Page 34 of Merciless Desires

“What is difficult?” I straddled his lap, causing my dress to hitch over my thighs. “Why are there so many secrets?”

“It won’t always be this way, but you have to…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but he didn’t have to.

“Trust you?”

“Yes.” He took my hips in his hands. “That’s the only way we’re going to get to be together.”

“But we are together.” I rocked into him. “We could have more if you stop being so stubborn.”

“We will.”

“When?” I brushed my lips along his. “Now?”

“No.” Despite his reservations, he kissed me. It was soft and slow. His mouth heated me in places that tingled. He tangled his fingers in my hair and yanked my head to the side, pushing his tongue deep into my mouth and making me moan.

“I want you to be my first.” I arched my back, moving my crotch against his growing erection. “Now, Gio, please.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“You’re not mine to take.”

“I told you I want to. I don’t understand. I want to be the woman you need. Tell me what I have to do to be her.”

“You are her, but it’s complicated.”

“Do you want me?”

“Yes.” He kissed me again, tugging on my hair. “More than I’ve ever wanted another woman.”

“I’m an adult, Gio. I know what I want.” Why did I have to explain this? “There’s nothing complicated about two adults wanting to be together. You don’t have to ask my father for his permission to take what I’m offering you.”

“There are complications when it comes to us.” He released my hair from his hold. “Complications you can’t possibly understand, but I am working on them.”

“I can’t accept that.”

“You have to.” He shooed me off his lap and then got up. “No more questions.”

“I have plenty of questions.”

“Cin.” He sighed. “I can’t do this.”

“Okay.” I got up and joined him by the windows, taking his hand in mine as we looked down at the bustling city. “How about we compromise?”

“I might be able to do that.” He gazed into my eyes. “If what you request is reasonable.”

“Can we go to dinner?” I motioned out the window to all that was going on in front of us. “Not to the club. Someplace where it can be just the two of us on a date like we did when you were in Italy. We laughed and talked for hours. I want that back.”

“I do too.”

“I won’t ask any questions about why we can’t be together.” At least not tonight. I’d give him a few days to work out whatever he thought needed to be done before we could move forward.

“I’ll take you to dinner.”

None of this sat well with me, but I couldn’t force him to tell me. Getting him frustrated would only work against me and could get me sent to live with Romero. If that happened, I would never make any progress with Gio.

“I do have one request,” I said because I was greedy.

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