Page 20 of Dangerous Attraction

“Yes.” My throat closed, causing the words to squeak out.

“Good.” Massimo kept me caged in, his eyes roaming my body. “Let’s get you into my bed.” He slipped his arms beneath me and hauled me over his shoulder.

“Massimo.”

I could hear the rustle of the covers just before he tossed me onto my back. Climbing onto the bed, he crawled up until he was positioned over my body. His palms pressed into the bed on either side of my head, trapping me between his powerful arms. To someone walking in on us, it would look like we were in an intimate position.

“What are you doing to me?” His voice was husky, laced with desire, as he stared down at me. I could see the internal battle raging behind his eyes. “Get some rest. We’ll talk about what to do about your place tomorrow.”

He crawled away and pulled the covers over me. Turning his back to me, he snatched the comforter off the end of the bed and walked to the couch. He grabbed a remote and pressed a couple of buttons, bathing the room in darkness. The sound of his body brushing the leather as he got on the couch to sleep made me feel guilty. I was in his bed when it should’ve been me sleeping on the couch.

My eyes stayed open, staring into the dark where he lay as the reality of what happened earlier crept back in. An irrational fear took hold, and I was scared to close my eyes, fearful someone would break in while I slept. I waited, listening for Massimo's breathing to even out, but he was having as much trouble falling asleep as I was.

“Massimo?” I whispered into the dark.

The couch groaned with his movement. “Something wrong?” his deep voice grunted.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Do you need another blanket?”

“No… I…” I sighed into the room. “This place is foreign to me. Do you think you could come lie beside me?”

I could hear his sharp intake of air.

“You want me to get into bed with you?”

“I know it’s silly because we don’t know each other, but you make me feel safe. And right now, I am scared to close my eyes.”

The couch creaked, telling me he’d stood. His feet made a slight thumping sound as he padded across the room. The bed dipped on the opposite side as he climbed in beside me.

“Go to sleep.”

“Thank you, Massimo… for everything.”

My eyes got heavy as I listened to his breathing. It wasn’t long before sleep won the battle and claimed me, casting me into the dream realm.

Dreams that were filled with the man lying in bed beside me.

twelve

MASSIMO

I couldn’t believeI was lying in bed beside Madison. I’d never had a woman I wasn’t fucking in bed before and never one in my personal space. The silence told me she’d finally gone to sleep. Closing my eyes, I prayed for my erection to go away so I could get some sleep as well. Taking a couple of deep breaths and letting them out, I clenched my hands. As much as I wanted to touch her, I needed to give her time. I could tell she wanted me, but she needed to be ready for what I offered, and right now, she was too vulnerable.

Movement in the bed caught me off guard as an arm draped across my bare chest. Opening my eyes, I realized Madison had rolled over in her sleep, snuggling against my body. I debated whether to wake her, finally deciding to leave it alone. It wasn’t like I was hurting from the current position I was in… well, not really. If she moved her arm any lower, she would notice the hard-on I was sporting. She shifted again, pressing her head into the crook of my shoulder as she snuggled her body next to mine. Giving up on keeping my hands to myself, I wrapped my arm around her and tugged her against me. She wiggled and blew out a breath of warm air against my skin, the sensation creating goose bumps to pebble my flesh. Nestling closer, I closed my eyes and gave in to the exhaustion I’d been fighting.

Even in sleep, my visions were filled with her. Everything about this woman called to my soul. I felt an innate need to show her she was worth more than she believed. Everything about her sucked me in and though I wasn’t sure if she felt the same, it wouldn’t stop me.

Because after tonight… Madison was mine.

* * *

The sun heatedmy skin as it peeked through the windows, bathing my body in a yellow glow. Stretching, I remembered the warm body pressed against me was Madison. Glancing at her body melded to mine, I struggled to keep my hands off her skin. Even through the bulky t-shirt she wore to bed, I could feel the curves hidden beneath it, making my morning wood throb with need.

She stretched, her leg rubbing against my erection. “Massimo?”

“Madison,” I ran my hand through her hair, desperately trying to ignore my erection. “Did you sleep well?”

---