Page 36 of Ashes

Maybe I should.

Even if it’s not a good idea.

I place my hand on her cheek, aware that everyone’s still watching us, but I don’t care.

I pull her closer.

Her eyes are on mine, and I lean closer, my lips hovering over hers.

I wait for her to pull away, but she doesn’t.

Instead, our lips collide.

Our kiss is hard and deep and hungry.

Wanting more.

When I touch her, it’s like I can’t remember anything else.

Nothing else exists.

She overtakes everything.

And I don’t know how she’s doing it.

When we break apart, confusion flickers through her eyes, her lips still parted.

I tell myself this is all for show.

How else are we going to get a shot at winning?

We need to do something that makes us more entertaining than the rest. The fact that she’s my wife and not my mistress or a slave should be a potentially interesting factor, but I don’t know if it’ll be enough.

But maybe it doesn’t matter.

Paola and I will have fun anyway, and even if we don’t win, we’ll still move up and get closer and closer to Gianni.