Page 20

We've finally reached the second floor, and I actually feelabandonedinstead ofliberatedwhen Cesare gently lowers me to my feet at the end of the hallway.

"Your room,tesoro..."

He opens the door for me, but before I can take a look at it, he's pushed me up against the wall, and a shudder rocks my body as it comes into contact with the erotic hardness of his length.

Magnetic dark eyes glitter down at me, and the urge to pull his head down for another kiss is so, so tempting...I end up curling my fingers tightly into fists against my sides.

"You haven't given me an answer yet," he chides softly.

"You're forgiven," I say hastily, "so can you please let me—-"

"One last question."

I look at him warily. "What?"

"Will you dream of me tonight?"

Yes. For sure. Duh.

But since I do have some pride left, I lift my chin up and lie without a single ounce of hesitation. "Nope."

"Then you lied about forgiving me. Does that mean you are still mad?"

"What if I say I am?"

A cocky smirk flirts with his lips ever so briefly, but the ephemeral sight is still enough to make my womanly parts throb achingly to life.

You're so freaking hopeless, dude.

"What if I say I won't do it again—-" He gently traces my lips as he speaks, and it's pure torture not to open my mouth so I can start sucking on his finger.

"Now that I know how truly furious it makes you—-" His fingers trail down the side of my neck, and I can barely hear his words over the thunderous pounding of my heartbeat.

"When I accidentally turn you on with how hot I am?"

He begins tweaking my nipple as his seductive voice weaves around me like a web, and I have trouble concentrating on his words.

What did he say again?

Cesare pinches my nipple hard, and a moan spirals out of my throat...just as the mortifying reality of what he's said finally sinks in.

Aaaargh!

I really do try kneeing him in the groin this time, but his reflexes are criminally quicker than mine as always, and a dark, infuriating chuckle only slips past his lips as he catches my wrists and pin them over my head.

"Buona notte,Penelope."

His words taunt and seduce; I'm dying to snarl out something smartass-y, but the moment his mouth crashes down on mine, it's all over for me.

Outrage melts into lust, and all I can do is desperately hang on to the massive breadth of his shoulders as he starts sucking on my tongue.

Heat burns deep in my belly, and my body feels so, so achingly restless...that I start rubbing myself against the violently pulsing length of his arousal.

Yes, Cesare, yes...

I'm crying the words out in my mind just as one muscular thigh wedges itself between my legs, andaaaaah...

I just can't help it.