Page 16 of Dangerous Love

Yet… as she cuddled me, so small, so vulnerable, so exposed, she was making it really hard for me not to sink down into the crook of her neck and nibble at the pink flesh. I pulled my arms against her, my fingers rubbing her back. “I’ve got you, baby girl. You’re okay. We’re safe.”

Her voice vibrated against my skin as she hummed, “You smell so good.”

I chuckled, my lips grazing the top of her head. “Do I?”

“Yes. A mix of citrus and wood. You’re like a walking fresh forest.”

My arms tightened around her. “You smell nice too. You’re like a cuddly coconut-flavoured koala.” I rubbed her harder. Her muscles slumped against mine. “How are you feeling?”

She kept her eyes closed. “Better. You’re like my own lighthouse.” She tucked her arms against her chest and sunk deeper into me. “You always were.”

Ignoring my better judgement, I raised my hand until my fingers played with her dark locks, the thick strands floating between my digits. She wiggled in appreciation, her ass digging into my crotch. My dick stirred, and I tensed beneath her. At this rate, the fire playing between us would implode and ignite like a skyscraper reduced to ash. We had to break whatever this was before I lost control and slammed my mouth on hers.

“Sienna, babe. It’s time.”

“I don’t want to move yet.”

Fuck me dead.My jaw clenched as I purposely called upon visions of dead puppies, hoping they would kill the hard-on springing to life. “Si, please. We gotta go.”

She lifted her head, her eyes meeting mine. A grin curling her lips and her eyes twinkling, she teased, “How will you hide the boner between your legs if I move now, Mr Friend Zone?”

My hands raked through my hair. “Fuck, Sienna. You have no idea how hard this is.”

She shimmied over me, fake innocence softening her face. “Pretty sure I do.”

“Shit.” I grabbed her and, in one swift move, had her back on her seat. I shifted in mine, ignoring the raging heat in my pants. “Sienna Curtis, I’ve got my eyes on you from now on.”

She laughed, her cheeks rosy as she held my stare. Then her smile faltered, and she kissed me on the cheek. “Thank you for coming with me.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re welcome. Now, let me see you in that dress.”

As soon as we got out of the car, Sienna gripped my hand, her fingers clinging to mine. “Don’t leave me, okay?”

My heart bled at the angst in her voice. I wasn’t sure what had happened while she was gone, or even before she left, but I’d be damned if I abandoned her with her demons again. “I won’t.”

The lady at the front welcomed us into the shop. She introduced herself as Dana. Grey hair twisted into a bun, she looked like she’d been doing this for a while. Dresses and sewing bits and bobs lay around, as she motioned us into a large change area. I settled on an armchair on the opposite end of the shop, while the woman chatted with Sienna using a couple of broken Italian words.

Bless you, Grace.Based on how organized the dressmaker came across, it was fair to say shealsohad instructions from our bride-to-be. “Young girl, you come with me. We’ll get you changed in no time, and your boyfriend can give us his opinion.”

My mouth gaped open, I blew a hard breath, wondering how the hell I’d get out of this predicament, but before I could say anything, Sienna beat me to it. “He’s a boy, and he’s my friend. Let’s leave it at that, or he’ll have a stroke and he won’t be able to drive me home.”

Amusement drilled through me until it almost felt like we were right back where we left off three years ago. The same Sienna stared at me. Sassy. Funny. Free. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and followed the seamstress into the change room. The curtain swayed as the two women busied themselves, but within minutes, Dana stepped out again. “Sweetie, I’m just going to get the measuring tape from the back. I’ll be two seconds.”

Behind the screen, Sienna stood in white underwear and a matching bra, her breasts contrasting with her flat stomach. She stared at herself in the mirror, her finger back in her mouth.

She’s even more stunning than I could have imagined.Electrical currents zapped me in all the wrong places, and I swallowed thickly, pretending not to picture what it would be like to undress her. I wondered how it would feel to have my fingers trail her olive skin until she was nothing but bare beneath me. Until I’d discovered every part of her body like a painter creating his first masterpiece.

“Here we go,” Dana called from the other side of the room, snapping me out of my trance. Measuring tape in hand, she pushed the curtain even farther and more of Sienna appeared. Right as I was about to avert my gaze from the woman I craved most in the entire fucking universe, her eyes smiled back at me in the mirror.

Shit.My gaze shifted until I glared at the ceiling and both Sienna and Dana were completely hidden behind the screen.She’ll be the death of me.

My phone pinged, the distraction welcomed, and I swiped the screen with my thumb. A message from Avery popped up.

Avery: How is she holding up?

A quick flick of my hand and my reply was sent.

Me: So far so good.

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