Page 18 of Hot-Blooded Killer

I laugh. “In a word, yes.”

Lorenzo takes my hands in his again. “Not to worry. I won't be seeing her again. We only went out a couple of times. And she’s a little too hard for me.”

So does that mean I’m not?

Butterflies flutter in my stomach at his words, and I swallow hard.

Do not fall for Lorenzo Beneventi, I admonish myself.He is your prey, not your fiancé.

Still, I can’t ignore the heat swirling in my stomach as he stares into my eyes.

To my dismay, I’m beginning to figure out that I might actually like Lorenzo.

And that’s the very last thing I need.

Especially if I’m going to follow my father’s orders and take him down along with the rest of his family.

CHAPTER8

LORENZO

No sex until after the wedding.

I hadn’t expected that.

Apparently, Gia Rossi plans to do everything by the book. Or at least by the contract.

But something about her pronouncement that we won’t be having sex before the wedding night sets off my competitive side. Suddenly, I’m determined to try to seduce her into bed before her self-imposed deadline.

So I turn on all the Beneventi charm I have at my disposal and aim it directly at her all night long.

I consider taking her out dancing again after dinner, but at the last minute, I change my mind. We’re going to be seeing plenty of each other from here on out, and Anna Maria’s stop at our table will lead to plenty of gossip.

Besides, I want to put my seduction plan into motion.

I ignore the voice inside my head whispering that I really just want to move the timeline up so I can assuage the desire for her burning deep inside me.

In the back of the town car after dinner, I thread my fingers through hers, trailing my other hand up and down the side of her arm and running it across the inside of her elbow.

She blinks, turning her big blue eyes toward me.

“You don’t have to put on a show for anyone anymore,” she reminds me.

“Who says that I’m putting on a show?” My voice drops into a seductive whisper. “How do you know I don’t just want to touch you?”

A shiver courses through her body, and I give her a dark smile.

“Remember the rules,” she says, her own voice slightly breathless.

“There are plenty of things we can do before the wedding and still follow your rules.”

She laughs and shakes her head, glancing away from me and then back down at our intertwined fingers. “Maybe I should be a little more specific about those rules.”

With a shrug, I let go of her hand and lean back in my seat. “Your call.”

She shakes her head again, but I’m not sure exactly what she’s denying now.

I suspect it might be her own desires.

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