Page 19 of Tease

My eyebrows shot up.

“Touch you?”

Rina took my hand and flattened it on her chest, making me cup her breast. I swallowed hard, almost unable to believe she was asking for that right after I’d knocked out two men in front of her.

“S-seeing you fight them made me… w-w-want you m-m-more.” She dragged my hand down her body. “Kiss me.”

I didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t the right time or place. We couldn’t leave until my men got here. It would take them a while because we were outside the city. And I certainly wasn’t going to feel her up in the open. That wasn’t how I wanted things to go. She deserved to be treated right. To be cared for. I didn’t want her to think I was only in this for a quick fuck or that I’d leave right after I had my way with her. I wanted to prove to my girl I wanted her for her.

“Rina…”

Her grey eyes clouded over. Then her cheeks went red, and she stepped away from me.

Fuck! No, Rina, I’m not rejecting you.

What the hell was I doing? Rina had asked me to kiss her. She’d made it clear she wanted this thing between us. She wanted… more. Here I was, trying to be a gentleman. To take things slow so I didn’t fuck up. And yet, I was fucking up anyway.

Get your shit together!

Before she could put more space between us, I reached for her. My hand went to her hair, fisting it as I tugged her head back to make her look up at me. Leaning down, I captured her mouth with my lips as my other hand gripped her wrist and held it behind her back. My tongue pressed into her mouth, tasting my precious girl. Showing her she wasn’t alone in her desire.

Her free hand fisted in my coat lapel as she allowed me to devour her pretty mouth. And when she moaned, I pressed her body closer, needing there to be no space between us. That sweet sound had me struggling for control. The urge to bite her thrummed in my veins, making me ache for it. Pressing kisses along her jaw, I nibbled her earlobe. It wasn’t enough. I needed to make her understand this was it for me. She was it. No one else had ever made me want to claim them in the most primal and basic way possible.

I licked her neck, giving her open mouth kisses. She let out these little panting noises that were so fucking sweet.

“Mine,” I all but growled against her throat before I bit down on her skin. It wasn’t hard enough to leave a lasting mark, but it made my chest rumble in satisfaction.

Rina gripped my coat tighter. Her breaths came faster, and her body rolled into mine.

“Please,” she gasped. “Arlo, please.”

“What do you want me to do?” I murmured before sucking where I’d bitten her to soothe her skin.

“T-t-touch me, please.”

The desperation in her voice was intoxicating. I didn’t think Rina realised how much I was holding back.

“I want to,mia preziosa, but not here. The things I want to do to you…” I faltered, trying to get the images of her splayed out for me so I could feast on her pretty body out of my head. “Just not here. Not out in the open like this.”

I pulled back to look down at her. My hand was still fisted in her hair. Those grey eyes were dark with yearning.

“L-l-later?”

I let out a sigh.

“It will depend on how long it takes those two to break. Zayn would want me to see to their… interrogation personally. I don’t want to make you a promise I can’t keep, Rina. Do you understand?”

She nodded after a moment. I would abandon everything to be with her, but this was about Rina’s safety. I didn’t want to jeopardise that under any circumstances. We needed to know why these people were after Rina, Martina, Verona and Sofia, and whether or not it was linked to Orsino’s death. I couldn’t afford to be distracted, no matter how much I wanted my girl.

“I d-do.”

Her words were at odds with her expression. There was disappointment in her eyes. I felt like I was getting everything wrong with her. All I wanted was a nice afternoon where we got to spend time together. Instead, we’d been ambushed by those two men, and now she wasn’t happy, as I had to put work first. I internally cursed the fact the threat against them had got between us. I’d wanted Rina for so long. The timing was all off, but I was determined to make it up to her. Make her my number one priority after I’d dealt with these men.

“Ti desidera tanto, mia preziosa,” I whispered, letting go of her hair to stroke her cheek. “Please don’t be upset.”

“I-I’m not u-u-upset. It isn’t a-about you and m-me. Y-y-you h-have to p-protect a-all of us, s-s-so I understand.”

I bundled her up in my arms, holding her against my chest as I stroked her back. Her understanding of the situation didn’t make me feel any better about it, but it would have to do. I didn’t have any other choice. My commitment to Zayn and protecting his family came first right now, no matter how much I hated feeling like I was letting Rina down in the worst fucking way. I wanted to focus on our relationship, but life was getting in the way of it. And it sucked for both of us.

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