Page 13

"What's troubling you,tesoro?"

She shook her head, but he was not to be dissuaded. "Your silence will not solve anything," he chided gently.

Frustration further darkened her gaze, but she eventually ended up blurting out the truth.

"It's just that...everything's happening so fast."

He cupped her chin, and he heard her catch her breath again at his touch. "Lying to yourself won't solve anything either."

"But I'm not—-"

"What you're truly struggling to accept,tesoro,is the speed in which your feelings have changed towards marriage...and me."

Her lips parted in shock, and it was just too much fucking temptation for him to resist.

A whimper escaped her as he abruptly took her lower lip and sucked hard on it, and only Cesare's swift reflexes had his arm automatically curling around her waist when her knees buckled as soon as he lifted his head.

"Careful,tesoro."

She pushed him away, and he obediently stepped back from her.

"You s-startled me," she stammered.

"I think I did more than startle you, Penelope."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Youknowexactly what I mean..."

His gaze lowered to her cleavage as he drawled the words out, and another whimper slipped past her lips when she saw what he was staring at.

"It seems that your nipples are more honest than your lips,tesoro." Cesare looked at his fiancée gravely. "I shall endeavor to remember that once we're married."

Penelope's shock had her hands flying up to cover her mouth, but then a second later it seemed as if she had realized she wasn't covering what was pertinent, and Cesare was unable to stifle his grin when she released a mortified cry.

"Allow me to help you," Cesare offered.

"Wh-what—-"

The alarm in her eyes only made him want to bully her even more.

This is all your fault, tesoro.

And so he did.

Penelope

By the time I realize what Cesare plans to do, it's too, too late.

His big, strong hand has already cupped my breast, and my lungs threaten to collapse when I feel his fingers tighten around the plump, swollen flesh...before giving it a squeeze.

Nooooo!

It goes without saying that I've never had a man touch me like this before, but I also know in my heart that only this man's touch can make me feel this hot and bothered.

Is this really happening?

I look up at him in a mixture of dismay and helpless desire, and lust glitters down at me from his gaze...just as he adjusts his hold on my breast, and I find myself nearly jumping out of my skin when he suddenly pinches my nipple between his fingers.