Page 77 of Say I Do

“It’s too late for cold feet now,” I joked. Kind of. We were technically married already. Everything else was a show.

Pain shot through my chest, and I sucked in a breath, hoping it would ease soon. Thiswasa show, even the shopping trip. We needed more public outings. People needed to see Benito was marrying someone. That we were normal.

Whatever the fuck normal was.

“I would never get cold feet,” Benito said. His lips brushed against my ear. “I’m the only man who can handle you.”

Desire wrapped around the base of my spine as my heart pounded wildly against my ribcage. I shoved him back. My ear felt hot, and my face was on fire.What the hell was that?

“Dinner sounds good. Neither one of us can cook.” My words were forced. Honestly, I had no idea what was happening between us anymore.

Benito pulled his phone out as we walked around the shop. “Tony is putting in reservations now.” Just as fast as he’d pulled his phone out, he put it back away.

It was so strange to have someone’s sole focus. Benito probably had more important things to do. I was the one who had to give everything up, but Benito had a gang and business to run. It couldn’t be easy. Yet he was there shopping with me.

I turned so he wouldn’t see my smile.

“The rehearsal is in a few days, and then we get married in front of thousands of people,” Benito said.

The reminder of our wedding dragged the smile right off my face. “Yay.”

“You’re the one who got my mother involved.”

He didn’t have to remind me. It had been a mistake on my part. “Well, if you actually liked her, I wouldn’t have said anything.”

Benito grunted. “I like her.”

Laughter bubbled free. “If there is one thing in common between us, it’s that we are both riddled with mommy and daddy issues.” I pointed at him, gesturing up and down. “I mean, look at you.”

“What does that mean?” Benito growled.

I cocked my brow. He couldn’t be serious, right? I shook my head. “Nothing, Mr. I’m straight and have zero mommy and daddy issues.”

“Harlow.”

Laughter broke free before I could stop it. “Yes, honey biscuit?”

His thick brows furrowed at the pet name. “No.”

“No to what, Snickerdoodle?”

“Harlow, smettetela prima che vi tagli la lingua.”

Getting under Benito’s skin was fun. It was less to get back at him now. I just enjoyed his responses.

I stopped at the jewelry section. The boutique was huge, stocked with a little of everything. The clerk helping us moved behind the display case with a smile on her face.

“See anything you would like?”

“Can I see those?” I said as I pointed to the case of rings.

“What are you doing?” Benito asked.

“Minding my business. You should attempt it sometimes.”

The clerk bent down to retrieve what I asked for. The moment she wasn’t staring at us, Benito’s heavy hand clashed with my ass. A small gasp left me before I covered it with a cough.

Pain erupted over my backside. I was still heavily bruised from his spanking. My cock came to life as the pain settled to a lovely ache.

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