Page 53 of Beauty and the Daddy

For a heartbeat, neither of us moves. The air between us crackles with everything we're not saying.

Then he steps back. "Yes."

But I don't. I watch him walk away, all controlled power and barely leashed hunger.

His footsteps echo down the marble hallway—measured, steady, like he's forcing himself not to turn around.

I count to ten. Then I follow.

His door is unlocked. Of course it is. Men like Luca don't fear anything walking through their doors uninvited.

Except maybe me.

He's facing the window when I enter, jacket gone, shirt open at the throat.

The Rome skyline glitters behind him like a backdrop designed to make him look more dangerous.

"Belle." He doesn't turn around. "You should go back to your room."

"Should I?" I close the door behind me with a soft click. "Or should I tell you what I really want?"

Now he turns. His eyes are black in the lamplight, and I can see the exact moment his control starts to fray.

"I want you again." I pause, meet his eyes, let the words hang like smoke. "But rough this time."

LUCA

She's at my door, looking like a queen on fire.

Her hair's all wild, eyes all gleamy, and she's standing right there looking at me like she's daring me to stay away in a bet I can never win.

She wants it rough, and I lose before she can even walk in.

My cock hardens so fast I get dizzy. Belle Donovan, asking me to fuck her rough?

Christ on a cracker, I must have died and gone to heaven. Or hell.

Probably hell, because what I want to do to her right now would make the devil hold the gates wide open.

I literally lunge towards her, like a beast going for his last meal.

"You sure about that?" I growl with my thumb on her neck and finger on the side of her cheek, tilting her neck back.

"I'm sure."

Her gorgeous green eyes drop to my lips, and I reach behind her, slamming the door shut.

She jumps, startled like it's only now she's cleared her head.

"I'm an impatient man. If you want to leave, do it now because I won't guarantee I'll stop once I start, sweetheart."

"Who said I'll let you stop?" She tilts her head, her eyes thinning from the playful challenge in her eyes.

Damn if that ain't something.

"Talk like that, and I might make you beg," I growl, leaning closer to her lips.