said, and my stomach twisted.
Rejection.
Feeling the heat creep up my cheeks, I withdrew my hands and made to step back, but Enzo held tight to my body.
“I just...I have to say something.”
“It’s alright, Enzo,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “I should probably shower and get some rest anyway. Forget it.”
“No fuckin’ way am I forgetting a goddamn thing, Francesca,” he barked, and the anger in his tone made me jump. “Would you just fuckin’ wait a minute?” He stood, one hand going again to his hair as he moved over to the tall windows, gazing down at the city below. Placing one forearm against the window, Enzo leaned over, drawing in a deep breath, and I watched as his already broad back expanded ever further.
When he had gathered himself and his thoughts, Enzo turned to me, the look on his face one of tenderness, concern, and, surprisingly, a bit of nervousness.
“I know you didn’t want to be here. Not in Las Vegas and certainly not in this marriage.”
My mouth dropped open slightly as he spoke. I wasn’t sure what it was I had expected him to say, but this for sure wasn’t it.
“And I know you’ve probably spent your whole life doing things you didn’t want to do. You don’t seem like you had a whole fuckload of choices and opportunities to be the person you wanted and do the things that mattered to you, so—” he paused, drawing in another breath and placing his hands on his hips, “I just want you to know that from now on, your choices are yours.”
I stopped breathing. This, right here, was everything I had ever wanted, and it was coming from the last place I would have ever expected.
“So, before we go any further with,” he paused, his gaze dipping again to my cleavage, “this, I just want to make sure that you know it’s your choice. That from here on out, it’s always going to be your choice.”
I could feel the smile slowly growing on my face, the joy a warm ball deep in my soul.
My choice. Had anyone ever been offered something so incredible? Certainly not that I could remember.
For a moment, my mind spun, overflowing with possibilities, but before I could get too carried, I needed to focus on this moment, this choice.
And I knew exactly what I wanted to choose.
Taking a step forward, I dropped my hands to the button of my pants, not taking my eyes off Enzo as I popped it open. I smirked as his gaze went directly there, his hands leaving his hips to drop to his sides in fists.
