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Maura made a distressed sound. “What do you think?”
“Dante is very sexual.” I hated this so much. “He…we had a lot of sex, and I don’t think he can go without it.”
“Of course he can.” Maura waved a hand. “He’s not a randy teenager with no control over his hormones.”
“I miss him.”
“I know.”
“Why couldn’t he fall in love with me?” Tears filled my eyes. “I mean, is there something wrong with me that no one loves me? My mother can’t stand me because I’m not…goodenough. My father only got interested in me when Don Giordano wanted me to marry his grandson. It’s like?—”
“Stop the pity party.” Maura slapped the back of my head.
I glared at her. “It’s my party, and I can cry if I want to.”
“And who does that help?” Maura shot back. “Don’t be maudlin. You’re entirely too lovable. I love you. Your staff loves you. Dante is not the barometer of your lovability.”
I deflated, the energy to argue fading fast. “I guess I’m going to be gone for a few days at the end of the month, boss.”
“Atta, girl!” Maura patted my back as if she were proud of me. “Now, we need to go shopping before you go.”
“We do?” I asked quizzically.
“Yep. If you’re going to Piedmont, you might as well make Dante regret every stupid thing he’s everdone and have him swallow his tongue when he sees you.”
Right, like that was going to happen. Compared to the Lucias of his world, I didn’t stand a chance, not even with all the money in the world.
“Maura, I?—”
“Fuck-me dresses,” she went on. “We’re going to buy you fuck-me dresses and fuck-me shoes. We’ll go back to Twice Vintage.”
My lips twitched into a smile despite myself. Located on the winding streets of Trastevere, Twice Vintage was an eccentric vintage store that was somehow on-trend. You could get anything from a pink prairie dress to a Chanel black dress to Carhartt pants.
“Remember when I wore that burgundy dress for Don Giordano’s birthday party?”
“The backless one? Yeah.”
“Dante fucked me in his grandfather’s library. He couldn’t wait until we got back to the flat,” I told her smugly.
We’d been at the party for maybe a half hour when Dante put his hand on my bare back and stroked my ass as he talked to someone. I rested against his hand, and he looked at me, his eyes glassy.
“I want to show you something,” he murmured and then turned to the person he was talking to, “Mi scusi.”
He walked me into his grandfather’s library and closed the door. Before I could ask him what was goingon, his mouth was on me. He wrapped a hand around my throat, and I moaned. His other hand delved into my hair, and my pulse quickened. He pulled away from my mouth and then began to whisper kisses along my cheeks and the corner of my mouth. My nipples tightened, and wetness pooled between my legs. I wasn’t wearing panties, as no matter what I wore, the panty lines showed.
I felt his stiff cock against my stomach. I whimpered, pushing against him.
Sex was volatile between us. It was sometimes hard and fast, sometimes slow and languid. He gave me what I wanted but never when I wanted it. Dante liked to dominate during sex, and I didn’t mind at all. I enjoyed it and loved being at his beck and call because he rewarded my compliance so beautifully.
He came back to my lips, and I parted my mouth, letting him in. He gently sucked my tongue and then began to fuck my mouth.
He pushed me as we kissed, and I felt the back of the big desk. He cupped my breasts as I leaned against the desk. “You’ve been driving me crazy all night, cara mia.”
He kissed me again, savoring me. It was as if we had time, but we didn’t. Anyone could walk in and catch us, as he hadn’t locked the door. I would be mortified if someone saw us like this, but it was also exciting to have him so out of control.
The first time we had sex a few days after wewere married had been magic, and ever since, each time had only made me hungrier for him.
“Dante.” I clutched at his shirt.