Page 113 of Gin & Trouble

“It’s okay, babe. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.” Dante brushed my hair back from my brow and kissed my temple. “I’m thankful for you and living to see another day and being able to spend our first Christmas together. I love you so damned much.”

Once again, he didn’t say what he’d banish but I knew. The list was too long and growing longer by the minute.

Resting my head on his chest, I said, “I’m thankful for you and Tino, Maria, and Casio. And for Leo and Marco for rescuing us. Mostly, I’m thankful we made up.”

“Me, too.” Dante pulled the blanket higher on my shoulder and pulled me close.

I must have drifted off again, because I woke to Dante kissing a line down my chest. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He tugged at the house dress Maria had loaned me. “This would look better on the floor.”

As much as I would have loved to be intimate with him, to feel his skin against mine, to forget everything except chasing our pleasure, I had to put a stop to it before we got caught. “Nope. No it won’t. We’re not doing anything that involves nudity here.”

Dante made his way to my collarbone. “Sex has been proven to cure headaches.”

“The windows are open. They will hear us.”

He caressed my breasts before easing me on top of him and kissing me senseless. “They will think it’s perfectly natural. We’re married, remember?”

I hated to do it, but I played the one card that would kill his mood quicker than a cold shower. “We don’t have any condoms.”

“Shit.”

Until that moment, I would have never thought a pouty face could be attractive on a man, but it was. God help me, it was. “And I haven’t taken birth control since it blew up with the boat.”

“Damn.”

I eased to the side and trailed my hand down the center of his chest to his erection. “Thisissuch a terrible thing to waste…but, no.”

“I agree.” He threw the quilt back and wrapped his hand around his cock.

What the heck is he thinking?

“Dante, get under the covers.”

“Why?” Holding my gaze, he ran his hand up and down his shaft.

I couldn’t help but stare. “You’re killing me.”

“I could say the same to you.” His breath hitched as he increased his speed.

“Get under the blanket and I’ll help out.”

He grinned, but didn’t stop his hand. “With your mouth?”

“Uh-uh, no way. You’re getting a hand job, but only if you cover up. You will give Maria a heart attack if you don’t put that thing away.”

He chuckled and pulled the quilt over us.

I scooted closer and placed my fingers over his. “I don’t like to be teased.”

“Something else we have in common.” He moved his hand to allow me to take over.

I tightened my grip and stroked him one slow inch at a time. Relishing the way his body responded, I took note of every tensed muscle, quick breath, soft moan.

“Babe…that feels…” Dante massaged my shoulder, hip, ass, anywhere and everywhere, but never for more than a few seconds—as if he didn’t quite know what to do with himself.

Moving my hand quicker, I focused on nothing but his pleasure. Nothing else mattered in those few stolen moments except being with him and making him feel good.

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