Page 44 of Cassio (Belles & Mobsters 3)

I followed his lead and we made our way out of the bar and across the hallway. My step faltered seeing the elevator, but before I could open my mouth, he stirred me to emergency exit stairs and relief washed over me.

“Thanks,” I murmured.

“Little exercise won’t hurt us,” he justified with that smirk, and I exhaled a breath of relief. He just earned himself another point with his thoughtfulness.

“Hold on,” I stopped. “Let me take my shoes off.” He took my elbow and held me as I slipped off my heels. “Okay, I’m ready.”

We were taking two stairs at a time, like both of us couldn’t wait to get to his room. I knew I couldn’t. Damn fear of elevators. We could have been there already. Hunter was in great shape, at least it looked like it. His breathing never changed even five flights in. Mine didn’t either, but I couldn’t help but be impressed.

I couldn’t resist adding some humor to it. “It won’t deplete all our energy?” I teased. “Ummm, for other stuff?”

A deep chuckle echoed in the hallway. “I could be on my deathbed and my energy for theotherstuff wouldn’t be depleted.” He took my hand into his and pulled me to the right. “This is our floor.”

The hallway to our floor was empty and the door closed behind us with a thud. Adrenaline rushed through my veins; my skin was taut with anticipation. My breasts felt tight and heavy, excitement buzzed through my veins. The steps to his hotel room seemed to take forever.

“Áine, are you alright?” Hunter’s voice startled me out of my anticipation haze.

My head snapped sideways, watching him. He better not back out of this one.

“Yes, why?” I breathed out, while the most delicious pulsing thrummed to life between my thighs.

His eyes lowered and I followed his gaze. I was squeezing his hand so hard, my nails dug into his skin.

Instantly I relaxed my grip. “I’m sorry,” I murmured, rubbing the nail marks with my other hand.Great, now I feel like an idiot.

His fingers took my chin, his grip firm yet gentle, forcing me to meet his dark eyes. “We don’t have to do this. We can just watch a movie.”

I scoffed with a shaky smile.Fuck movie, I wanted to say but swallowed the words.

“I want to,” I said quickly, then immediately clarified. “Do this. No to the movie. Yes to sex.” His gaze told me he wasn’t quick to believe me. Any other man would have ravished me on the steps, the moment we got to the first landing. Yet, this one… Hunter must have been better than most because he seemed keen on considering what was best for me. I had to make him understand. “It’s just…” I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “It is not something I do,” I added in a soft voice. “First and last time was with you two years ago. I don’t do hookups.”

Gosh, I hope I didn’t sound like a total moron. All Margaret did was hookups and men didn’t think any less of it. But for some reason, it was important to me that Hunter understood it wasn’t something I did.

He nodded with a serious expression on his face, and strangely, I felt like he really got it. He understood me.

We stood by the end of the hallway, the double door of his hotel room opened to reveal two guards standing there. My brows arched in surprise. Usually Jack had guards, but he was head of the Irish mafia.

Who was this guy?

“Thank you, Nelson, Fabrizio.” It must have been their dismissal because the two nodded and as we walked in, those two left, the doors firmly shutting behind us and with it, my thoughts on Hunter’s identity.

We watched each other, and something thick and heavy flowed between us. The man hadn’t even taken a step towards me yet, and my breathing hitched. The anticipation drummed in the rhythm of my heartbeat. I was way overdue for this and years of inexperience came crashing down along with eagerness to get caught up. Be like other women my age. And Hunter could give me all that. And more. Oh, so much more. I knew it as well as I knew my name.

His gaze dropped to my lips then returned to his eyes and something sinful flashed in those dark depths. My heartbeat sped up into turbo mode.

“I thought about you.” His words, a rough admission, filled the air between us, and I swore my heart burst into flames. Jesus, was this what love songs and love stories were all about? I saw the love Mom and Jack shared, but I couldn’t quite grasp it. Until now. Such simple words, but they ignited fluttering feelings. Beginnings of something fragile, yet powerful. Was it really as simple as that?

“I thought about you too,” I admitted softly, taking a step closer. “A lot.”

One, two, three breaths and he took my wrists, raising them to place them around his neck. His face was close to mine, his lips a single warm breath away. I breathed him in, the masculine scent of him, what I remembered from two years ago. His scent was soothing and exciting, invading my lungs and becoming forever ingrained in my soul ashim.

My chest heaved up and down, my breasts brushing against his suit. The friction felt good and that ache, the starvation for a lover’s touch, came back tenfold. Two years ago, when he gave me my first taste of the sensation, he left me starving. For so much more.

I craved him more with every single day that passed by. I learned to suppress it, but now that he was here, it was a desperate need that demanded to be sated.

Lowering my eyelids, I watched his mouth with an aching need pulsing between my thighs. His lips were a breath away. So close but not close enough. The heat and scent of him made me shiver with need.

Healing.

---