Page 83 of Of Grief And Gratitude

She looked toward the memorial and cringed. “We can’t do this here. It wouldn’t be respectful of your mother’s memory.”

I didn’t have the same conviction, but no meant no. I stood and helped Riona to her feet, quickly gathering my backpack and heading toward the path that led back to the cabin. “You’d better keep up.”

She scrambled to follow, but was soon lagging.

“You have to slow down!” she said breathlessly, leaning against a tree. “I’m already tired from the trek here.”

“I’m not a patient man.” I shrugged the bag off my shoulders, sliding the straps over her arms before standing with my back to her. “Climb on.”

“What?” She didn’t move, and I looked over my shoulder at her confused expression.

“Hop on. I’m giving you a piggyback ride back to the house.” When she hesitated again, I let out a frustrated growl. My cock refused to deflate. “Now, Riona.”

That got her moving. Her fingers dug into my shoulders as she jumped, and I caught her legs when they encircled my waist, anchoring her there as I rushed through the forest, determined to get her into my bed.

Chapter Twenty-Four

I held on for dear life, nearly strangling Romeo as he rushed through the forest. He had to pry my arms from around his neck when we reached the front porch.

“Come on.” He flung the door open and pulled me through, not bothering to remove his shoes or give me a second to take off my layers before he slammed the door and dragged me upstairs to his bathroom.

I laughed, breathless. “Slow down. We have nothing but time out here in the middle of nowhere.”

“I intend to make the most of that time.” Romeo grinned and unzipped my jacket, tossing it in the laundry basket and divesting me of my shirt. He bared his torso and knelt to untie my shoes so he could get the rest of my clothes off. I clenched my jaw when he removed my sweaty socks. It wasn’t sexy, but he didn’t seem to care.

I turned the shower on while he stripped since the hot water took a minute to reach the upper bathrooms. Romeo’s body was made to be admired, all of that tanned, cut muscle bulging everywhere. I felt weak next to his strength, but fuck if it wasn’t hot when those rippling muscles flexed.

He crooked a finger at me, and I closed the distance between us, standing less than a foot away from his chest. He ran his hands over my face, but instead of kissing me, he turned my head and tugged on my ear.

“What the hell?” I pulled away, glaring at him.

“Tick check,” he explained, feeling along my ear and neck, then repeating the brusque motions on the other side. “Take your hair down for me.”

The order should have been like foreplay, but looking for disease-ridden, blood-sucking arachnids took the sensuality out of the moment. I sighed and tugged the elastic from my bun, letting my hair tumble around my shoulders. Romeo grabbed a comb and started working the tangles from the bottom up, a skill few men possessed.

“Your hair is so fucking beautiful, mia fiamma,” he breathed, running his fingers through and working them in little circles against my scalp.

It was relaxing but nerve-wracking since he was feeling for bugs. “It’s a big ball of frizz right now.”

The mirror proved my point; my hair looked like I’d stuck my finger in a light socket with the wavy volume he’d caused. He smiled and twisted a piece around his finger, producing a semblance of a curl that he then brought to his face, smoothing it over his cheek and inhaling the last of my lingering perfume.

“It’s fierce, and I love it.” Romeo wrapped his fist around the length of my hair and pulled my head back, his lips crashing against mine before he kissed a trail down my throat. Electricity shot down my spine, and I pressed my thighs together when he cupped my breast and rolled my nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

He left me wanting, pulling away without giving equal attention to my other breast. He was hard, his dick bobbing as he shifted. “Bend over.”

Thank fuck. I leaned over the counter and spread my legs, eagerly awaiting the feel of Romeo’s thick cock between my thighs. “Like this?”

“Just like that,” he husked. His hands trailed down my spine and over my ribs, stroking over my ass, then continuing down my legs to my feet. “Lift your foot for me.”

“Okay.” I dragged the word out and handed him my foot, all too aware that I needed to step into that steaming shower.

Romeo poked his fingers between my toes, making me squeal and stomp my foot on the floor. He did the same to the other side. “I think you’re good. I don’t see anything.”

My libido took a dive when I realized he didn’t intend to fuck me against the counter. I fisted my hands on my hips and whirled around to face him. “Your turn, then.”

He spread his arms and chuckled as I offered a much rougher perusal of his body in search of the little parasites. I refused to acknowledge his dick when it pointed at my face, leaning back when Romeo waggled his hips suggestively, making that thick shaft bob. My mouth wasn’t watering at the thought of sucking him until his knees buckled, and I definitely wasn’t getting wet. Not at all.

I stood abruptly and hopped into the shower, grabbing the shampoo and lathering my hair while Romeo stepped in behind me. He used the body wash, staring hungrily as I leaned my head back to rinse the suds free. The silence only made me hyper-aware of every drop of water hitting my skin, how silky my hair felt as I conditioned it, and the brush of the dark hair on Romeo’s legs as he maneuvered past me when I was done so he could rinse himself.

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