Page 39 of His to Have
I opened my mouth to say something, but he continued. “I’ve been with my fair share of women, but they don’t matter. They know their place, they were just somewhere I could bust a nut.”
It wasn’t what I really wanted to hear, but I couldn’t say much when I had a whole boyfriend not even a few weeks ago.
“And when was the last time...” I waved my hand back and forth trying to find the words. “You know?”
“Had sex?”
“Yes, Teo... had sex?”
“A couple days before your attempted kidnapping.”
Again, not what I wanted to hear but it was honest, and I appreciated that. Silence stretched between us.
I averted my gaze, focusing on the statue across the garden. Since we were ‘talking’ I may as well ask the other question that’sbeen on my mind. “And what about Corey? Does that bother you at all? Is him being with me all this time going to be a problem?”
His brow arched slightly, but the cocky grin that followed told me everything I needed to know. “Why would anything about that nigga bother me?” Teo asked, his tone dripping with arrogance.
I shrugged. “Maybe for the same reason I feel some type of way about whoever was occupying your bed all these years. He was my boyfriend, and we were together in that way.”
The smirk was back, and I knew whatever he was about to say would be cocky. “I’m not worried about Corey, or the next nigga. When I’m done with you, there won’t be a damn trace of anyone else in your mind—or your body. In fact, you’ll be too busy thinking about me, my dick, and how many ways I made you cum that he’ll be a distant memory. So, why would I worry myself with thoughts of him? He isn’t me and I for damn sure ain’t him.”
No... he... wasn’t.
The promise of pleasure had me pulling at the collar of my shirt, trying to let in some air. Heat crept up my neck, and I fanned myself, hoping to regain control of this conversation. But it was useless.
Teo didn’t miss a thing. He reached out, gripping my chin gently but firmly, tilting my face toward his. His thumb brushed against my jawline as he leaned in, pecking my lips. “Any more questions, Amore?”
I blinked, momentarily lost for words. For a moment, I forgot about the now: the wedding, the family expectations, the dangers that lay beyond the Donatelli gates. It was all background noise at this point. How could I not when he looked at me like this... like I was his beginning, middle, and end?
When I didn’t answer right away, his smirk deepened. “Good. Now let’s talk about the real reason we’re out here.”
The back of his palm settled lightly on my leg, his thumb tracing a slow, languid pattern near my knee. His touch had me considering the ways I’d allow him to loosen me up. The more he caressed my leg the more it heated my skin. Desperately, I wanted to part my legs, and allow him to explore the depths of me, right here on this bench. However, instead of focusing on how comfortable this felt, or even on how I wished he moved his hand just a bit higher, I chose to concentrate on the space we found ourselves in.
This was us—familiar, yet different. It felt the same, looked the same in some ways, but everything about us had changed. Before he spoke, he gripped my hand and pulled it to his lips, lightly kissing my ring finger.
“This is missing something.” He straightened my fingers out and held them at a distance for further evaluation. “We will change that. Right now.”
Before I could utter another word, Teo reached into his pocket and produced a ring, all diamonds, wrapped in gold.
It was stunning. But I hadn’t expected anything less. Anything he’d ever owned was always a reflection of his impeccable taste. The ring sparkled brilliantly, catching the evening sun at just the right angle.
“This was my mother’s, and before that... my Nonna.” He took hold of my fingers, easing the delicate metal into place with care. “Now it’s yours,” he said softly, his eyes locked on mine. “And when the time comes, we’ll pass it down to our child.” The words were said with promise.
The way he looked at me with such intensity and conviction, it made my heart race, and my palms sweat. I could hardly breathe as the weight of what he was offering settled over me. This wasn’t just a ring; it was a legacy.
Our legacy.
The thought of being bound to him, emotionally, physically, sexually — filled me with both excitement and trepidation. Glancing down at the ring, I admired how perfect it was. When he lifted my hand back to his lips, and they brushed gently against my knuckles, I knew this was the moment I really became his.
Not the wedding, or the vows, or the promises that would be made before all the families. It was this small intimate moment between me, him, and God. These were the things that made me want to surrender completely to him.
We stayed on the bench until the sun fully disappeared into the night before he asked, “Ready?”
“Yeah.” I stood, raising my hands above my head to stretch. “I can’t lie, this was nice.” I told him softly, appreciating the cool night, the time spent with him, and even the talk clarifying some of my lingering questions.
“I figured you would enjoy it, just like old times.”
He grabbed my hand so we could walk back toward the estate. The path was dimly lit by lanterns, and the only sounds were those of our quiet murmurs.
