Page 12 of Christmas with the Mafia
“You are beautiful.” I state the obvious, and she blushes, her cheeks now glowing with heat rather than pinched by ice.
Her smoky eyes dazzle, and her sweet lips are curved in a soft smile, offering me a tempting desire to sample them for myself.
As I extend the glass toward her, I smile, which is an act that shocks me more than her.
“Drink this. It will chase away what’s left of the chill inside you.”
Her fingers brush against mine, and she blinks, her lashes dusting her cheeks as she gazes at me from under them.
Innocence is a powerful weapon to wield on a man who rarely experiences it, and I am mesmerized as she sips the brandy, her eyes lighting with pleasure as she feels the burn. I am resisting the sudden urge to reach out and wrap my hand around her head and pull her close, to relish the flavor that rests on her tongue, to taste her, then devour her whole.
“You have been so kind.”
She breaks the spell as she glances around the room.
“I, um, left your jacket in the bathroomand your, um–”
She stops, a pulse racing furiously in her cheek, and she glances down, her face heated and flustered.
“Firearm.” I finish her sentence, and she nods, her eyes lowered.
Reaching out, I tilt her face up to meet mine and say huskily, “Protection is important to me. You never know when you may be required to defend yourself when you live in my world.”
She nods, her lower lip trembling as she stares into my eyes and, against my better judgment, I run my thumb against her lower lip. Her eyes glaze and her breathing heightens, and I am lost in the moment—lost in her.
She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, with not a hard edge in sight, and it fascinates me.
The elevator door opens, and I drop my hand as the waiter wheels the trolley into the room, effectively breaking the spell.
I turn, jerking my finger toward the small table set by the window.
“You must eat before we make our way downstairs.”
“You really don’t–”
“I said eat, Regina. I will not take no for an answer.”
I hand more dollars to the waiter and as she approaches the table, I hold back her chair as she drops into it. As I push it in place, I allow my fingers to drift along the base of her neck, and she shivers. Her skin is as soft as silk, and her reaction a desirable one. Perhaps this is my lucky night, and this isn’t such a bad deal after all. I could have some fun with my new wife, and now the idea has taken root, it’s growing fast. Yes, Regina Stone is perfect in every way, and she doesn’t realize yet just how much all of this attentionwill cost her in the end. As it turns out, the price she will pay is her soul.
She finishes up eating, and I glance at my wristwatch. “We should head to the gala. You should be warmer now.”
“I am and well–” She huffs a delicate breath. “Thank you. You, um, are so kind, and I’m not sure how I am going to repay you.”
I let the silence have a moment before fixing her with my usual penetrating gaze. The one that keeps my business associates guessing and my enemies quaking in their boots. I make her nervous—obviously. I can tell that from the slight tremble of her lips and the heavy breathing she attempts to disguise in vain.
She is either petrified or turned on, and it will be interesting to discover which, but not now. That will come later when I decide whether she is worthy of my attention.
“Tell me your story, Regina. Why did I find you shivering on the red carpet unable to make it inside?”
A cloud enters her eyes, and she slumps in her seat.
“I was meant to be here with my boyfriend Connor. He invited me ages ago and yet at the last moment canceled—I mean like ten minutes after he was supposed to pick me up.”
I say nothing, and she sighs heavily. “He told me he had COVID and when I told my friend, she insisted I shouldn’t miss out and offered me a ride instead. I mean–” She shrugs, a slight giggle betraying her nerves. “I don’t usually do things like this, and I was, well, excited for the opportunity.I had made such an effort with my appearance too, and I was crushed when he canceled.”
Picturing her effort reminds me she has a lot to learn about fashion choices, but I keep my comments to myself as she carries on.
“Anyway, I arrived and walked the red carpet. Something I’ve always wanted to do, and yet when I made it inside, the woman at the door told me my name wasn’t on the list. When I explained, she told me that Connor was already here with another woman.”
